Platform on civil engineering, underground infrastructure, energy, construction equipment & construction machinery
Our water-rich country has hundreds of bridges, locks, tunnels and viaducts. Many date from the 1950s and 1960s and are used intensively by increasingly heavy traffic. Rijkswaterstaat will therefore be replacing or renovating dozens of engineering structures in the coming years. "An enormous task that requires an innovative approach and good cooperation between the government and the market is more important than ever," says Stan Veldpaus of Colt International.
Colt designs, supplies, installs, certifies and maintains systems for ventilation exhaust and smoke and heat from a fire, and positive pressure ventilation for tunnels and underground and overhead stations. In this article, we zoom in on tunnel ventilation and the role Colt can play in this major tunnel renovation job.
"It's fair to say that there are a lot of projects involved," says Veldpaus. "Refurbishing them is quite a puzzle to be laid, which we, as a small radar, are happy to play a part in." Colt has been around for more than 90 years, is now part of Kingspan Light & Air, and thus has even more knowledge and experience. Colt is affiliated with the COB (Center for Underground Construction) and the CCV (Center for Crime and Safety) to make maximum use of each other's knowledge and expertise. "We take a flexible approach, seek collaborations with partners, as well as expertise in the market."
"Thanks to our expertise, we can offer a total approach and support in every step of the process. From design to advice on component selection, from assembly of the components to delivery of the tunnel ventilation system, as well as from inspection of the installation as a whole to its management and maintenance. We are in an excellent position to take the burden off the applicant at an early stage with regard to advice around the design. Whether for existing or new construction projects, that's where our added value lies, among other things." Veldpaus does note that Rijkswaterstaat often works with regular consultancies. "In cases like that, we like to seek cooperation, where we find it important to respect and help each other. Because then one plus one only makes three." The same goes for the partners who supply the products to Colt. "We have carefully selected these partners because we want to work intensively with them to continuously improve the products and develop them further based on the needs and requirements from the market."
Veldpaus says a collaboration between partners and Colt's experts led to the improvement of the entire range of tunnel fans. "By being smarter about the shape of the impeller, the fan works even more effectively. This major improvement on the impeller blades results in several percent more efficient consumption. Especially in these current times, where energy challenges and available power are the order of the day, this is an important development." Not only with the fan itself, but also with the way it is hung, sometimes a lot of gains can be made. One of the reasons Colt works with CFD simulations. "This gives us a tool that allows you to predict with almost 100% certainty in a situation that does not yet exist (and without a mock-up) what will happen in real life. Thanks to innovative ways like this and by always keeping a critical eye, we come up with smart solutions to issues and problems from the market that we can tackle on the front end." Finally, Veldpaus mentions some tunnel projects Colt has worked on: the RET route in Rotterdam, the Schipholspoortunnel, the Velserspoortunnel, the Spaarndammertunnel and most recently the Tangent tunnel in Mechelen (B). "Beautiful projects and many more will follow. Colt can definitely make an important contribution in tackling the great challenge facing the Netherlands."
