MechChem Africa December 2019/January 2020

⎪ Automation, process control, instrumentation and CAE ⎪

Innovative and fit-for-purpose design was the winning formula that secured WEG Automation Africa formerly Shaw Controls, the contract for a containerised substation and control room solution for a remote tin mine in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Turnkey containerised substation for DRC mine

A ccording to Tyrone Willemse, business development consul- tant for projects and contracts at WEG Automation Africa, the isolated location of the mine and the chal- lenging logistics made a modular solution ideal. The substations are each housed in a six-metre-high cube container. A total of 14 units were supplied, comprising MV rooms and LV rooms. Willemse says: “The unit’s dimensions and robustness had to allow for a long journey, including along a very difficult 200kmroad to reach themine site. Every part of the process plant has its own designated motor control centre (MCC) that provides electrical power and control for areas including the primary crushing circuit, the plant feed, regrind mill, tailings thickener and theproduct dewatering and handling circuits”. In addition tomeeting safety compliance regulations, the design includes three-way locking systems, LED lighting, fire detec- tion systems and a safety interlock to the fire system for air conditioners. Backup power is provided to all the exit lighting and, to ensure easy cable entry, glanding plates were carefully located so as not to overlap with the container’s support beams. “Working in close collaboration with the engineering house, careful planning could be done upfront to ensure that nothing was overlooked,” Willemse says. “In the design, full considerationwas given to the placement of elements such as plat- forms, walkways, doors, viewingwindows and air conditioning units,” he continues. “We also took responsibility for the logistics of getting everything to site.” Willemse explains that this turnkey solution demonstrates WEG Automation Africa’s containerised substation design

Final electrical installation in the Motor Control Centre (MCC) for the mine’s 600 sulphide rougher float container. The containerised solution comes with a full data pack, quality control documentation and an operation and maintenance manual in ac- cordance with ISO 9001. “With our expertise, capacity and experi- ence of working in Africa, we were able to reduce the risk and turnaround time by tack- ling the entire contract in-house,” Willemse says. “The extensive testing and cold com- missioning enabledbyour modus operandi and facilities alsogave theminepeaceofmind that the unit would function as required when it arrived on site,” he concludes. q

Part of WEG Automation’s SC 300 MCC rack.

and engineering capability, as well as its full local manufacturing capacity, lifting it above other MCC manufacturers or assemblers.

The busbar trunking support bridge mounted to the roof of the container.

December 2019-January 2020 • MechChem Africa ¦ 27