Load cells aid pipe laying

A Vishay Nobel product story
Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team May 31, 2002

Caley Ocean Systems of Scotland, chosen to design and manufacture a 700t-capacity 'hang-off' module, approached Thermo Nobel for assistance with the monitoring of the pipe laying hold-back forces.

Caley Ocean Systems of Scotland, chosen to design and manufacture a 700t-capacity 'hang-off' module, approached Thermo Nobel for assistance with the monitoring of the pipe laying hold-back forces.

These are critical in marine pipe laying for optimum speed and operational safety.

The module was for the Technip-Coflexip recently commissioned CSO 'Deep Blue' ultra deep water pipelay and subsea construction vessel.

The module suspends a J-Lay pipe-string in a vertical or angled orientation through a 'moonpool' in the hull amidships.

The module's structure consists of the hydraulic pipe-clamp assembly, which can traverse the 'moonpool' area laterally and fore/aft, within a huge trolley structure mounted on four bogies.

Each bogie has four wheels travelling on tracks alongside the moonpool, and the wheeled interface provides the site for the force monitoring measurements.

Each one of the bogie-wheel axles is fitted with two Thermo Nobel KOSD type 2MN range double shear beam load cells, well-known for their use in thousands of towing and mooring winch installations throughout the offshore oil and marine industries.

By these means, a total reaction loading of up to 1600t between the 'hang-off' module and the vessel can be determined.

Thermo Nobel also supplied its AST 3P digital weight transmitters to power and signal condition each load cell.

The Technip-Coflexip Group 'Deep Blue' purpose-designed ultra deepwater pipelay and subsea construction vessel is of unprecedented size and working capacity.

This 206m long vessel is the largest one in the World with a tensioning capacity of over 700t and with a pipe handling capability up to 28in.

The vessel has a working depth range of 2500m.

The installation on the Deep Blue is the latest in a long line of Caley Ocean Systems' projects with which Thermo Nobel has been proud to be associated.

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