Safety system takes the strain at Terminal 5
A
Sensor-Technik UK product story
Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team
Mar 13, 2006
A novel modular safety system monitors the strain on and power to the tethering system used in the construction of the control tower for Heathrow's Terminal 5.
Traditional building methods were unsuitable for the control tower for Heathrow's Terminal 5, because conventional cranes or vehicles could not be used next to the existing, busy runway.
Alternative methods were needed.
When it is completed in 2006, the new control tower at Terminal 5 will, at 87m high, be one of the tallest control towers in the world.
Building such a structure alongside an existing busy runway eliminated the possibility of using conventional methods.
Instead, sections are built in position on the ground and successively raised so that the next section can be built underneath.
A safety system was required to monitor both the strain and the power to the tethering system holding the tower in position.
Recognising that the system would only be needed during the construction period, Sensor-Technik developed a modular solution that could readily be used on subsequent projects.
Fed by remote pressure sensors, the pressure monitoring box incorporated a display, facilities to define alarm setpoints and local alarm-status indication.
A further module with GSM modem provides the ability for alarms to be transmitted as SMS messages to a mobile phone.
Preprogrammed messages can thus be sent to preset phone numbers, with the actual message and phone called dependent on the specific alarm or input conditions.
There is also the ability to switch in a local standby power pack in case of power failure, giving 24/7 assurance to both on-site operators and off-site managers.
Sensor-Technik designed and incorporated all the modules and cables, giving the contractor a simple plug-and-play installation.
The contractor easily set up the system, with the ability to program the GSM module via his own mobile phone.
The complete system was up and running within a matter of hours.
Through the development of a modular solution and with thorough testing in-house, Sensor- Technik not only resolved this particular application, but also provided a system that can be readily transferred to subsequent jobs, requiring nothing more complex than easy reprogramming via a mobile phone.
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