Deep drilling rigs with top drive systems are used to extract oil from the earth. Until now, manufacturers and operators have relied on so-called "service loops" to feed the lines to the systems. However, these often cause a number of problems: the lines have no guide, do not have a defined bending radius, can move in the service loop and, in the worst case, can break. In extreme wind conditions, the loosely hanging service loop can get caught in the mast or on the sensors and lighting system and break off.

If one of these cases occurs and a cable is defective, a further problem arises: the entire hose package has to be replaced, as the cables are cast together inside the hose. Igus has now developed a new energy chain, the e-loop, so that cables with large cross-sections and high weights can be safely guided in suspended applications. The cable carrier is a round, three-dimensional modular system that can move cables with a defined bending radius without strain.

Easy maintenance, assembly and disassembly
When developing the e-loop, the engineers focused on simple installation. The modular energy chain can be opened from the outside and filled at any time. This means that individual cables can be inserted quickly and replaced if maintenance is required. The links can also be replaced at any time. Multiple secured screw connections are used between the elements of the cable carrier to prevent components from falling and thus increase operational safety.

As deep drilling rigs have to change their location regularly, the developers opted for bolted connection elements that enable quick disassembly. In addition to use on deep drilling rigs, the saltwater-resistant e-loop is also suitable for suspended applications in the offshore industry, for construction machinery, shore power or wind turbines.

High-performance polymers for reliable cable protection
High vibrations, lateral impacts and shocks are no problem for the e-loop. It consists of individual chain links that have a shock-resistant outer body made of PU foam and a cable-protecting interior made of Igumid high-performance polymer. The Igus material is corrosion-free and resistant to chemicals.

The new cable carrier is built around a high-tensile plastic cable that absorbs the tensile forces of the cables. The rope is made of a synthetic plastic fiber and is therefore unbreakable, weather-resistant, flexible and corrosion-free. The e-loop can carry weights of up to 220 kilonewtons with the rope. as