CUSTOMER:

Hydrauvision

PRODUCT:

Powerpacks 

LOCATION:

The Netherlands

SCOPE OF ENGINE USE:

Cat^® C4.4 – C32 U.S. EPA Tier 4 Final Industrial Diesel Engine

CAT^® DEALER:

Pon Power

RENEWABLE ENERGY THAT DOES MORE

Offshore wind farms are a growing renewable energy source, but establishing one is no easy feat. The base of a windmill, known as the monopile, must be driven into the seabed by a hydraulic hammer. Fifty years ago, the piles were small, measuring 20 centimeters in diameter. Today, piles may be a staggering 10 to 12 meters in diameter, requiring hydraulic hammers with a flow of 3,200 I/min at 350 bar to set them. Getting reliable hydraulic power — sometimes miles from land to run massive impact hammers — creates challenges for the industry. That’s where Hydrauvision comes in.

Established in 1973, the company has developed a broad product portfolio, from custom hydraulic systems to water transport solutions. Hydrauvision offers specialised drive technology solutions, such as Powerpacks, to the company’s sector-spanning, global customer base. Powerpacks include multiple engines and hydraulic pumps enclosed in a 20 ft or 40 ft steel container — engineered for use in harsh environments.

POWER PACKED IN WITH CAT ENGINES

“We put a lot of power in a small volume to save deck space, and that makes it convenient for the customers — to not have so much equipment on their ship,” says Rogier Geleijn, Head of Sales at Hydrauvision. A single Powerpack can house several engines and has an installed power up to 2.4 megawatts.

“We are quite demanding regarding the power that it should deliver,” Geleijn explains. For the company’s Powerpacks, Hydrauvision counts on Cat^® industrial engines, ranging from the C4.4 to the C32, to deliver reliable, powerful performance.

During the engineering process, the company connects Cat engines to multiple high-pressure industrial pumps. In some instances, additional functionalities are fitted to the hydraulic power unit. Hydraulic pumps have electric displacement types controlled by Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC’s) to deliver that required flow. The hydraulic power units use seawater to control the system’s temperature, always enabling the delivery of maximal power.

RELIABLE DEALER SUPPORT AT SEA

Many Hydrauvision customers specifically request Cat industrial engines — end-users citing positive past experiences working with Cat engines and dealer support. Customer demand for the iconic yellow engine bolsters the collaboration between Hydrauvision and dealer Pon Power.

“Caterpillar is well-known for their widely spread dealer network. It is quite common for Hydrauvision’s customers to know their local Cat representative. They can ask questions, or if something’s wrong, they can be helped quickly,” says Geleijn. “And, if something onboard fails, or if they need a filter, the biggest advantage is that support and service is readily available to customers. The distribution of parts is good.”

A PARTNER IN POWER

Changes are often made to the configuration of each Powerpack to comply with varying project standards and emission requirements, while effectively utilising the small container space. “There’s a lot of preparation and a lot of communication between the engineering department of Hydrauvision and the application and installation engineer of our team. We create 3D models showing the right-handed service version and left-handed service version and how that can be done,” said Jan Nederlof, Industrial Power Account Manager at Pon Power.

“When we need technical information, Pon delivers timely and accurate answers. Often, they’re questions regarding delivery times and prices because we are in a project-based business. We have opportunities that pop up quickly. To respond to those project opportunities, we need a reliable partner who can give us that information quite fast.”

DRIVING INNOVATION

Currently, Hydrauvision is developing high-capacity 1150 kW Rental Units for a variety of offshore applications, including wind farm installations. The new units will be equipped with air-cooled, Cat EU Stage V/EPA Tier 4 Final engines to meet emissions criteria. This latest product development is another way Hydrauvision and Caterpillar are working together to deliver innovative power where it needs to be — how it needs to be.

• 6-cylinder, 18.1 liter industrial engine is offered in power ratings up to 800 hp (597 kW) and peak torque 3710 Nm (2736 lb-ft) and provides a compact, flexible and quiet engine system that's ideal for your equipment application.
• The Cat^® C18 is designed for optimal power and torque with a proven aftertreatment reducing the cost of installation and ownership while providing maximum uptime.
• Common core engine shared with other Cat industrial engine models offers common machine interfaces and controls architecture. Allows customers to develop commonality in products, parts and service among equipment in their fleets.
• Engine is designed for low parts and labor maintenance requirements reducing overall cost of ownership.
• The modular engine platform offered by the C18 engine complements a global customer base while providing factory solutions to reduce equipment manufacturers' design and installation costs.