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2002 - Magdeburg

Inshore

Rehabilitation of the sewage culverts under the Old Elbe in Magdeburg

The present length of the public sewage network in Magdeburg, the state capital of Saxony-Anhalt, is around 950 kilometres. The main proportion of sewage is generated west of the river Elbe and is pumped to a sand filter facility close to the commercial port via three combined laterals. Magdeburg's culvert system was built in 1894 and consists of two main sewage pipes, each with an interior diameter of 1.05 metres. The culvert pipes in the vicinity of the Old Elbe are made of flanged steel pipes. The descending and ascending sections of the culvert are made of cast iron pipes with spigots. The length of the double culvert between pumping stations B and C is approx. 235 metres. Nordseetaucher's task was as follows:

  1. Calibrate culvert pipes 1 and 2
  2. Determine whether the pipes were clean enough for restoration work to commence
  3. Final inspection with underwater video

Nordseetaucher was contracted as the diving company on this project for a number of reasons: we have developed an advanced solution based on tried and tested technology (stepless 360° calibration system and an in-situ camera filter for underwater video filming in turbid water) as well as the necessary diving expertise and prior experience in inspecting culvert systems.

The Nordseetaucher camera filter:
Nordseetaucher GmbH registered Patent No. 41 42 223 - A Device for Cameras for In-Situ Underwater Filming", aka the camera filter, in April 1994.

Diving equipment:

Due to our experience and various experiments carried out the research centre, we have been granted an exceptional permit to use umbilicals up to 150 metres long. This enables us to enter culvert pipes that are 235 metres long from both ends and inspect and measure them. In addition to providing the air supply, the umbilical also contains an emergency air line, a communications line, an electricity cable for the helmet lamp and a video cable.