Coal Age

MAR 2014

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The decision to replace the existing diesel- driven compressors with Atlas Copco electri- cally powered screw compressors at the Unity mine in Neath Valley, South Wales, has resulted in significant benefits in terms of process efficiency, energy use and reduced environmental impact. The Australian mine, which re-opened in 2008, is now in the pro- cess of moving to full production of approxi- mately 1 million tons per year or more. After the mine's re-opening, manage- ment focused on the reliability and effi- ciency of production equipment. Duncan Kilbride, director of projects and procure- ment at the Unity mine, said, "The initial plan for the mine's workings were based on the [room-and-pillar] extraction meth- ods that employ a continuous miner and secure the work with roof bolting, as opposed to arched roadways. This process requires air-driven equipment fed by a reliable continuous supply of compressed air. We also operate pumps on a perma- nent basis to remove water." Air for these operations was supplied originally from a number of small, rented diesel-driven compressors, but there was growing concern with their mechanical reliability and the risks of any break in the regular supply of diesel fuel. This depen- dency issue, coupled with increasing rental and fuel costs, made it evident that replacement with more energy and cost- efficient compressors was essential. The new compressor installation will lower energy costs for the mine dramati- cally. "We invited tenders for the system and Atlas Copco came up trumps as a one- stop shop solution for the compressors, filtration units, controller and compressor house installation. They scored as a world- leading specialist offering long-term options on a range of packages best suited to our needs within the required timescale plus an ongoing support organization," Kilbride said. Two oil-lubricated, air-cooled, full-fea- ture GA110 variable speed drive screw compressors were installed together with a companion fixed-speed version machine. It has been calculated that ener- gy savings in the region of $22,000 per year are achievable, in addition to substantial savings in equipment rental costs. These Atlas Copco compressors provide base load and back-up peak 7-bar air to the drilling and roof bolting equipment, and the water pumps. www.atlascopco.com Wearable Technology Motion Metrics announced that it has hired Vandrico Solutions, a wearable tech- nology development company, to co- develop wearable device applications for mining operations. The company believes that wearable technology presents an opportunity to improve safety, connectivi- ty, and productivity in ways never before possible for the mining industry. While the concept of wearable technol- ogy is still new to many, it has emerged as the next big consumer electronics trend and is expected to reach 10 million units of sales in 2014. Wearable devices enable delivery of real-time notifications that immediately capture users' attention, wherever they are. This allows each user to interact with the device in an intuitive and hands-free manner, which is ideal for the industrial workplace. The first objective of this project is to integrate heads-up display technology, such as Google Glass, into the Met- ricsManager product line. This will bring most recent measurement results and potential safety warnings and/or alarms from mining shovels, loaders, conveyor belts, and portable sensing devices at the site directly to the attention of the users who need them most. www.MotionMetrics.com Portable DEF Delivery Solution To meet new emission standards, all manu- facturers of high-horsepower diesel engines will include the use of diesel exhaust fluid (DEF). With that comes challenges, notably the need for a clean and convenient way to get DEF to machinery in off-road applica- tions. Thunder Creek recently unveiled a new, portable solution for handling DEF that will fit in a standard truck bed. The sys- tem maintains the purity of the easily con- 50 www.coalage.com March 2014 p r o d u c t n e w s Compressors Play Major Role in South Wales Coal Mine Two GA110 variable speed screw compressors replaced several diesel-powered units. CA_pg50-52_V2_CA_pg46-47 3/12/14 8:41 AM Page 50

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