Claims:WE CLAIM:
1. A Lifting Frame (1) for lifting heavy steel plates (3) used as a Dead Weight in Load Testing of Secondary Side Attachment comprising:
A bottom beam (2) comprising 2 Nos. of ISMB 600 beams (4) and additional plates (5) welded to the top & bottom Flanges of the ISMB 600 (4);
A top beam (8) comprising 2 Nos. of ISMB 600 beams (4’) and additional plates (5) welded to the top & bottom Flanges of the ISMB 600 (4’);
Two steel rods (6) connecting said bottom beam (2) and said top beam (8) using nut and bolt arrangement (7) at top and bottom ends.
2. The lifting frame (1) as claimed in claim 1 wherein, said top beam (8) is provided with a lifting eye (9) of the facilitate the lifting of the Loading frame with the dead weight (3).

3. A method of lifting dead weight of plates using two lifting frames in Load Testing of Secondary Side Attachment comprising steps of:

Hanging 2 lifting frames (1) from a crane hook (13);
Keeping a distance (10) between said lifting frames (1) to suit the flexibility of dead weight (3);
Using an equalizing beam (11) to interconnect SSA (12) with said crane hook (13); and
Moving said crane hook (13) up, to transfer load from said lifting frames (1) to SSA (12) as a tensile load. , Description:FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to load testing using heavy plates as dead weight. More particularly the invention relates to a Load testing of Secondary Side Attachment and Evener beam of a Nuclear Steam Generator, using Heavy Steel Plates as Dead Weight.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Steam Generators (SG) are crucial components of Nuclear Power Plant (NPP), that transfer the thermal energy generated in the reactor vessel to the turbine system by generating steam to drive the turbine. A typical SG for a Domestic NPP measures about 20 meters in height and 5 meters in diameter, weighs roughly 300 MetricTonnes(MT) and houses approximately 3000 inverted ‘U’ shaped heat transfer tubes. Because safety and reliability are absolute requisites of NPPs, SGs demand especially high design and manufacturing capability in addition to safety and reliability.
The Secondary side attachment (SSA)is a component used for raising, lowering, or rotating the Steam Generator and supports the entire weight of a Steam Generator during its alignment. The SSA is about 3 meters in diameter and about 1.2m thick.
Since the SSA is to handle load of the SG, of about 300 MT, it is a normal practice to “Load test” the SSAbefore putting it into use.
The tensile load testing of the SSA isdone using Cranes i.e. Electrically Operated Overhead Travelling (EOT) Cranes, indoor, or mobile outdoor cranes.
The load test setup normally consists of an EOT crane and anequalizingbeam, SSA and the Dead weight. The Dead weight is placed in a Loading Crate which is hung from the bottom of the SSA which in turn is hung from the Equalizing beam,which is attached to the hook of the crane.
When the tensile load testing is conducted, the hook of the EOT is lifted uptherebyabout 300 MT, the load of the ‘Dead Weight’ is transferred to the SSA.
The dead weight normally consists of heavy steel plates of length of about 10 meters, placed in the Loading Crate specially fabricated for this purpose.
The length and width of this Loading Crate is decided by the length and width of the steel plates to be used as Dead weight and the height of the Loading Crate is decided by the number of plates to be used as Dead Weight.
The loading crate will be in the form of a Rectangular box with both the ends open. The top side of the Loading Crate is also closed after loading of the steel plates into the Loading Crate. Lifting hooks are provided in the side frames of the Lifting Crate.
Since the SSA has to be tested for about 300 MT, the Loading Crate also has to handle Dead weight in the form of heavy steel plates of about 300MT.
The loading Crate has to have the strength and rigidity to hold about 300MT,when designed properly, the weight of the Loading Crate itself becomes in the order of about 50 MT.
The present invention seeks to overcome this drawback of the prior art, a light weight alternative to the Loading Crate.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the invention to propose a Lifting Mechanism that is drastically different from a Loading crate.
Another object of the invention is to propose a frame made up of steel beams and rods.
A still another object of the invention is to propose 2 numbers of steel beams (ISMB-600) for the bottom member of the frame.
Yet another object of the invention is to propose, additional steel plates to be welded to the top and bottom flanges of the steel beams (ISMB 600) to take care of the Dead weight of about 300 MT.
A further object of the invention is to propose 2 Nos. of steel rods about 100mm diameter as vertical side members of the lifting frame capable of handling the expected Load of about 300MT.
A still further object of the invention is to propose 2 Nos. of steel beams, as the top member with additional top and bottom plates added to the flanges of the steel Beams (ISMB 600) to take care of hung weight of about 300MT.
Another object of the invention is to propose a lifting hook on the top steel beams to handle the Dead Weight.
A Still another object of the invention is to propose a bolt and nut connection at the top and bottom of the two side steel rods of about 100mm for easy placement and removal, before and after the Load Testing.
A still another object of the invention is to propose two numbers of lifting frames for lifting the Dead weight for better balancing of the Dead weight of length of about 10 Meter.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, there is provided a lifting mechanism for Lifting heavy steel plates, consisting of two Lifting Frames spaced at about 3M.
The two Lifting Frame reduces the imbalance, had there been only one lifting frame, while handling of the heavy steel plates as dead weight for the Load Test.
The top member of the Lifting Frame is removable from the two side steel rods of 100mm diameter which enables the plates (Dead weight) to be placed on the bottom beam (ISMB 600 with additional plates) and can be fitted in position, after the plates (Dead Weight) are loaded on the bottom beam, using the bolt and nut arrangement in the side rods of 100mm diameter.
The spacing between the two Lifting Frame for the Load test can be varied according to the flexibility of the plates.
The heavy plates normally have the capacity to resist deflection due to its own weight thus the two Lifting Frames hold the plates in position for the Load test without appreciable deflection of plates thus obviating the need for a “loading crate”.
BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS
Fig-1 Shows the sectional elevation and front elevation of a Loading Crate.
Fig-2 Shows the elevation of the load testing arrangement.

DETAIL DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to an embodiment as shown in the drawing.
Fig-1.Shows the Lifting Frame (1) for Lifting heavy plates used as Dead weight in a Load Testing of SSA.
The bottom beam (2) is used to support the heavy steel plates (3) while lifting. The bottom member consists of 2 Nos. of ISMB-600(4). The two ISMB 600 are interconnected and strengthened with addition plates (5) on both the flanges of the steel beams.
The two vertical sides of the frame consist of about 100mm diameter mild steel rods (6).
The steel rods are (6) provided with bolt & nut arrangement (7) at both the ends i.e. at the top & at bottom.
The bolt & Nut (7) arrangement makes the handling of the frame easier.
The bolt & nut (7) arrangement at both the ends of the 100mm diameter rod facilitates easy storage of components of the frame after the load testing.
The top beam (8) also consists of beams 2 Nos. (ISMB 600) interconnected and strengthened with additional plates on both top & bottom flanges of the steel beams.
The top beam is attached with a lifting eye (9) to facilitate the lifting.
Referring to Fig. 2, the method of lifting dead weight of plates using two lifting frames is shown.
The distance between the two Lifting Frames (10) is adjusted to suit the flexibility of the plates. Further, an equalizing beam (11) is used to interconnect the SSA (12) with the crane hook.
When hook (13) of the crane is moved up, the Load from the Loading Frame, which holds the Dead weight, is transferred to the SSA (12) as a tensile Load.
The sectional property of the heavy steel plates, the ‘Moment of inertia’, is made use of in designing the Loading frame which obviates the need for a Loading Crate.