THE FALKIRK WHEEL: Facts & Figures

The only structure of its kind in the world, the Falkirk Wheel will be 115 feet (35 metres) It will be 115 feet (35 metres) wide and 100 feet (30 metres) long The Wheel will lift loads of 600 tonnes (300 tonnes at each end) The Wheel will be able to carry eight or more boats at a time and a single trip will take about 15 minutes The Wheel will stand in a 330 feet (100 metres) wide, circular basin with moorings for over 20 boats The total project cost is approximately 17million and work will take 22 months from beginning to end The project will involve over 500 construction staff Construction materials include 7,000 cubic metres of concrete, 1,000 tonnes of reinforced steel, 1,200 tonnes of prefabricated steel and 35,000 square metres of canal lining The Wheel is designed to last for at least the next 120 years

The wheel has an overall diameter of 35 metres and consists of two opposing arms which extend 15 metres beyond the central axle and take the shape of a Celtic-inspired,double-headed axe. Two sets of these axe-shaped arms are attached about 25 metres (82 ft) apart to a 3.5 metres (11 ft) diameter axle. Two diametrically opposed water-filled caissons, each with a capacity of 80,000 imperial gallons (360,000 l; 96,000 US gal), are fitted between the ends of the arms. These caissons (also known as gondolas) always weigh the same whether or not they are carrying their combined capacity of 600 tonnes (590 long tons; 660 short tons) of floating canal barges as, according to Archimedes' principle, floating objects displace their own weight in water, so when the boat enters, the amount of water leaving the caisson weighs exactly the same as the boat. This keeps the wheel balanced and so, despite its enormous mass, it rotates through 180 in five and a half minutes while using very little power. consume just 1.5 kilowatt-hours .
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Roata cu diametrul de 35 m este formata din axul central cu diametrul de 3,5m si de 2 brate lungi de 15m. De capatul a 2 brate sta prinsa o gondola lunga de 25m care are o masa de 300 tone incluzand masa ambarcatiunilor si a apei.

Gondolele sunt umplute cu o cantitate egala de apa, din care ambarcatiunile elimina o cantitate egala cu masa lor (legea lui Arhimede). Astfel sistemul este tot timpul in echilibru. Pentru rotire cu 180 a giganticului mecanism motoarele cu o putere instalata de 22.5 kW au nevoie de un consum de doar 1,5 kW/h.

Operation

Showing the ring gears

The wheel rotates together with the axle, which is supported by four-metre-diameter slewing bearings that are fitted to the ends of the axle and have their outer rings mounted on theplinths, which in turn are constructed on top of piled foundations. The slewing bearing at the machine-room end of the axle has an inner ring gear which is configured to act as a rotating annulus. The rotating annulus is driven by ten hydraulic motors which are assembled on a stationary bearing and motor assembly known as the planet carrier which in turn is also mounted onto a plinth similar to the one at the other end of the axle. The drive-shafts of the motors have pinion gears which act as stationary planetary gearsin this train of gears and engage the rotating annulus ring gear. An electric motor drives a hydraulic pump which is connected to the hydraulic motors by means of hoses and drive the

Costs and prices

The Falkirk Wheel cost 17.5 million, and the restoration project as a whole cost 84.5 million which 32 million came from National Lottery funds).
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The Falkirk Wheel Visitor Centre offers scheduled one-hour, round trip boat tours, called "The Falkirk Wheel Experience", that include passage on the wheel. The tours start below the wheel in the Forth & Clyde Canal, ascend via the wheel to the Union Canal, visit nearby areas on the Union Canal, and then return. As of 2010, the boat tour costs 7.95 for adults, 4.95 for children aged 315 (free for children under 3), OAP concession 6.95, student/state benefits concession 6.95, and family price of 23.24 (2 adults and 2 or more children -10% discount) with a discount of 10% for a group of 20 or [6][7] more.

Roata de la Falkirk a costat 15.5 milioane de lire iar proiectul de restaurare a canalului 84,5 miloane de lire