MechChem Africa November-December 2024

MechChem NOV-DEC 2024 AFRICA

Driving towards green, resource efficient and cleaner production

This month: Innovations driving sustainable processing

Steam leak detection system raises boiler uptime

Scroll centrifuge and bed dryer for salt recovery

Engineered dewatering for emerging markets

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06

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Maintenance solutions and asset management 6 Tru-Trac adopts Rip Prevent+ conveyor monitoring

Dustin Schiller and Simon Hausknecht of SHG Conveyor Control of Germany introduce the AI-based Rip Prevent+ conveyor monitoring system now available in South Africa from Tru-Trac Rollers.

8 Remote monitoring for rock crushers 11 Lower TCO from OEM maintenance

Published bimonthly by Crown Publications (Pty) Ltd Cnr Theunis and Sovereign Streets Bedford Gardens 2007 PO Box 140, Bedfordview, 2008 Tel: +27 11 622 4770 e-mail: mechchemafrica@crown.co.za www.mechchemafricamagazine.co.za Editor: Peter Middleton e-mail: peterm@crown.co.za Advertising: Elmarie Stonell e-mail: mechchemafrica@crown.co.za Design: Katlego Montsho Publisher: Karen Grant Deputy publisher: Wilhelm du Plessis Circulation: Brenda Grossmann The views expressed in this journal are not necessarily those of the publisher or the editors.

Water, wastewater and pumping solutions 12 Engineered dewatering for emerging markets

Xylem’s Jonathan Höll talks about dewatering and the Godwin BD 150 Dri-Prime ® Pump, which has been re-engineered for mining, industrial and utility dewatering in emerging markets.

15 VEGAPULS: the easy way to adopt smart technology 16 SA’s dewatering specialist IPR joins Atlas Copco 17 Pump donation revives municipal infrastructure Minerals processing and materials handling 18 Scroll centrifuge and bed dryer for salt recovery

Gerrit du Plessis introduces the advanced Siebtechnik Tema screen scroll centrifuge and Tema Process shaking fluidised bed dryer. 20 The WARMAN ® MCR ® 650: a benchmark mill circuit pump 23 Value solutions: to modularise or not to modularise? 24 Moving non-free-flowing bulk materials using Flexicon solutions Hydraulics, pneumatics and automation solutions 26 SEW-EURODRIVE’s automation and synchronisation solutions MCA talks to Willem Strydom of SEW-EURODRIVE about the extended range of drive automation solutions for syn chronising torque and speed, and controlling multi-axis automatic machines. 29 Atlas Copco PACE compressors for offshore drilling PowerGen, PetroChem and sustainable energy management 30 Acoustic steam leak detection system raises boiler uptime Stephen Scholtz of RTS Engineering and Neil Robinson of Procon Engineering talk about their boiler tube leak detection system and its role in improving the performance of the Eskom fleet.

Transparency You Can See Average circulation Apr to Jun 2024: 10 721 Printed by: Tandym Print, Cape Town

32 A sustainable solution to SA’s waste and energy crisis 34 Mainstream to provide flexible PPAs to private customers Heating ventilation and air conditioning 36 Ventsim and the five levels of ventilation optimisation

MCA talks to Stephan Bergh of Howden about Ventsim CONTROL, a ventilation optimisation solution that offers five levels of control for on-demand mine ventilation. 38 Anti-idle APU launched for dump-truck HVAC units Local manufacturing 40 WEG steps up local manufacturing capability in Africa MCA talks to Anderson Kohler and Arno Broodryk of WEG about the expansion and upgrading of the company’s local manufacturing facilities for MV switchgear and soft starters, battery energy storage systems (BESS) and containerised solutions.

Front cover: CSIR’s NCPC-SA Contact: Zenzile Masipa

Tel: +27 12 841 3772 Email: ncpc@csir.co.za Website: www.industrialefficiency.co.za

Innovative engineering 46 Innovations driving sustainable processing

Alistair McKay of FLS talks about latest technologies and trends in minerals processing and to company’s strong drive to support sustainability.

Regulars 2 Peter’s comment: CBAM, COP29 and doubling the rate of energy efficiency 4 On the cover: CBAM: a call to action for SA’s metals sector Zenzile Rasmeni Masipa of NCPC-SA talks about South Africa’s metals industries and the impact of the EU's CBAM. 42 Products and industry news 48 Back page: Waste to energy boilers for industrial sectors

November-December 2024 • MechChem Africa ¦ 1

CBAM, COP29 and doubling the rate of energy efficiency

Peter Middleton

At the time of writing COP29 had just begun under the theme: ‘Exploring the economic opportunities of net-zero transitions.’ As a starting point, the IEA presented key insights from its recent report, ‘From Taking Stock to Taking Action’, which assesses how to scale up clean energy investment based on COP28 commitments, especially in emerging markets and developing economies. To help limit warming to 1.5°C and achieve global net zero emissions by 2050, the IEA is calling for the inclusion of “economy-wide” reduction targets for all sectors, with emissions reduction embedded in the next round of national climate action plans (NDCs). The COP28 vision for a net zero energy system, according to the IEA’s key insights report, contrasts a key failure – the world continues to break records for energy-related emissions and global temperatures – with records for global clean energy investment and deployment. Without the surge of clean energy technologies, emissions growth since the Covid-19 pandemic would have been three times larger, sug gests the IEA. Yet the world is still falling far short of meeting targets for limiting global warming! In analysing the impacts of full implementation of last year’s ‘UAE Consensus’, the report finds that tripling renewables and doubling efficiency targets could, on their own, reduce the world’s GHG emis sions by 10-billion tonnes by the end of the decade compared with the current trend. This would ac count for two thirds of the reduction necessary to hold global warming to 1.5 °C. In contrast, if countries only focus on a subset of the COP28 outcomes and fail to translate them into comprehensive plans and policies, or are slow to develop the necessary enabling infrastructure, such as storage and grids, then most of the huge positive potential promised at COP28 will remain unrealised. Doubling the global rate of energy efficiency improvements was calculated to provide larger emissions reductions by 2030 than anything else. But, based on current policy trends, this target still looks “far out of reach”. Consequently, in addition to annual emissions being 6.5 Gt higher by 2030, energy costs for consumers are set to be 8% higher than they would be if the doubling efficiency goal was fully implemented. What does this require? Adopting the efficiency benefits of electrification, most notably electric vehicles and heat pumps; greater use of public trans portation; improved material efficiency; support ing energy-saving among consumers; and, key for emerging economies, strengthening and enforcing efficiency standards for new buildings, factories and appliances. The cover story for this issue comes from

the CSIR’s National Cleaner Production Centre for South Africa (NCPC-SA), in which project manager, Zenzile Masipa, outlines how South African export ers can prepare for the implementation of the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM). Simply put, CBAM is a tax all products imported into the EU from carbon intensive industries based on their production-related emissions.” explains Masipa. At the NCPC Sustainable Industries Conference in September this year, the head of environmental sustainability for Hulamin in South Africa, Hendrik de Villiers, outlined the rolling mill’s initiatives to meet CBAM requirements. Hulamin manufactures 10 to 12 t coils of aluminium products of different grades and exports 22% of these into the EU. Each of these must now be categorised into one of 10 CN codes; exact Scope 1 emissions embedded per ton of metal must be reported; and Scope 2 emissions for every kWh of energy used in the coil’s production must be accounted for. With 50 to 80 different processes and up to 200 different combinations of alloys and thicknesses, following different routes to an end product, he says that there is no formula that can be applied universally to calculate Scope 1 and Scope 2 data for individual coils. A hard alloy might consume double the electrical energy compared to a soft alloy, for example. Fortunately, De Villiers was able to envisage how to do this because of the resource efficiency discus sions he had at the 2019 NCPC-SA conference. As a result, Hulamin developed and began to pilot a comprehensive process monitoring system – now called its Per Lot Resource Consumption System – to help them understand what happens to each coil from the start of processing to when it stops. Metering of gas and electricity consumption and other parameters throughout the whole process allows all the relevant data needed to be collected and allocated to specific end products. The initial idea was to track every alloy going through the different machines to highlight and minimise wastefulness. But the data from the 200 000 t of metal that Hulamin produces is now being extracted for customers in the EU, split into the relevant CN codes and used to compile product specific spreadsheet reports in the format required for CBAM. Through initiatives such as the NSPC-SA, we have access to the support we need to double our rate of energy efficiency improvements. And while we have to do it for the planet, getting efficiency right can certainly result in significant economic opportunities.

MechChem Africa is endorsed by:

2 ¦ MechChem Africa • November-December 2024

CBAM: a call to action for SA’s metals sector

MCA talks to Dr Zenzile Rasmeni Masipa – Project Manager for skills development, resource efficiency and the circular economy at the National Cleaner Production Centre (NCPC) – about South Africa’s metals industries and the impact of the EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM).

changes necessary to steadily reduce their carbon emissions and thus minimise their CBAM costs.” CBAM requires that exporters of iron, steel and aluminium products fully account for the carbon emissions during production. The legislation aims to prevent what the EU calls ‘carbon-leakage’ where EU companies relocate production to countries with less stringent climate policies, undermining efforts to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions. “CBAM aims to motivate over seas countries to adopt cleaner production strategies by focusing on reducing waste and emissions at the source, improving efficiency and lowering costs. But by tran sitioning and reducing their carbon foot prints, companies can also become more competitive,” adds Masipa. Turning attention to the training offered through the NCPC to the metals and found ry industries she says that the NCPC looks at waste minimisation, energy management and water management, for example, all while also focusing on how to measure the carbon footprint of the operation and how to record and allocate a GHG-emissions’ value to the specific products being ex ported. “We can help to enable companies to monitor their input resources and manage them throughout the production process. So as well as reducing resource usage, which in turn reduces emissions, inefficiency within

the production process is reduced, improv ing profitability,” she says. Energy efficiency has long been a corner stone of reducing emissions and improving sustainability and a number of larger iron, steel and aluminium producers have made strides in this area in recent years. But few in the foundry industry have updated their production processes to take advantage. “They are still using old furnace technology with open gas furnaces. And we encounter

T he National Cleaner Production Centre (NCPC) supports South African manufacturers though technical interventions and skills development in resource efficiency, cleaner production and other circular economy methodologies. Alongside the National Foundry Technology network (NFTN), the programmes have a special focus on the metals and foundry sectors. “We look at the skills we can offer to the foundry industry to help them prepare for changes in global sustainable require ments. We are currently offering courses to help position foundry operators, especially those exporting products, to understand the implications of the EU’s carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM), which is due to be fully applied in January 2026. “CBAM legislation will impose a tax on imports from carbon intensive industries based on their production-related emis sions,” explains Dr Zenzile Rasmeni Masipa. “This will affect all foundry industry castings being exported from South Africa into the EU,” she adds. The legislation is currently in a two-year transition period that will end in December 2025. By that time, South African exporters from sectors covered by CBAM are expected to report accurate greenhouse gas (GHG) embedded emissions data to EU importers. And from January 2026, export ing firms will, depending on the reported emissions, have to buy CBAM certificates at the EU border for CBAM-covered goods – effectively paying an additional product related carbon tax. “Via training and onsite walk-through audits, we are working to capacitate aluminium, iron and steel companies along the value chain so they can better ready themselves for this change: to help them to both comply and to remain competitive,” she says, adding that rather than being a barrier to trading with the EU, CBAM compliance may open up additional opportunities to trade outside of South Africa. “But this depends on companies putting in place the

Hulamin head of environmental sustainability, Hendrik De Villiers, describes Hulamin’s rolling mill initiatives to meet CBAM requirements at the NCPC Sustainable Industries Conference in September. Hulamin exports 22% of its rolled aluminium into the EU.

De Villiers explains that every 10 to 12 t coil exported into Europe from the Hulamin mill must now be categorised into one of 10 CN codes. The exact Scope 1 emissions embedded per ton of metal must also be reported, and Scope 2 emissions for every kWh of electricity used in the production of the coil must also be accounted for.

4 ¦ MechChem Africa • November-December 2024

⎪ Cover story ⎪

operations that still use simple pen and paper recording processes for each pro duction melt,” notes Dr Masipa, adding that managing data using digital systems makes far more sense for producing data for CBAM reports. “In South Africa, we now have less than 100 operating foundries, so it is vital that we assist them in terms of moving towards a just, sustainable and more competitive position,” she notes. Along with the ce ment, aluminium and chemical industries, the foundry industry is likely to face the highest export costs under CBAM if they do not adapt to lower carbon production methods, she adds. Response strategies Broadly speaking, CBAM cost mitigation strategies include investing in cleaner furnace technologies, improving energy effi ciency, exploring renewable energy sources, and engaging in carbon offset projects. Additionally, companies can lobby for sup portive policies that facilitate the transi tion to lower emissions. This process could be assisted by metals companies working together to get a better idea of the exist ing baseline of their carbon footprint. The NCPC is hoping to assist the sector to ad dress this. “Companies can start to prepare by conducting thorough assessments of their carbon emissions. Quick wins, for example, can be as simple as switching melting times to make use of off-peak power, rather than working only during peak demand times,” she points out. She says that internal communication and planning are also important: deter mining how production can be done most efficiently and always striving to use the minimum possible melting times, for ex ample. “Waste management is key, and this simply requires good housekeeping. Foundry operations are often batch-based, so it is vital that the exact quantities of metal and the power required for each melt is accurately calculated and communicated at each and every stage of production. This planning, monitoring and communication can go a long way towards minimising en ergy and material waste,” Masipa explains, suggesting that huge investments are not always required. “As with many energy efficiency and emissions reductions initiatives, the starting point is changing behaviour on the produc tion floor. Simple signs reminding operators to switch off equipment that is not being used, keep furnace doors closed, when possible, and make sure any reusable scrap material is collected and stored for a later melt. Most of these things can be imple

ArcelorMittal steelworks in Saldanha and Vereeniging were among the first plants to record significant energy savings through the NCPC’s industrial energy efficiency project when rising electricity prices threatened the sector in 2012. Continuous improvement in energy management is critical in reducing carbon emissions in the sector.

mented after a single audit/walk-through and they immediately give the foundry practical experience and knowledge on how to start the transition for themselves,” Dr Masipa tells MCA . “In terms of the training we offer, we as sist plant managers to identify these quick wins, she continues. “Beyond this, though, we advise on investments in more sustain able technologies that are better aligned with international standards, furnaces that are better insulated and far more accurately controlled, for example.” Most important for CBAM, though, is to engage in globally acceptable carbon accounting practices, while always looking to adopt cleaner solutions and/or more ef ficient heating solutions. “South Africa has potential advantages with respect to renew able energy, for example, particularly solar and wind energy, which can help to lower net emissions in the sector. Companies that leverage these resources can position them selves favourably under CBAM compared to both rival exporters and EU producers,” Masipa advises. “As well as helping to restore the com petitive advantage of South African export ers, investing in these technologies can help to accelerate the transition to renewable energy across the whole of South Africa, she continues. “Various companies in the steel and cement sectors are already pro actively investing in cleaner technologies, and even exploring carbon capture and stor age solutions. Additionally, some firms are collaborating with research institutions to innovate low-carbon production processes. These companies conduct regular emissions assessments, invest in energy-efficient ma chinery, explore alternative materials, and are developing strategic partnerships to enhance sustainability. They also engage in

pilot projects to test new technologies and processes,” she informs MCA . The NCPC recommends a multifac eted strategic response to CBAM, which includes: • Assessment: Conduct a comprehensive carbon footprint analysis of the plant and its production processes. • Investment: Invest in cleaner pro duction technologies and renewable energy sources. • Collaboration: Form partnerships with stakeholders, including governments and research institutions, to innovate and share best practices. • Advocacy: Engage with policymakers to shape supportive regulations that promote sustainability. • Education: Train staff on sustainable practices and the importance of reduc ing emissions. • Transparency: Communicate efforts and progress in sustainability to all stakeholders to build trust and en hance the company’s global reputation. This strategic approach can help mitigate the impacts of CBAM while positioning companies as leaders in sustainability. “By putting a price on carbon emissions, CBAM is encouraging investments in clean er energy and more circular production technologies, driving a shift in the energy and production landscape. If we in South Af rica respond effectively, it may prove to be a very positive move for the metals industry and the South African Economy as a whole. “Also, though, let us never forget that it is the sustainability of life on Earth that is really at stake. We must reduce our carbon emission and raise our sustainability lev els for our own survival,” Zenzile Masipa concludes. www.ncpc.co.za

November-December 2024 • MechChem Africa ¦ 5

MCA meets Dustin Schiller and Simon Hausknecht, CEOs of SHG Conveyor Control of Germany, the developers of the AI-based Rip Prevent+ conveyor monitoring system now available in South Africa from Tru-Trac Rollers. Tru-Trac adopts Rip Prevent+ conveyor monitoring

“We have developed the Rip Prevent+ sys tem based mostly on analysing the electri cal and performance characteristics of the drive pulley motor: the speed, the voltage, the amps, and the ambient temperature, amongst many others. All of this can be done by adding a small and inexpensive data monitoring unit near the motor controller,” he adds. SHG has developed software that en ables the system to be ‘tuned’ to the specific parameters of each conveyor system: its drum diameter, maximum power, torque and belt length, for example. “We are con tinuously monitoring a lot of data, mostly the electrical parameters. The mix of the data starting from the voltage, amps, Total Harmonic Distortion (THD), Cos Phi and other collected data gives us a specific signature. Other data such as associated the K-factor, the real, apparent and reac tive power, and so on and so forth is also collected and analysed,” continues Simon

Simon Hausknecht (left) and Dustin Schiller (right), developers of the AI-based Rip Prevent+ conveyor monitoring system.

S HG Conveyor Control was started about 18 months ago by Dustin Schiller, a mechanical engineer with experience working in the convey ing industry at Continental, and Simon Hausknecht, an electrical engineer. “We came up with an idea to find a way to moni tor the health of a conveyor without having to use sensitive sensor elements inside belts or remotely mounted across the length of a conveyor,” begins Schiller. They began by looking into rip detection events: “We contacted conveyor belt us ers and asked them to share the historical data they had collected from their systems, particularly for periods that included rip events. We then set out to use AI to analyse this data, collected from traditional condi tion monitoring systems, to see if we could see any early prediction signals for the rip events that had occurred,” he tells MCA . That was our starting point for the devel opment – and it was very successful. Traditional conveyor belt monitoring involves embedding wire loops into the belt that create eddy currents. It is only when the loops get broken that the rip is detected, which often means that the rip has already happened. So it is not usually a prevention system, it can only detect the rip after the event. “Our system is completely new, be cause it does not include any external sensor elements on the belt and we set out to find the root cause of the rip and to stop the belt before the rip occurs,” he continues. “So we did some reverse engineering on a rip event in the loading area of a belt and we quickly found a ‘signature’ pattern in the

data that was uniquely linked to the start of that event,” Dustin Schiller tells MCA , add ing that this signal was not linked to any of the installed sensors on the system.

By predicting the onset of rip events, the innovative Rip Prevent+ system will have a major impact on the reliability and uptime on any operation that uses conveyor belts.

6 ¦ MechChem Africa • November-December 2024

⎪ Maintenance and asset management ⎪

Left: Using data from the electrical systems of the drive pulley motor in AI-based algorithms, the Tru-Trac Rip Prevent+ system can detect the probability of a rip event on any conveyor belt type, enabling operators to intervene before the rip occurs. Right: Rip Prevent+ system was unveiled at Electra Mining Africa, by Tru-Trac.

Hausknecht. “Continuously running in the background is an AI-based algorithm that is looking for specific patterns. When a rock is stuck in the loading area, for example the al gorithm gives us signal that we now know is associated with the beginning of a rip event. This signal was present 24-hours before a rip occurred at a customer in Germany called RPBL. The customer ignored this signal, and they didn't check the conveyor lights. 24 hours later, the belt ripped and the Rip Prevent+ System stopped the conveyor that then had a rip length of just 12 m,” he relates. In another case during the development phase, according to Schiller, a rock was stuck in the chute of the loading area. “In that case the specific patterns was visible in the data four hours before a problem was noticed. But if the customer is not check ing the system for ‘unhealthy’ warnings, then the belt will rip. Now, with our system properly integrated into the belt drive, we are able to automatically stop the conveyor line within 0.2 seconds of detecting a block age, thus preventing the occurrence or a rip and significantly reducing the associated downtime,” he explains. Simon Hausknecht cites a success story for this system on a mine in Australia. “Northern Star Resources is a huge gold mine with five Rip Prevent+ Systems running. 24 hours after having installed Rip Prevent+ on these conveyors, we picked up an event and it stopped the belt immediately. The belt was stopped before any major damage was done and the problem was im mediately resolved. The value of the system was proven by that one incident and this mine is now a very happy customer,” he re-

lates. In terms of costs, traditional belt mon itoring technologies rely on a steel-cored belt, which need a bottom cover of at least 6.0 mm to cover the inductive loop of the belt. This makes the solution very much more expensive. “Our system is suitable for any belt, corded, uncorded or fabric corded, and we only charge for the license and a small amount for the hardware and commissioning,” he adds. Related benefits “While we have started with rip prevention, we are open minded and very excited by a host of other opportunities that the system offers. If a customer has a monitoring need, we invite them to come to us. We will look at the requirements and develop a solutions free of charge, because we believe that, if one site has a problem then that solution will also be useful at other facilities all over the world,” suggests Schiller. “We know for example, that we can use our current system, without modification, to track energy consumptions, the motor condition, the energy efficiency, and the tonnage per hour. We have dashboards for energy efficiency, costs per ton, unproduc tive uptime, and we can measure tonnage across the belt in most cases, to within 2.5% of a belt scale,” he says, adding that in a gravel pit in Austria where the system is operating, SHG is achieving a deviation of just 0.5% compared to the calibrated belt weighing scale. “We are also using the system to check the external electrical network, because poor quality power from the grid can result in drastic problems for electrical motors – high THD values, for example increased the fire risks for electrical components, and

PLCs can be shut down due to these dis turbances,” he says. SHG plans to develop the system more and more, with gearbox monitoring already under development, for example. “We want to bring everything together to help customers identify root cause incidents in all of their critical plant equipment, because analysing data 24/7 at high speed can result in huge customer benefits in terms of incident prevention and uptime,” adds Hausknecht. In another contrast to the modern trend, he says that SHG’s AI-based monitoring system is an offline system that does not depend on The Cloud or an Internet connec tion. “We believe Cloud-based monitoring is the wrong approach for machine level in tervention. IT Security is the most important part and therefore it is necessary to stay offline on the machinery level. “SHG currently has more than 120 Rip Prevent+ systems in operation, and boasts a 100% rip event prevention record, having already detected and prevented 10 belts from ripping on the sites it is servicing. “The Rip Prevent+ system is available to customers across Africa from Tru-Trac, and significantly, there are no upfront capital costs,” Schiller says. “Through Tru-Trac, we offer a customised easy and very rapid service, with a very modest service charge that is easily justified by improved conveyor belt reliability and uptime.” “Over the past three decades, Tru-Trac has built a formidable reputation, extend ing its footprint and sales across Africa and worldwide, and the addition of the Rip Prevent+ system will be a gamechanger in the market,” concludes Jonathan Rogoff, CEO of Tru-Trac. https://tru-trac.com

November-December 2024 • MechChem Africa ¦ 7

Nils-Peter Ahlqvist, Sales Support Manager for Sandvik Rock Processing (SRP) in Africa and LAM, talks about the SAM monitoring system for crushing equipment under SRP’s care. Remote monitoring for rock crushers

T he remote monitoring system for Sandvik Rock Processing’s (SRP’s) crushing equipment is an integral part of the automation and connec tivity system (ACS) of each of its crushers. “The ACS will display the basic alarms should any important parameter be outside of nor mal operation limits. If, for example, the oil temperature is too high, or the pressure is higher because there is some tramp caught in the crusher. This will all be logged here on the ACS screen as an event history,” begins Nils-Peter Ahlqvist. “But all the data the ACS system mea sures as part of normal machine operations is also being fed into our connected remote monitoring system, which we call SAM. What SAM does it is to collect, condense and analyse all the operational data that we have –excluding anything sensitive such as production figures or product sizes. This data is available, but only to onsite manag

ers via their own secure SCADA system,” he continues. Highlighting the SAM visualisation dashboard, he says that SAM presents an overview that summarises machine opera tion, highlighting instantaneous averages of key operational metrics such as average power being consumed, average pressure and, most importantly, the CSS (close side setting), which governs the particle size of material passing though the crusher. “Typically on a mine, the CSS will be fixed to suit downstream screen settings, but this setting needs to be regularly adjusted to compensate for wear,” Ahlqvist notes, adding that this can be automatically done on modern SRP’s cone crushers. Describing how, he says that regular use of the calibration procedure helps the ma chine to learn over time, so that wear rates can be predicted. To calibrate the crusher, the feed is stopped, while crushing continues

until the chamber of the machine is empty of all material. With the crusher now off, the main shaft that drives the gyrating cone is then raised by a hydraulic cylinder until it makes contact with the mantle. This posi tion is reset as the zero CSS point before the hydraulics moves the cone back down to the operating CSS position. “If the wear is constant, then the system can learn how to automatically reset the gap as time passes. This can reduce the calibration frequency and extend continu ous running times, but there is always going to be some inconsistency, so calibration will

The remote monitoring system for Sandvik Rock Processing’s crushing equipment is an integral part of the automation and connectivity system (ACS) of each of its crushers.

8 ¦ MechChem Africa • November-December 2024

⎪ Maintenance and asset management ⎪

still have to be done from time to time,” he points out. “With SAM, though, there is a lot more we can look into to pick up operational changes and/or problems,” he continues, opening another data tracking dashboard of four critical crushing parameters: the CSS, the return oil temperature, the average mo tor power and the average hydraulic pres sure. “Here you can see there is something happening,” he says pointing to a period where the CSS suddenly went from oper ating at 16 mm to opening up. “Something must have happened,” he notes. Digging into the data, Ahlqvist looks for any alarms between 5:00 and 7:00 am on September 3. “Here you see there was an alarm. The main motor stopped with mate rial in the chamber. So there was a blockage of some sort. The procedure for restarting the machine is also suggested as part of the alarm. In this case, the feed must be stopped so that the cone can be dropped to the fully open CSS position. Then, if there is nothing obvious still wedged between the cone and the shell, the motor can be started at slow speed to empty the chamber,” he tells MCA . Moving back to the operational dash board, he points out that this procedure was followed: when the motor was shut down, the CSS was opened and, when the motor was started again, the CSS was slowly brought back to its operating setpoint. “What we tend to strive towards from an operating perspective is longer periods of trouble free operation with very few stoppages. And often the problem is not with the crusher, but in the feed conveyor. So SAM offers operators an insight into how to change its production parameters to better suit the crusher, which is often the bottleneck for the whole processing circuit,” he adds. “An alarm of this type might take about five minutes to clear, but if you get 10 of those alarms per day, a lot of crushing min utes are wasted. By looking at the statistics behind the alarms, operators can start learning how to minimise the number of these alarms: by spending a little more time optimising the crusher settings and those of the conveyor feeding material into it. “We also measure all temperatures for the lubrication system, and so on, so if the machine starts to run a dangerously high oil temperature, a similar alarm will warn of the consequences and suggest remedial action. And if any of the critical machine parameters we are measuring indicates that damage to the machine is likely, the machine will be automatically shut down so that remedial action can be taken,” concludes Nils-Peter Ahlqvist. www.home.sandvik

SAM offers operators insight into how to change production parameters to better suit the crusher, which is often the bottleneck for the whole processing circuit.

An operator in the control room at a mine site.

All the data the ACS system measures as part of normal machine operations is also being fed into SAM, SRP’s remote monitoring system.

November-December 2024 • MechChem Africa ¦ 9

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⎪ Maintenance and asset management ⎪

Lower TCO from OEM maintenance

Building on its extensive footprint of equipment, Weir works with customers to transition from reactive to prescriptive maintenance approaches to improve plant availability. Grant Potgieter explains.

see if a customer is ordering components more frequently than they should be – suggesting that there is wear taking place.” Technicians from Weir can then visit the site and examine the conditions more closely as part of a root cause analysis. This is most effectively done with a multidisciplinary team including process engineers and mechanical experts, to identify first-hand what the chal lenge is, and how best to address it. Potgieter highlights the role of accurate measurement of equipment performance and condition, pointing to the fact that this is not always constant when conducted manually. To provide a platform that would overcome hu man error, Weir offers its own digital platform to harvest data continuously, accurately and objectively. “It is significant that we developed our own system to do this, as we understand our equipment solutions better than anyone,” he explains. “Our digital platform allows us not only to gather and process the data from our equipment, but also generates recom mendations which identify the actual cause of anomalies.” As an example, if a sensor transmits a certain vibration signature from an item of equipment, a trained Weir Minerals condition monitoring expert will be able to verify system notifications. While technology could be one part of the solution, he says, good communication is also crucial. To avoid any lack of communication through people working in silos, Weir arranges monthly quality meetings with customers – to ensure that all stakeholders are on board. “This has proved to be a valuable way of getting all players involved and committed to the solutions that are agreed,” he says. “In

this round table environment, everybody can be allocated a clear role, with tasks and responsibilities agreed in a transparent and accountable manner.” This format also brings in all the necessary disciplines – from electrical and instrumenta tion through to mechanical and process – to reflect on the proposed solutions and ensure that the one selected is optimal. “The key performance indicator that is shared by everyone in these meetings is cost optimisation, so this is really our focus with our discussion and solution,” he says. “We look holistically at safety, value and technology to ensure that whatever is spent on an interven tion helps to lower the total cost of ownership.” This often involves considerable change management, says Potgieter, as long term maintenance strategies may require mine per sonnel to adjust their procedures. Recognised for its expertise in its aftermarket services, Weir is frequently engaged by its customers to work on strategic shifts in their operat ing practices to optimise aspects such as equipment turnaround time and costs of refurbishment. “We collaborate with customers as they adjust their own maintenance strategies,” he says. “To optimise the maintenance of rotable parts, for instance, we are able to provide ser vice exchange units at regular intervals, as the customer removes a unit from service after a predetermined time.” This avoids the higher cost of running a unit to failure before repairing, and reduces the risk of any unscheduled maintenance for breakdowns. As the OEM, Weir is then also able to refurbish equipment to their original standard, and offer the appropriate warranty. www.global.weir

A chieving the best return on their plant investment is a primary goal for mines, and partnering with OEMs like Weir is a strategic way to enhance equipment performance while reducing the total cost of ownership. The company is at the forefront of helping mines transition from reactive to prescriptive main tenance approaches, ensuring sustainable and safe operations through the optimisation of technology and equipment. “We have an extensive footprint of equip ment around Africa, and focus on adding fur ther value to these assets through the correct maintenance strategy,” says Grant Potgieter, Strategic Services Manager at Weir. “This means a constant monitoring process, where we can track performance while looking for opportunities to raise our customers’ plant availability for greater productivity.” Plant monitoring will invariably include a regular wear analysis of components, to moni tor whether such wear is in line with expecta tions, explains Potgieter, as well as to predict future wear and component life. Analysing this wear, however, involves a considerable amount of data from the plant operation itself, such as ore characteristics and throughput. “Here it is important to remember that each site will have its own variables, so it is not possible to apply a standard template without understanding the specific plant,” he says. “Operating conditions may also change over time, so the assessment requires close collaboration between our team and the plant personnel on the mine.” This allows a foundation of data to be established, on which to base the relevant corrective action, whether this is through technology, training or other interventions. Such action may be initially prompted by data that Weir picks up in its procurement process. “Our years of experience in this market, and our careful documentation of component wear life, including historical and process information, allows us to estimate how long a certain component will last under predefined conditions,” he says. “By generating strategic reports from our procurement system, we can

Weir collaborates with their customers to optimise their maintenance strategies.

November-December 2024 • MechChem Africa ¦ 11

Engineered dewatering for emerging markets

Jonathan Höll, Xylem’s African product manager for dewatering, talks about the company’s dewatering pump range, most notably the Godwin BD 150 Dri-Prime ® Pump, which has been re-engineered for mining, industrial and utility dewatering in emerging markets.

watering demands in Africa. “The diesel driven portable version is powered by a 3 or 6-cylinder Kirloskar en gine from India, but electric motor and other engine options are also available. The Venturi prime version (BD150T) can offer flow rates of up to 500 m 3 /hr or heads of up to 42 m,” he says. “They are also very flexible. The impellers can be very easily changed from a two blade impeller designed to handle slurries and solid particles, to a more efficient three blade ver sion designed for clearwater applications,” Höll tells MCA . These features make the Godwin BD150 ideal for maintaining slimes dams, mine water ponds and wastewater dams and all kinds, or for dewatering mine pits or quarries. “They can be trailer mounted or fitted onto skids for easy transportation. We can put them onto floating pontoons for dredging and we can even supply electric-powered versions for more permanent dewatering requirements,” he says, adding that Xylem is able to offer a full dewatering service for clients needing a

re-engineered to suit the rigours of emerging markets. “These pumps have 150 mm suction and discharge pipe diameters and are designed to deliver steady and con tinuous flow. “They can handle solid particles of up to 75 mm and slurry densities of up to 1.2 SG,” he says, making this pump suitable for decanting dirty water with suspended solids. “The Godwin BD150 Dri-Prime ® Pump is our regions newly developed champion,” Höll continues. The whole system has been redesigned so that it can deliver efficiently, cost effectively and, in our rugged markets, much more reliably,” he notes. Designed as an on shore pump, the re designed BD150 includes fully automatic dry priming with 8.5 m of suction lift. Two self-priming options are available, including a vacuum pump option or a venturi priming sys tem driven off an air compressor. Innovative, simple and robust construction from corro sion resistant materials and abrasion resistant silicon carbide faces ensure reliability, while ease of handling and simplified servicing makes these units ideal for the rigorous de

A s Xylem’s product manager for de watering, Jonathan Höll is respon sible for the full dewatering range, from submersibles and wastewater slurry pumps to diesel driven self-priming portable pumps capable of high head or high flow applications for dewatering or dredg ing. “We can offer solutions from numerous pump brands, Xylem Flygt submersibles and slimline Flygt pumps for general dewatering; and the Godwin basic dewatering (BD-series) portable self-priming pumps, to name but a few,” Höll tells MCA . “The range of dewatering slurry pumps goes up to 70 kW on standard units, but we can also offer much larger ones based on the 5570-series that can tackle duties of up to 215 kW,” he adds. Turning attention to the new Godwin BD150, he says this pump has recently been completely

The new Godwin BD150 has been completely re-engineered to suit the rigours of emerging markets.

12 ¦ MechChem Africa • November-December 2024

⎪ Water, wastewater and pumping solutions ⎪

short term emergency solutions or a perma nent installation.

Submersible dewatering solutions Pointing to the range of range of Xylem Flygt submersible dewatering pumps, Höll says that these now come in a 2600 slimline range, which goes up to 18 kW, as well as well as the traditional 2800 series side discharge sub mersibles. “The slimline range discharged in the vertical plane from the top with the suction below. It is designed for dropping into a flood ed area such as mine shaft and left to dewater the area. They have an enormous number of uses such as draining flooded stormwater through manholes, but the slimline range is particularly suited to the constrained spaces we find in mining applications,” says Höll, adding that side-discharge Flygt dewatering pumps in the 2800 series tend to have a lower centre of gravity and a heavier base, so they are less likely to topple. The two ranges use exactly the same hy draulics, though, with the same motors and interchangeable impellers. And like all Flygt submersible dewatering pumps, they come with an IP68 rating, which means they're fully sealed and protected against water and particulate ingress. Single plug mechanical seals are now used between the impeller on the wet-end of the pump and the motor chamber, and the stator of the motor is surrounded by a water-jacket to allow the water being pumped is be used for cooling. “It is not necessary to have the pump fully submerged for adequate cooling, though, and even if the pumps run dry for an extended period, the thermal protection module that is standard with all of these pumps will trip automatically – and once it cools down, it will restart again,” he points out, adding that the pumps are also fitted with an air release valves to expel any heat trapped in the casing, which aids in keeping the motor cool when dry-running occurs. The position of the power cabling coming down from the surface has also been shifted on the new versions of these pumps to sit just behind the discharge pipe. “This is a just as a bit of additional safety to prevent any damage to the cable should the pump topple over,” Höll adds. Depending on the head and flow require ments of the applications, Xylem can offer SH (super high head), HT (high head) and MT (medium head) versions of both the slimline 2600 and side discharge 2800 submersibles – and B (wear resistant) and K (open) impel lers are also available. And to suite the most robust applications, Xylem Hard-Iron™ im pellers (60 HRC) and suction covers reduce wear and increases uptime, while the unique closed impeller design and suction cover with Dura-Spin™ grooves work together to sweep

Left: With the ability to interchange between the 2-bladed BD150T impeller for solids handling and the more efficient 3-bladed BD150C impeller for clean water applications, the BD150 offers two pump application options. Right: The BD150 includes fully automatic dry priming with 8.5 m of suction lift. Two self-priming options are available, including a vacuum pump option or a venturi priming system driven off an air compressor.

abrasive particles away from the impeller neck. In addition, a patented design called Spin-Out™ extends service life by expelling abrasive particles away from the seal.

“With mines going deeper and deeper, dewa tering needs are becoming ever more chal lenging. Multistage pumps on the surface can sometimes handle these depths, but they are mostly designed for clear water and they tend to experience suction lift limitations. Being submersible, the new multi-stage Flygt 2450 can sit below the water level and pump water up to an underground reservoir hundreds of meters above it. From there, an other multistage submersible can pump the water another 300 m, and so on,” he explains. “Xylem brands are well-known for their performance, quality and reliability. If you want your pumps to run at optimal efficiency, we offer the guarantees of a global OEM, along with the very best aftersales support. “When it comes to dewatering, we have the products, the expertise and people on the ground to make a difference,” concludes Jonathan Höll. www.xylem.com/en-za

Xylem’s new 2450 multistage pump

Also very new to Xylem Africa and not yet launched in the Africa region – a full launch is planned for April or May next year – is the new three-stage Flygt 2450, a high-head submersible that is ideal for underground mine dewatering. “We have long had a two stage version of this pump, the 2400, but we have now extended the performance of this range by adding and additional stage, which takes the pressure head capability up another notch,” he explains. The extra stage and the bigger motor pushes the total pressure rating up by a further 10 bar compared to our two-stage version, which takes the 2450 pump to 300 m of lift.

Pointing to the range of range of Xylem Flygt submersible dewatering pumps, Höll says that these now come in a 2600 slimline range, which goes up to 18 kW, as well as well as the traditional 2800 series side discharge submersibles.

November-December 2024 • MechChem Africa ¦ 13

⎪ Water, wastewater and pumping solutions ⎪

In the hot climates of African cities, engineers have long grappled with the daunting task of accurately measuring liquid levels, which is a critical aspect for ensuring dependable water supplies from municipalities and fuel supplies for power generation.This article highlights how the newly released VEGAPULS 6X radar level sensors can help. VEGAPULS: the easy way to adopt smart technology

A geing instrumentation is prone to errors and frequent breakdowns, making effective water manage ment seem almost impossible. A new wave of smart technologies has emerged from VEGA Instruments, however, that could have a revolutionary impact on the efficiency and dependability of municipal services. In Africa, municipalities encounter sig nificant challenges regarding water scarcity and management. Precisely measuring and monitoring water resources is vital to prevent waste and ensure equitable distribution. Traditional methods often fall short due to inaccuracies and the inability to provide real time data of high quality. VEGA is known for its long history of in novation and is recognised as a global leader in measurement technology. Dedicated to precision and reliability, its customised solu tions have had a positive impact on businesses worldwide, improving processes, efficiency and quality standards. VEGA sensors and instruments are setting new benchmarks in ac curacy, durability and performance, driven by

The VEGAPULS 6X is a universal sensor for continuous level measurement of liquids and bulk solids under all process conditions.

a commitment to excellence. The VEGAPULS level sensors are widely recognised as a lead ing smart-technology enabled radar level sensor, designed for accurate and fail-safe bulk liquid measurement. Its innovative technology offers unparalleled precision, providing ac curate readings regardless of environmental conditions. By offering real-time data, the VEGAPULS range helps municipalities manage water resources more efficiently, reducing wast age and enhancing service delivery. As a bonus, it minimises maintenance needs, saving municipalities both time and money. Power generation utilities also encounter significant obstacles in their sector, espe cially in effectively managing and optimising power generation and distribution. Accurately measuring liquid fuel levels in power plants is necessary to ensure seamless operations and to prevent costly disruptions. Conventional measuring devices often struggle with reli ability, resulting in inefficiencies and potential safety risks that can be both expensive and life-threatening.

The new VEGAPULS 6X provides a compre hensive solution. Its advanced radar technol ogy enables highly accurate and reliable level measurements, even in challenging conditions such as extreme temperatures or high dust environments. This reliability ensures that providers can sustain consistent energy pro duction, decreasing downtime and enhancing overall efficiency. Benefits of smart measurement The introduction of advanced technologies such as the VEGAPULS 6X bring numerous important advantages for African municipali ties. The primary benefits lies in the enhanced accuracy and reliability of the measurements. The VEGAPULS 6X provides precise data, facilitating improved decision-making and resource management. Secondly, its real-time data capabilities enable prompt responses to any issues, averting potential escalation of problems. The durability and low maintenance re quirements of these sensors translates into municipalities allocating resources more effectively, focusing on service improvement rather than constant equipment repairs. The integration of smart technologies is a critical step towards more sustainable and efficient municipal services. When using a VEGAPULS 6X, the engineer no longer has to worry about the accuracy of data received from the level sensors at a reservoir. The smart technologies incorporated into these instruments ensure that daily operations are transformed, equip ping the utility with the necessary tools to en sure a consistent water supply for residents. This instrumentation technological not only tackles the challenges faced by utility service providers but also sets the stage for a more sustainable future. For those seeking to start using smart technologies to enhance service delivery for municipal water or power providers, the easy to install and use VEGAPULS 6X instruments are an ideal. www.vega.com/en-za

Left: For those seeking to start using smart technologies to enhance service delivery for municipal water or power providers, the easy to install and use VEGAPULS 6X instruments are ideal. Right: Due to its application-oriented configuration and setup, VEGAPULS 6X offers a reliable and economical solution for all level applications.

November-December 2024 • MechChem Africa ¦ 15