A P P L I CA T I O N S ON S ITE
Transporting heavy components for Japan power station Thailand-based transport specialist Silamas recently used Goldhofer vehicles to move two extremely heavy waste gas scrubbers for the Takehara coal-fired power station in Japan. The company was tasked to transport the units over a distance of about 800 m to the quay and then load them onto a barge. The power station comprises three plants and is one of the main sources of energy in the Hiroshima region, with a rated generating capacity of 1,300 MW. The scrubbers, each weighing 2,100 t and measuring a massive 16 m x 36.1 m x 36 m, were engineered by Slot-Nankai Co Ltd from Sattahip Port, Thailand. Due to the enormous weight and dimensions of the units, Silamas opted for two 24-axle parallel combinations. One parallel combination comprised two of PST/SLE 16 + THP/SL 8, while the configuration chosen for the second parallel combination included one of PST/SL 4 + THP/SL 20 and one of PST/SL 6 + THP/SL 18. With a tractive force of 160 kN per driven axle line and a sturdy frame, Goldhofer’s PST/SL series is among heavy-duty modules with the highest loading capacity on the market while the THP/SL modules, with their high bending moment, come into their own when handling concentrated loads in particular. A challenge on the project was that the different types of vehicles had to be coordinated to form a synchronised transport unit. Such complexity was managed with the help of Goldhofer’s Hydronic system - this computerised hydraulic steering control unit enables rod-steered THP/SL modules to be synchronised with the electronic steering systems of the self-propelled vehicles. Thanks to the Goldhofer’s Hydronic system, the vehicle combination with its cargo - weighing a total of 2,500 t - showed great precision in executing the first critical manoeuvre at the end of the journey when it had to drive onto a ramp with a slope of almost 5%. There was also a difference in height of more than 30 cm between the ramp and the barge, which was easily compensated with the stroke on the Goldhofer modules. What’s more, the Hydronic system allowed the entire vehicle combination to be controlled with just one operator. Another challenge was the subsequent drive onto the barge. Due to the limited space available at the loading point, the 40-m-long transporter had to approach the transport ship at an angle. Nevertheless, the cargo could be placed exactly on the
TOP AND ABOVE: Silamas deploys Goldhofer axle lines and Hydronic steering system to move two extremely heavy waste gas scrubbers for the Takehara coal-fired power station in Japan. Thanks to this system, the entire vehicle combination could be controlled with just one operator.
foundation installed in the middle of the barge. According to Silamas, both units were loaded within a week and the project was completed on schedule. n Website: www.goldhofer.com
71