Mechanical Technology January 2016

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40 Mechanical Technology — January 2016
⎪ Nota bene ⎪
Index to advertisers
Altair ...............................................22
Atlas Copco......................................28
Axiom Hydraulics............................. IFC
BMG................................................19
Bonfiglioli.........................................10
Festo................................................33
Immanuel Works..............................IBC
Ingersoll Rand...................................32
Instruweld..........................................2
Powermite........................................26
SEW Eurodrive..................................14
SKF.................................................18
Voith Mining & Metals........................35
Xylem Water Solutions.............OFC, OBC
Industry diary
February 2016
Africa Energy Indaba 2016
15-17 February
Sandton Convention Centre,
Sandton
Debbie Mankowitz
+27 82 604 5826
API Fitness for Service: Alex
Fereidooni
22-26 February, Johannesburg
2KG Training
Phindi Mbedzi
Pump Efficiency and Reliability:
Harry Rosen
22-24 February, Johannesburg
30 June-01 July, Durban
2KG Training
Phindi Mbedzi
Manufactured in 2013, the
Maersk Intrepid is a drilling
rig that has been designed
to operate in the extremely
harsh environment of the North Sea.
Up to 150 people stay on the rig at any
one time, so safety and fire prevention
are paramount. To minimise the risk,
Maersk operates a rigorous preventative
maintenance programme for all electrical
equipment on board, in line with NFPA
70E and SOLAS regulations.
Thermal imaging is an essential
element of this regime and Maersk has
recently taken further steps to underpin
the safe use of this method. It has chosen
to install IRISS IR windows, the only
products of their type to carry Lloyds,
ABS (American Bureau of Shipping) and
DNV accreditation.
Removing panels to gain access to
Ultrasound inspection course
Martec will be hosting a Level 1 Airborne and
Structure Borne Ultrasound Inspector’s
course in Johannesburg from 17 to 19 Febru-
ary, 2016. Designed in accordance with the
guidelines of ASNT recommended practice
SNT-TC-1A, the Level 1 Airborne and Structure
Borne Ultrasound Inspector’s course is a 3-day
comprehensive mix of theory and practical
experience and provides maximum transfer of
knowledge, skills, and abilities.
The course will be presented by ultrasound
inspection specialist Tom Murphy and candi-
dates will be exposed to introductory sound
theory and how it is applied to the inspection
disciplines demanded by an effective airborne
ultrasound programme.
Contact Matthew van der Ploeg: +27 11
326 2708;
Certified IR windows assure safety at sea
switchgear for thermal inspection is a
very risky business. The danger of arc
flash – a short circuit through the air
that creates a fireball explosion – is huge.
Simply dropping hand tools or a cover
panel, making accidental contact with
energised parts or changing the state of
equipment are common triggers – and
the results can be fatal. These hazards
are bad enough on land but at sea, they
are even more acute.
Safe, live inspection
The use of IRISS IR windows effectively
allows the switchgear to remain in an
enclosed and guarded condition, so the
IR scan becomes a non-invasive task.
Infrared passes through the window’s
transmissive polymer lens without com-
promising the IP65/NEMA 4X seal on the
enclosure panel.
This not only keeps personnel safe but
it also allows the system to be thermally
inspected under normal load conditions.
As a result, quantitative and qualitative
data can be acquired on the status of
the electrical system. Furthermore, ap-
plications previously considered to be
too hazardous for thermal imaging can
be brought into the regular inspection
schedule.
Maersk chose IRISS windows because
they are the most tested windows on the
market and comply with all safety stan-
dards required by the offshore industry.
The products were recommended and
supplied by TCAM AS of Norway, a lo-
cal partner of IRISS that specialises in
preventative maintenance solutions. The
lion’s share of the thirty IRISS windows
ordered by Maersk were custom rectan-
gular CAP-CT 24 and CAP-CT 12 made
from a transparent polymer with grill
reinforcement. They allow assets to be
monitored in the visual, ultraviolet and
all infrared spectrums.
The IRISS polymer window provides
many advantages over a crystal alter-
native. Firstly it is designed for harsh
engineering use. Unlike crystal, it with-
stands vibration and won’t shatter. Nor
will it lose its transmission qualities in
the presence of UV or salt water so for
maritime and offshore use IRISS is a clear
front-runner.
Another advantage is that an IRISS
window can be virtually any size and
shape. The optimum size of a crystal win-
dow is just 4.0˝ in diameter and can only
be round, the shape in which it is grown
in the laboratory. IRISS CAP-CT Series
windows are available in a wide variety of
standard sizes from 10 to 60 cm in width
but can also be supplied in custom sizes
and to fit curved surfaces. Indeed Maersk
took advantage of this design freedom by
including a bespoke window in its order.
“We supplied the IRISS windows for
Maersk Intrepid in September 2015
and they are now allowing rig engineers
to undertake fast thermal inspection of
critical components,” confirms Tormod
Selbekk of TCAM AS. “Electrical inspec-
tion in heavy seas is extremely hazard-
ous and this is why the IRISS products
are particularly helpful in the maritime
and offshore industries. They ensure
compliance with industry standards,
reliability of assets and most importantly
personnel safety.” q
The Maersk Intrepid is a drilling rig that has been
designed to operate in the extremely harsh environment
of the North Sea.