Description:
FCT Flames has been designing and manufacturing cauldrons for high profile sporting events all over the world since 2000. We have supplied Olympic Cauldrons to the Summer, Winter and Youth Games as well as PanAm, Universiade, Asian Games, Pan-Arab Games, Asian Beach Games, South East Asian Games. We apply our technical expertise, our unique understanding of the requirements of major events, and our broad international experience to deliver cauldrons that are spectacular, reliable and safe.
We work very closely with the artistic and technical directors for each event to ensure the flame meets the artistic requirements as well as meeting all safety requirements both internally for the show producers but also with the local safety and gas authorities. Our equipment is designed and engineered to meet the most stringent of codes, and our engineers and site personnel are very experienced in working through the approval and safety assessment processes.
In many cases, a scale model of the burner is manufactured with the surrounding cauldron structure, in order that we can test the burner in its operating environment in our dedicated test facilities. We can generate wind and rain to ensure the burner system will remain alight under the most demanding conditions, while ensuring it will not cause damage to the surrounding cauldron structure or nearby structures.
We also have in house CFD (computational fluid dynamics) experts who can model the flame in the stadium to predict heat loads on nearby actors, athletes and audience, as well as tracking exhaust plumes (including carbon monoxide) to ensure the safety of all during the operation of the flame.
FCT can design cauldrons to operate on natural gas or LPG (propane/butane) mixes. Each fuel has its own combustion characteristics and the burner must be optimised for the particular fuel to ensure clean combustion, minimising smoke and carbon monoxide emissions. Great care is also taken to ensure the flame colour is as bright as possible. The visibility of the flame is paramount to the artistic team.
FCT work with the local fuel supplier (piped natural gas or bottled LPG) to coordinate the supply of fuel to the gas valve trains supplied with the burner system. We provide redundant gas paths in our gas handling valve trains to ensure the flame cannot go out, in the event of a failure of a single component. Similarly we provide redundant ignition systems and the control system is designed to keep the main flame running as long as an ignition source is proven. This is a proven philosophy accepted by gas and safety authorities world wide.
We provide the gas valve train, control system, burner, interconnecting hoses and supervise the installation on site, perform the commissioning, and in most cases operate the equipment during the opening and closing ceremonies, as well as provide 24/7 monitoring of the burner system for the duration of the event. FCT can also engineer and manufacture the supporting structure for the cauldrons. This turn key service provides our clients with complete peace of mind.
Our reputation in this field is second to none. Please contact us to discuss your cauldron project.
Examples:
Sydney 2000 Olympic Games; Athens 2004 Olympic Games