Demonstration experiment to reduce costs in the "major renewal era" due to aging river equipment nationwide

Amid frequent floods every year, river facilities such as drainage pumps are aging nationwide, and we will enter a "major renewal era" in the future.

In order to deal with the high cost that is a problem, a demonstration experiment was conducted in Tsukuba City, Ibaraki Prefecture, to divert an automobile engine and lead to cost reduction.

The demonstration experiment conducted at the Public Works Research Institute in Tsukuba City was conducted using a drainage facility jointly developed by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, a pump manufacturer, and an automobile manufacturer.

A modified engine of a medium-duty truck was used for power, and we pumped water from a tank that looked like river water and checked how much water could be drained.

In the experiment, when the person in charge started the engine, the shaft that moved the pump rotated with a loud noise, and the pumped water flowed out vigorously.

According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, facilities such as drainage pumps and gates in rivers managed by the government are aging nationwide, with about half of them being installed more than 40 years ago. It has been seen.

On the other hand, drainage machines are custom-made for each facility, and the engine alone takes about tens of millions, so the time and cost required for renewal are major issues.

In the midst of a series of floods, local governments are calling for the expansion of drainage facilities, and it is said that the cost can be reduced by diverting the engine of a car of one million yen.

In the experiment on the 18th, it was confirmed that the drainage function was 1.2 tons per second, which exceeded the target, and we are planning to install it in the river and aim for practical use over several years.

Kazuyuki Kikuta, a planning expert of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, said, "Many river machinery and equipment were built in the Showa era, and the" major renewal era "is approaching. I think it will help reduce or prevent the problem. "