Our mission here was to take out these things, which we called lovingly cassettes.
The purpose of this entire project was to check the areas behind the cassettes and steel beams for damage to themselves and the concrete on the walls.
The cassettes are noise absorber panels which hang approx 25 m high in a tower. The tower is part for turbine tests.
There are two towers, one where air goes in and another one to let air out. The whole system is a wind channel to run the tests.
To protect ourselves from falling, we attached several ropes, to which we could attach ourselves before the start.
Any damage or rust found was meticulously removed and repaired. Because you don't want anything falling into a running turbine test. The test would come to an immediate end.
In order to complete all of these steps, we had to disassemble some connections on the bottom of the cassettes, take out all the cassettes from the outer row. The steel beam were placed on top of the three other steel beams in the middle.
Then the game was repeated on the level below. First one side then the other as the space for four steel beams is a bit tight.
You have to abseil to get to the lower part of the cassettes.
This is what it looks like between the top and bottom part.
We used the 70-year-old underslung crane to move the cassettes. Each of them weighs about 300 kg.
Handover to the big crane outside.
Second level.
Tricky part.
Another one of many handovers.
Having some fun with the roofers.
Taking out the steel beams.
We used our dexterity, heavy armour and the force.
One of our colleagues needed to pee so badly that he wasn't patient enough with his locking carabiner and uncharacteristically opened it.
On the other side.
What's better, to do some grinding in a fantastic sunrise breeze.
Rust protection and paint.
Et viola! Like new.
I couldn't catch much on the concrete part as I was busy with moving the cassettes and steel beams around.
Also, I didn't stay until the end because I was booked for another job. But everything went very well.
That was a unique job I enjoyed. The colleagues and work was great. I like the insights I get through these jobs and hope for more I can show you.
Thanks for reading!
I hope you enjoyed it 🧗🏼♂️