2011-12 Photos - Fuel lines and other stuff

Ever since the fuel arch was renovated with steel tanks to replace the bladders in 1999, the fuel system piping has remained "temporary," requiring a hose to be rolled out to the aircraft parking area. The permanent system couldn't be finished until the siding was installed on the bottom of the elevated station...and until all of the arches were reworked and raised...and until the new piping system could get designed, shipped to Pole, and welded up. It's not quite done, so the hose will still need to be rolled out in 2012-13, hopefully for the last time.

Here's a view of some of the completed fuel piping under B2/B3 (KH).

Here are the piping connections at the downwind end of B4...the larger (jacketed but uninsulated) line with the ball valve/handwheel is to be the main supply line leading to the fuel arch; the smaller insulated line is an alternate connection to the circulating fuel system for the various day tanks (KH).

Now we'll look at the less obvious stuff, starting in the fuel arch. First, here is my "before" closeup view of the northwest end of the pumphouse, with the first tank in the background, from 2008.

Another of my 2008 photos, this one looks southeast along the upwind side of the pumphouse. These two sides of the pumphouse were originally scheduled to be "pushed out" to expand the building interior during the 2008-09 summer...but that didn't happen, as you can see in the next photo...instead, the during the 2011-12 summer, the permanent fuel piping was connected below the bottom valve you see above.

Here's the new piping that was installed in that empty space under the light switches on the skiway side of the pumphouse module...not to mention a new filter...never a bad idea. Note that the signs, dents, and markings on the pumphouse wall are the same (NC).

Moving into the upwind end of the LO arch, here's my photo of what the piping looked like in 2008...the screwed piping had been reconnected after the old biomed arch was raised.

And in 2012, the permanent piping is done so this old stuff is being demo'd by UT apprentice Will Lutkenhouse (left) and plumber JP (JeanPierre Brunel) (KH).

Another of my 2008 photos, looking downwind, showing the piping to hose connections at the downwind end of the old biomed arch...

...now replaced by preinsulated welded steel piping, as you can see in this view looking upwind. The old unistrut pipe support brackets are still there...(NC).

Backing up, a bit closer to the LO, here's an expansion loop (NC).

Down in the LO arch in the 2008 winter, here's my view looking toward the power plant and the vertical tower...notice all the temporary hoses. The two lines above the archway are the original 1975 fuel lines...there are also some temporary glycol heating hoses for the LO and a bunch of temporary cables.

Here's a similar view in 2012...the screwed piping and all the hoses are gone, and there is new conduit instead of the temporary cables (CP).

Turning around 180º towards the VMF arch, here's my 2008 photo of the access tunnel with the temporary fuel piping/hose above the glycol lines.

And here's a 2012 view of the same tunnel...showing the permanent fuel line above the glycol piping, as well as the completed fire rated wall and door...as well as a few more power cables (NC).

On the back side of the VMF looking downwind toward the new fuel filter (next photo), here's the new piping with the branch to feed the VMF (NC).

More of the fuel piping upgrade in the VMF arch...in 2010 the old "temporary" piping sprung a leak, dumping thousands of gallons into the snow. This is the new fuel filter for the the line to the VFM...to be completed with hard piping in 2012-13 (KH).

Here's w/o VMF supervisor Jack Sharp checking things out (KH).

These are the pressure gauges which will let folks know when it is time to clean the filter (KH).

And something else...Bill Coughran's cornice deflector on top of the VMF arch. Maybe there will be more or bigger ones next season, meanwhile folks have to climb up there and clear the cornices before they fall on folks (KH).

snow cornice deflector on top of the garage arch

Another view of the cornice deflector, from atop the arch (JC).

Thanks to Katie Hess (KH) for most of the photos, as well as Nate Cannon (NC), Carlos Pobes (CP), Joe Crane (JC). And thanks also to Jack Sharp, Will and JP!

Next...the Askaryan Radio Array activity west of the IceCube Laboratory.