I nvestment and growth in developing markets is key to growth in drives and controls as it is in other mining technology areas. David Brown Group recently announced that it has increased its shareholding in David Brown Bharat Forge Gear Systems India Ltd by buying out its Indian partner, Bharat Forge Ltd. The move “will initiate a major programme of investment and forms a commitment to business growth with strong alignment to the Made in India initiative”, increasing the value of business to $50 million in the next five years. The new business will operate under the new name David Brown Gear Systems India Pvt Limited. Thomas Burley, Chief Executive Officer, David Brown Gear Systems comments, “David Brown Gears has a long history in India and we are very pleased to be able to build our capability and invest fully in this rapidly growing market. We are tremendously excited by the Indian government’s Made in India programme and the encouragement it gives to businesses with advanced engineered products and services such as David Brown to develop a full design and manufacturing capability in country. The fit between India’s needs for advanced transmission technology and David Brown’s products is ideal. I would like to thank our partner Bharat Forge for their support in helping us establish our business over the last five years. I would also like to thank our Indian employees and leadership team for building up the business during this period. Their commitment and capability has given us the confidence to take full control of the business and move to this next phase of investment and growth.” The JV was set up in 2011 as part of David Brown’s global expansion strategy to serve markets on an international stage, focused on mining/metals and a range of other industries, covering both new build and service and repair sectors. The business also benefits from access to David Brown’s existing installed base for service and repair activities including maintenance, inspection, drop in replacements, overhauls and reverse engineering to deliver greater process availability, reliability and efficiency for its customers’ operations. Venkatesh Subramanyam, MD India comments, “David Brown will continue to build on the sound base established in core markets since 2011. Ongoing investment in manufacturing, people and infrastructure will further expand our capacity to meet local customer needs, leverage low cost supply for customers worldwide and continue a proud tradition of Made in India”. David Brown Gear Systems India investments in the short term will focus on developing manufacturing expertise in-house including gear cutting. This will ensure closer control of quality, the flexibility to respond to customer requirements and expansion of the value proposition. It will also expand the product portfolio in the India market to include access to a more comprehensive and sophisticated David Brown global product range including proprietary products such as the CX mining conveyor and HX high speed gear technology developed by David Brown centres of excellence located worldwide. David Brown Gear Systems India itself has potential for growth as a low cost manufacturing centre for David Brown globally. Gerry Marshall, Chief Operating Officer, David Brown Group comments, “We are delighted to announce this important development for David Brown which demonstrates our continued focus and commitment to the region. Additional investment in our equipment and people in the India facility will also strengthen our service and repair capabilities and capacity in line with the needs of our current and future customers. Enhancing our presence in India is a critical step for growth as we continue to develop our worldwide capabilities and customer responsive services.” New record in conveyor gearless Siemens has upped the ante in gearless drives for conveyors again, announcing an agreement to supply the world’s biggest gearless conveyor drive system to the Cuajone mine in Peru which is operated by the Mexican mining company Southern Copper Corporation (SCC). The modernisation project will entail the installation of a new gyratory crushing and conveyor system by 2016. The belt conveyor will replace a railway system currently used to transport the ore out of the mine to the processing plant. The Integrated Drive System (IDS) used to power the world’s highest-powered gearless conveyor system with an output totaling 12,000 kW is being supplied by Siemens. “Not only does the gearless drive enable efficiency to be increased by 3%, it also cuts down the necessary maintenance work and associated costs, as wearing parts such as couplings, motor bearings and gearboxes are no longer required.” In mid-2014, Siemens was chosen by ThyssenKrupp to supply the electrical package to the Cuajone mine in Peru with a contract valued in the double-digit million Euro range. Previously, the ore was transported out of the mine for further processing using a train over a distance of more than 6 km to the processing plant. The existing railway is now being replaced by an efficient conveyor belt system and a gyratory crusher, for which Siemens is providing the automation system, the power distribution equipment, and the drive system. Alongside conventional drives, Siemens is deploying primarily Integrated Drive Systems (IDS) with gearless drives which offer a high level of availability by dispensing with many of the wear-prone components such as gearboxes, couplings and motor bearings. Gearless drives also enable the use of a continuous conveyor belt, eliminating the need for transfer stations and so reducing susceptibility to faults, cutting out the need for high-intensity maintenance and driving down costs. The conveyor belt system comprises three DRIVES AND CONTROLS 60 International Mining | NOVEMBER 2015 Geared and gearless drives, motors, fluid couplings and brakes all have a crucial role to play in the performance and safe running of everything from mills to conveyors, and from electric trucks to draglines. Paul Moore looks at some of the recent developments Industry in motion Sumitomo Drive Technologies’ SM-Cyclo Iberia (SMIB) in Spain and Hansen Industrial Transmissions (HIT) in Belgium jointly landed an order for 43 gearboxes including accessory drive components from PHB Weserhütte in Spain
11
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Transcript
Investment and growth in developing markets
is key to growth in drives and controls as it is
in other mining technology areas. David
Brown Group recently announced that it has
increased its shareholding in David Brown
Bharat Forge Gear Systems India Ltd by buying
out its Indian partner, Bharat Forge Ltd. The
move “will initiate a major programme of
investment and forms a commitment to business
growth with strong alignment to the Made in
India initiative”, increasing the value of business
to $50 million in the next five years. The new
business will operate under the new name David
Brown Gear Systems India Pvt Limited.
Thomas Burley, Chief Executive Officer, David
Brown Gear Systems comments, “David Brown
Gears has a long history in India and we are very
pleased to be able to build our capability and
invest fully in this rapidly growing market. We
are tremendously excited by the Indian
government’s Made in India programme and the
encouragement it gives to businesses with
advanced engineered products and services
such as David Brown to develop a full design
and manufacturing capability in country. The fit
between India’s needs for advanced
transmission technology and David Brown’s
products is ideal. I would like to thank our
partner Bharat Forge for their support in helping
us establish our business over the last five
years. I would also like to thank our Indian
employees and leadership team for building up
the business during this period. Their commitment
and capability has given us the confidence to
take full control of the business and move to
this next phase of investment and growth.”
The JV was set up in 2011 as part of David
Brown’s global expansion strategy to serve
markets on an international stage, focused on
mining/metals and a range of other industries,
covering both new build and service and repair
sectors. The business also benefits from access
to David Brown’s existing
installed base for
service and
repair
activities
including
maintenance,
inspection, drop
in replacements,
overhauls and
reverse engineering to
deliver greater process
availability, reliability and
efficiency for its customers’
operations.
Venkatesh Subramanyam, MD India
comments, “David Brown will continue to build
on the sound base established in core markets
since 2011. Ongoing investment in
manufacturing, people and infrastructure will
further expand our capacity to meet local
customer needs, leverage low cost supply for
customers worldwide and continue a proud
tradition of Made in India”.
David Brown Gear Systems India investments
in the short term will focus on developing
manufacturing expertise in-house including gear
cutting. This will ensure closer control of quality,
the flexibility to respond to customer
requirements and expansion of the value
proposition. It will also expand the product
portfolio in the India market to include access to
a more comprehensive and sophisticated David
Brown global product range including
proprietary products such as the CX mining
conveyor and HX high speed gear technology
developed by David Brown centres of excellence
located worldwide. David Brown Gear Systems
India itself has potential for growth as a low cost
manufacturing centre for David Brown globally.
Gerry Marshall, Chief Operating Officer, David
Brown Group comments, “We are delighted to
announce this important development for David
Brown which demonstrates our continued focus
and commitment to the region. Additional
investment in our equipment and people in the
India facility will also strengthen our service and
repair capabilities and capacity in line with the
needs of our current and future customers.
Enhancing our presence in India is a critical step
for growth as we continue to develop our worldwide
capabilities and customer responsive services.”
New record in conveyor gearlessSiemens has upped the ante in gearless drives
for conveyors again, announcing an agreement
to supply the world’s biggest gearless conveyor
drive system to the
Cuajone mine in Peru which is
operated by the Mexican mining company
Southern Copper Corporation (SCC). The
modernisation project will entail the installation
of a new gyratory crushing and conveyor system
by 2016.
The belt conveyor will replace a railway
system currently used to transport the ore out of
the mine to the processing plant. The Integrated
Drive System (IDS) used to power the world’s
highest-powered gearless conveyor system with
an output totaling 12,000 kW is being supplied
by Siemens. “Not only does the gearless drive
enable efficiency to be increased by 3%, it also
cuts down the necessary maintenance work and
associated costs, as wearing parts such as
couplings, motor bearings and gearboxes are no
longer required.”
In mid-2014, Siemens was chosen by
ThyssenKrupp to supply the electrical package
to the Cuajone mine in Peru with a contract
valued in the double-digit million Euro range.
Previously, the ore was transported out of the
mine for further processing using a train over a
distance of more than 6 km to the processing
plant. The existing railway is now being replaced
by an efficient conveyor belt system and a
gyratory crusher, for which Siemens is providing
the automation system, the power distribution
equipment, and the drive system. Alongside
conventional drives, Siemens is deploying
primarily Integrated Drive Systems (IDS) with
gearless drives which offer a high level of
availability by dispensing with many of the
wear-prone components such as gearboxes,
couplings and motor bearings.
Gearless drives also enable the use of a
continuous conveyor belt, eliminating the need
for transfer stations and so reducing
susceptibility to faults, cutting out the need for
high-intensity maintenance and driving down
costs. The conveyor belt system comprises three
DRIVES AND CONTROLS
60 International Mining | NOVEMBER 2015
Geared and gearless drives,motors, fluid couplings andbrakes all have a crucial roleto play in the performanceand safe running ofeverything from mills toconveyors, and from electrictrucks to draglines. Paul Moore looks at some ofthe recent developments
Industry in motionSumitomo Drive Technologies’ SM-Cyclo Iberia(SMIB) in Spain and Hansen IndustrialTransmissions (HIT) in Belgium jointly landed anorder for 43 gearboxes including accessory drivecomponents from PHB Weserhütte in Spain
DRIVES AND CONTROLS_proof 21/10/2015 10:52 Page 1
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Unearthing electric motor potentialin miningWeak commodity prices and tighter financing is
putting the mining and minerals sector under
pressure. Embracing technology is seen as the
way forward. ABB states: “It is important,
however, not to overlook established
technology, especially the humble electric
motor. Today’s motor has much more to offer the
industry and may have the answers to many of
its challenges. The motor technology, it could be
argued, is well established. The motor must
meet global mining standards, yet be flexible for
adaptation to local legislation; robust to meet
the aggressive nature of the environment; and
highly reliable, never being the component in
the drive train responsible for unplanned
downtime.”
ABB argues that this is only half the story. “It
is essential that the product has comprehensive
lifecycle services that help define the true cost
of ownership of that motor. In short it must
provide maximum uptime with minimal
maintenance. What is harder to engineer is
ensuring that both these aspects – the products
and the services – address the key challenges
that the industry faces. The top three challenges
upon which everyone is agreed is the need to
maximise productivity, improve performance and
operational efficiency and enhance safety, all of
which will help tackle a fourth challenge –
profitability.”
One thing all mining companies appear to
have in common is their
conservatism towards new
products and technologies. For
instance, many sites have a habit
of scrapping motors, sometimes
on a two-year cycle, or at best
sending the motor for rewind. “Yet
today’s motors are designed to
the highest levels of reliability, meaning that
they can survive in the mining environment for
periods in excess of the warranty. With planned
preventive maintenance the motors can last
several decades.”
If a company’s policy is to change the motors
as a matter of course, then purchase price
becomes a dominant factor. However, a mining
motor should be viewed as a long term
investment. “Why scrap a motor that has shock
resistance windings and up to 30 years lifetime,
just because that’s the way it has always been
done” argues ABB’s Product Manager Tom Eklof.
“Mining companies need to re-assess their
motor management policy.”
This conservatism manifests itself in a
reluctance to embrace change. “Two areas
demonstrate this. The first is the insistence on
rewinding motors when often a rewind can
adversely affect a motor’s efficiency and may
incur a higher cost than buying and installing a
new model. Studies show that the first rewind of
a new electric motor can result in as much as a
3% reduction in efficiency. It can also, in some
cases, cost more than a new motor.”
The second area relates to insulation class.
Many specifications call for Class H insulation
which covers motors temperatures up to 180°C.
However, achieving such a high temperature use
comes at a price. The winding tends to be fragile
and cannot withstand vibrations.
It can also lead to premature bearing failure if
the higher running temperatures offered by
Class H insulation are really utilised. The hotter
the motor runs the hotter the bearings. Every
15° increase in bearing temperature will cut
grease lifetime in half. Therefore, hot running
bearings will require frequent lubrication,
otherwise failure is inevitable.
An alternative is to use Class F insulation and
utilise built-in winding temperature protection
to safeguard against accidental, long term
overloading. Typically mining motors are
dimensioned for 120°C, Class B temperature
rise. Motors that meet global standards for
explosive atmospheres and efficiency provide
the minimum requirement within the mining
sector. “Several countries, like China, Russia
and South Africa, have local standards or
adaptations that a motor supplier must be able
to accommodate. For instance, regarding
mechanical specifications, in countries like
Australia and South Africa, British Imperial
standards still dominate.”
While new installations in Australia are based
on IEC and Cenelec, the replacement market is
still biased towards Imperial standards,
especially with certain frame size motors where
the shaft diameter is different to that required
by Cenelec. In South Africa customers are
requiring motors with Imperial dimensions even
with new installations.
“For those mines building new lines or
refurbishing existing ones, it is important to
involve the motor supplier at the start of any
project; during the front-end engineering design
(FEED) stage. The suppliers have a wealth of
know-how about all applications where motors
are used, from pumps, ventilation and conveyors
to crushers, hoists and drills. They understand,
for instance, that a conveyor drive system failure
is extremely costly, which makes motors and
mechanical power transmission equipment a top
priority.”
The manufacturer can advise on temperature
rise, IP-classification, insulation type and
compatibility with other products, such as
couplings, gearboxes and variable-speed drives.
They can spot pitfalls in technical specifications
that can lead to over-dimensioning, unnecessary
energy use and higher maintenance costs.
“We invest massively in R&D and have some
great new technologies that can be used in
mining, such as the synchronous reluctance
motors package, SynRM. We are also refining
and perfecting our standard induction motor
range, including pushing efficiency levels
towards IE4 and beyond,” says ABB’s Mining
Segment Market Manager Jari Korkiakangas.
“Looking to the future we may see the
introduction of advanced materials that improve
motor strength, conductivity, functionality and
self-healing. This will extend the life and
performance of mining equipment while
reducing the downtime and costs associated
with ongoing maintenance.”
DRIVES AND CONTROLS
ABB says it has some great newtechnologies that can be used inmining, such as the synchronousreluctance motors package,SynRM, the new rotor design forwhich is shown here
DRIVES AND CONTROLS_proof 21/10/2015 10:52 Page 2
High accuracy in dynamic applicationsCG Drives & Automation products are well proven
in material handling applications. “Robust
construction and advanced functionality means
they handle heavy operations in a reliable and
efficient way, whether they are crushers,
conveyors, hoists, pumps or fans.” Its Emotron
AC drives offer high accuracy in dynamic
applications such as crushers and conveyors.
According to the company they ensure the right
feeding rate by adapting motor speed to load
variations, minimising energy consumption and
wear. Direct torque control handles abrupt load
changes and overcomes initial peak loads,
reducing mechanical stress and preventing
interruptions and false trips. The range covers
motor powers up to 3,000 kW for up to 690 V
mains voltage. Units with liquid cooling are
available as an option.
The direct torque control offers efficient starts
of a heavily loaded crusher or conveyor by also
utilising the full motor capacity from standstill.
Emotron softstarters handle this by boosting the
torque. Minimised start currents are still ensured,
meaning less mechanical stress and lower
installation and energy costs. Both products have
integrated vector braking for quick and safe
braking without the need for mechanical brakes.
Soft starts of fans reduce the hydraulic and
mechanical stress on pipes and gaskets. Linear
pump stops eliminate the risk of water hammer,
without costly motor-controlled valves. This is
ensured with Emotron softstarters and AC drives.
The AC drive in addition offers considerable
energy savings by continuously adapting motor
speed to demand. A sleep function saves further
energy and automatic pump rinsing makes sure
efficiency is maintained.
A built-in load monitor protects the process
against damage and inefficiency. Any over or
underload situation is detected immediately,
across the entire speed range. This allows for
preventive action, if a crusher jams, a pump is
running dry or a pipe is blocked. No energy is
wasted and unplanned downtime is minimised.
In July 2015, CG signed a global supply
agreement with quarrying and cement major
Lafarge for electrical motors. This agreement
positions CG as one of the select few preferred
global suppliers for Lafarge. “A company like
Lafarge, dedicated to making better cities, is well
placed to address the global demand that will be
further augmented by enhancing manufacturing
efficiency. This is where CG plays its role as a
domain expert with its flexible and customised
solutions, high quality of products and global
sales and service setup, to support Lafarge
wherever their operations are located. From rotor,
stator design and stamping to finished motor, CG is
one of the few global motor manufacturers to own
the complete chain of design and manufacturing.”
With over 40,000 CG-made motors running in
various cement factories, CG is one of the major
motor suppliers to the industry. For decades now,
CG has been providing the cement industry with
electric motors for various applications, including
unique construction of slip-ring, twin drive slip-
ring and double squirrel cage motors. CG’s low
maintenance-energy efficient motors are
specially designed for demanding applications
such as in the quarrying and cement industry,
delivering high starting torque, low noise and
vibration. “They boost process reliability to
enable manufacturing plants to increase their
output, enhance product quality and reduce
energy consumption and carbon emissions.”
At the Yanacocha gold mine in Peru, the 4,200
m altitude is extra tough on electrical equipment,
because thin air reduces cooling capacity and
electrical isolation. Power comes on cables 30-50
km long, and then there are the standard
conditions for mining: huge temperature
variations, humidity, rain, dust and sand. CG
Drives & Controls provided drives and soft
starters for deep well pumps that dry out parts of
the mountain before blasting. These pump
systems are “portable”, and move every 3-4
weeks to a new location.
Rene Rodriguez, Sales Manager South
America, CG Industrial Systems, told IM: “Almost
80% of the mining in Chile are using or have
some Emotron drives running. A key value in the
mining sector is that our drives have an IP54
enclosure protection rating. Normally the user
puts our drive inside of another panel that is IP55
or IP66, with our standard IP54, which allows our
drive to work
well for many
years,
maintenance
free.
Our IP54 a
coated board,
means that the
drive are
recognised as
a heavy duty
drive for very
difficult
applications in
poor
environmental
conditions, such as
temperature ranges of -20° to
+40°C as well as dusty and humid environments.
The direct torque control, also a plus for
applications like mill, conveyor and crusher drive,
especially with the soft starter, means often
competitor drives do not function properly, but
the Emotron MSF works well with very accurate
torque control. Finally, the HCB to protect the
rectifier and filters as well as the DC coils, make
Emotron drives acceptable in the most extreme
conditions and applications.”
Operations using Emotron drives include
ENAMI, ENAMI Planta Mata, ENAMI Paipote; as
well as Candelaria, Mantos de Oro, Collahuasi,
Escondida, Los Bronces, El Teniente,
Chuquicamata, Mantos Blancos, Andina, Xstrata
Copper, ACF Minera, Punitaqui, Lomas Bayas, and
El Abra.
New combined approach from ATBUK motor specialists ATB Laurence Scott, ATB
Morley and ATB Special Products, subsidiaries of
ATB Group Austria Antriebstechnik AG, have
joined forces under one banner, ATB Group UK
Ltd. ATB Laurence Scott, ATB Morley and ATB
Special Products are amongst Britain’s oldest
manufacturers of electric drive systems, with over
300 years of combined experience. “This rich
heritage in the electrical engineering industry
serves as testament to the reliability and quality
of the companies’ products and to their ethos of
designing equipment to customer-specific
requirements.”
As of September 1, the companies merged into
one legal entity. “The group will focus on niche
markets, close customer relationships and
utilising its extensive experience and
competencies as electrical engineering
businesses, to provide customers with the
optimum motor solution across numerous
industries. The merger will unlock operational
benefits, as the companies will be able to share
resources and facilities, allowing for a more
flexible approach to future business.”
Continuous innovation will be a
key focus for ATB Group UK, which
says it will utilise its
development and
manufacturing expertise to
bring a range of new products
to market. In October of this
year, the group was due to
unveil its VFD motor for mining
applications, which uses the
latest technology and topology.
“The companies will continue
to operate from their existing sites,
but now under one management team, with one
mission; helping customers to create world
leading solutions in terms of performance and
reliability.”
Although ATB Group UK is a recent
establishment, its electrical engineering roots
trace back to 1883 with the Laurence Scott
business. Accordingly, the group will adopt the
tagline ‘Electrical Engineers since 1883.’ Whilst
the established brands of Special Products,
Morley and Laurence Scott will be preserved, this
merger signals the start of a new chapter for the
manufacturers.
DRIVES AND CONTROLS
NOVEMBER 2015 | International Mining 63
A 3D image of the new VFD motor from ATBGroup aimed at mining applications
DRIVES AND CONTROLS_proof 21/10/2015 10:52 Page 3
Motor braking systemsTwiflex offers the largest range of industrial disc
brake calipers in the world. Spring applied units
may be retracted pneumatically, hydraulically or
electrically (depending on caliper design) while
most direct acting brakes have some form of
positive retraction device. A key market for the
company is mining, including brakes for large
dragline motors.
A major Australian coal mine operator needed
to replace the brakes on the dragline at their
mine in the Bowen Basin. In constant operation
since 2011, the dragline’s original braking
systems had reached their useful service life.
With a working weight of 6,950 t and a bucket
capacity of 152 yd3, the dragline can move 240 t
of overburden in a single pass. Twiflex was
selected to provide spring-applied, air-released
replacement caliper brakes for all the dragline’s
eight hoist and eight drag 1,450 hp motors. Each
have been equipped with multiple GMR-SD 15.6
caliper brakes operating on 46 in diameter discs
that provide a combined braking force of 72 kN.
On the eight swing 1,045 hp motors, Twiflex
has equipped each with multiple GMR-SD 8.4
caliper brakes operating on 46 in diameter discs
that provide a combined braking force of 39 kN.
On the four propel 1,045 hp motors, Twiflex
equipped each with multiple GMR-SD 15.6 caliper
brakes operating on 46 in diameter discs that
provide a combined braking force of 72 kN.
The GMR-SD caliper brake’s modular design
allows for quick change outs and the ability to
use multiple units of varying sizes to meet
specific installation requirements. Torque is
adjusted in the field to meet operating
conditions. The low-maintenance brakes feature
easy-to-replace brake pads and low cost spares.
Twiflex recently also provided GMR-SD caliper
brakes for use on a new medium-duty 4,500 t
dragline at a mine in India. The brakes stop the
dragline’s load from moving as quickly as
possible and bring it to rest in a controlled
manner to avoid shocking the drivetrain and
machine frame. The GMR-SD brakes are designed
to handle the high energy associated with
stopping these massive loads.
The GMR-SD caliper is Twiflex’s most popular
model for draglines and consists of a cast frame
with two pivot-mounted arms which are actuated
by a spring-applied, air-released thruster.
Depending on the peak disc temperature
calculated, the calipers can be fitted with either
organic or sintered bronze pads which are
suitable for emergency stops.
For the Indian project, Twiflex provided GMR-
SD spring-applied, air-released caliper brakes for
the four hoist and four drag 1,230 kW motors,
each with multiple GMR-SD 15.6 caliper brakes
operating on 38 in diameter discs that provide a
combined braking force of 108 kN; and on four
swing 932 kW motors, each with multiple GMR-
SD 8.4 caliper brakes operating on 38 in
diameter discs that provide a combined braking
force of 58.5 kN
New options from the majorsThe new SEW Eurodrive P-X series of industrial
gear units combines the advantages of its P
planetary gear units with those of its helical-
bevel gear units in the X range. “With specially
designed housings that integrate the
intermediate flange, the result is a series of
compact, weight-optimised drive units.” These
are available in seven sizes and with a torque
range of 100 to 500 kNm and a gear ratio range of
i = 160 to 560.
Applications include anything from bucket-
wheel excavators to apron feeders in mining,
where high-power and high-performance is
needed.
One key feature comes in the form of the high
thermal ratings that these industrial gear units
are equipped for as a result of their shared oil
chambers and thermally optimised housings –
this helps keep down cooling system costs.
However, the drive units also function reliably at
temperatures of below -25°C if used in
conjunction with the relevant heaters and heating
mats.
Another important plus-point is that the
housings are designed as symmetrical, invertible
enclosures and have an inspection cover on both
sides. The motor adapters can also be used to
connect motors of up to IEC 355 with 500 kW.
Cited benefits include saving on cooling
system costs thanks to the high, gear unit-
specific thermal ratings; and reducing costs
spent on storing replacement units thanks to the
symmetrical, invertible enclosures.
Gear lubrication successLarge open gears in mining face challenging
conditions including a harsh environment,
extended service operation, dust, silica, water,
extreme heat and extreme pressures. Open gear
lubricants must be specially formulated to keep
equipment operating at maximum efficiency.
Lubrication Engineers’ Pyroshield line of heavy-
duty synthetic open gear lubricants meets or
exceeds all relevant manufacturer specifications
for open gear applications, providing “reliable
lubrication in coal power generation facilities,
cement kilns, and metal and mineral mining
operations.” Pyroshield's ability to protect open
gears from extreme pressures, heavy loads and
high temperatures is well proven, according to
the company.
An improved Pyroshield formula no longer
contains any heavy metals or lead. LE also
increased the film strength of the lubricants,
making them easier to pump - particularly for
automatic lubrication systems. Finally, LE raised
the viscosity index, removing temperature-based
fluctuations that would be seen during actual use.
Pyroshield does not require the equipment to
be shut down during the conversion process.It
can be applied manually or through automatic
spay systems. It also appears translucent in use,
allowing for the visual inspection of the open
gear.
Lubrication Engineers South Africa’s approved
reseller, Filter Focus, successfully converted the
girth gear lubricant on the mill drive at Impala
Platinum to PYROSHIELD 9011 XHvy high
viscosity oil back in 2014. Jaco van Rooyen.
Implats Operations Engineer UG2 & Tailings
commented: “The mill drive motor has
historically operated at between 5.6 MW and 5.4
MW. After the conversion, the mill drive motor is
now operating at between 5 MW and 4.8 MW. The
preliminary results indicate a significant
reduction in energy consumption of
approximately 400-600kW or approximately 12%
on the mill motor, while maintaining the same
production output.”
Since converting to PYROSHIELD 9011, Impala
had also recorded a reduced Delta T across the
face of the pinion gears. Vibration analysis
indicated an improvement in vibration, with the
historical vibration already very low prior to the
conversion.
After converting to PYROSHIELD 9011, Impala
reduced its lubricant consumption from 800 kg
per month, down to 80 kg per month, equating to
a 90% reduction in usage, with less friction and
greater levels of gear protection. “We no longer
have to dispose of large volumes of used
lubricant, which assists Implats carbon reduction
targets. Housekeeping and onsite pollution on
the mills has improved dramatically. We are very
impressed with the preliminary results achieved
thus far and would therefore recommend
PYROSHIELD 9011 on similar applications.”
Several years ago, chromite miner Hernic
Ferrochrome, which mines on the western limb of
Bushveld Igneous Complex in South Africa,
encountered a number of failures at the plant
owing to inadequate lubrication, incorrect
lubrication and dirty oil on critical components
DRIVES AND CONTROLS
64 International Mining | NOVEMBER 2015
The new SEW Eurodrive P-X series of industrialgear units combines the advantages of its Pplanetary gear units with those of its helical-bevel gear units in the X range
Filter Focus installed automatic lubricators for the
majority of conveyor systems at the plant, which
currently provide frequent and exact quantities of
lubricant for critical bearings.
Hernic Ferrochrome Plant Manager Jannie
Moster stated that since these systems have
been installed, bearing failures have decreased
dramatically, which has resulted in reduced
unscheduled downtime. With regard to the
lubrication of the girth and pinion gears of
pelletising and sinter plants PS1 and PS2,
Mostert says that, since the introduction of
Lubrication Engineers’ Pyroshield Syn XHvy Open
Gear Lubricant (9011), overall lubrication
consumption has been reduced from 400 kg/mth
to 60 kg/mth, equating to an 85% reduction in
consumption. “In addition to a reduction in
lubricant consumption, there was also a
significant reduction in vibration, a 20%
reduction in temperature across the girth gear
face and a 22% reduction across the pinion gear
face,” he pointed out.
Since being lubricated with Lubrication
Engineers’ (LE) Almagard Vari-Purpose Grease
(3752), the pinion bearings used at PSI and PS2
have shown a 12% reduction in vibration and
temperature. “LE’s Almagard EP Grease has been
approved as the only lubricant with advanced-
friction coefficiency. It dramatically lengthens
grease intervals, eliminates bearing failures,
extends bearing life by up to threefold and does
not harden with age,” highlights FitzGerald.
Hernic Ferrochrome also had problems with its
smelter fans and introduced LE’s Monolec R&O
Compressor/Turbine Oil as a possible solution.
High speed load out with SR drivesA major potash mine in Canada underwent an
expansion on part of their underground and
surface processes to increase potash production in
2010. Part of the underground expansion was the
replacement of an existing load out conveyor (54
in wide by 130 ft long) that transported the mined
potash ore to the production hoist by a High
Speed Load Out conveyor 96 in wide by 200 ft long
located about 1,000 m below the surface level.
The new High Speed Load Out
conveyor transports the entire
underground production, in batches, to
the production hoist that brings the
material to the surface for further
processing. The drive system needed to
be capable of starting the conveyor 35
times per hour and of operating 20 hours
a day, 350 days a year. The system life
expectancy is 30 years. The drive system
needed to be capable of accelerating the
fully loaded conveyor from zero speed to
the maximum speed (825 ft/sec) in a
maximum of five seconds.
The reliability of the drive system is paramount
considering the financial impact associated with
the conveyor being out of commission. It is
calculated that the value of hourly mine production
transported by the High Speed Load Out conveyor
when working at its full duty cycle is C$100,000.
The motors are installed in a location where the
access to the motors is difficult therefore minimal
maintenance on the motors is desirable.
The assembly of the motors, gear reducers and
pulley are located at the discharge end of the
conveyor which is an area with extremely high
levels of potash dust. The drive system
components need be minimally affected by the
arduous ambient conditions. Thermal
management of installed power components
requires special consideration. Four drive
technologies most often used in large material
handling applications were compared: DC, AC
polyphase induction squirrel cage motor and
Variable Speed Drive (VFD); hydraulic drive
system; and SR drive technology.
The expansion project engineering consulting
company recommended that the potash mining
company select the fourth option, Switched
Reluctance drive technology, supplied by Synergy
Engineering Ltd, as the drive system for the High
Speed Load Out Conveyor. The criteria driving the
consultant’s recommendation and mine’s
decision were:
n Ability to provide the rated torque throughout
the speed range
n Unlimited number of repeated starts
n Simple construction and robustness of the motor
n System efficiency.
Synergy Engineering was awarded the
contract to supply the complete drive system for
the High Speed Load Out Conveyor that was
comprised of two Switched Reluctance motors
and associated drive units; two gear reducers
and a cooling system for the drive enclosures.
Synergy Engineering Ltd cooperated in the drive
system design for the High Speed Load Out
Conveyor, with Nidec SRDL, a UK-based
engineering and manufacturing company of
Switched Reluctance motors and drives.
Based on the application requirements, a dual
drive system has been utilised. One 200 kW (268
hp) SRM449TN-180 motor is coupled through its
own 335 hp, 21.88:1 ratio gear reducer to each
end of the conveyor pulley for the combined
power of 400 kW (536 hp). Each motor is
operated by its own individual 225 kW power
converter SRC5 (drive).
The plant’s main control system (PLC)
communicates with the SR drives via hardwired
discrete and analogue connections or via
ModbusTCP bus. The motors (and their drives)
have been assigned master and follower
functions to evenly distribute the torque between
them. The motor functions can be swapped by
setting the proper drive parameters.
If hardwired control of the system is selected,
the plant’s main control system sends three
discrete (run enable, run, local/remote) and one
analogue (speed reference) signals to both
drives. Both drives provide their status
information back to the main control system:
running, fault, motor speed.
If ModbusTCP control is selected, the plant’s
control system sends Boolean and numerical
values to the assigned drive’s registers to control
the run/stop and the speed of the conveyor.
Only the drive that has been configured as the
master reacts to the commands from the plant’s
control system. It operates in the speed control
mode. The follower drive operates in the torque
control mode and receives the torque reference
from the master drive. The master monitors the
torques of both motors and dynamically adjusts
the torque reference to the follower drive so the
torque difference between the two motors is kept
below 3%. The communication between the
drives is via CAN communication bus.
As it is with any energy conversion system
there are losses associated with the operation of
the Switched Reluctance drive system. Despite it
having one of the highest efficiencies among
other drive technologies it still generates a
DRIVES AND CONTROLS
66 International Mining | NOVEMBER 2015
The drive system supplied by SynergyEngineering in conjunction with Nidec needed tobe capable of starting the conveyor 35 times perhour and of operating 20 hours a day, 350 days ayear in challenging conditions such as potashdust accumulation on the motor
DRIVES AND CONTROLS_proof 21/10/2015 10:53 Page 5
certain amount of heat during its operation. The
heat is managed to avoid the malfunction of the
system due to overheating.
Arduous ambient conditions inside the potash
mine represented a considerable challenge in the
design of the most optimal cooling system. Due
to the high content of suspended potash dust
particles in the ambient air, ventilating the drive
enclosures with ambient air was not an
acceptable option.
Synergy opted to use a vortex cooling system.
Vortex cooling units use compressed air to
produce chilled air that is injected into the drive
enclosures. Warm air exhausts from the
enclosure through special openings. The cooling
air circulation provides slightly positive pressure
inside the enclosure in reference to the outside
pressure. This effect ensures the contaminated
outside air is kept out of the enclosure.
The temperature inside the enclosure is
maintained between desired minimum and
maximum limits by simple thermostat on-off
operation of the chillers.
The compressed air for the chillers is supplied
by a standalone compressor that is located in a
well-ventilated mine area with very low levels of
suspended dust. This location provides easy
access for periodical inspection and replacement
of the air intake filters.
The Switched Reluctance drive system has
been in operation since it was commissioned in
November 2010. During this period of time there
has been no downtime in the operation of the
High Speed Load Out conveyor attributable to the
malfunction of the SR motor or the SR power
converter.
New major order for Hansen IndustrialSumitomo Drive Technologies’ SM-Cyclo Iberia
(SMIB) in Spain and Hansen Industrial
Transmissions (HIT) in Belgium recently jointly
landed an order for 43 gearboxes including
accessory drive components from PHB
Weserhütte in Spain. PHB Weserhütte (a
subsidiary of TSK) is an engineering company
specialising in the design and construction of
“turnkey” projects with its own technology in the
area of materials handling and mining, able to
carry out the execution of port terminals, yards
for the storage and blending of raw materials,
conveyor belt systems, as well as installations
and equipment for mining.
The Sumitomo Drive Technologies equipment
is to be installed at the voestalpine Go West
project, located at Portland, TX, USA. This Project
is voestalpine’s largest foreign direct investment
and a major step in achieving a low-carbon
economy. It is a natural gas-based direct
reduction plant with an annual capacity of 2 Mt of
Hot Briquetted Iron (HBI).
The order includes 30 Hansen P4 industrial
gearboxes varying from size “A” tol “N” and 13
Cyclo Bevel BuddyBox gear drives. Both these
types of industrial gear drives are renowned for
applications involving material handling such as
conveyor belts. In this case the gearboxes will
serve the project’s stacker, tripper, reclaimer and
bucketwheel reclaimer equipment.
Hansen states that PHB selected Sumitomo
Drive Technologies “because of the technical
knowhow and flexibility in the supply chain, and
joint production cooperation with the US-based
factory avoiding transportation, handling time
and cost.”
Hansen Industrial Transmissions (HIT) is part
of Sumitomo Drive Technologies and belongs to
the Power Transmission & Controls Group of
Sumitomo Heavy Industries Ltd. The company
has a dedicated international sales and service
network. Its production facility is located in
Edegem, Belgium.
Managing torque in heavy applicationsThe Rexnord Autogard 820 Series Torque Limiter
is designed for high torque applications in heavy-
duty industries, including mining and metals, to
help protect equipment during shock loads,
overloads and jams. Providing full disengagement
on overload, torque limiting “modules” are
positioned at a large radius to accommodate
high-disengaging torques.
The popular Autogard 820 Series Torque
Limiter is now available with the option to
DRIVES AND CONTROLS
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schedule. The total capital cost of this delivered
equipment was C$9.35 million.
The company purchased the Weir Enduron
HPGR crusher from Weir Minerals. Weir Minerals
is the exclusive minerals market license holder
of KHD Humboldt HPGR technology and
supplies some 40% of the HPGRs used
worldwide, Goldrock reports. The purchase
included all tooling to install and maintain this
equipment. The company also requested the
unit's grinding rolls be equipped with longer 55
mm studs as a result of specific test work
studies on typical Lindero rock types. The
company is expecting high equipment
availability with a rolls life of between 11,000
and 13,000 hours before a change out is
required.
Goldrock further says “the HPGR's specially
designed, energy efficient crushing technology
has been well established in the cement
industry for decades. The application has
successfully expanded to harder and more
abrasive rock types including copper, gold,
platinum and iron ore processing. In October
2009, the first commercial HPGR was
commissioned for a heap leach gold operation
at Gold Fields’ Tarkwa mine, Ghana. Currently,
Golden Queen is installing a HPGR at its
Soledad Mountain heap leach project in
California. The machines are compact and
generate low levels of noise and vibration. The
advantages of HPGRs include the following:
n Higher throughput capacity per unit than
other types of crushing units to achieve same
size reduction ratio
n Better particle size fraction curves for same
power input
n Potential energy efficiency achieved through
lowered energy losses and more stable
energy use
n Smaller processing plant layout and
structural footprint with respect to belts and
classifiers required
n Higher equipment availabilities due to stud
and liner technology
n Potential for greater gold leaching efficiency
due to the production of micro-fractures in
the crushed particles.
Paul Matysek, President and CEO of the
company, commented “With the HPGR unit
HEAP LEACHING & SX/EW
70 International Mining | NOVEMBER 2015
John Chadwick, with inputfrom many experts looks at
maximising metal recoveriesfrom these well-established
technologies
Fecund solutions
TNT designed, supplied and installed theworld’s largest mobile multiple-lift heap leachstacking system (7,200 t/h) in 2005-07 for anew copper mine in southeast Arizona, USA,and since then has supported its stackingoperations with two expansion projects in 2011-12 and 2013-14. This mobile stacking systemwas surpassed as the world’s largest in 2010 byTNT’s system at a copper mine in Chile.
Flow diagram for A-Cap Resources’ proposedLetlhakane uranium project in Botswana
that expects to use surface miners (Wirtgen or Vermeer) to produce crushed ore