Grand Paris Express is the name of the ambitious infrastructure project in the French capital. A partially driverless metro network is being built to connect the suburbs and improve local transport. Four new lines are being built, two will be extended, and existing ones will be modernised. The scope is considerable: with 227km of track and 308 stations, the network is already the fourth largest in Europe. By the end of the project in 2030, another 200km and 68 stations will be added.
Doubling the size
Tsurumi has been involved since the project was launched in 2016. With its EU headquarters in Düsseldorf, Germany, the Japanese company has equipped several construction sections with dozens of submersible pumps.
The operator placed another order at the end of 2023 based on its positive experience. The new order includes a series of pumps, especially from the KTZ model range. This pump is one of the most successful in the manufacturer's product range. It was developed for use in tunnelling and mining. There are 17 types of this versatile submersible pump, providing flow rates of up to 3960l/min and a delivery head of 71m.
This includes the KTZ 415, which reaches 2000l/min and 55ms. Its motor output of 15kW is impressive. However, the 146kg dry weight is a result of the robust design, which relies on resistant materials, including chrome cast iron and silicon carbide with diamond-like hardness. The robust pump is built to fulfil the company's slogan, "Stronger for longer".
30m below Paris
The units keep the grounds dry and thus help keep the schedules on time. Three of the four new lines run in tunnels. Each tube with a diameter of 10m will contain two tracks. The tunnels are found at an average depth of 30m and thus in the aquifer. Therefore, continuous drainage is crucial for success: the work can only continue when it is dry.
Tsurumi is probably one of the preferred partners for the project management because it is able to supply pumps for delivers from stock rather than on order. According to Tsurumi, almost all of the 500 pump models offered in the EU, with delivery capacities of up to 30m3/min or 216m head height, can be delivered within 24 hours. The Japanese know that tunnelling is one of the supreme disciplines in the tunnelling and mining industry and without reliable and quickly available equipment, it cannot be completed on time.
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