CHALLENGE: EBR Services was contracted by their client to provide a unique solution for their liftboats. The liftboats
have hoses running from the main deck to the bottom of the jackup leg pads, which allow the operator to jet air or water below the pads to remove the suction of the mud when lifting the legs. The challenge for the liftboat operator is that during the raising and lowering of the legs, the hoses need to be able to reel in or pay-out as the legs travel, and they must be in constant tension.
For the distinctive solution of the Constant Tension Hose Reel, EBR Services handled the hydraulics system design, but the challenge for EBR came in the design of the reel design itself. One requirement of the reel was that it was not to have a levelwind, so the proper sizing and geometry of the reel and guide equipment was crucial. In addition to the dimensional constraints of the project, the entire Constant Tension Reel needed to be sized to handle the loads from the constant tension of the hose under varying conditions.
Manufacturability of the reels was also vital. EBR was contracted to provide an initial quantity of 6 of these Constant Tension Hose Reels for 2 liftboats, with the potential of building many more. A design and detailed drawing package which could be used for multiple unit production was necessary.
APPROACH: WMD Squared engineers and designers met with EBR Services to develop a plan for the reel’s design. A number of concepts were developed to investigate different designs for the reel which could possibly meet the requirements. A general size for the frame and reel drum was decided upon once preliminary design work was completed.
Working with the EBR Services project manager, the details of the hydraulic components provided by EBR were incorporated into the design. As design details were locked down, hand calculations and FEA analysis was done to correctly size the parts of the reel package. Once the detailed drawings were completed EBR’s fabricators were able to go to work and build the reel packages. After the packages were complete and assembled WMD Squared worked on-site at EBR’s shop to witness and aid in the load and function testing of the reels.
Once the project was complete WMD Squared was able to provide a MP (manufacturing package) that included drawings and analysis performed to EBR services both in the form of a physical binder as well as online cloud access, allowing EBR to get the most current versions of their files when they need them.
IMPACT: EBR Services has become a proven provider of liftboat equipment related to hydraulics and jacking systems. By being able to provide their client with the Constant Tension Hose Reels, it confirms EBR Services as a provider of innovative equipment solutions for liftboats. WMD Squared was delighted to help EBR provide a custom solution to
their clients, and is looking forward to helping EBR Services provide other custom solutions in the future.