The influence of high performance fibre rope designs on drum load and spooling performance in multi-layer drum equipment

This paper describes the research executed on several rope designs to know their properties and to understand their performance on multi-layer spooled rope drums. Within this study two parameters have been analysed; lateral elasticity and deformation during spooling. The lateral elasticity is determined in a special test rig and the deformation properties of the fibre rope are determined during the spooling process. To evaluate the deformation, optical recordings of the winding pack and the free rope are taken using laser profile scanners. The rope deformation is calculated and analysed based on these images. After spooling in, the winding behaviour of the rope is qualitatively assessed based on the spooling images. With respect to spooling, the effect of multi-layer winding of the fibre rope on the drum barrel is also measured and the tension is derived from that. In that way the drum load can be calculated as a function of the number of layers. In conclusion, the high performance fibre rope properties obtained can be used as input for the drum design. The data obtained on the ropes’ deformation is included in the design of the groove and flange wheel surface.

Author(s): A. Lohrengel, M. Schulze, H. Erlendsson, J.A. Magnusson, P. Smeets and B. Tacken