A recent project that we, at Sorensen Systems, were called
upon for our engineering and fabrication capabilities was the Chicago Deep
Tunnel. This project, also known as the Deep Tunnel Project, was established to
decrease flooding in the Chicago area and to reduce other harmful effects of
flushing raw sewage into Lake Michigan. The solution involved diverting storm
water and sewage into large, deep tunnels and vast holding reservoirs.
Our roll in this project was to engineer and build a hydraulic
and automation motion control system to operate a massive water control gate at
the 300 foot deep Thornton Quarry Reservoir. The gates regulate the flow of
water through large underground tunnels constructed to slowly feed the stored
water to the Calumet Treatment Facility before being released into the Cal Sag
Channel. The four stainless steel roller gates, manufactured by Steel-Fab,
Inc., are powered by Sorensen Systems Hydraulic Power Units.
“We are happy to put our latest engineering marvel to work.
The Thornton Composite Reservoir is the world’s largest reservoir and has drawn
intrigue from across the world.” – Spokesperson
for the MWRD
According to information released by the MWRD, over 500,000
people benefit directly from the protection to over 180,000 homes in the 14
communities to the south of Chicago.
To read more about this project, visit our website page that describes the DeepTunnel job in more detail. If you have any questions or inquiries, feel free to contact me at 508-351-1814 or write me an email (mgardella@sorensensystems.com)
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| Chuck Keyes, Project Engineer, looks over specifications during the fabrication process of the control panels at Sorensen System’s Northborough location. |
