A new generation of hydraulic pumps, designed to provide speed, control and precision, are being used to test concrete screw anchors to determine their point of failure.
Australian university researchers are using Enerpac’s new E-Pulse high efficiency hydraulic pumps’ superior flow characteristics and innovative motor controls to power hydraulic pull cylinders used to test the tough anchors increasingly used in Australasian, PNG and Asia-Pacific building, construction and infrastructure projects.
As the tests increase in number and frequency to ensure safety, the researchers at Edith Cowan University (WA) required the most precise and reliable pump available to power their Enerpac RRH307 double-acting 30-ton capacity hollow pull-cylinder mounted in a reaction frame with load cells and displacement transducers.
Enerpac WA Territory Manager Bert Heinrich recently commissioned the new E-Pulse at Edith Cowan University’s structural engineering research lab after it was engineered by Enerpac and supplied through Cooper Fluid Systems.
“As the testing programme progresses and intensifies, the researchers need a pump that would not only consistently and continually deliver the best precision testing result, but also would be available for high-frequency repetitive work without overheating or delay,” Heinrich said.
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“The durable E-pulse was the solution we specified in partnership with Enerpac distributor Cooper Fluid Systems, as it is specifically engineered to work in the toughest environments where Enerpac product is specified for top reliability and backup.”
Enerpac E-Pulse pumps – available with five valve options including a version for bolting applications – feature new ‘Smart Controls’ that enable the motor to maintain constant power and provide higher flow than traditional .75 kW (one-half horsepower) pumps.
The power, sensitivity and flexibility of the new pumps make them ideal for a wide range of precision tasks, extending from bolting of power industry, pipelines, resources, road, rail, construction and infrastructure tasks through to maintenance and fabrication jobs in bulk handling, mining, oil and gas and utilities involved in electrical distribution, water and wastewater reticulation.
The new pump at Edith Cowan University was optioned by Enerpac to include an integrated pressure gauge, cooling fan and heat exchanger kit. Availability of such options off the shelf is an advantage that expands the versatility and applications of the excellent standard E-Pulse design.
The new pump – which has only just been released globally – is built to the same standards of reliability and national service and supply backup as Enerpac product renowned throughout Australian industry for more than 50 years.
“We saw this technology was an ideal solution for the customer, so ensured they were among the first in this part of the world to get delivery to facilitate their vital work,” Heinrich said.
The pump is now demonstrating its credentials in service – “With the E-Pulse pump speed set to minimum, plus the feathering capability of the directional control valve (DCV) and a V82 metering needle valve, the pump delivers the flexibility required for zero-to-low flows needed for the anchor bolt testing application,” Heinrich said.
Adjustable speed control provides extraordinary precision as needed, while the E-Pulse pumps also feature a new interactive pendant that delivers visual and tactile feedback, programming and diagnostic status to the operator through yellow, green and red LEDs and vibration pulses.
University programme
The universities’ testing programme uses powerful Enerpac industrial hydraulics to test, measure and accurately predict the tensile loading capacity and failure point of screw anchors used to connect structural and non-structural elements to concrete. The test rig in which the Enerpac technology is located was developed by School of Engineering researchers.
The series of hundreds of tests involved in the ongoing programme use an Enerpac RRH307 double-acting 30-ton capacity hollow pull-cylinder mounted in a reaction frame with load cells and displacement transducers to measure results of multiple tests, including predicting the tensile strength of screw anchors failing.
Through innovative design and advanced features, E-Pulse pumps are designed to drive higher levels of productivity and power to a number of hydraulic tools, including torque wrenches, cylinders, cutters, pullers, presses, punches, spreaders and benders. An E-Pulse pump can serve as the heart to any hydraulic system, says Enerpac.