With a length of 500 metres, a width of 70 metres and a depth of 18 metres, the IJmuiden Sea Lock is an impressive feat of hydraulic engineering. Van Meeuwen sought the optimal solution for lubricating the pin tracks in the sliding doors of the world’s largest sea lock.
The roller conveyor drive is equipped with pin tracks in the sliding doors of the largest sea lock in the world. The drive is located above the surface water, which means that a biodegradable grease must be used. Because everything takes place in the open air, the grease must also be resistant to fresh and salt water, wind, temperature changes and contaminants such as sand. Additionally, the grease had to be suitable for application through an automatic lubrication system. Extensive testing, conducted in collaboration with OpenIJ Maintenance, demonstrated that our own biodegradable Green Point Open Gear Grease was the most effective option.
In practice, the lock gate only slides from right to left. When the gate slides to the left, the lock is closed. When the gate slides to the right, the lock is open. It is actually straightforward, but what makes it special is that the lubrication system is installed beneath the road surface. This makes it difficult to access. A hatch in the road surface leads down a staircase, after which a locked door and a narrow corridor lead to the lubrication system.
Typically, a lubrication system is refilled using a barrel, pump and follower plate. In this case, that is impractical—the solution: a filling cassette with separate grease cartridges. Using a unique underground construction, the cassette is emptied, after which the grease enters the lubrication system via a pipe.
The lubrication itself is carried out using a specially customised auxiliary gear wheel that rotates with the main gear wheel. The advantage of this is that the pin tracks remain continuously lubricated with the correct amount of lubricant. When the auxiliary gear wheel rotates, grease is released from the holes in the gear wheel, which ultimately lubricates the pin tracks.
Manual lubrication is practically impossible here: it would be hazardous (risk of falling), there is a high risk of spillage into surface water if too much is applied, and access is very limited with an open sliding door. The automatic lubrication system eliminates the need for manual lubrication. You just need to ensure that the system remains filled.
And if a malfunction occurs, a notification is immediately sent to the control room, allowing a technician to be dispatched promptly. If it concerns the system, there is an instruction to check all components and refill the system where necessary. If the malfunction cannot be resolved, Van Meeuwen is called, and we send one of our specialists. Additionally, we conduct a preventive check twice a year. A four-year maintenance contract has been concluded for this purpose.
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Would you like to know more about how we can contribute to more efficient, safer and smarter lubrication maintenance? Whether it concerns the right lubricant, automatic lubrication, digital support or reliable analyses, we are glad to contribute our ideas. Please feel free to contact us.
