Trailer Power Assist saves on trucks

The experimental nuclear fusion reactor ITER (International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor) is a groundbreaking project which, following its planned completion in 2025, is expected to demonstrate how electricity can be generated with the help of nuclear fusion.

Mammoet was tasked to transport two 430t reactor components from the port in Marseille over a distance of more than 100km through southern France. The company used the Trailer Power Assist (TPA) for transporting the field coils on behalf of Daher Technologies, a specialist in nuclear fuel logistics.

Scheuerle, a subsidiary of the TII Group, produced the TPA according to Mammoet’s specifications.

The TPA is based on the self-propelled K25 modular platform vehicle which hydraulically drives four of the six axle lines by means of one Power Pack Unit (PPU).  Thanks to its modular design, it can be easily coupled with other units.

The system supports a road speed of 28km/h. When travelling more than 28km/h, it switches over to the so-called freewheeling modus and the truck tractor can then drive at the permitted maximum speed.

“With 1,000hp engine power, a traction force of 400kN along with an innovative hydraulic drive, the TPA generates more drive power than any other solution in this category. What would otherwise have required six tractors units, two trucks were sufficient due to the additional thrust provided by the TPA,” said Scheuerle.

Because the route included numerous motorway sections, Mammoet had to handle the transport as quickly as possible so that traffic was affected as little as possible. The TPA actually managed its first long-haul assignment in half the specified time.

Scheuerle highlighted a number of benefits of using this solution. The ballast requirements of conventional tractors are eliminated with the TPA, so is the need for coordination between the drivers that normally occurs in a multi-truck combination in order to synchronise the braking and steering behaviour. “Consequently, the TPA also increases the safety of the transport assignment. By reducing the total weight of a transport and the number of tractor units, it also improves the fuel balance,” the manufacturer said.

Once the transported goods have been delivered, the truck can pull the TPA to the next location in freewheel mode at a maximum speed of up to 80km/h. It is eligible for road approval in Germany and Europe.

This was the first transport assignment for the ITER research project. With the TPA, Mammoet will also tackle the upcoming transportation tasks including the transport of the first VV Sector (Vacuum Vessel), a 600t vacuum vessel in which the fusion reaction takes place.