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Study: The Port Waratah Coal Service Kooragang Expansion |
The Project
Bechtel Australia was the construction manager responsible for
the installation and alignment of more than five (5) kilometres
of coal conveyors at the PWCS Kooragang Expansion Stage 3 in
Newcastle Australia.
Prefabricated conveyor sections were delivered to the site and
erected onto concrete trestle supports. Individual conveyor
idlers (rollers) are required to be surveyed into position both
horizontally and vertically within a tolerance of plus or minus
2 millimetres to provide very accurate tracking of a high speed
conveyor belt carrying 10,500 tonnes of coal per hour to the
ship loader.
A similar horizontal and vertical alignment tolerance is required
for the module mounted ship loader tripper rails over the length
of travel along 3 contiguous berths of 350 meters each.
The Challenge
Project Survey Team Manager, Andrew Baker of Monteath &
Powys Surveyors, was responsible for providing a safe access
to enable this alignment survey and mechanical adjustment to
proceed.
The Monteath & Powys Solution
Andrew Baker used the three-sided configuration of the conveyor
assembly and its design function for providing longitudinal
transport to provide a mobile work platform-tagged the “boat”.
The preliminary plan was the culmination of client liaison,
measurements of typical sections and idler spacing. This plan
was presented to the Bechtel Field Engineering Manager, Rob
Payton and the Client Project Design Manager, Owen Scott. Our
engineering professionals tested the theory behind this concept
and Rob Payton did the engineering drawings.
Port Hunter Fire & Fabrication constructed the lightweight
aluminium structure with central anchor point for harness connection,
central pin locking to retain platform against central idlers
and end point safety rails. Four-point lifting lugs enabled
easy attachment to mobile crane hooks for lifting onto position
on selected conveyor, and careful sizing of platform facilitated
usage on the variety of PWCS conveyor profiles.
The Implementation
The platform was launched and field-tested. The operations have
exceeded engineering design standards and workforce expectations.
All safety locking, movement and control systems have proved
to be successful.
As well as an operations triumph, this project was also a financial
success story. Within the first 7 days of operations, the efficiency
improvements covered the cost of fabrication and development.
The benefits of simultaneous access for both survey alignment
and mechanical adjustment from a safe mobile platform was the
culmination of a high benchmark in professional team achievement.
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Other Monteath & Powys Projects Nikkinba
Ridge Development, Tomago Aluminium
Project |
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