Electricity and Control January 2024

DRIVES, MOTORS + SWITCHGEAR : PRODUCTS + SERVICES

On-site winding of gearless mill drive in Panama

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the motor is adjusted to match the load, thus ensuring that equipment operates as needed. VSDs also provide for faster reaction to load changes and better integration with equipment. “All these factors reduce unnecessary energy consumption during periods of low demand and enhance overall equipment efficiency and performance,” he says. Unpacking advances in drive technology, Brits points to the WEG CFW11 VSD line, which incorporates some of the most advanced technology in the world for alternating current three-phase induction motors. “Incorporating WEG Vectrue™ technology, these new generation WEG drives combine variable frequency, sen sorless and closed-loop vector (with encoder) control tech niques in a single product. This facilitates high torque and a fast dynamic response with the self-tuning function allow ing automatic configuration of the drive to adjust it to the motor and load in vector modes,” Brits says. As most industries are looking to sustainable energy sources to meet their energy needs, including renewables such as wind and solar, motors and drives will continue to play an important role in facilitating the integration of such systems. VSDs can be used to balance power supply and demand and ensure stable operation in hybrid energy sys tems. “Substantial efficiency improvements can be achieved by using the latest motor and drive technology, and the sig nificant savings in energy consumption more than justify the capital cost of replacing old equipment with higher effi ciency technology,” Brits says. analyser are embedded in the configuration software. This dual-purpose toolset opens up the ability to exam ine motor performance or analyse feeder power quality with precision. As well as providing protection, the NewFeed relay pro vides control too. Advanced features and switchgear con troller logic integrate motor and feeder control functional ities. From prestart protocols to execution timing of close commands, and continuous monitoring of breaker states with real-time load current feedback, the relay ensures every aspect of operation is monitored. Unauthorised oper ations or anomalies like breaker failures are swiftly detected. The NewFeed Feeder Protection Relay is recognised as an Intelligent Electronic Device (IED). It supports vari ous communication protocols, including Modbus/TCP and PROFINET, reinforcing its compatibility within modern sys tem architectures. As an example of South African ingenuity, the NewFeed Feeder Protection Relay is designed and manufactured locally, in line with ISO 9001:2015 standards. Continued from page 12 For more information visit: www.weg.net

The M&C team on site, ready to take on the gearless mill drive winding contract. Late last year Marthinusen & Coutts (M&C) carried out the on-site winding and sub-assembly of an 18 MW gearless mill drive for a new ball mill at the Cobre Panama cop per mine in Panama. This was done as part of the mine’s expansion of its processing plant to cater for increased ore output. M&C has undertaken similar contracts for the mine eight times over the previous five years. M&C’s seven-man on-site team, led by Divisional CEO Richard Botton, did the work over 40 days during October and November last year. “We knew from previous experience that the working conditions at the mine are extremely tough, with frequent heavy rain, high humidity and excessive heat, but our familiarity with the procedures involved helped to ensure that the project went according to plan and was com pleted on time,” Botton commented, He added that it is the complexity of the job that requires the winding and sub-assembly to be done on site. “Our preparation is extensive and starts about six months prior to site establishment. The machine is trans ported to the site from the OEM in Europe in four quad rants, each of which weighs 85 tonnes. We are respon sible for the connecting and continuity between the four segments, which have been pre-wound by the OEM,” he explained. “About half of the tools we use for the on-site work are purchased and supplied by the mine, and we supply or bring with us the other more specialised tools, as well as the test equipment needed.” As previously, M&C was contracted for the latest pro ject by the owner and operator of Cobre Panama, Minera Panama, the Panamanian subsidiary of international min ing company, First Quantum Minerals (FQM), M&C has also carried out four on-site winding and sub-assembly projects on gearless mill drives for FQM’s Sentenial copper mine in Zambia in recent years.

For more information visit: www.newelec.co.za

For more information visit: www.mandc.co.za

JANUARY 2024 Electricity + Control

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