The Hydac group has designed and delivered the hydraulic drive and control system for the operation of a 5.200t Jacking System.
The 5.200 ton jacking system is used for lifting major construction structures by using multiple lifting points. Each jacking tower consists of four bases or 6 bases, each with a jacking cylinder, that are controlled by one 308kW diesel driven hydraulic power unit (HPU). The jacking system is a modularised concept that can easily be multiplied with numerous towers, dependent on the required load lift. Lifting points can be up to 250m in distance from each other. The operating and control of each lifting tower is done by individual HPU’s and its manifolds on the jacking cylinders at each tower. The internal lifting accuracy of is 0.5 mm per tower and is achieved by the dedicated control software operating at the safety PLC controlled system, the overall tower accuracy is ±1mm. The hydraulic cylinders lifting the load with high precision always have to be synchronized, as well as the overall accuracy between towers which controlled by means of a load computer.
Next to the main cylinder operation, also the fully automated beam loading system is controlled by the HPU’s.
For the operation of one tower (four cylinders) the HPU is driven by a 308kW Stage V diesel engine drives the main pump for the cylinders and auxiliary pumps for the loading system. The integrated hydraulic manifold controls the flow to each of the cylinders and a sectional proportional control valve controls the loading ports. The individual local manifolds on each cylinder of the Jacking base control the stroke. The PLC system on the power pack controls the HPU as well as the local manifold valves at the base. Feedback and control loop to the customer’s control room is done via a dedicated CANBUS protocol.
Robust engineering, extreme control accuracy and close collaboration with the customer made this project possible. The next step on the roadmap will be a more sustainable electrically driven version.