Heavy-duty PTO gearbox key consideration for HR&S B.V. to choose Scania

Harbour Rental & Services B.V. (HRS) of Rotterdam took delivery last week of a new Scania 540S tractor with a long chassis. For HRS, there are two reasons for deliberately choosing Scania this time. The main consideration is that Scania can supply one of the heaviest gearbox PTOs in the market ex-factory. But driver/operator participation also counts, as they must be able to perform their tasks safely and with pleasure.

Harbour Rental & Services B.V. is a joint entity of Groenendaal Transport B.V. (GT) and Maritime Shipcleaning Rotterdam B.V. (MSR). HRS provides MSR with the vacuum pumps and supply and discharge capacity MSR needs when cleaning and draining the various tanks and compartments in an inland and seagoing vessel. "That can be; the residue present, spray water used when cleaning all kinds of (bunker) tanks on board, removing cargo residues or transferring other liquids and industrial cleaning," says director and co-owner of HRS Dennis van Benschop. 

The challenge here is multifaceted. "First, you have to deal with a big difference in height between the bottom of the ship and the quay on which the truck is standing. One needs, in order to overcome this difference, heavy equipment to powerfully vacuum. This is where Scania's heavy-duty EG25R 2,500 Nm gearbox PTO proves its worth. Coupled with the new G33CM gearbox and the 540 hp SCR-only engine, with this we have, up to 4,000m³/h. Power enough for the toughest jobs!"

Sucking up residual fuel oil is one of the jobs that requires the most from the machine. "This is because when sucking up heavy sediment you have to be vigilant that the hose is not completely filled with a substance that can best be compared to 'thick dredge'. This is why we mix in air during the suctioning process; this prevents blockages. However, this false air takes a heavy toll on the vacuum you want to maintain. For this work, you need a lot of power and even the heavy 540 hp Scania engine has to run at 1,250 rpm to provide enough power. 

Additional cooling

The new Scania, with its richly equipped S-cab and long chassis, may have all the characteristics of an international long-haul truck, but at HRS the truck is seen more as a tool. "Per year we drive a maximum of 35,000 kilometers, however, we do run more than 2,000 PTO hours," explains Dennis van Benschop. "So the truck stands still more often than it drives. This demands a lot from the cooling and exhaust system." 

Therefore, the gearbox is fitted with an extra-large oil cooler and the CVS Vacustar WR4000R pump is equipped with its own cooling system including a 500-liter water tank. But the fact that Scania uses only SCR-only engines also plays a role. In lighter operations, the engine barely rises above its idle speed for hours at a time, and that's when things sometimes become critical in engines with an EGR system. 

Behind the Scania is a 28-cubic-meter vacuum tank trailer. "Our driver pulls the tank vacuum and thus initiates the process. His job includes more than just driving the truck. His duties also include operating and monitoring the installation."

"When the tank is full, this driver takes the load to the processing plant. Depending on the residue pumped, he can discharge the load through the 6" connections or through the fully hinged rear lid, and tipping the entire tank allows even the thickest fuel oil residue to slide out."

A ship at the dock is often a high cost for the customer, which is why MSR offers the possibility to perform jobs on a continuous basis. "To that end, the diversity within our fleet adds value," Dennis van Benschop says. "So when a tank is full, it is hauled away and the next vehicle is assigned to continue the work. Because this can be an ongoing process, spread over several days, it means that our operators also spend the night in the truck. That's why we also equipped this Scania with a stand heater and integrated stand cooling. "And as mentioned earlier, there was a say by our drivers on deliverable options within the Scania range, and another choice was a leather package, Alcoa alloy wheels and air horns," said Dennis van Benschop. "These choices have resulted in a wonderful new addition to our work equipment!"