‘Significant breakthrough’ at Bangkok power plant project

CRCHI laying and jacking machine launches in Bangkok,Thailand

The first section of the initial phase of pipeline laying employed the laying and jacking machine with a diameter of 914mm, manufactured by CRCHI (China Railway Construction Heavy Industry), was successfully completed.

The first phase of the gas transmission pipeline project for the power plant is situated in the southern region of Bangkok, with the longest stretch covering approximately 1km. The laying and jacking machine is specifically designed for constructing large slope V-shaped longitudinal curves.

The entire pipeline must be installed amidst the foundations of high-voltage power line towers, spaced just 3.5m apart, with tower intervals of 200m. Given the extremely narrow space and the challenge of maneuvering an ultra-small diameter pipe over long-distance curved excavations, traditional optical guidance systems proved inadequate.

The excavation process resembled ‘threading a needle’ in the depths of the ground, presenting a fresh challenge for equipment reliability and measurement and guidance system accuracy.

To surmount these engineering challenges, CRCHI developed the 914mm ultra-small diameter and ultra-long distance laying and jacking machine. This involved overcoming several key core technologies independently, including accurate long-distance curve guidance, equipment layout and heat dissipation within extremely limited spaces, long-distance power transmission, and rapid and safe propulsion.

According to CRCHI, the laying and jacking machine delivered a zero failure rate for the main machine, achieved a stable excavation speed of 600mm per minute, recorded a maximum footage of 48m in two hours, and accomplished a single-shift record of 86m during the initial 470-m section of pipeline laying construction.

The machine successfully navigated through the pile foundations of two power towers with precision, marking a technological breakthrough in the fast and reliable construction of ultra-small diameter, ultra-long distance, and ultra-high precision curves.