Electricity + Control November 2019

PLANT MAINTENANCE, TEST + MEASUREMENT Product News

Drones and rope access for power station inspection Skyriders, a leader in the South African rope access industry, recently made use of the synergy between drone technology and traditional rope access in an inspection project at one of the country’s oldest power stations in Mpumalanga. The fast-track project was undertaken together with partner company Nyeleti Consulting and involved the inspection of two 155-metre-high smokestacks. The external inspection was carried out by a two-person team deploying high-tech drones fitted with high-definition 4K and thermal cameras. It was done to identify any hotspots that could indicate areas where the internal brick lining of the concrete wind shield had deteriorated. Skyriders Marketing Manager, Mike Zinn, says the thermal imaging was done early in the morning, before the heat of sun could have an impact on the smokestacks. In the second part of the project, a two-person rope access team took core samples from the two smokestacks.This involved drilling 100-mm-deep holes into the concrete, and extracting samples to be submitted for laboratory testing – for compression strength and carbonation, among other measures. “While a good visual inspection is essential and can provide a wealth of information, it is equally important for an engineer to understand the health of the concrete itself, as well as the reinforcing steel. These components give a good overview of the true condition of the structures,” Zinn says. After the core samples have been cut out, the holes are patched with an approved patching material to ensure the integrity of the structure. A detailed report is submitted to the client following the receipt of the laboratory results and informs future maintenance and repair work requirements. Skyriders called on the particular expertise of Nyeleti Consulting as the company has the only CICIND (International Committee on Industrial Chimneys) accredited engineer in South Africa, an expert on industrial smokestacks and chimneys. For more information contact Skyriders.Tel: +27 (0)11 312 1418, email: mike@ropeaccess.co.za

Skyriders used traditional rope access and high-tech drones fitted with thermal cameras in the high-rise inspection at an Mpumalanga power plant.

Electricity + Control

NOVEMBER 2019

21