Pioneering Spirit
Designed and manufactured multiple bespoke Met-Trak® drag chains.
Project Description
Pioneering Spirit is the largest construction vessel in the world! It is 382 metres in length, has a breadth of 124 metres, a depth of 30 metres and a displacement of 365,000 Tonnes (Transit).
On board there is a variety of equipment, and Metreel designed and manufactured multiple bespoke Met-Trak® drag chains for use on deck equipment for carrying the vital services required for the massive lifting devices installed.
These drag chains carry a collection of special hoses and electrical cables which provide power, control and instrumentation requirements on the Port & Starboard lifting beam ‘fingers’ mounted on the vessel.
Included in Metreel supply were specially developed low expansion hose assemblies.
Industry
Construction
Location
Worldwide
Products Supplied
Met-Trak® drag chains
Solution
Power to the tripper car was provided by an ageing ‘open conductor’ style conductor bar which was regularly failing due to the sprung ‘pantograph style’ collectors slipping from the conductor along with general dirt and dust build-up on the open conductors themselves.
Metreel was asked to provide a reliable replacement for this system. Originally the client asked if a cable reel system could be utilised but, at some 276m travel, this would not have been suitable and may also have been subject to reliability issues due to the dusty environment and UK climate.
Metreel advised that the best option here would be to replace the conductor system with centre fed AKAPP Multiconductor® – an enclosed track conductor bar system utilising a collector trolley running inside the conductor bar housing. The AKAPP Multiconductor® system, being at waist level was supplied with a finger safe extension for safety along with rubber strips to further prevent any dust entering the conductor housing.
Metreel supplied and successfully installed the system over a shutdown period during a Bank Holiday weekend to minimise disruption to production.
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