MechChem Africa November 2017

⎪ Materials handling ⎪

Drives and motors for reliable mining in Africa BMG’s integrated engineering solutions service to the mining sector in Africa en- compasses a complete electromechanical capability, which includes a customised plant design, product selection, installation, commissioning and support service. many applications in mining, including the control ofmine ventilation fans, for smooth acceleration and deceleration of long con- veyors, for electric driven dewater pumps skids and for the reliableoperationof slurry pumps. These drives are also used for all mining and mineral processing equipment applications and bulk material handling facilities.

“BMG’s energy efficient drive solutions are designed to meet the exact needs of mining andmineral processing, at the same time ensuring improved asset availability and the lowest possible cost of ownership. These robust drive systems can withstand heavy loading and operation in extreme conditions and are able to control equip- ment installed at great distances,” says Ian Smith, countrymanager, BMG, Zambia. “By optimising ac-drive applications for every plant design, BMG provides dependable solutions that improve productivity, save energy costs, reducemaintenance require- ments andextend service lifeof equipment. “BMG’s premium drives offering is through the Danfoss brand, which incor- porates high power VLT ® drives and the VACON ® range. BMG is nowable todeliver low voltage drive solutions up to 5 MW, in a variety of customisable configurations.” Danfoss drives are designed to operate in harsh, dusty environments and in high ambient temperature conditions, without de-rating. They can also be installed in environments containing relatively high levels of contaminants. StandardVLT andVACONdrives have a long motor cable capability on mines with a large-scale layout. They are fully compat- ible with all ac motors and integrate seam- lessly into PLC fieldbus networks. These driveshavebuilt-inRFI filters,whichensure reliable operation of all other electrical equipment on the same installation. No additional RFI filters are required on the input of the drive – this saves space and installation time and costs, compared with conventional ac-drive solutions. Danfoss drives, have a compact design andan intelligent heatmanagement system for reduced project and operating costs. The back channel cooling concept for VLT high power drives reduces contamina- tion of the drive electronics, resulting in increased lifespan of the unit. This cooling concept is also an optimal solution for re- ducing heat dissipation within the drives installation area. By removing the drives dissipated heat directly, mines are able to reduce cooling system requirements, thereby saving on capital and long-term energy costs. VLT and VACON drives are used for

Danfoss variable speed drives are fully compatiblewithBMG’s highpowermotors, whichareavailable inan IP66variant and in different power/frame size combinations. Motor life span is improved by winding all motors with Class H insulation and a Class B temperature rise. Installation and changing out of the BMG high power motor range is made easy due to the oversized terminal box and removable gland plate. These motors, which are tested to stringent SABS and international standards, are SPM-ready to facilitate vibrationmonitoring and testing. BMG’s high power gearbox range in- corporates the Sumitomo (Paramax and Hansen), Nord and Zollern brands. Optimised gear tooth profiles reduce wear and noise levels, also extending the service life of the product. BMG is able to customise gearboxes for specialised applications. BMG’s two branches in Zambia – in Lusaka and on the Copperbelt in Kitwe – offer a 24/7 support-service for the full product range, through technically compe- tent workshops and field service teams. q

ing conditions,” says Idube’s chief operating officer, Hoffie Rautenbach. “In addition to Idube being one of the highest storage facili- ties accommodating uniquely massive loads, other contractors were onsite restricting the movement usually required for an installa- tion of this nature. Additionally, APC Storage Solutions SA began its scope of work in ad- vance of the electrical lighting installations and still managed to complete the project in time and to spec.” APC Storage Solutions SA concluded the installation within the allocated two-month period, completing its scope of work well in advance of other contractors. To achieve this, the company’s personnel worked throughout the December holiday period, closing only for the four religious holidays over the year- end break. “We selectedAPCStorageSolutions SAaf- ter a rigorous tenderingprocess,” Rautenbach concludes, “with selection based on reputa- tion, international experience, pricing and their high-quality storage solutions. As the purpose of our facility is to provide a world class service to importers, exporters and local producers of perishable products, which can onlybeachievedwithworldclass facilities, we are now certain we made the correct choice in selecting APCStorage Solutions SA for our storage system requirements.” Training on the operations of systems for semi-automated storage solutions as well as maintenance training, incorporating the EU Harmonised Standards, was conducted for Idube personnel. In addition, APC Storage Solutions SA provides customer support throughout the year, 24 hours a day. q

BMG’s energy efficient drive solutions are designed to meet the exact needs of mining and mineral processing in Africa.

November 2017 • MechChem Africa ¦ 25