AN AUSTRALIAN-manufactured electrical and safety conduit with halogen-free flame retardant properties has been selected for use in the most advanced cold storage facility in Vietnam.
The tough flexible CalAir HFT conduit — which is many times lighter and easier to install than metal conduit — has been used by Vietnamese mechanical, electrical and erection contracting specialist HCM at the Swire Pacific Cold Storage’s (SPCS) facility 15km from Ho Chi Minh City.
The job has involved more than 1200 metres of the conduit, which is used in this application to carry electrical cabling but which can also be used within safety equipment such as aspiration systems and air sampling systems that to protect against smoke and toxicity.
Swire Cold Store project manager Luong Ngoc Thinh, said the CalAir conduit was used in the freezer room of the fully racked Swire facility, which offers 3,000,000 cubic feet of refrigerated space, 12,500 pallet locations, two seafood inspection rooms and a fully equipped micro-biological laboratory to serve the growing domestic and export oriented Vietnamese perishable food industries.
“We used it because it is quick and simple to install in the freezer room, where temperatures go down to -25 deg C. Installed under the insulation panel rooftop, the HFT conduit has the capacity to withstand low temperatures while being much lighter and easier to use than galvanized iron alternatives,” Thinh said.
The Australian company’s HFT conduit was introduced as an Australian-made alternative to imported types typically costing more than twice as much.
About 2.6km of the product has already been used by the United Group on the Epping-to-Chatswood rail link in Sydney, but the Swire project is the first major export application of the product.
CalAir MD John McNab said the use of the conduit by HCM on the Swire project is a breakthrough into a new and potentially large market for the product.
“The new conduit is the result of an extensive research and development programme designed to overcome hurdles in producing flame-retardant pipe and conduit without degrading their overall performance, including impact resistance or pressure capability.
“Weighing just one eighth the weight of galvanised steel, for example, it can be easily installed with far fewer OHS issues than heavier materials. Also, its flexibility enables it to confirm readily to irregular contours, such as those encountered in tunnels and trenches. This flexibility and ease of installation can produce considerable savings,” he said.
The product can be used in a wide range of applications including industrial plants, mines, tunnels, airports, subways and hospitals.
The HFT conduit is complemented by both standard glued type fittings or high performance IP67 fittings.
For more information visit the website www.calair.net.au or email sales@calair.net.au.
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