British contractor Balfour Beatty saved $700,000 by utilising the advantages of Chemz Blue Lube on the Penrose to Pakuranga section of the North Auckland and Northland (NAaN) Project. This project involved design, manufacture and installation of 220 kV cables. The objective of the project was to provide an efficient and secure 220 kV underground electricity supply.
The underground transmission circuit route was buried in a trench within the road, approximately 2m wide by 1.9m deep. Normally there would have been access pits every 200m along the 9,150m route to facilitate the pulling of the 146mm diameter cable through the 250mm diameter ducts laid in the trench. This would have resulted in over 40 access pits along the route.
The different approach taken by Balfour Beatty was to use 220 kV cable in lengths in excess of 1000m.
By using these extreme cable lengths, the number of access pits was reduced from 40 to nine.
Pulling 1,000m lengths of cable, weighing around 40 tons through undulating underground ducts presented unique problems, with the allowable pulling force limited to prevent damage to the cable. The solution was provided by CHEMZ, with their cable pulling lubricant – CHEMZ BLUE LUBE. The contractors used 1000 litres of CHEMZ BLUE LUBE cable pulling lubricant for every 1,000m of cable.
A rubber slug, attached to a 3-ton capstan winch was used to spread the CHEMZ BLUE LUBE through the conduit lubricating the duct as it was pulled through. The procedure ensured that enough CHEMZ BLUE LUBE lubricant was discharged at locations where extra lubrication was needed at major bends, angle changes or depth changes in the duct route.
“We estimate that by being able to pull these 1000m plus lengths of 220 kV cable using Chemz Blue Lube, a saving of over $700,000 was achieved on this project. Chemz worked with us to adjust the viscosity of their Blue Lube to suit the new spraying technology we developed for this project.” – Gordon Hockaday (Project Engineering Manager).
New Zealand’s Safe Heavy Duty Industrial & Electrical Cleaner
For a long time, Kiwis have had to rely on harsh solvent-based electrical cleaners that are not only carcinogenic but also damaging to plastics, rubber, and the components they are meant to clean.
Chemz RW Cleaner has successfully addressed this issue by providing a safe and effective alternative. The “RW” stands for Railways, as Kiwi Rail recognised the need for a better solution after experiencing the harmful effects of traditional cleaners. Chemz stepped in to develop a product that met Kiwi Rail’s requirements for safety and efficacy. Through a partnership with Kiwi Rail, Chemz RW Cleaner has been extensively tested on heavy-duty electrical equipment to ensure it is both human-friendly and capable of effectively cleaning large switches that are often exposed to harsh conditions. Chemz worked diligently to meet the specific criteria set by Kiwi Rail and deliver a product that performs exceptionally well.
Low Toxicity, Powerful Industrial Cleaner
- Developed to meet client needs, the first of its kind on the market
- Removes contamination in the engineering and electrical equipment fields
- Low toxicity, great for use in enclosed spaces
- Available in two convenient sizes
– 500ml
– 20L
Ever since the creation and improvement of RW cleaner, it has become the preferred choice for cleaning heavy-duty electrical components in various industries. It outshines the competition by consistently providing New Zealand industries with a safe and highly effective cleaning solution.
Speak to your local Powerbase distributor today on how you can take advantage of this phenomenal NextGen product made right here in New Zealand.
