MARECHAL ELECTRIC GROUP has been a major player over the last 60 years in the field of electrical connectors for use in many and various industry sectors: general manufacturing, processing plants, transport infrastructure, power distribution, military, aerospace as well as hazardous areas including on- and off-shore oil and gas installations.
Safety and reliability in offshore shipyards industry
The Group announced in October 2012 a major breakthrough in the offshore rig construction industry. Singapore – based PPL Pte Ltd has approved the design and installation of MARECHAL® electrical connectors on its Pacific Class 400 Jack-Ups. PPL Shipyard has a proven track record in the building and servicing of jack-up rigs and semi-submersible rigs. PPL approved MARECHAL® product includes the up to 63A rated explosion-proof DXN decontactors and its weatherproof DSN DECONTACTOR™ range as well as custom-made SS 316L enclosures fitted with 250A DS2 decontactors and 400A CS1000 single core connectors.
Their robust design and smaller than average foot-print makes them ideally suited to the tough off-shore rig environment. Materials used are resistant to the marine salt-laden atmosphere, wide changes in temperature, mechanical shock and chemical agents used. MARECHAL ELECTRIC GROUP works closely with PPL’s engineering and maintenance teams to ensure connectors match their varying needs.
Watertight and resistance to corrosion on drilling rigs for oil, water, gas
MARECHAL ELECTRIC and DRILLMEC engineers worked closely in the design of the connector best suited to the various functions of the rigs.
Featuring unique design technology which provides the socket user with high levels of proven personal safety, MARECHAL’s DECONTACTOR™ socket offers a patented integral switch that enables safe disconnection of plug from socket by both skilled and un-skilled staff significantly reducing plant maintenance time and cost.
DRILLMEC SpA, (a member of the Trevi Group with 5700 worldwide employees) is a specialist drilling rig manufacturer for the exploration of oil, gas and water. To maximise rig safety and connectivity DRILLMEC have been specifying MARECHAL® industrial and explosion proof connectors and decontactors for several years. It is the integral switching offered by MARECHAL DECONTACTOR™ products that bring the required flexibility to the operation of the rig.
The IP66/67 DSN and DS industrial ranges cover applications up to 150A whilst interlocked single core SP4 connectors cater for 250 A applications. All connectors used offer IP66/IP67 auto ingress protection. Electrical performance in ensured by use of noble materials and rugged design giving the connectors a long working life in differing environments e.g. from -40 to +60 degrees C. It is the use of silver-nickel spring-loaded butt contacts that ensures excellent conductivity over long periods, even years, and the ability to withstand continuously high currents without failure. The connectors have also been successfully tested for resistance to all types of acetates, alcohols, essences, oils, soaps, acids, benzene, bicarbonates, chlorides, glycols, and fats.
One particular feature of the DECONTACTOR™ highlighted by DRILLMEC was the DECONTACTOR™’s integral switching mechanism that permits the disconnection of plug from a coupler socket on flying leas whilst still on load. Whilst remaining safe this feature speeds up rig assembly procedures. If arcing occurs it is contained within the socket arc chambers.
NEW SPeX Explosion-proof single pole power connectors
Designed for use in hazardous areas, single pole power connectors from MARECHAL® combine compliance with the 94/9/CE safety standard for explosive environments, and watertight sealing to CEI 60529 (IP65/IP66). Corrosion-resistant contacts ensure a long operational life and easy user operation.
Available with an electromechanical interlocking system to prevent on load pull-outs and both visual and physical keying to prevent incorrect phase mating, MARECHAL® SPeX sockets and appliance inlets can be wall-mounted, inclined or installed as coupler sockets. This wide range of configurations and installation options allows these connectors to be used in many process applications.
The SPeX plug is easily inserted into the socket without the need to twist it to align the cable beforehand. Once fully inserted in the socket the integral switch can be turned manually to operate the electrical interlocking thus feeding the power. Before the plug can be removed the switch must be returned to the OFF position thus ensuring no live pull-outs. Being so easy to use the SPeX provides a durable answer to fast and safe plant inter-connections even in more onerous environments.
ATEX single pole power sockets and plugs can be used where there are flammable gases, vapour or dust in a wide range of processing industries including sugar processing and grain silos. Compliance to the ATEX 94/9/CE directive certifies the connectors for use in ATEX gas zones 1 and 2, as well as in zones 21 and 22 for environments in which dust is an explosive hazard. The connectors are rated for use in areas where the ambient temperatures are classed as T6, up to +40 degrees C, or T5, up to +60 degrees C. Additional robustness is provided by a shock resistance rating of IK08.
Website: www.marechal.com/en
