Modern Mining June 2018

POWER SUPPLY AND ENERGY EFFICIENCY

Above: A view of part of the JB Switchgear factory. Above right: Mining-type outdoor kiosks in production. Right: A 3D drawing of the Syama gold mine containerised substation. JBSS operates a robust in-house training pro- gramme, as well as an enterprise development programme designed to assist new start-ups (who can then partner with JBSS). As its name suggests, JBSS specialises in the design, manufacture and supply of switchgear solutions but its product offering is in fact far broader. It includes containerised and pre- fabricated substations (also called E-houses), distribution boards, motor control centres (MCCs), diesel gensets, standard or special enclosures, field isolators, VSDs and marshal- ling panels, with all products being designed to withstand the arduous conditions encountered in mining. In response to industry demand, the company has positioned itself over the past several years as a supplier of turnkey electrical ‘total solutions’. A project which was recently completed which exemplifies its skills and broad prod- uct range was the supply of a comprehensive range of low voltage switchgear assemblies for the new Liqhobong diamond mine of Firestone Diamonds in the highlands of Lesotho. The contract, awarded by projects company DRA Global, saw JBSS’s containerised MCCs, out- door kiosks, distribution boards, PLC panels, remote I/O boxes, field isolators and junction boxes installed at the mine. Some of the MCCs were skid-mounted to facilitate mobility on the mine site. The electrical equipment was provided by Rockwell Automation and the communica- tion protocol was Ethernet. Starter sizes ranged from 0,55 kW up to 200 kW, with an operational

voltage of 525 V and a fault level of 50 kA. JBSS supplied its highly-regarded and popu- lar ‘Eagle Series’ of MCCs. This design carries comprehensive type test certification for com- pliance with IEC 61439-2 and IEC TR 61641. Basson says that around 31 000 tiers of this robust and user-friendly design have been installed at sites in Africa and overseas. The company enjoys challenges and another recent contract saw it assisting with the design, manufacturing and supply of a new 525 V pit dewatering MCC for Foskor’s operations in Phalaborwa. The existing motor control centre was damaged during blasting operations and it was critically urgent to get a new MCC manu- factured without any delay. JBSS responded by building the newMCC in a record time of two weeks, with the unit con- sisting of a 1 000 A incomer and three 350 kW DOL pump starters, two of them for duty pumps and the third as a standby unit. The system is mounted on a skid and can be moved around the pit as required. Photos courtesy of JB Switchgear Solutions

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June 2018  MODERN MINING  35