Hundreds of Tsurumi Pumps Used in Biggest Swedish Power Project for 30 Year

The South-West link project, which began operations in 2012, includes the construction of underground transmission lines to connect Nässjö’s power grid in Sweden to Norway’s stem power grid in Oslo.

The EUR 807 million project spans across almost 250 km from Barkeryd substation – near Nässjö – to Hurva in Sweden, following old power lines through remote villages and forests. It’s this section of transmission cable that is being placed underground, and then continues alongside Sweden’s main highway – the E6. Because of the landscape and large rainfall in the region, some areas are prone to floods and have a high water-retention rate.

“These projects don’t come around very often,” says Malmerin. “Using a hundred pumps is quite common but I have never experienced 650 being used on one project before. We are very proud to be involved in this project, there might be a high-volume of pumps on site but the customer is very happy and hasn’t experienced any problems and we have been able to provide large quantities of pumps very quickly. For the customer, Tsurumi pumps represent excellent value, high quality and cost efficient ownership.”

“Svenska Kraftnät & Skanska have to work around these challenging conditions,” says Magnus Malmerin, Manager at Tsurumi-Intec Sweden. “Some water is visible and very close to the surface but even if the ground appears dry, lots of water is trapped underneath. When you start digging, water floods the area, causing a potential safety hazard. Safety precautions are crucial because the transmission cable will eventually be carrying about 1,400 MW of electricity.”

To solve this problem, pipes are placed in the ground every 30-50 meters along the cable trench and Tsurumi pumps are placed inside the pipes to lower the water table before cables are installed. Additional pumps are also placed directly in the trench where required. They can be placed anywhere along the stretch because the pumps are hooked up to a number of moveable generators.

In early summer this year, a high volume of rainwater fell over the construction site which resulted in water being continuously pumped out of the ground and surrounding area. There are three different models of Tsurumi pumps being used at the project, including the LB800, KTV2-22 and KTV3-37.

The LB800 can pump 310 litres of water a minute and is a compact light-weight pump, easily transported from one area to the next. “These pumps are very easy to move around,” says Malmerin. “If you have a large amount of water to get rid of, two or four pumps can be moved quickly to the same place, which will remove the liquid quickly and efficiently. It also has a Double Inside Mechanical Seal, increasing the pump’s life span. Customers can also opt for a Float Switch for automatic operation.”

Tsurumi’s heavy-duty KTV pumps have a larger capacity, featuring a compact and light-weight design. They are suitable for rain water, ground water and sand carrying water and are wear resistant. The KTV pumps are placed in the sand and soil trench on site to pump out ground water.

The project is being implemented by Swedish Transmission Network Operator (TSO), Svenska Kraftnät, and its Norwegian counterpart Statnett. To combat the high water levels and occasional swamp-like conditions, the 650 Tsurumi pumps have been supplied by Skanska Maskin AB – the rental division of the Skanska Corporation in Sweden.

Tsurumi supports Skanska Maskin AB with service and specially tailored Product & Service training to ensure a good understanding of its products. Skanska Maskin now have trained and qualified personal to deal with any problems that occurs on its customer’s job site. Tsurumi is recognized for its long-lasting and durable products – many of its pumps have been known to work fault-free free for over 20 years.

“We have grown strongly in the last couple of years because our products are simple, reliable and versatile – perfect for a job of this magnitude,” says Malmerin.