There is no clearance at the top as several ceiling elements are moved.
The demolition of part of the substation hall is taking place, in which a total of seven hall ceiling elements, each twelve metres in length, have to be driven out. The use of a mobile crane to remove the hall ceiling is not possible, because two lightning protection cables run directly over the roof and cannot be dismounted. An unusual task for the demolition specialists SPIE from Weinheim and SER from Heilbronn.
Two scaffolding towers on the side-by-side configuration
"Not only that, the whole thing has to proceed without vibrations and the ongoing substation operation must not be disturbed," says Christian Heßler from SPIE, adding: "Only one hundred percent reliable equipment may be used." This is where Wiesbauer comes into play. They develop a spectacular concept on the basis of their Cometto MSPE self-propelled modular transporter. Two 4-axle units and two 202-kW engine units are employed. The self-propelled vehicles are used in a side-by-side combination, two metres apart.
A ten metre-high scaffolding tower is installed on the loading platform of each electronically steered module. With a skillful and steady hand, Wiesbauer employee Tobias Kienzle steers the lowered SPMT combination into the hall. His colleague Leonhard Schmid gives the final instructions by radio for the precise positioning of the self-propelled modular vehicle under the load. Then the unit is raised with the aid of the vehicle hydraulics and the load carriers on the scaffolding are pressed against the ceiling element from underneath. Subsequently, SER begins to cut the three metre wide ceiling elements free. Once this has been accomplished, the driver Tobias Kienzle raises the SPMT by remote control just enough so that the ceiling element can be driven towards the crane without getting stuck.
SPMT – a reliable and safe solution
On five consecutive days, the seven ceiling elements are moved safely and without problems out of the hall area and transferred to a mobile crane. "Let's not forget that we are in an electricity substation here," says Cometto Sales Manager Joachim Kolb. "That means that the full voltage is present on the lines in the direct vicinity."
A live project. However, the reliable and resilient Cometto SPMT self-propelled vehicles proved themselves once again under the most difficult conditions.