Mechanical Technology August 2015

⎪ Products and services ⎪

IGBT mine traction battery chargers

second rate charge more rapidly. This technology, which prevents over-charging often associated with conventional bat- tery chargers, ensures reduced charging times and lower power consumption. By reducing the charge current once DV/DT is reached, batteries are also charged at a significantly lower temperature.” With an improved power factor of 0,8 and maximum input current reduced from 42 A to 32 A, these energy efficient battery chargers offer power savings of up to 10 kVA at maximum output current. For the efficient management of mine traction batteries, Becker Mining’s robust chargers have an integrated power line communication (PLC) identification system, which automatically logs the serial number, as well as the charge history related to that specific battery. The chargers are also equipped with Wi-Fi to facilitate future downloading of data, errors and the charge history of each battery, for viewing or analysis on the surface. www.za.becker-mining.com tem with digital readout capability that indicates the hoist’s load range limiting features. In addition, an advanced elec- tro-mechanical braking system ensures minimum impact on the gearing when the motor stops and acts as an additional safety mechanism, stopping automati- cally if the power fails and preventing the load from running. The Tusker low headroom hoist is available in working load limits from 3.2 t up to 12.5 t and uses standard steel wire rope, which is available ex-stock from the distribution network of parent company, Torre Lifting Solutions. www.elephantlifting.co.za

Becker Mining South Africa’s recently launched IGBT mine traction battery chargers have been designed to charge underground traction batteries in the shortest possible time, at the lowest

Equipment managing director, Grant Walton says. Another unique feature is that the hook can be retracted into the body of the hoist, further eliminating wasted headroom. The unit is extremely com- petitively priced and is driven by an energy efficient motor, resulting in reduced energy consumption. It is sup- plied standard with a soft starter, which reduces swaying, and it is equipped with overload protection to meet OHS Act legislative requirements. Simple to install and maintain, the Tusker Low Headroom hoist is designed to accommodate a wireless remote sys- ate a given machine or piece of equipment by validating his fingerprint on the scanning device on the machine. This same level of control can be applied underground in other control environments, such as access to explosive magazines and underground substations. Booyco Electronics has an established reputation in the mining sector for engineer- ing fit-for-purpose monitoring and controls systems that assist companies to maintain optimum safety under all operating condi- tions. www.booyco-electronics.co.za possible temperature, to ensure optimum battery performance. “The most common causes of battery failure and reduced service life are associ- ated with incorrect charging techniques,” says Andrew Trentelman, senior general manager: electronics, Becker Mining South Africa. “Becker Mining’s new IGBT mine traction battery chargers, which utilise insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) technology for quick on and off switching, are more efficient and cost effective than conventional transductor controlled, oil-cooled traction battery chargers. “These IGBT battery chargers are lightweight air cooled units, which are controlled by an intelligent microproces- sor circuit that acts as the main control computer, responsible for the logging, charge functions and controls. “Becker Mining’s new chargers utilise Delta Volts/Delta Time (DV/DT) for the precise detection of a battery’s gassing stage so the charger can terminate the

Becker Mining South Africa’s recently launched IGBT mine traction battery chargers have been designed to charge underground traction batteries in the shortest pos- sible time, at the lowest possible temperature, to ensure optimum battery.

Low headroom hoist for confined spaces

The ultra-compact Tusker low headroom, steel wire rope hoist, one of the newest additions to the Elephant Lifting Equip- ment range, is suitable for lifting in areas where height restrictions or confined spaces are an issue. This lightweight hoist’s design allows it to be run on a smaller beam, without compromising lifting capacity. The new hoist has its crawl motor and hoist mo- tor balanced on either side of the beam, an innovative engineering design that sees the reeving system mounted in the centre of the unit. “This has resulted in a gain of 600 mm, further reducing the space requirement,” Elephant Lifting

Biometric control system attracts widespread interest Booyco Electronics’ biometric control sys- tem was developed specifically for the local operating environment and uses fingerprints to authenticate licensed machine operators. Personalised smart cards, which store individual operator’s fingerprints and other relevant data such as licensed capabilities and expiry dates, provide the ideal solution for allowing controlled access to moveable items such as earthmoving and mining equipment, blasting boxes and carts, as well as conveyor starter panels. An operator gains access to and can oper-

The ultra- compact Tusker low headroom hoist is reputed to be the lowest headroom hoist available on the market.

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Mechanical Technology — August 2015