Our Solution
This project required both Dowdens Engineering Dept. & Fabrication Teams to deliver an innovative solution not previously attempted in-house. It was the first time Dowdens had manufactured 12 m length gangways or a pontoon with a weight of over 6 tonnes. The total pontoon weight includes all steelwork, flooring, pumps, piping, and displaced using HDPE (high-density polyethylene) Floats. The longest gangway Dowdens had supplied previously measured 8 m in length, with the largest pontoon previously fabricated weighing in at 4.5 tonnes.
The new system meant Dowdens existing in-house designs had to be modified and improved, with new floats being selected in order to carry the increased platform weight safely. Additional weight-saving measures were implemented by Dowdens Engineers, such as the use of lightweight, high strength aluminium mesh flooring.
The timeline to design this pontoon pumping solution, manufacture the components and have them delivered to the site was extremely tight. Engineering — Concept Design — Drawings & In-House Fabrication of the unique Pontoon Pumping System was completed and delivered to Moorvale Mine within their specified 8-week time frame!
No other pumping/manufacturing/engineering firm in Queensland can deliver such an all-encompassing product solution within the time mentioned above.
Key Components & Features
- Two × 12 m long gangways — with one being suspended and one floating on the dam’s surface.
- Gangways Design, Fabrication, Fitout & Supply included all necessary concrete mooring blocks, lights, cables & trays
- 6 m × 3.3 m floating pontoon — weighing over 6 tonnes
- Pontoons Design, Fabrication, Fitout & Supply included lights, suction and discharge pipework, priming system, cables & trays