Working in the column

IMO’s main task is maintaining a total of six columns in which various types of chemical processes take place. In this case, these are systems for separating liquids with 100 cutting discs over a height of 20 meters and a diameter of about 1.5 meters per column. During production, these discs vibrate with a displacement of just 20 mm; however, that is enough to accelerate the separation of liquids into lighter and heavy components. But lifting the central, 20-meter-high central rod with its 100 discs out of its column requires a crane that can lift to a height of at least 50 meters. Technically speaking, that is nothing special. Still, it provides a sense of the task’s scale. The rod, bearings and cutting discs are then cleaned, inspected and replaced as needed, which is necessary from time to time since all the parts are exposed to varying degrees of mechanical forces. Incidentally, only three out of the six columns are up for inspection each year: two in the first five days while production line A is stopped, one in the second five days when production line B is shut down. It is not possible to do more in the timeframe. The following year, production line B will be up first with two columns so that all the columns have a turn every two years. And because operations continued on the other line, stricter safety requirements apply while the work is carried out.