BULK
HANDLING
T O D A Y
Endorsed by: CMA l LEEASA l SAIMechE l SAIMH Jul/Aug 2020
thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions
The power of true efficiency TRAVELLING AROUND CURVES
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REDEFINING BELT CONVEYING
BULK
HANDLING
T O D A Y
Endorsed by: CMA l LEEASA l SAIMechE l SAIMH Jul/Aug 2020
BULK
HA DLING
T O
Jul/Aug 2020
A Y
thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions
The power of true efficiency TRAVELLING AROUND CURVES
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Contents
REDEFINING BELT CONVEYING
On the cover: thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions South Africa Henry Swart henry.swart@thyssenkrupp.com www.thyssenkrupp-industrialsolutions.com
CMA News 4 5
Beltcon 20
Company Profile From the Desk
22 Design and Operation of Barroso Flyingbelt
Cover Story 6
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On the Move
Market Forum
An Enviable Record
Endorsing Bodies
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•
CMA (Conveyor Manufacturers Association)
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LEEASA (Lifting Equipment Engineering Association of South Africa)
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SAIMechE (SA Institution of Mechanical Engineering)
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SAIMH (SA Institute of Materials Handling)
Supercentre Doubles
Lifting
10 Explosion-Proof Hoists
Mining 12 Enterprise Collaboration for Digital Transformation Mining
Conveying
16 Efficient Belt Conveyor Technology at one of the Largest Copper Mines in the World
OBITUARY
Graham Downing
22 March 1937 – 9 June 2020 It is with sadness that we report the passing of Graham Downing. Graham will long be remembered for his devotion to the Institute of Materials Handling of which he was a Fellow. Graham served in various capacities including Chairman and long standing secretary. Many will remember him for the assistance and mentorship on the working of gearboxes and chain drives during his many years at Renold Crofts. The materials handling industry mourns his passing and shares in the family’s sorrow. Adriano Frittella, Chairman, SAIMH
Copyright
All rights reserved. No editorial matter published in “Bulk Handling Today” may be reproduced in any form or language without written permission of the publishers. While every effort is made to ensure accurate reproduction, the editor, authors, publishers and their employees or agents shall not be responsible or in any way liable for any errors, omissions or inaccuracies in the publication, whether arising from negligence or otherwise or for any consequences arising therefrom. The inclusion or exclusion of any product does not mean that the publisher or editorial board advocates or rejects its use either generally or in any particular field or fields.
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COMPANY PROFILE
ContiTech
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ontinental is the leading expert for conveyor belt solutions offering customers worldwide the most complete and advanced product, technology and service portfolio for industry and mining applications. Continental conveying solutions range from customized high-end belt systems to comprehensive servicing for conveyor belts and systems in mining, mechanical and plant engineering, as well as many other industries. Customers benefit from an experience of more than 140 years in high-performance conveyor belts. About 6 500 employees provide engineering, manufacturing and service capabilities at more than 30 locations worldwide. A network of 1 300 experienced service technicians covers key regions including Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America, and Latin America. With this unique expertise and global footprint, Continental is close to its customers providing
not only high-quality, long-life products, but also comprehensive support and service – tailored to customers’ specific needs and requirements. The product portfolio includes steel cord conveyor belts, textile conveyor belts, solid woven conveyor belts, Fleximat conveyor belts, conveyor belts for steep incline conveying, lightweight conveyor belts and enclosed conveyor belts. Related services include assembly, technical advice, training and belt monitoring. As a innovation partner and system supplier, Continental offers a fast growing range of digital solutions facilitating comprehensive service from assembly through commissioning, up to maintenance and predictive maintenance. These complete solutions guarantee safety, quality and cost-effectiveness. The Continental solutions portfolio also reflects an increasing market demand of environmentallyfriendly, sustainable materials and applications. It meets relevant national and international standards, certifications and approvals for mining, construction, and other industries. Continental is one of the world’s largest developer and manufacturer of high-performance, smart and sustainable rubber and plastic solutions and technologies for a wide-range of industries, such as automotive, construction, chemicals and petrochemicals or mining – all from a single source. In 2019, Continental generated sales of 44.5 billion and currently employs about 240 000 people in 59 countries and markets. Continental Division ContiTech Paul van Zyl Tel: (011) 248–9337 Email: paul.vanzyl@continental.com www.continental-engineparts.com
Conveying Excellence with High-End Conveyor Belts Every conveyor belt, every climate zone and every topography calls for perfect conveyor belt technology. ContiTech provides knowledge, experience, a globally encompassing and competent network and a broad product range to give your conveyor belt applications a technological lead. More than 140 years of rubber expertise make us a strong partner, enabling our customers to benefit from the synergies within the Continental corporation. We implement innovative belt technology reliably, reliabl sustainably and safely from development to commissioning and after-sales service. +27 (0) 11 248 9300
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www.continental-industry.com
CONVEYOR MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION
From The Chairman’s Desk For this issue, I would like to remind members and the industry at large of some of the pillars of the Association.
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he CMA is a Non-Profit Company established in 1973. With currently over 60 corporate members, it is recognised as being the official voice of the conveyor industry and works actively to promote the Excellence of belt conveying in Southern Africa. All members subscribe to the Code of Ethics. As a prerequisite for membership, this regulates the relationship between members and their clients, customers and suppliers among other things, so inclusion of the membership certificate is a useful addition in all tender packs.
The courses are already in high demand, and due to current spacing restrictions, numbers will be limited, so book early Research projects
Much of the effort undertaken by the Association is directed at technical issues such as industry standards and the production of best practice guidelines such as the Safety Around Belt Conveyors Guideline. Many of the products of the Working Groups are available at no charge to the industry as downloads from the CMA website www.cmasa.co.za. Another area of activity is in providing the environment for research projects. Full size conveyor test rigs, smaller testing equipment and laboratory measuring
Jay Pillay
equipment is available and can be used by students for post-grad research projects through a University. Suggestions for research projects can also be found on the website, as can the membership list, where anyone looking for components or services can find a supplier with the relevant contact details. The education and training arm of the CMA provides a variety of training courses, which I am reliably informed should be able to recommence in September. The courses are already in high demand, and due to current spacing restrictions, numbers will be limited, so book early. Members of the CMA are eligible for a discount on these training courses. Jay Pillay Chairman
Membership at July 2020 All members subscribe to the CMA Code of Ethics Acrow Limited Actom (Pty) Ltd Afripp Projects cc Altra Industrial Motion South Africa (Pty) Ltd Bauer Bearings International Belt Brokers Belting Supply Services & BEP Bestobell Bearing Man Group Bonfiglioli Power Transmissions (Pty) Ltd Bosworth Brelko Conveyor Products (Pty) Ltd CedoTech cc Closeal Manufacturing cc Collisen Engineering Contitech South Africa (Pty) Ltd Conveyor & Engineering Equipment Conveyor & Industrial Supplies (Pty) Ltd Conveyor Watch CT Systems cc
David Brown Gear Ind. (Pty) Ltd DRA Projects SA (Pty) Ltd Dunlop Industrial Africa Dymot Engineering Co (Pty) Ltd Electromote (Pty) Ltd Fenner Conveyor Belting (South Africa) (Pty) Ltd Flexco (SA)(Pty) Ltd FLSmidth Roymec Habasit South Africa (Pty) Ltd Hagglunds Drives South Africa Hatch Africa (Pty) Ltd Hosch – Fordertechnik International Belting and Marketing (Pty) Ltd Iptron Technology cc KevConBelt Leoka Engineering Lorbrand Magnet Service Binder SA cc Martin Engineering Melco Conveyor Equipment Moret Mining (Pty) Ltd Nepean Conveyors (Pty) Ltd
OE Bearings (Pty) Ltd Oriental Rubber Pegasus Industrial Services cc PTS Conveyor Idlers (Pty) Ltd Ringspann Transmission Components Rossi Gearmotors (Pty) Ltd Rula Bulk Materials Handling (Pty) Ltd SENET SEW Eurodrive (Pty) Ltd Shaft Engineering cc SKF South Africa (Pty) Ltd Takraf ThyssenKrupp Materials Handling (Pty) Ltd Timken South Africa (Pty) Ltd Transvaal Rubber Company Voith Turbo (Pty) Ltd WEBA South Africa (Pty) Ltd Worley Zest Electric Motors (Pty) Ltd Honorary members: Alan Exton Graham Shortt
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COVER STORY
On The Move There’s a vibrancy about thyssenkrupp’s Mining business unit in South Africa in 2020. With innovative new products on offer, it’s no surprise the team is excited.
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he "Bulk Handling Today" team met with Henry Swart, business development manager for materials handling & mining systems, to find out the source of their enthusiasm and why the barracuda® bucket wheel excavator is such a game changer.
Under one roof
thyssenkrupp has had a long presence in the region. Initially operating through an agent in South Africa, the German powerhouse cemented its African foothold in 1959 by establishing Krupp South Africa (Pty) Ltd. in Johannesburg. An illustrious history saw numerous mergers and name changes as the company widened its footprint, stepping across South Africa’s borders into the entire continent. Showcasing its steadfast commitment to customers along their operational journey through service and after-sales excellence, the company opened a Service Centre in Chloorkop in March 2009, which encompasses an own training academy and is regarded as one of the most sophisticated service centres on the continent. This technologically advanced facility specialises in the complex engineering and refurbishment of OEM parts and
UCS Comparison between barracuda ® and a traditional IPC shovel
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components, spare parts management, field services, plant upgrades and redesigns, life-cycle services, operation and/or maintenance contracts as well as machine audits.
A great heritage, but there’s more
“We are fortunate to have access to a wide range of technologies from mineral processing to mining systems and materials handling. Our company’s success is based on a blend of factors: Highly skilled employees; energy efficient superior quality equipment, technology and solutions; our customer centric focus and our concentrated efforts to expanding our African footprint.” Through its Minerals Processing unit, thyssenkrupp offers customers a wide range of crushing and grinding technology. To meet Africa’s growing demand for energy, a dedicated Power & Energy division delivers efficient innovations such as turnkey biomass fired plant solutions, from boiler supply to building the complete plant around the boiler. The Materials Handling unit delivers exceptional pit-to-port solutions for efficient bulk handling solutions with equipment such as drum reclaimers, stackers, travel cars, ash spreaders, conveyors and ship loaders. “We are deeply rooted in Africa with a large installed base on the continent. Our newest in-pit crushing
and conveying system for example has just now been erected in Mozambique where we have combined a mineral processing front end with mining system conveyors," Henry says. “Furthermore, we will continue designing and suppying dry tailings storage facilities, as we have done for the past 40 years.” These tailings, waste or discard systems are operated autonomously and are typically found in the power industry and mines where continuous operator involvement is kept to an absolute minimum and production load losses cannot be tolerated. “We have almost 100% market share in South Africa when it comes to these heavy duty ramp, extendable and shiftable conveyor installations combined with rail or crawler mounted spreaders. Our latest developments in shiftable and extendable conveyor design will reduce customer risk when exposed to plant down time during conveyor shifts and extensions,” Henry adds.
A cost saving, safer game changer "But the innovation we want to talk about today is the barracuda®. thyssenkrupp has developed a cost saving solution for open cast mining where the material properties allow the possible elimination of drilling, pre-blasting and primary crushing. “Our barracuda® compact bucket wheel excavator is certainly such a game changer,” Henry says. The barracuda® was developed with a cutting action as opposed to the more common digging action which facilitates the excavation of harder materials with compressive strengths up to 50 MPa. It
therefore vastly extends the application range of bucket wheel excavators. In other words, the barracuda® is a genuine alternative to the conventional drilling and blasting methods used in mining coal, phosphate, ore and potash or the corresponding overburden and waste removal. To meet the demands of harder materials, the teeth arrangement has been adapted to the usual bucket wheel configurations. Buckets and pre-cutters are positioned much closer together and there are more teeth on the bucket. This very narrow teeth arrangement gouges into the material while digging. The result is a reduction in the size of the section or the lump size that has to be dug out per tooth, which in turn means less loosening force is required. The welcome side effect is that the material in question is cut into easily conveyable pieces of less than 200mm. When the barracuda® has completed its work, the primary crushing stage is finished too – without the need for drilling, blasting or a surface miner. The barracuda® technology can lower production costs and boost efficiency. And there’s a reduction in environmental emissions which means lower carbon tax. "This step change in OPEX is what the mining industry desperately needs,” Henry concludes. thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions South Africa Henry Swart Email: henry.swart@thyssenkrupp.com www.thyssenkrupp-industrial-solutions.com
barracuda ® - the smart alternative to pre-blasting and surface miner
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AN ENVIABLE RECORD
Supercentre Doubles The formal opening of FLSmidth’s expanded facilities at its Delmas Supercentre in Mpumalanga is good news for customers, while boosting the engineering capability of the South African economy.
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ccording to Stephan Kruger, FLSmidth Director for Manufacturing and Warehousing in the region, the added capacity of the facility will further contribute to the group’s productivity and customer service while improving stock availability and lead times. The facility is now double the size it was a year ago, with a total of 10 500m2 under roof and under crane. The workshop is one of fewer than 10% of facilities countrywide that boasts a 120 tonne lifting capacity with 11,5 metres under crane hook.
Holds substantial strategic stocks of spare parts such as exciter gearboxes, rotors and stators, as well as wear parts such as screen panels “The expansion is aligned with our corporate mission to provide sustainable productivity enhancements for our customers,” says Stephan. “It raises our engineering capability to support local customers, while also improving our efficiencies to compete globally in certain lines of products.”
New manufacturing equipment
The Delmas facility engineers components for FLSmidth equipment, as well as whole assemblies and complete equipment. The addition of new manufacturing equipment in the workshop – including CNC-controlled six axis machines – will increase the range of items that can be machined on site. The work process has also been optimised to promote quality, reliability, efficiency and cost effectiveness. The facility’s services include refurbishment, retrofitting and upgrading of existing equipment. It also holds substantial strategic stocks of spare parts such as exciter gearboxes, rotors and stators, as well as wear parts such as screen panels. “The FLSmidth Delmas Supercentre is a world class OEM facility that consolidates and grows specialist expertise within the South African market, creating exciting opportunities for the future,” says Stephan. “This expansion
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is a vote of confidence in the specialised knowledge imbedded in this facility, which makes an important contribution to sustaining technical skill levels in South Africa.”
Improvements
He emphasises the company’s commitment to safety, reflected in the Supercentre’s enviable record of just one lost-time injury since operations began over five years ago. Strict quality control is governed through the ISO 9001 standard and careful environmental management by ISO 14001 with safety to OHSAS 18001.
Enviable record of just one lost-time injury since operations began over five years ago “FLSmidth’s commitment to continuous improvement is also embodied in this facility,” he adds. “We are now in an even better position to play a role in value engineering for the group, particularly in our vibrating equipment and screens.” In line with the company’s corporate social responsibility, the construction activities last year reached out to local small businesses, Stephan concludes. Some 5% of the value of the total budgeted spend was allocated to these firms, ensuring that they benefitted directly from the expansion. Flsmidth (Pty) Ltd Marinda Kerr Tel: (010) 210-4820 Email: marinda.kerr@flsmidth.com www.flsmidth.com
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LIFTING
Explosion-Proof Hoists Condra has completed the manufacture of eight explosionproof, high-lift hoists, four of them articulated for Tenova Bateman.
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ll are custom-built, two-speed machines that utilise the modularity of Condra’s K Series to deliver performance capabilities precisely tailored to the individual requirements of each application. After commissioning at Kusile Power Station, the eight machines will carry out installation and maintenance work on coal conveyors. They will further boost Condra’s already substantial presence at Kusile, where the majority of overhead cranes and hoists have been supplied by this company.
Noteworthy among the machine features is the articulation on four of them, allowing travel around curves away from the line of conveyor movement Lifting capacities, lifting speeds and lift heights vary greatly among the eight hoists. Loads of between one and seven tons will be managed by fixed lifting speeds ranging from 1,25 to 12 metres per minute, and by lift heights of between 10 metres and 41 metres.
Noteworthy among the machine features is the articulation on four of them, allowing travel around curves away from the line of conveyor movement. Also unusual are the higher than normal lift heights on six of the units: 17 metres (two machines), 18.5, 21, 32, and 41 metres. A Condra spokesman explains that even the 10 and 11,5-metre lift heights of the remaining two hoists can be looked upon as high-lift. “Hoists with this sort of lift height are not off-the-shelf deliveries for most crane companies, but we can offer and deliver a high-lift capability quite quickly because of the modularity of the K-Series,” he adds. “We can adapt the K-Series to an extremely wide range of requirements.”
Durability and reliability
Condra is generally acknowledged as sub-Saharan Africa’s leader in high-lift cranes and hoists, a reputation which probably worked in favour of securing the Tenova Bateman order. Local manufacture would also have been a factor; there is increasing awareness that local sourcing will be one of the anchors upon which economic recovery in South Africa will rely. The company’s solid reputation in high-lift applications rests largely on the durability and reliability of its K-Series hoist range. Manufactured since 1972 and installed worldwide under a wide variety of operating conditions, the K-Series has proved particularly dependable under the conditions of increased mechanical strain associated with high lift. The installed base includes lift heights as high as 150 metres. The K-Series is produced in three configurations: foot-mounted, monorail and double-rail crab. Lifting and reeving arrangements include centre-lift. Fully covered hoists provide lifting capacities to 32 tons, while open-drum units have capacities in excess of 250 tons.
Enhancements
Features on all models include electromagnetic DC disc brakes, standard frame-size motors with parallel rotors, double-acting limit switches, solid bronze rope guides and totally enclosed splashlubricated gearboxes. Condra uses silumin rotor cores to enhance K-Series motor-starting torque in the high-lift role, and offers optional variable speed control on the drives to enable precise load positioning even on lifts of 100 metres and more.
Typical Condra K-Series articulated hoist under test
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The modular design of the K-Series allows rapid modification to specific high-lift application requirements (including lift speeds as quick as 1 metre per second – fifteen times faster than the 4 metres per minute found in many standard applications), resulting in delivery times that are usually the shortest available.
Standard hoist speeds go up to 18 metres per minute. After delivery, the hoists for Tenova Bateman will be installed in the coal silos and at various maintenance stations along Kusile’s conveyor route, where they will help with the installation, removal and maintenance of motors, gearboxes, rollers, pulleys and the conveyors themselves.
Curved routes
All have been flame-proofed to IP65 standard, and explosion-proofed to Class II Zone 21 specification, countering the combustible nature of coal dust which can explode if sparked. Among other things, the proofing involved fitting special gland seals between the motors and the hoists themselves, and sealing all covers and panels. Articulated crawls have been fitted with modified cross-heads and assemblies that allow them to negotiate bends in the supporting I beams, which follow curved routes to take the hoists and their loads away from the conveyor line. Brass bushes on the articulation prevent any possibility of sparking. During manufacture, all welds were inspected at every stage, and all eight machines were completed with a special anti-corrosive paint specification. Condra (Pty) Ltd Marc Kleiner Tel: (011) 776-6000 Email: sales@condra.co.za SA Mech eng year planner www.condra.co.za
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MINING
Enterprise Collaboration for Digital Transformation Mining With bulk commodity prices continuing to rise from their lows in 2016, and precious metals continuing to struggle, the mining industry is increasingly turning to technology to cut costs and improve efficiencies.
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olutions and systems that have been triedand-tested in other industries, from defence to aerospace, manufacturing, oil and gas, can deliver comparable results in the mining industry, which has been slow in the uptake of digital transformation. Key to unlocking this approach in the mining industry is Enterprise Collaboration, the foundation of the 3DExperience platform from French software leader Dassault Systèmes, aimed at optimising geoscience, mining and production operations.
Traditionally, only specific parts of the mining process were digitised, whereas digital transformation is an endto-end process With 25 years’ heavy industry experience, Business Consulting Director Andy Mulholland’s broad portfolio is to create innovative solutions to assist customers along their digital transformation journey. Looking at a Greenfield project, Andy explains that the mine geometry already starts to take shape from the construction phase, where the necessary infrastructure is in place and optimised
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for production. Traditionally, only specific parts of the mining process were digitised, whereas digital transformation is an end-to-end process. “When you look to optimise or transform just one part of the value chain, it is often done in isolation. This can result in good outcomes if you focus solely on the strategic mine-planning process, for example. However, digital transformation is transferrable across the entire value chain. In addition, we have a broad portfolio to assist, from exploration to prefeasibility all the way through to the logistics of getting the end product to the customer,” Andy elaborates.
Guidance
It runs the gamut from medium term or tactical scheduling to real-time execution, where Enterprise Collaboration forms the basis for the solution of daily operations, according to Senior Portfolio Manager Jessica Jensen. “My main role is to work with our client engagement teams in talking to our mining customers about the solutions we can offer, and how we can add value and solve any challenge. Most customers are eager to undergo digital transformation, but do not know where to begin. We partner with our customers to help guide them on their journey.” Although the mining value chain is generally the same across the industry, there are differences depending on the mining method and commodity, or
business processes specific to different companies or mining houses. Hence determining a customer’s specific requirements commences with a general assessment to identify the key performance indicators (KPIs) driving success, business processes, and main stakeholders, as well as any opportunities or challenges in their business. This helps refine what solutions are best to use in each case.
Innate flexibility
“The main aim of this upfront assessment is essentially to understand what makes our customers tick. That is where our innate flexibility comes into play. Depending on where we can identify areas for improvement, we will work closely with our customers to ensure they know exactly what this entails. "In addition, the various solutions in our broader portfolio are configurable, so we can adapt them to unique customers,” Jessica elaborates. Dassault Systèmes terms this its Value Engagement Programme. Here it is important for customers to have a defined mandate to embark on digital transformation. “Over the last couple of years we have seen the percentage shift to the majority of our customers at least starting to think about digital transformation, if they have not already started down that path. Two years ago, it was mainly a ‘wait-and-see’ approach, with only the Tier 1 companies willing to take that crucial first step. Then again, there are multiple starting points that can be elected, everything from machine learning for analysis of drone data during surveys to geomechanics simulation, even to a process as basic as file management.”
digital transformation, breaking down barriers to genuine Enterprise Collaboration. “It is one of those vital building blocks to ensure that the company is communicating effectively across the organisation, as well as externally.”
Advent of wireless technology and equipment sensors in the mining industry means that real-time data is responded to, as opposed to traditionally waiting for end-of-shift changes This is not just about simply placing data in a shared directory, but creating a shared understanding of all of the information that is available, and sharing that across the organisation. It results in a significant lifecycle management of such shared knowhow, transforming it into a Single Source of Truth. An essential element of Enterprise Collaboration, this Single Source of Truth differentiates between information and raw data.
Reluctance
Most customers are eager to undergo digital transformation, but do not know where to begin. “We partner with our customers to help guide them on their journey. As each part of the organisation utilises its data, new insights emerge to be deployed so as to enrich the information even further. Thus, a company begins to build an optimum solution,
A trend now is equipping mining customers with a short-term scheduling capability to support short interval control, which represents a major opportunity to add value and boost efficiency. Already a staple in the manufacturing industry, for example, the advent of wireless technology and equipment sensors in the mining industry means that real-time data is responded to, as opposed to traditionally waiting for end-of-shift changes.
The boom
This is where Enterprise Collaboration plays such a critical role, Jessica stresses. During the mining boom, companies were ploughing all their capital and resources into growth, getting as much ore out of the ground as quickly as possible, while commodity prices were buoyant. “Back in those days there was not a lot of thought put into the tools to manage the workforce, and to ensure that the silos within the organisation were communicating properly with each other and exchanging information externally.” With the main impetus being growth, there was no framework in place for collaboration, which indicated a profound gap in productivity and efficiency. The subsequent downturn and resurgence in the mining industry has placed the spotlight firmly on BULK HANDLING TODAY
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MINING
which is why Enterprise Collaboration is such an important part of digital transformation. No matter what area for improvement is identified, Enterprise Collaboration forms the basis for the solution,” Jessica points out. More importantly, it is crucial to change management as well. “Digital transformation really is less about the technology than it is about the people.” Traditionally, mineworkers have set ways of working, which makes them averse to adopting new technology. This regressive approach extended to management as well, which was reluctant to change methods of working and internal processes deemed adequate for so long.
Mind-set
The effect of the resurgence in the mining industry is that companies are making digital transformation a central pillar of their operations, which means they are embracing Enterprise Collaboration. The next generation of mining professionals will demand a different set of digital tools, which will bring about a mind-set change in adopting technology.
With the main impetus being growth, there was no framework in place for collaboration, which indicated a profound gap in productivity and efficiency However, digital transformation requires knowledge capture in order to be sustainable and viable, which underlines the importance of the Single Source of Truth. Here Enterprise Collaboration is key to capturing organisational knowledge for reuse and repurposing in future. While Enterprise Collaboration forms the basis of the 3DExperience platform, the platform itself facilitates such collaboration. Ongoing developments such as cloud-based technology and ever-faster processing of complex data serve to accelerate this process.
Cyclical
So what is the outlook for the future? Jessica sees
the mining industry as having its work cut out in codifying all of its internal processes. For example, while the process of turning drill-hole samples into a detailed ore-body model is highly labour-intensive at present, in ten to 15 years’ time such analysis is likely to be carried out by machine learning, based on algorithms and artificial intelligence. The corollary of such an evolutionary process is that it will free up geologists to focus on their core competency, for example, which is data interpretation. Jessica alludes to the general improvement in the global economy as giving mining customers a breather to focus on operational and productivity efficiencies and improvements. Due to the mining industry being cyclical by nature, any upturn provides an ideal opportunity to put new solutions in place, or to optimise existing ones. “Our goal with 3DExperience is to give our mining customers a platform to even out the cyclical peaks and troughs. Enterprise Collaboration can indicate where efficiencies can improve, so that our customers do not experience any bottlenecks. Again, we need to stress that we do not just offer off-the-shelf solutions. The major benefit of our 3DExperience platform lies in its configurability, which allows us to partner with our mining customers for the long term, through both the good and the lean times.”
A basic discussion However, the fundamental challenge remains in simply identifying if a specific customer is ready to begin the digital transformation journey. While some are eager to begin, and others are not quite at the tipping point yet, it is critical to engage all customers about the benefits of Enterprise Collaboration, which can kickstart a basic discussion about the full advantages posed by adopting digital transformation. “Here we can start with the most elementary basics, such as what is the best mine design,” Jessica reasons. “While these are simple issues to resolve, the results are significant, and can point to even bigger value-add in the future.” Interestingly, she cautions mining customers in seeking to jump to the end stage first. “I aim to push that conversation out as far as possible, because if we do not go through the more important steps of first assessing what their current situation is, defining where we can add value, and then suggesting or proposing the best solution, we will never be able to resolve the actual problem," she concludes. Dassault Systèmes Contact Yolande Young GEOVIA Marketing Tel: (011) 080-8044 Email: Yolande.Young@3ds.com www.3ds.com
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CONVEYING
Efficient Belt Conveyor Technology at one of the Largest Copper Mines in the World In 2019, the Chuquicamata mine, one of the largest copper mines in the world, was converted from an open-pit mine to an underground operation.
material stores in the form of vertical cylindrical openings with a diameter of 6m and a height of 60m separate the flow of mined material from
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he Chuquicamata mine, situated in Chile’s north, has been in operation since 1915 and is owned by Codelco, Chile’s stateowned copper mining company. Codelco is the world’s largest producer of copper and second largest producer of molybdenum. Over 100 years of open-pit mining has resulted in a mine that is some 1 000m deep, 5 000m long and 3 000m wide. Once the rock had been mined by drilling and blasting, the ore and waste material were transported to the surface by trucks for processing or for disposal.
The conveyor belt now has a 45 degree trough angle along the entire conveyor route, with the only chutes being in the storage bin discharge area
Feeder conveyor during material discharge
However, it was becoming no longer economically viable to mine deeper ore bodies using this extraction and transport process. Moreover, longer truck routes combined with a larger number of vehicles resulted in higher costs for vehicle maintenance and fuel, not to mention greater environmental pollution and safety concerns. In 2015, Takraf was awarded the contract to supply the principal ore transportation system moving crushed copper ore from underground storage bins to the surface processing site. The system called for no redundancies, which means that for this project, high system availability, minimal system wear and easy maintenance of components were all decisive factors.
Underground transfer point during the construction phase
The project scope essentially called for: • Removal of crushed ore from 60m high underground storage bins with a conveying capacity of 11 000t/h • Transportation to the surface with a minimum number of material transfer points • Conveying of the ore from the underground tunnel exit to the existing processing plant while taking into account existing infrastructure (railway lines, mine roads, pipelines, etc) • Ensuring high system availability, minimal system wear and easy maintenance of all components.
Storage bin discharge
The conveying system supplied by Takraf starts at the underground storage bin discharge. Two
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5 MW drive once installed
transport to ore processing. The use of conventional belt feeders was originally planned for controlled material discharge.
In cooperation with the drive motor manufacturer ABB, Takraf engineers developed a drivetrain consisting of:
With this conveying method, material is transported from the discharge area along a 30m conveyor route to a transfer point by using a flat belt with vertical chute sidewalls.
• 5 000kW synchronous motor • Membrane coupling to connect the pulley shaft and rotor shaft • Drive pulley
However, optimisations made to the system after the contract was awarded led to a change in the system. By employing a feeder conveyor, the conveyor belt now has a 45 degree trough angle along the entire conveyor route, with the only chutes being in the storage bin discharge area. As with a belt feeder, the contour of the material to be conveyed is specified by a shear gate and the flow of discharged material is defined by varying the conveying speed. The elimination of vertical sidewalls along the conveyor path means less wear and thus reduced maintenance costs, combined with energy savings of around 25%.
In order to achieve this feat, it was necessary to use newly-developed components that redefine the performance limits of belt conveyor technology With the following specifications:
• Simple alignment and motor air gap adjustment during installation of the drive • Simple readjustment in the event of motor
Transporting material to the surface
Two conventional trough conveyors connect the material discharge of the feeder conveyors with the loading point of the inclined conveyor, around 900m away. Installed in a tunnel that extends some 6 400m to the surface, the inclined conveyors overcome a not insignificant difference in elevation of 950m. Each underground transfer point along the tunnel requires an underground chamber with a crane for maintenance work, power supply, transformers, and electrical and mechanical drive technologies, with adapted ventilation and suitable access paths.
Overland conveyor OLC-01 with feeding point in the drive house of the inclined conveyor C02 (blue building)
In order to minimise the number of transfer points, the inclined conveyor section was successfully developed employing just two conveyors. In order to achieve this feat, it was necessary to use newly-developed components that redefine the performance limits of belt conveyor technology. St 10000 quality conveyor belts from ContiTech were used for the first time. Operating belt safety ratings of S = 5.0 required belt connections with a reference fatigue strength of over 50%. This value was proven on the belt test rig at the University of Hanover in Germany. Once again, new dimensions were achieved (this time in terms of installed drive power) with 10 000kW of installed drive power per drive pulley and 20 000kW per conveyor.
Equipment that can be implemented for the first mining level
Pulley Equipment distance Nominal throughput 11,000 t/h [m]
Maintenance vehicle for safely lifting the belt and replacing the idlers
Lift
Belt width
Conveyor Drive speed power
Belt
[m]
[mm]
[m/s]
[kW]
Type
Feeder conveyor no. 36 1 north
0
3,200
1.75
400
EP 1,600
Feeder conveyor no. 36 1 south
0
3,200
1.75
400
EP 1,600
Level conveyor 1
835
-36
1,800
7.0
800
St 2,250
Transfer conveyor
53
0
2,400
3.8
200
EP 800
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Permanent equipment
Principal conveyor C-01
3,303
495
1,800
7.0
20,000
St 10,000
Principal conveyor C-02
3,039
456
1,800
7.0
20,000
St 10,000
Overland conveyor OLC-01
5,330
287
1,800
7.0
15,000
St 6,800
Feeder conveyor 01
28
0
3,200
1.75
400
EP 1,600
Feeder conveyor 02
28
0
3,200
1.75
400
EP 1,600
Mechanical components of the drivetrain
air gap deviations from the setpoint (eg, after settlement) • Complete and fully-assembled factory-tested motors on site (no motor assembly in dusty environment)
• Simple separation of the connection between pulley and motor in the event of an accident (in order to ensure continued operation of the system for the short term with a reduced number of drive motors)
Air gap Maintenance of the air gap between the rotor and stator is a crucial requirement for the operation of the motors. The air gap, which is 14mm, must only be allowed to deviate from the setpoint within small tolerances. Deviations in the air gap reduce the efficiency of the motor, and if rotor and stator were to make contact with each other, this would result in damage to the motor. The air gap itself is continuously monitored during operation. If deformations and/or subsidence in the steel structure or in the motor foundations lead to a deviation in the air gap setpoint, the stator has to be realigned. To simplify this process, the spacing between the rotor and stator at the non-driven end of the motor was fixed by a support bearing. A membrane coupling compensates for the deformation of the pulley shaft caused by belt tension. The adjustable motor frame facilitates alignment of the motor during installation and ensures simple realignment if necessary. Eccentrics and spindles allow the stator to be adjusted in all directions. Should a motor fail, it can be quickly moved into a disabled position by opening the membrane coupling and adjusting the spindles. The system can then continue to operate only with reduced power.
Integration
The landscape surrounding the processing plants has been shaped by over 100 years of mining at Chuquicamata, in addition to the various processing systems, waste heaps, train tracks, roads, pipelines, and buildings scar the landscape. The challenge for the new conveyor system was to
Motor alignment during assembly
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design a system that took into consideration this landscape for its entire length from the end of the underground tunnel to the processing plant more than 5km away.
A continuous single flight conveyor with the following parameters was developed:
• Distance of 5 330m between the material loading point and material discharge with a difference in height of 287m. • Horizontal curves with tight radii (1 600m to 2 300m) on more than 60% of the conveyor length • Approximately 50% of the conveyor length on elevated structure with variable lengths adapted to local conditions for foundations positioning and with support intervals of up to 96m.
justifying the use of these components. High system availability, minimal system wear and easy maintenance of components were essential criteria when designing this system. Numerous innovations that resulted in six patents were implemented for the first time, resulting in a modern, powerful and environmentally friendly conveyor system. Highly efficient electric drive motors replace diesel truck engines and as a result, CO2 emissions produced by transporting the material have been reduced by more than two thirds. Takraf Tel: 011) 201-2300 www.takraf.com
The conveyor design again revolved around ensuring high system availability, minimal system wear and easy maintenance of components. All loading points along the conveyor route were optimised in order to reduce conveyor belt wear. The arrangement of the rock boxes and grizzly fingers was verified with simulations using the Discrete Element Method (DEM). Newly-designed transfer chutes allow wear plates to be replaced quickly and easily. To replace idlers, a specially designed Takraf maintenance vehicle is able to travel along the conveyor path, enabling the conveyor belt to be lifted and worn idlers to be safely and efficiently replaced. At the material discharge point, a bunker building performs a limited material storage function. Two feeder conveyors remove the material and feed it to the processing plants.
Motor adjustment using eccentrics and spindles
Three 5 000kW direct drive motors drive this conveyor, with a St 6800 conveyor belt with a belt safety of S = 5.1 being used. Vibration behaviour of the belt during start up and braking was analysed across all operating conditions using dynamic belt calculations.
Summary
System parameters such as a St 10000 conveyor belt and 20 000kW drive power per conveyor redefine the limits of belt conveyor technology. This made it possible to achieve the goal of reducing the number of underground transfer points, thereby Overland conveyor OLC-01 passing over existing infrastructure
5 MW drivetrain
Bunker building with material discharge from the overland conveyor OLC-01
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BELTCON
Design and Operation of Barroso Flyingbelt This paper is a comparison between design data and operational data of the Barroso Flyingbelt, the longest conveyor belt in the world suspended on ropes. The Flyingbelt is in operation in a cement plant in Southeastern Brazil and is transporting about 1 500 tph of limestone from the quarry to the factory – an output that would require a Stefano Cattaneo Alberto Contin Matteo Colombo minimum of 40 trucks per hour. Utilisation of this technology significantly reduces road traffic and CO2 emissions The world’s longest aerial belt conveyor utilises a single 15 000-metre-long rubber belt as well as 60 000 metres of rope and 25 000 rollers. cement manufacturer launched the “Barroso Expansion Project” in 2012, this was a large investment, with the target to increase production capacity of the Barroso cement plant from 1.2 Mtons of cement per year to 3.6 Mtons per year.
A
• Maximisation of availability: using commercial and reliable components normally used for traditional conveying systems (belt, rollers, transoms, roller bases, drives, etc).
The demand for limestone required the supply from a new quarry, located 15km (by road) from the old quarry and the cement plant.
• Customisation of the system: transfer points were designed and manufactured according to mechanical, electrical and safety requirements from the customer.
A new raw material conveying system was needed and this typology of aerial belt was selected as the best option because it was perfectly suitable to overcome challenges associated with a conveyor system such as:
• Integration of control system: the Flyingbelt is controlled by a PLC and it can be integrated in the Scada system of a “Crusher-to-Mill” transport chain, together with equipment from other OEM suppliers.
• Minimisation of Capex: No land purchase + Less steel structures + No forest cut + Limited civil works
• Minimisation of Opex: The aerial belt has similar operational costs of a conventional overland conveyor.
• Minimisation of environmental impact: Low visual im-
The main challenges of the project were: the high capacity
Figure 1 – Map of cement plant and quarries
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pact: the aerial conveyor is a “line” suspended with 18 support towers.
(1 500 tph), several geological and environmental constraints, the need for a “suspended” solution not to impact a preserved area, no transfer, no fencing and/or surveillance along the line, easy inspection and maintenance intervention along the line.
The solution proposed by the supplier is the result of a fully customised detailed study carried out by the supplier’s engineers specialising in several fields, such as: rope design, belt analysis, mechanical design, geological analysis, constructability analysis. This study was carried out following guidelines for material ropeways (OITAF book 8) and for conveyors (CEMA 7th), using software specifically developed by the supplier to simulate the static and dynamic behaviour of the system in different conditions (start-up, shut-down, normal operation, emergency stop, partial load operation). Main technical data of the Barroso aerial belt are as follows: • Material Limestone / Clay
Description
Locked coil rope with "Z" shaped wires
Diameter
[mm]
55
Mass
[kg/m]
17.0
Section
[mm 2]
2057
Elasctic Modulus Minimum Breaking force
[N/mm 2] [kN]
160000 2703
Figure 2 Tracking ropes characteristics
• Horizontal Length
7 200 m
• Difference in Height
50 m
• Belt width
1 200 mm
• Track ropes 55 mm • Hauling ropes
20 mm
• Number of towers
18
• Number of intermediate anchors
3
• Motors nominal power (belt)
3 x 615 kW
• Motors nominal power (maintenance vehicle)
4x30kW
Table 1 Analysis of ropes in minimum temperature conditions
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BELTCON
• Speed of belt
4.00 m/s
Rope line calculation
In the following paragraphs it is explained the way ropes and belts have been calculated.
This aerial conveyor is a traditional conveyor suspended on ropes anchored on both ends (loading/tail station and offloading/head station). The choice of track rope construction form, size and mechanical properties is the result of a detailed analysis performed in several conditions: • minimum temperature, loaded belt • maximum temperature, loaded belt • minimum temperature, empty belt • maximum temperature, empty belt • loaded belt + max wind on service (250 Pa) • empty belt + max wind out of service (1 200 Pa) • mounting conditions (bare ropes, line frames installation)
Description
Redmont 6k19 (6 x k19 S - SFC)
Diameter
[mm]
20
Mass
[kg/m]
1.60
Section
[mm 2]
Elasctic Modulus Minimum Breaking force
[N/mm 2] [kN]
Figure 3 Hauling ropes characteristics
180 125000 272
The operating temperature range taken into consideration is 60°C. Track ropes comply with the guidelines by international standards (*) about material transportation; according to these, the minimum track rope safety factor is: • On service, without wind:
≥ 2.50
• Out of service, with wind (1 200 Pa):
≥ 2.00
•
On service, with wind (300 Pa): ≥ 2.50
(*) O.I.T.A.F., book no. 8, § 2.1.6.2, edition 2016, which states a minimum value of 2.50 on service. Concerning out of service + wind condition, the minimum admissible safety factor for material transportation is 2.00, proportionally derived from EN 12930:2015, § 7.4.2. Track rope suitable for the installation is of a locked coil type, with two layers of “Z” shaped wires, diameter 55mm; its main features are listed in figure 2. The calculation of the anchored track ropes implies the definition of a “reference condition”, which is assumed as a steady condition with empty belt and minimum ambient temperature. Table 2 Analysis of hauling rope in nominal conditions
In this situation, an assigned tension is given to the track ropes, which is chosen in order to optimise the ropes behaviour and the running conditions. Starting from these assumptions, the calculation procedure obtains all the line parameters in the “reference condition”, with simple closed formulas assumed as known. In detail, the procedure calculates the “section cumulative actual length”, that is the length assumed by the rope lying on a horizontal plane, without tension and without weight. For each load condition (different temperature or different load on the belt) the procedure iterates the calculation several times, varying the track rope tension, ending the calculation when the new values of the “section cumulative actual length” equal the original reference length. For the purpose of line calculation, the full system is treated as a single anchored rope with the following assumption:
Figure 4 Rollers
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BELTCON
• equivalent rope tension equals the sum of track ropes • equivalent rope weight equals the sum of track ropes, suspended frames, rollers and miscellanea, carry and return side of the belt, bulk load on the belt The weight of the suspended frames and rollers is applied as a uniform load distributed along the track ropes; live load may be different in different spans, according to the load condition investigated. An example of track rope dimensioning is reported in table 1.
Figure 5 Wind effect
Haul rope calculation
Haul rope for maintenance vehicle is related to an emergency rope. It complies with the guidelines by European standard EN129272 for people transportation; according to it, the minimum haul rope safety factor is ≥ 3.00 (reference: §5.2.1.6). Haul rope is closed in a loop with two socket end fixings, which are connected to the hanger pin of the vehicle.
Figure 6 Traditional conveyor rollers
Haul rope is a Redmont 6k19, diameter 20mm; its main features are listed in figure 3. An example of haul rope dimensioning is reported in table 2.
Figure 7 Loading station
Figure 8 Offloading station
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TRANSNET FREIGHT RAIL
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BELTCON
Belt conveyor line calculation
and minimum temperature)
The choice of the belt conveyor is the result of static analysis performed in six different conditions:
• worst braking condition (with a declined section loaded and maximum temperature)
• minimum temperature (-20°C), loaded belt
The layout of the track ropes is set as input for the belt calculation; the rope configuration corresponding to maximum temperature and loaded belt is prudently considered for all conditions.
• maximum temperature (40°C), loaded belt • minimum temperature (-20°C), empty belt • maximum temperature (40°C), empty belt • worst starting condition (with an inclined section loaded
Table 3 Analysis in nominal conditions
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The belts comply with the limits imposed by the manufacturer (eg, safety factor, minimum radius in vertical convex curves,
transition distances, turnover lengths …), in detail: • average running (laden belt or empty belt) safety factor: ≥ 6.67
spacing, while on the return side they are two-roll garlands, with 6.0m spacing.
• local transient phases (starting/stopping) safety factor: ≥ 4.00
The 6-roll garland was selected for its 70° troughing angle able to maximize the stability of the system: the material is kept in the centre of the system, with a resulting mass-centre than the geometrical-centre. This configuration is maximising the stability of the system in all the load configuration also in case of high side wind:
The dimensioning loads and factorisation of belt tension along the turnovers was subject to and approved by the belt manufacturer, considering also the beneficial effect of the high splicing efficiency foreseen for this application.
On towers, the garlands on the carry side and on the return one are replaced respectively by three-roll and one-roll fixed frame idlers, reducing their spacing, in order to enable vertical convex curves with a radius of 75m.
The idlers on the carry side are 6-roll garlands with a 2.0m
The troughing angle of the carry side on towers is 25°, in order both to reduce local tension on the edges of the belt and to avoid compression in the middle; the filling factor and the edge distance with 25° troughing angle are respectively 61% and 187mm, avoiding any risk of material spillage.
• average transient phases (starting/stopping) safety factor: ≥ 4.60
Belt line calculation is performed according to CEMA 7th – Universal method, using the software Belt Analyst, written by Overland Conveyor Company Inc. The belt of the aerial conveyor is computed according to the following data: • Load capacity: 1500 mtph • Belt speed: 4.0 m/s • Belt width: 1200 mm • Bulk density: 1350 kg/m3 • Surcharge angle: 15° • Maximum lump size: 300 mm The resulting filling factor (for 70° troughing angle) and edge distance are respectively 43% and 237 mm. The belt is tensioned by a gravity take-up, which is installed in the head station. Two drive pulleys are installed in head station, while one drive pulley is placed in the tail station. Each drive pulley has one motor; the motor and gear unit type is the same for all drive pulleys.
Table 4 Drives analysis in nominal conditions
Each drive pulley has a wrap angle of 210° and ceramic BULK HANDLING TODAY
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BELTCON
lagging, in order to ensure drive friction. The belt is calculated considering 160s start time, while the stop of the belt, using only the electric motor, occurs in 30s. In order to take into account the behaviour of the belt during transient phases (start/stop), a detailed dynamic analysis is performed.
All garlands have Ø159mm steel rolls. Idler to belt friction coefficient is 0.50. An example of belt dimensioning is reported below.
Conclusion
The result of the study on the longest aerial belt in the world composed of one single belt of 14.4 km running from the loading station to the unloading station suspended by 4 segments of tracking ropes (to reduce the construction time) through 18 supporting towers at a speed of 4 m/s. From May 26th, 2016 and June 1st, 2016 the commissioning and start-up of the system has been done successfully demonstrating the operational parameters vs contract requirements, in particular: 1 500 Tph max. capacity (even if normal operation capacity will be 1 000 Tph) and max. power consumption of 1 750 kW. The conveyor has been tested in the following conditions: • Loading • Constant feeding • Raise to nominal capacity • Drop of capacity • Overloading • Emergency stop During the first 8 months of operation, real operating data has been collected and compared to the design parameters, the result is the following: The above data, even if for a limited number of operating time per day compared to the theoretical use, demonstrates the compliance with the design parameters, in particular 1,15 kWh/ton means, assuming a
Table 5 Belt tensions in concave and convex curves Month
Average Tph
Load percentage
Tons transported
Power consumpion (kWh)
June
1.026
68,4%
12.183
14.010
July
949
63,3%
2.961
3.405
August
1.035
69,0%
35.304
40.600
September
1.142
76,1%
32.401
37.261
October
1.073
71,5%
83.615
96.157
November
991
66,1%
54.892
63.126
December
1.015
67,7%
82.303
94.648
January
1.021
68,1%
65.138
74.909
TOT
1.037
65-75%
368.797
424.116
Table 7 Operational data year 2016
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cost of 0,12 USD/kWh, 0,138 USD per ton transported, a very competitive value considering that the consumption includes the inspection along the line with the maintenance vehicle.
Moreover, no spare parts or maintenance intervention has been done in this period and only six people are required during the operation (2 in quarry main control room + 4 for maintenance of the whole crushing and conveying). This paper was first presented at the Beltcon Conference in 2019. Copyright is vested with IMHC. www.beltcon. org.za Alberto Contin LEITNER SpA – Office Leini Tel: (011) 997-3355 alberto.contin@agudio. com www.agudio.com Matteo Colombo Tel: (011) 069-1294 matteo.colombo@leitner. com www.agudio.com Stefano Cattaneo Tel: (011) 997-3355 stefano.cattaneo@ agudio.com www.agudio.com
Table 6 Dynamic analysis of stopping cycle
Figure 9 Example of load diagram during commissioning
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MARKET FORUM
Moist and sticky materials The dream of every plant operator is to eliminate dust and spills on belts and transfers and to minimise maintenance requirements of the conveyor system. An added bonus is to be able to cope efficiently with the challenges of moist and sticky materials. BLT World’s contact-free Airscrape conveyor belt skirting system, developed by Scrapetec, has been designed to do just that. This highly-efficient system prevents dust formation, reduces material spill, enables thorough belt-cleaning and minimises the risk of explosion at critical sections along the conveyor route and at transfer points. An important advantage is that this system, unlike conventional systems, is also proven to work perfectly well with moist and sticky materials. AirScrape is a highly-effective side seal that lies over the conveyor belt, without contact, and creates negative pressure on the belt, due to its speciallydesigned lamella structure. Because this system hovers freely above the conveyor belt, skirt friction and belt damage is eliminated and service life of every component of the conveyor is extended.
The contact-free conveyor belt skirting system significantly reduces material spill, dust formation and explosion hazards at transfer points and other critical sections in the conveyor chain. The system also copes efficiently with the challenges of moist and sticky materials
It has solved the problems of “moist and sticky” conditions in many industries. A perfect example of this system’s success, can be seen at a processing plant which specialises in processing slag and ashes from waste incineration plants into usable raw materials. Airscrape’s six-week trial operation period showed that although cleaning at critical points is necessary once a week,
90% of the time previously spent cleaning, is now available for productive work at the plant. BLT world Ken Mouritzen, Tel: (031) 274-8270 Email: ken@bltworld.com, www.bltworld.com
Dust Suppression BossTek has introduced an optional Variable Frequency Drive (VFD) system that allows users to adjust air flow to suit a broader range of applications and working environments. The new VFD system reduces the need to purchase or rent different models to match the machines’ output to specific project requirements, delivering greater flexibility and reducing the total cost of equipment ownership. “Atomized mist technology has been widely accepted as an extremely effective approach to dust management,” observes BossTek Sales manager, Mike Lewis. “This new development will allow users to tailor the fan speed to match the job. It’s useful in a number of different industries, but one good example would be demolition projects,” he notes.
requirements of those smaller projects.” The VFD is likely to be attractive to companies with variable needs, including concrete curing, cannabis and hemp operations, transfer stations, slag handling and indoor applications. BossTek Rick Felde Tel: (541) 306-4815 Email: rick@bosstek.com www.bosstek.com
“Project managers may need the wide coverage and long reach of our larger models on some jobs, but the volume and throw distance may be too much for smaller projects, such as those in crowded downtown locations. Instead of using a smaller machine to accommodate their changing needs, now they can simply dial back the air flow to match the VFD brings improved humidity control to concrete curing applications. BULK HANDLING TODAY
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MARKET FORUM
Emerging contractors Opening the doors of the mining sector to junior miners and emerging contractors can be boosted by partnerships based on the build-operate-transfer (BOT) concept, according to B&E International. Experts in integrated crushing, mining and mineral processing solutions, B&E International brings its experience of not just operating crushing plants but designing and manufacturing its innovative equipment locally, according to the company’s director of plant and engineering, Ken Basson. He says, "We have partnered with junior miners and emerging contractors to assume some of their initial risk in mining projects and giving them a firmer basis for sustainable growth.” He highlights that new entrants to the mining sector face both financial and technical hurdles. Sourcing a fit-forpurpose processing plant is frequently a ‘bridge too far’ in terms of capital expenditure. Financial institutions usually require a strong balance sheet, which many young companies do not have. There is also the risk that a new plant may not run smoothly or to specified capacity, demanding a depth of technical expertise not yet developed by a new contractor.
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Ken Basson, director:plant and engineering at B&E International, says opening doors for juniors mines can be boosted by partnerships based on the BOT concept
“With our experience of running plants, combined with our inhouse design and manufacturing capabilities, we shoulder a large portion of this initial risk for the smaller players,” says Ken. “We design and build the plant to suit our BOT partner’s operational needs, and then run the plant ourselves. The partner pays us only for the final saleable product from the plant.” The arrangement is a close collaboration with the partner, who must be assured of meeting their contractual obligations to the end-customer. The production experience in B&E International, which has for decades run crushing and screening operations for its own account, is what puts their BOT partners’ minds at ease. B&E International (Pty) Ltd. Tel: (011) 966-4300 Email: info@beinternational.co.za www.beinternational.co.za
MARKET FORUM
Conveyor Belt Cleaners
Up to 50 units can be monitored by a single gateway connecting to the Internet
Martin Engineering has announced a belt cleaner position indicator that monitors the blade, tracking and reporting remaining service life. The intuitive Martin N2 Position Indicator (PI) monitors primary belt cleaner blades, notifying Martin service technicians and plant operations personnel when re-tensioning or replacement is required and/or when abnormal conditions occur. The PI can be part of a new installation or directly retrofitted to existing mainframes that use the company’s replacement blades. Managers and service technicians can quickly access info on any networked cleaner via cell phone. With approximately 1 000 operating systems currently in service and installations continuing daily, the technology has been embraced by bulk material handlers in a wide range of industries and applications. Designed in-house by the engineering team at Martin’s Centre for Innovation (CFI) in the USA, the N2 position Indicator is produced solely in company-owned facilities to ensure the highest standards for quality control. In fact, the firm also engineered and built the proprietary equipment used to manufacture the new devices. Martin offers the equipment, monitoring service and batteries free of charge to qualifying customers. The company will also support the PI components and provide customer alerts without cost as needed, with mainframes and tensioners replaced free for users of Martin belt cleaner blades. Position indicators can be mounted anywhere from 3-800 metres (10-2,625 feet) from the cellular gateway, and the robust, sealed construction means it is virtually immune from damage. Up to 50 units can be monitored by a single gateway connecting to the Internet, usually located at the highest point in the plant, where the cell signal is strongest. The system does not require a cellular line for each PI, instead communicating via radio frequency from each sensor to the gateway. The device eliminates the need for manual inspections by giving technicians precise information, delivering critical realtime intelligence and reducing exposure to moving conveyors, improving both efficiency and safety. Martin Engineering Rick Felde Tel: (541) 306-4815 Email: rickf@martin-eng.com www.martin-eng.com
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MARKET FORUM
Cam Clutches “The new high-torque, high-speed Tsubaki BS-F series, with a narrow width I-beam torque arm, is a drop-in replacement to conventional anti rollback devices. This allows for quick and easy on-site installation and enables the replacement of an old backstop with the new BS-F design, without the need for modification to the existing layout,” says Gavin Kirstein, National Tsubaki Product Specialist, BMG. “Although this series has a narrower width than other models, the downsized unit exceeds the requirements of high-speed inclined belt conveyors, with the benefits of space-saving and reduced installation time. “A common cause of conventional backstop failure is oil leakage. Tsubaki has eliminated this risk in the new BSF series by designing the backstop to operate with grease and a specially- designed labyrinth seal. The absence of an oil level gauge creates a more reliable safety device, " adds Gavin.
bottom to the top of the mechanism. The constant circulation of grease minimises internal friction and reduces operating temperature for dependable operation. Maintenance intervals are between 7 500 hours and 8 000 hours and the effective service life of the units is also significantly extended compared with conventional oil-filled units. BMG Carlo Beukes Tel: (011) 620-7558 Email: carlob@bmgworld.net or Gavin Kirstein Tel: (011) 620-7547 Email: gavink@bmgworld.net
“Important features of this series include a nonrollover cam and roller design, which offers higher backstop torque capacities and lower running temperatures than conventional anti rollback devices. Added to this, a flexible labyrinth seal mechanism prevents the ingress of dust and water in abrasive conditions and a double-lip oil seal and multi-temperature grease enable safe operation at a wide ambient temperature range, from - 40°C to + 65°C.” The cam and roller cage orbit at low speed, continually conveying grease internally from the
An extensive range of cam clutches, is designed for high-speed inclined and long overland belt conveyors and bucket elevators used in mining and bulk handling sectors
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2019/11/05 13:47:35
High security welded mesh
Pallisade
Gates
Gate Automation
Razor wire and more ....
What is High Security Weld Mesh HIGH Security Weld Mesh is wire fused and welded at a Horizontal distance of 76.2mm and a vertical distance of 12.7mm also known as 35B/3510 where 3 denotes 3”(distance between vertical wires), 5 denotes 0.5” (distance between horizontal wires), and B or 10 denotes gauge of wire
Salient Features • Difficult to Climb: The spaces between the Horizontal wires are too narrow for fingers to have grip • Impregnable: Extremely difficult to cut with a hand cutter as the beak of a wire cutter will not be able to penetrate the horizontal wires • Excellent Replacement option to Solid Wall as: 1. More economical than a solid wall 2. Faster to install than a solid wall 3. CCTV Camera has a clear view • Further upgrade possible with electric security system • Anti-corrosive & low maintenance
Standards
• Manufactured according to BS EN 10016-2 • Wire Sizes in accordance with BS EN 10218-2 • Tolerance on Mesh Size in accordance wiht EN 10223-7 • Tolerance on Panel Size in accordance with EN 10223-4 • Welding Strength in accordance with BS EN 1461 • Zinc Coating in accordance with EN 10245-1 • Anti Corrosion in accordance with BS En 3900 E4/F4
Tensile Strength • Wire has a tensile strenght of min 550 MPA
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