CABLES & CABLE MANAGEMENT FEATURE
CUSTOM CABLE SOLUTIONS V
ital power cables will always be prone to attack from water ingress,
condensation, fire or rodents. This is why the long-term sealing of cables was a crucial consideration in the design and fit-out for both the rebuild of the electrical substation at London Bridge and the new electrical switch-room at King’s College Hospital, in London. In both cases, problems such as an
electrical blackout could have catastrophic consequences and ensuring the power supply is properly protected is essential. Both contracts required bespoke solutions to meet the differing needs of each project. As part of the multi-billion pound
Thameslink Programme, Network Rail commissioned Roxtec to ensure that the
puddle flanges and a special arch shaped flange to match the curvature of the existing substation roof. Roxtec’s engineers were heavily
involved during the design phase of the project and provided full technical support throughout, as well as overseeing the weekend installation. They were able to ensure that space was created so future cable upgrades could be made with the minimum of disruption. Roxtec's project at King's College
Hospital involved providing bespoke cable seals for a new electrical switch- room. They were required to seal a wide range of new and existing cables, in order to protect against water ingress and fire. Switch rooms invariably house all the
Continual power supply is absolutely crucial to run facilities in today’s high-tech world, says Graham O’Hare, Roxtec UK
Left: Work is carried out on the London Bridge Station upgrade
cables, feeding from the switchgear substation to the tracks, were properly sealed and protected. To achieve this, Roxtec designed and manufactured customised frames to seal the high
voltage cables. Weighing 218kg each, the frames, together with the Roxtec sealing modules and compression units, form a safeguard against multiple hazards. The frames had to protect the
53mm diameter cables as well as provide ultra-rigidity for the tight radius bend. Measuring 1.5m in depth, they were designed with
main electrical equipment for a building and vitally protect the switchboards, distribution panels and circuit breakers. When the cables are powering a hospital it is particularly important to ensure that all cables going through walls and floors are properly sealed. For this project, Roxtec designed and
manufactured the customised openable frames they needed to build around the existing cables. They also used bolted frames with an extended 100mm flange so they could be bolted into concrete, making sure they had spare capacity to enable the hospital to upgrade future cabling with minimal disruption.
Roxtec UK
www.powertecnique.com
MAKE GRP TRUNKING YOUR FLEXIBLE FRIEND
Marshall-Tufflex’s Glass Reinforced Polyester (GRP) cable management systems are designed to meet the needs of specification into aggressive or demanding environments, offering consultants and contractors a robust solution that is lightweight and corrosion resistant. They are suitable for transport projects such as tunnels, bridges, railways, underground and airports as well as coastal, petrochemical and energy manufacture distribution installations. With any trunking product, it pays to understand the specific requirements of individual projects and
select the most appropriate product early in the project’s development. Good GRP systems have a large cable capacity and offer fast and flexible installation solutions with the ability of on-site assembly and configuration. There is also the added bonus of GRP being far lighter than alternatives such as steel (it is equal in strength but up to 40 per cent lighter, making it easier to handle and without adding unnecessary weight to the structures). These systems are extremely robust and have excellent resistance to fire and corrosion. For the rail industry, Marshall-Tufflex offers three product lines: tray, troughing and duct. The GRP tray
comes in two variants: The first is ‘non perforated’ with no method to secure the cables other than a lid. When the lid is fixed into position the tray acts as trunking, delivering a two-in-one solution perfect for the specification requirements of the rail industry, which dictates that cables are enclosed. Because GRP expands in heat, Marshall-Tufflex has developed a lid that remains firmly in place even when the GRP is subjected to extreme heat expansion. The second variant is ‘perforated’ which enables contractors to easily fix to brackets by the use of cable ties. It can also be used as a trunking by fitting a lid. GRP troughing is used on railway track side as an alternative solution to heavy concrete troughing, it is easy to install and is a cost and time saving solution. GRP troughing allows for easy movement around site as troughs can be carried rather than driven or hoisted as is required with concrete. Three times lighter than GRC (Glassfibre Reinforced Concrete) and ten times lighter than concrete, the ground ducts are also quick and easy to transport around site. They are strong and self-supporting and impact and frost resistant. Ground Duct work with concrete ducts, can be installed retrospectively and is a cost effective solution to revamping an installation.
Marshall Tufflex
www.marshall-tufflex.com T: 01424 856600 ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING | APRIL 2016 29
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