Modern Mining April 2018

feature MODULAR PLANTS

Choosing the right mobile substation for a project

maintain the structural framework of the origi- nal container with modifications to mainly the interior floor, walls, ceiling and doors. With minimal steel fabrication required and the convenient sizing of this option, the standard containerised substation is by far the most cost- effective option as it requires the least amount of labour intensive fabrication and is particu- larly easy to transport in comparison to an E-House or a modular substation. An E-House (‘Electrical House’) is typically a fully custom-built, prefabricated construction that is designed to suit a specific

With the increasing demand for modular plants and remov- able mining equipment, Boksburg-based MCA Projects, part of the MCA Group, has seen a rising demand for modular removable mobile or modular substations. In this article, Brian Teeling, who runs MCA Projects, looks at the pros and cons of the various mobile substation options.

M obile substations can be cate- gorised or identified in three different ways – there is the standard containerised sub- station, the E-House and the modular substation. The containerised substation , probably the most popular version of the mobile substa- tion, typically consists of a standard 12 or 6 m shipping container that has either been used once (‘a once used’ is the term that normally describes a brand new shipping container) or is a second-hand shipping container that has been customised to suit the specific require- ment of an electrical substation. Standard containerised substations generally

Right: Cutaway view of an E-House.

Below: A typical E-House. These are generally fully custom built and of prefab- ricated construction.

42  MODERN MINING  April 2018