Projects
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maintenance/construction teams, food, consumables, fuel,
and the like is limited to the Antarctic summer of each year.
Systems and equipment had to be easily maintainable,
and previous problems experienced with systems had to be
addressed. For example, a typical problem experienced is the
loading of the old effluent plant between takeovers (10 people
during the year versus the summer staff complement of about
90 people).
GETTING STARTED
Following a status quo investigation and lengthy planning,
DPW and Royal HaskoningDHV completed the refurbishment
documentation process early in 2015. The existing workshop
was identified as the new main plant room. The workshop
was temporarily moved to the hangar while the new
generator sets, pumps, tanks, heat exchangers, and so on
were installed.
The old plant room could only be demolished after the
successful commissioning of the new systems. Other systems
and plant rooms had to be relocated in a similar way to ensure
the uninterrupted operation of the base.
One of the biggest challenges was actually getting to the
base and getting all the equipment there. As mentioned,
SANAE IV can only be reached during the Antarctic summer
season; either via the S.A. Agulhas ship departing from Cape
Town and offloading at the German base, Neumayer; or by
plane, landing at the Russian base, Novolazarevskaya, with
a second flight (smaller plane) from there to SANAE IV. The
www.hvacronline.co.za
RACA Journal I January 2019
47