MechChem Africa October 2017

⎪ Products and industry news ⎪

State hospitals converted to CNG

system automatically alerts our team at our Langlaagte-basedmother stationwho, in turn, transport more trailers of gas to the hospital,” comments Rothman. “Some of the larger hospitals requireanewtrailer every day, so by placing the onus on us it is a massive benefit for the hospitals, and it also allows us to uphold our guarantee of a constant supply of gas.” The PRP is also equippedwith a flowmeter to ensure that the hospitals only pay for the gas they use. All supplied equipment is controlledby VGN, and so the company undertakes the responsibility of equipment service and maintenance. This on-going preventative maintenance also benefits the hospitals with regards to downtime savings. “South Africa has access to large volumes of natural gas, but our usage is much lower that it should be. By convert- ing these hospitals to compressed natural gas, and with the inevitable carbon tax looming, theGDIDand theGDOHarenow setting the example by using more envi- ronmentally friendly fuel sources – and theyarebenefitting fromthemaintenance and cost implications thereof,” concludes Rothman. www.cngholdings.co.za are located. Underground utilities unex- pectedly encountered during excavation, couldcause costlydelays, thedisruptionof essential services and the injury or death of workers. “BoschMunitechuses advancedequip- ment: including electromagnetic locators; ground-penetrating radar; and sonde trac- ing to locateburiedservices. These include water pipes, storm water and sewerage drains, as well as electrical, telecommu- nications and fibre optic cables. These utilities are then surveyed by engineering surveyorsandincorporatedintoAutoCAD 2D and 3D drawings,” explains Otto. The company’s full USL facility, which is necessary for planning new pipe designs, utilitydiversions andnewconstruction, in- volves the latest non-intrusive techniques to establish not only the position and depth of buried utilities, but also the type, size and origin of underground services. www.boschholdings.co.za

Virtual Gas Network (VGN), a division of CNG Holdings, recently partnered with theGautengDepartmentofInfrastructure Development (GDID) and the Gauteng Department of Health (GDOH) to reduce the carbon footprint of ten state-owned hospitals. This move forms part of gov- ernment’s Green Initiative. By converting their coal-burningboiler systems to clean- er compressednatural gas (CNG) systems, the hospitals not only reduce their CO 2 emissions, but also require infrastructure that is more economical to maintain.

The government’s Green Initiative seeks to reduce Gauteng’s carbon foot- print on a municipal and industrial level. As statehospitals operateon coal-burning energy – the largest contributor to CO 2 – theGDIDcontractedVGNto convert four state hospitals to compressed natural gas. Once their efficiency had been proven, an additional six hospital contracts were awarded to the company. From a maintenance perspective, natural gas is a cleaner burning fuel and reduces residue, stench and carbon build up. This will significantly lower the hospi- tals’ maintenance requirements, extend service intervals and prolong overall equipment life. “This move constitutes not only an environmentally sound deci- sion, but a business one too,” comments StephenRothman, CEOof CNGHoldings. VGN’s pressure regulating plant (PRP) also monitors and controls the hospitals’ gas usage with its sophisticated SCADA system. “What this means for the hospi- tals is that we take the responsibility for guaranteeing gas supply. The intelligent

Compressed natural gas is a cleaner energy source than coal and its use also lowers the maintenance requirements of the Gauteng-based hospitals.

Bosch Munitech’s specialised Under­ ground Services Location (USL) system encompasses advanced utility detection andmapping services, essential for provid- ing accurate information on buried utility infrastructure layouts. “USL − which requires expert skills, using non-intrusive methods to locate the exact type, size, position and depth Advanced utility detection and mapping of buried utilities – is critical in reducing risk and ensuring efficiency and safety in every excavation or construction project,” says Chris Otto, divisional head: under- ground services and leak detection, Bosch Munitech, a division of Bosch Holdings. “Before digging commences, it is vital that all buried utilities likely to be affected by excavation or construction,

LED light towers for remote worksites Chicago Pneumatic has extended its range of electrically powered light towers with the launch of two new models, the CPLT V2 LED and CPLT V3 LED. Both can be integrated

to plug into an electric power source, such as an outlet. They feature four 160 W high- quality LED panels that provide an average coverage of 2 000 to 3 000 m² depending on the chosen model. The 5.5 m manual verti- cal mast can be easily raised to achieve the maximum coverage while the robust canopy protects the light tower andmaintains itspeak performance in varying weather conditions. “The latest additions to our light tower portfolio offer optimal functionality. Easy to combine with our inverter generators, they provide contractors with a powerful and ad- justablelightingoptionthatisquicktoconnect toa sourceof ac electrical power,” says Ignacio Picatoste, spokesperson for light towers at Chicago Pneumatic. www.cp.com

with the recently launched CPPG inverter generator, whichprovides a reliable sourceof acpower below 3.0 kW at a moment’s notice. With this combination, contrac- tors have access to a cordless, flexible, lightweight and easy-to-move solution that delivers instant site

lighting, even in off-grid and re- mote working environments. Ideal for any application

whereoptimal visibility is crucial, the V2 and V3LEDare also simple

Bosch Munitech’s USL system shown being used to conduct a GPR scan at an air force base.

36 ¦ MechChem Africa • October 2017