Also in the pipeline business, principals and contractors are becoming more and more aware about environmental issues. To help, LIEBHERR and Maats Pipeline Equipment have taken an important step, Paul Waanders, International Sales Manager at Maats, explains.
Every contractor knows the stories, or even has his own experience, the project where large delays occurred because the planned pipeline crossed an area populated by a specific rare butterfly or flower. It is fact that people worldwide, including principals and contractors, have a growing awareness for the protection of the environment. Words like green and sustainability are commonly used in this context. Construction projects nowadays often get planned around the breeding season of a specific bird, something that was unthinkable in the past.
For larger pipeline projects, the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) or Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) has become an important part of project documents. By assessing the impact of the project on geology, soil, vegetation and wildlife in advance, corrective measures can be taken to prevent damage to the environment on both short and long term. Studies like this do not only consider the more obvious physical (digging, transports with heavy equipment) and chemical (spills, waste) aspects but also assess the less obvious impact that noise from building activities and use of artificial light can have on local wildlife.
We notice this is a trend that, at least in Europe, will only increase over the coming years. In most European countries, pipeline grids are becoming more and more dense. With urban areas expanding and an increasing number of areas that are nominated as being protected parts of nature, this results in ever less room for finding new trouble free rights-of way. When avoiding populated areas, crossing of ecologically sensitive areas sometimes is inevitable. Especially when extensive (and mostly expensive) detours or alternatives like HDD are not an option. In these ecologically sensitive areas a disturbance or pollution in any form would have a direct and severe impact on the environment.
LIEBHERR and Maats Pipeline Equipment now together take the next step in environmentally friendly pipe line equipment: The new LIEBHERR pipe layers of the Generation 4 are ready for operation with environmentally friendly fluids.
Both models, the RL44 (45,9 tons load capacity) and RL64 (90,8 tons load capacity) are now completely suitable for the use of bio degradable fluids. In other words: around 126 litres of mineral oil on the RL 44 or 215 litres for the RL64 can be saved and replaced by an environmentally friendly filling. Furthermore both machines can be operated with Bio-diesel instead of standard diesel.
For the hydraulics, LIEBHERR uses its own LIEBHERR Hydraulic Plus acc. To ISO VG46. LIEBHERR Hydraulic Plus is an ash-free, readily biodegradable (in accordance with CEC-L-33-A-93) high performance hydraulic fluid based on polyalphaolefins (PAO). Excellent characteristics are achieved by specially matching additives in combination with the base fluid. The combination of good low and high-temperature behavior, coupled with excellent ageing stability in addition with dispersant and detergent properties makes LIEBHERR Hydraulic Plus ideal for use as hydraulic fluid with extended oil change intervals. The active ingredient system of LIEBHERR Hydraulic Plus guarantees permanently a very good corrosion protection, a low foaming tendency and good air release characteristics as well as compatibility with seal materials. The excellent behavior at both low and high temperatures (from -25°C to +45°C) allows a high availability of the machines without warm-up period even at low temperatures, typical for LIEBHERR equipment.
For the biodiesel fuel any variety (FAME, PME, RME) which complies with either the DIN-EN 14214 or the ASTM D6751 can be used. Not only is biodiesel friendly for the environment, it is also much safer then “standard” diesel. The flash point of biodiesel is only at approx. 130°C, making biodiesel significantly safer to store, handle, and transport than petroleum diesel. In fact, the American National Fire Protection Association classifies biodiesel as a non-flammable liquid.
Furthermore, the use of biodiesel significantly reduces emissions compared to petroleum diesel fuel. Over the last years biodiesel has undergone the most rigorous testing of any alternative fuel, having been the first and only fuel to be evaluated by the US Environmental Protection Agency under the Clean Air Act Section 211(b). This study examined the impact of hundreds of regulated and non-regulated exhaust emissions, as well as the potential health effects of these emissions. Some of these results are summarized below.
Average Exhaust Emissions for 100% Biodiesel Compared to Petroleum Diesel Fuel*
Regulated Exhaust Emissions B100
Particulate Matter
-47%
Carbon Monoxide
-48%
Total Unburned Hydrocarbons
-67%
Non Regulated Emissions
Sulfates
-100%
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAH)
-80%
Nitrated Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (nPAH)
-90%
Speciated Hydrocarbons Ozone Forming Potential
-50%
* “A Comprehensive Analysis of Biodiesel Impacts on Exhaust Emissions”, EPA420-P-02-001, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, October 2002
Some explanation of the emission types:
Particulate Matter (Black Smoke) Emissions of particulate matter have been linked to respiratory diseases and are generally considered to be a human health hazard. Emissions of particulate matter are reduced with biodiesel by 47%.
Carbon Monoxide Carbon Monoxide is a poisonous gas. Reduced with biodiesel by 48%.
Total Unburned Hydrocarbons Compounds which contribute to localized formation of smog. Reduced with biodiesel by 67%.
Sulfates Sulfates are major contributors to acid rain. These emissions are practically eliminated when using biodiesel.
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAH and nPAH) These compounds have been identified as carcinogenic (cancer causing) compounds. Biodiesel reduces emissions of these compounds by up to 85% for PAH compounds and 90% for nPAH compounds.
Speciated Hydrocarbons These compounds contribute to the formation of localized smog and ozone. The potential for smog formation from speciated hydrocarbons is reduced by 50% when using biodiesel.
This proves that biodiesel not only limits the environmental impact in the unlikely case of a diesel spill. Just as important is the reduction in emissions. This reduction means that switching to biodiesel is even more than an environmental issue, it is also an actual matter of health and safety for jobsite staff.
Other features like the exceptionally high efficiency and low fuel consumption due to the hydrostatic travel drive and Litronic control system or the exemplary noise values thanks to effective cab sound-proofing and state-of-the-art, quiet diesel engines are further examples for the high technical standard of LIEBHERR pipeline equipment and make them first choice for customers around the world.
This development from LIEBHERR and Maats Pipeline Equipment has also been submitted for the Shell Environmental Award 2010 to be awarded during the 44th IPLOCA convention, to be held in Venice in September of this year. If the LIEBHERR / Maats initiative will win is unsure, with this initiative the environment will win anyhow.