Navigation stations weather extreme conditions
   

Hanson’s personnel provided engineering and architectural design services at LORAN-C stations in Alaska and Saudi Arabia.
   
In Alaska, Hanson performed electrical and mechanical upgrades and provided architectural consulting and design services at remotely located LORAN-C stations in Attu, St. Paul and Port Clarence, Alaska. As part of this project, Hanson designed a new transmitter building and power plant, and renovated several existing LORAN-C stations.

The purpose of this project was to design new facilities to house high-power transmitters while ensuring existing transmitters remained operational. Below-zero Alaskan temperatures and 100-mph winds were major considerations during the design of the long-range navigational radio systems.

Here are highlights:

• Hanson designed three new primary power plants. These plants consisted of three, 350-kilowatt engine generator sets designed to operate 365 days a year;
  
• We incorporated a heat recovery system to reclaim heat generated by engines throughout the facility and distribute it to adjacent buildings;
  
• Our firm designed a special ventilation system with air intake hoods and enclosures to prevent the intrusion of windblown water and snow;
  
• The Hanson team installed a new fuel delivery system that provides a two-year resupply operation via oceangoing barges;
  
• We developed an intensive fire protection system—a 30,000-gallon underground water supply tank, fire pump, pre-action valve system and water piping system. These components operate in conjunction with a cross-zoned ionization and heat detection system;
  
• Our firm incorporated an air conditioning system to cool transmitter buildings and high-power radio transmitters;
  
• Hanson designed a fire protection system for internal transmitter cabinets that uses halon as an extinguishing agent;
  
• We created an electrical system consisting of three new engine generator units with automatic switchgear;
  
• Hanson’s personnel developed a step-by-step changeover plan which resulted in the decommissioning of existing equipment and the commissioning of new equipment without interrupting operations; and
  

• Our firm designed a transmitter building and power plant with precast concrete elements to minimize concrete placement at the remote, cold weather locations.

Saudi Arabia stations designed

Hanson also provided design and construction oversight services for seven transmitter stations and three monitoring stations in Saudi Arabia, which must withstand up to 120-degree heat, high winds and sandstorms. We were responsible for selecting sites for the new stations, including the prime site and three alternate sites for each location. We also conducted site surveys, selected equipment for the new stations and oversaw construction services at the sites. Transmitter sites included equipment buildings, 275-kilowatt and 750-kilowatt power plants, staff quarters, fuel storage facilities, water and sewage systems, a 750-foot LORAN tower, a microwave tower for tie-in to the Saudi telephone system, general storage and office facilities, and life support systems—power, water and fire protection systems.