High-Voltage Cable Laying Project in an Underground Utility Tunnel in a New District of Nanchang City
Project Background: With the rapid development of Honggutan and Jiulonghu New Districts in Nanchang City, the construction of new underground utility tunnels has been initiated to improve urban carrying capacity and power grid reliability. This project requires laying multiple large-section (e.g., 400 square millimeters) 10kV high-voltage cables within a 1.2-kilometer-long utility tunnel with a complex internal structure (including multiple uphill and downhill sections and 90-degree turns).
Core Challenges:
Difficulties in Manual Construction: Large-section cables are extremely heavy per meter. Traditional manual dragging requires dozens of people, resulting in very low efficiency and posing serious safety risks in the confined space and complex path of the utility tunnel.
High Cable Protection Requirements: The outer sheath and insulation layer of high-voltage cables are extremely expensive. Manual dragging easily leads to wear and tear on the cable sheath, insulation damage, and even internal deformation, leaving long-term operational hazards.
Tight Schedule: The project needs to complete the main laying before the rainy season; traditional methods cannot guarantee the schedule.
Solution: Introduction of Keepapexpower Company Cable Conveyor Units The construction team decided to adopt a mechanized laying system consisting of multiple Keepapexpower Company cable conveyors to meet the challenges.
Equipment Configuration: Based on the cable route calculations, one conveyor was installed approximately every 30-50 meters, with additional equipment added before and after each bend, using approximately 10 conveyors in a coordinated working unit.
Technology Applications:
Synchronous Intelligent Control: All conveyors are connected through a central control box and multiple sub-control boxes, enabling one-button start/stop and synchronized speed adjustment, ensuring uniform and smooth cable movement along the entire line and avoiding excessive localized stress.
Adaptive Clamping Conveying: Each machine’s dual-track clamping mechanism automatically adapts to the cable diameter, providing uniform and continuous forward thrust, effectively overcoming the friction between the cable and the pipe wall.
Modular and Flexible Deployment: The equipment adopts a modular design, is small in size and relatively lightweight, and can be quickly transported into and fixed in a predetermined position through the pipe rack entrance, adapting to the narrow working environment within the pipe rack.
Comparison of Implementation Results
The table below clearly demonstrates the transformative improvement of mechanized construction compared to traditional methods:
Comparison Dimensions | Traditional Manual Laying Mode | Effect after Adopting Cable Conveyor Units
Construction Efficiency | Relies on a large amount of manpower, coordination is difficult, progress is slow, and the average daily laying length is limited. | Efficiency increased by more than 3 times. In this case, more than 300 meters of high-quality laying can be completed in a single day.
Manpower and Safety | Requires 20-30 people to pull and drag the cable, resulting in extremely high labor intensity and a high risk of muscle strains, crush injuries, and other safety accidents. | Only 8-10 people are needed for equipment operation and inspection, freeing workers from heavy physical labor and significantly reducing safety risks.
Construction Quality | Manual pulling is difficult to maintain evenly, easily leading to scratches on the cable sheath and twisting of the insulation layer, leaving hidden dangers. | Uniform and stable conveying force perfectly protects the cable body, ensuring “zero damage” during the laying process and laying the foundation for the long-term reliable operation of the power grid.
Overall Cost | High direct labor costs, and due to long construction periods and potential quality risks, indirect costs are huge. Despite the investment in equipment, significant savings in labor costs, shorter construction periods, and superior quality achieved in the first attempt resulted in a 30%-50% reduction in overall cost throughout the entire project lifecycle, demonstrating extremely high cost-effectiveness.
Conclusion and Outlook
This simulation case demonstrates that cable conveyors have become an indispensable core construction equipment in urban power grid upgrades, rail transit, and large-scale stadium construction in Nanchang and even nationwide. They not only represent an innovation in construction methods but also serve as a crucial guarantee for project quality, safety, and efficiency.
