Engineering challenge

Challenging project / Limited workspace
On board of this vessel a new Air Handling Unit and a compressor skid had to be placed. Due to the limited space on board and the size of the AHU and compressor skid it was a challenging project. Two engineers went to the vessel and had to measure the whole area where the machinery would be placed. For the AHU and compressor skid a foundation had to be designed.

The challenging part of this project was to create a foundation that did not clash with the existing structure, piping and electrical components. To place the AHU in the designated area, some structural modifications had to be done. A bulkhead had to be removed, knees and stiffeners had to be redesigned. Therefore some FEM models were made to make sure the structure was sufficient enough to withstand the loads.

 

Hydra A854
The Hydra is a diving support vessel that was built in 1992 and is sailing under the flag of Netherlands. The crew of the support vessel clean up explosives in the Dutch waters and are responsible for the underwater maintenance of Dutch navy vessels.

 

Redesigning the skid
The compressor skid had to be placed in the bow thruster room of the Hydra. The space in this room was also limited and it was not possible to fit a standard skid. The engineers created a solution for the compressor skid and created, together with the fabricator, a new design. For the loading of the machinery a hole had to be made in the hull. Therefore the construction of the vessel had to be modified. The remaining structure had to be checked for the strength of the vessel.