Reliable cable guidance in the VELTINS Arena lawn exposure system

Profile

• What was needed: E4/4 series roller energy chains, E2 series energy chains, e-spool energy chains, chainflex cables
• Requirements: UV radiation, rain and temperature fluctuations required robust components. Since various strokes had to be accompanied by cable guides, the system also had to be particularly reliable.
• Sector: Technology for agricultural applications
• Success for the customer: The roller energy chains minimise push/pull forces over a travel of 120m. Together with other compact energy chains for short strokes in the system and matching chainflex cables, long service life can be achieved and maintenance costs can be minimised.

1,400 LED light modules and more than 100,000 Osram LED luminaires: This exposure system for the football turf of the VELTINS Arena of FC Schalke 04 impresses with its technology and dimensions.

Problem

RHENAC GreenTec AG has developed a lawn-lighting system that has been put into operation in the VELTINS Arena, home of FC Schalke 04. The R-BL 3500 lighting system can provide football turf with LED grow light without contact all year round for regeneration. The high-tech solution is equipped with various sensors that record the condition of the turf and make it available for evaluation.
The lawn-lighting system consists of a main steel beam with a span of more than 80 metres, which travels on rails over a distance of 120 metres. Several fold-out B-beams and continuously movable C-beams along the main beam are equipped with the LED light modules and illuminate the entire lawn area. The system can also be raised continuously from the operating position at a height of 1.50 metres to 4.65 metres so that buses can also travel underneath. For all these adjustments, among other things, a large number of motor and bus cables as well as suitable cable guides had to be found. In addition to the sometimes long travel distances, various short strokes of 2 to 6m were to be achieved by means of energy supply systems. The external conditions, such as UV radiation, rain or temperature fluctuations, required robust and durable components.

Solution

Rhenac GREENTEC AG decided to use energy chains, which can be found today on all moving elements of the exposure system. The most striking are the two large plastic energy chains of the E4/4 series, which travel along the football turf with the entire main beam of the system. Over a travel distance of 120m, the cable guides designed as roller energy chains prove themselves in that they can minimize traction/push forces and significantly reduce the required drive force compared to sliding chains. For various smaller strokes on the B and C supports of the system, the manufacturer relies on the more compact E2 series energy chains, which are designed for medium loads and enable the LED luminaires to be reliably positioned in their positions. e-spool energy chains are also responsible for the feed movements, i.e. space-saving rolled-up cable guides that roll out to the desired length when the supports are moved and, thanks to the retaining spring, prevent the system from sagging.
The various energy chains were delivered directly from our product range with the appropriate cables designed for moving applications. In particular, a large number of chainflex bus cables and chainflex motor cables keep the system in operation and enable continuous data transmission of the various sensors used in the modern exposure system.
Together with our in-house installation service, we were able to provide a complete solution from a single source, with the coordinated products extending the service life of the moving modules and minimising maintenance costs.

The fully automatic lawn exposure system can provide football turf with LED grow light without contact all year round for regeneration.

Special roller energy chains reduce the required push/pull forces over a 120m travel along the football field.

Various B and C beams, which depart from the main beam, were fitted with E2/000 series energy chains and the e-spool.