Ipswich Tidal Barrier
Qualter Hall has been a key partner in the Environment Agency’s £67m flood defence scheme which protects the town of Ipswich from flood water from the River Orwell, and the future impact of climate change.
Located on the new cut of the River Orwell, on Ipswich waterfront, the Ipswich Tidal Barrier protects around 1,500 residential and 400 commercial properties.
The project, led by Environment Agency contractor VBA – a joint venture between VolkerStevin, Boskalis Westminster and Atkins, included the design, construction and installation of a rising sector gate tidal flood barrier weighing 200 tonnes which formed part of a broader flood defence upgrade project managed by the Environment Agency.
Qualter Hall were responsible for the design, manufacture, delivery, installation, testing and commissioning of all Mechanical and Electrical (M&E/ MEICA) equipment required to operate the 20 metre rotating barrier, which can be raised or lowered in minutes to control flood water in the River Orwell.
What work was done by Qualter Hall at Ipswich Tidal Barrier?
- Design and supply of the main hydraulic power unit (HPU) with two diesel engines and pumps, each with dual pressure control to raise and lower the gate.
- Design and supply of two emergency hydraulic power units with diesel engines and pumps, complete with GRP housing.
- Supply of three main operating cylinders, (two operational plus one spare), two latching cylinders and four maintenance cylinders.
- System pipework supply, installation, pressure testing and flushing.
- Design, supply, installation, testing and operator training for the main motor control centre (MCC) and control system architecture.
- Ongoing maintenance of the equipment on behalf of the client following installation, operator training by our Site Services team and final client sign-off.
How does the Ipswich Tidal Barrier work?
The floodgate design is similar to that of the Thames Barrier (maintained by Qualter Hall). The gate rotates upwards out of the river course and into the closed position, holding back dangerous tidal surges that could flood the town.
The Operator is able to interface with the system via two full touch HMI screens, providing continuous diagnostics and alarm functionality along with setpoint adjustment. All barrier functions can be initiated from either a human machine interface (HMI) or from pushbutton controls incorporated within the operator desk.
The control system is connected via an industrial PROFINET network, providing fast and reliable communications. A remote connection allows the Environment Agency to integrate this local telemetry directly into their national system for diagnostics away from the site, allowing the barrier to be unmanned during periods of low activity with the peace of mind that the site is safe, secure and ready for use at short notice.
Manufactured by Hollandia, the gate is 22 metres wide and 9 metres tall when in its “closed position”. It is coated in protective paint as it spends most of its lifetime submerged under water.
The flood defence scheme reduces the risk of flooding to 1,608 homes, 422 businesses and key infrastructure.
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