Monitoring & Controlling of Crane operations along with CCTV & Voice communication inside 320 MTR Vertical Tunnel.

Customer Name: - Hydro Power Plant

Location: - Nepal

Project Requirement: -

Provide wireless based Monitoring & Controlling of Crane operations along with CCTV & Voice communication inside 320 MTR Vertical Tunnel  

Challenge:-

• To design the Wireless system to control the LT, CT, MHT, Aux HT, Inching operation of the crane in the 320 mtrs deep vertical tunnel
• In general, Radio communication does not work in a vertical tunnel, same way as it works in an open area. We attained this feat by selecting appropriate frequency band and a specially designed antenna system to achieve reliable communication up to a depth of 320 mtrs.
• The task was even more challenging because the spreader beam of the crane was moving up & down in a rather narrow & congested space of the penstock, up to a deep-down depth of 320 meters.  
• A special power backup system, with 6 hr. back up, had to be designed for the Radio, CCTV, VOIP system, as the client was unable to provide a 320 mtrs long power cable from the crane up to the spreader Beam attached to the Auxiliary Hoist.
• The cameras were required to operate in a crane that had high vibrations. A special mechanical arrangement was designed so that, the cameras could withstand high vibrations without breaking down.

Features of project:-

• We decided to go with 5.8 GHz License free band considering the Tunnel dia. and based on the requirement to propagate Control signals + CCTV stream + Voice communication, which demand higher data bandwidth. This was possible due to indigenously developed MCAS firmware by Sheetal Wireless.
• The system provides control and monitoring of crane operations as well as CCTV Surveillance and voice communication between Operator desk and Spreader Beam, which is moving up and down in a 320-meter-deep Penstock Tunnel.
• 2 Nos. Box type CCTV Surveillance cameras with IP66 grade and 20 mtrs range IR capability, are used for monitoring the load and manpower during work progress. 30 days’ backup storage of video/pictures is also provided. 
• A full duplex two Way IP PA voice communication system, with noise cancellation along with  IP66 compliant, IK 08 rating is provided between Operator desk and Spreader Beam main hoist. The voice communication operates with a single Push to talk button. And it can also be used as an announcement system during emergency.
• All Systems are working in 99% Humidity Level.
• The cable power arrangement in the Hoist of the crane (spreader beam) was not possible for 320 mtrs distance. Hence, a power backup System has been designed and provided so that our wireless system devices can work in absence of RAW power.

System Architecture :-