Roller energy chain in double lock

Profile

• What was needed: Roller energy chain type 4040CR, chainflex cables, trough system, floating moving end
• Requirements: Continuous operation in the plant
• Industry: Lock
• Success for the customer: Reliable energy supply, minimal maintenance

Problem

The sea lock in Krammersluis near Zeeland in the Netherlands is a double sluice 280 m long and 24 m wide. It regulates the continuous shipping traffic on a daily basis, 24 hours a day, and can therefore be described as a critical point in the local infrastructure. Therefore, the operators of the facility must also be able to trust that the lock will work reliably and permanently. Of course, this also includes the energy supply system, which is a critical element of the system that makes orderly operation possible in the first place and, to be specific, supplies the pumps, locking system and lighting with power.
Earlier, a tender system was used here, which over time could no longer meet these high performance requirements of the system. Specifically, the cables proved to be permanently unstable, as evidenced by twists and broken cables. This finally forced the operator to rethink.

Solution

A search that paid off. Because after igus was able to convince the operators of the double sluice of the products, a reliable energy chain system including chainflex cables from the igus range was installed in 2009. To be more precise, a roller energy chain of type 4040CR is used today. This runs in an igus trough system, which guides the chain safely. Finally, floating moving ends round off the system. They are used to compensate for any differences that occur in the energy supply system.
The status at present speaks for the new solution from igus and convinces the customer: Unlike before, maintenance is minimal; in fact, in practice a visual inspection of the roller energy chain and the cables is only carried out once a year.