Category: Minesite Power

When a crucial machine or equipment breaks down on-site, the potential impact is worth millions of dollars in revenue to a well-run mining operation. The sudden, unexpected halting of production puts the mine site team on the critical path to getting repairs or replacements done in as short a time as possible. Downtime equals loss. Reliability, durability and safety are paramount. In the most remote, high-risk and harshest environments in Australia, all machinery and equipment at mine sites must perform 100% of the time. Power and lighting are vital to these 24/7 operations. The Australian Mining Review spoke to PowerLink Australia Sales Director, Sidney Ji, and Lighting Tower Product Manager, John Mikic, to learn how the company’s range of gensets…

BEARING reliability is a crucial component of productivity and uptime in expensive machinery and plant throughout industries such as mining, manufacturing, bulk handling and primary production.   If a bearing fails, production can grind to a halt.  Bearing failures can be caused by a number of factors, including:  Fatigue, which can occur naturally over time, but also occurs prematurely if the incorrect bearing is chosen for the task.  Incorrect installation or mounting, which can lead to significantly higher wear and tear and ultimately premature failure.  Examples include misalignment, incorrect fits – too loose or too tight, out-of-roundness in shafts or housings.  About 25% of bearing failures occur because of incorrect mounting.  Lubrication problems, which can occur if too little, too much or…

AUSTRALIA is the largest gas exporter in the world, and when the market asked for a sub-4L reliable engine to power the gas well heads, Kubota’s engineers set to work to develop a spark ignition natural gas engine. Kubota Australia OEM engine application engineer Alex Pedemont said the new WG series engines have the DNA of a diesel engine. “Based on diesel engine derivatives, the WG range share the Kubota diesel engine block, premium timing gear train cam and valve systems and cast-iron cylinder heads,” Mr Pedemont said. “The WG range is built stronger than its automotive counterpart and the feature that really makes it stand out is the coil-on-plug ignition system. “The automotive system is a distributor where you…

An arc flash can be many thousands of degrees and cause injuries from minor burns through to severe lacerations and even blindness. Image: Shutterstock. AN arc fault can be spontaneous, due to a breakdown of the conductors phase to phase or phase to neutral; ground or inadvertently bridging electrical phases; or contacts with a conductive object. The result is a sudden release of electrical energy (incident energy) through the air and a massive electrical explosion. The arc flash is the blinding light and intense heat that can result. In the arc it could be many thousands of degrees in temperature more than four times hotter than the surface of the sun, and in the plasma cloud (ionised gas) that erupts,…

BLUE Diamond is a leading, privately-owned equipment distributor with its head office in Kewdale, Perth. The company’s core products are diesel generators, diesel air compressors and lighting towers. Standard mine spec generators through to highly customised set-ups are available with customised synchronisation and low noise level, plus hybrid sets with solar and battery options. Blue Diamond director Justin Pitts said the company has customised containerised generator sets for the RAAF, as well as completing customised mine spec Denyo generators for Sino Iron Ore, Anglo Gold, Rio Tinto, and FMG. “Our highly skilled and flexible team will deliver the right outcome at the right price,” Mr Pitts said. “We offer the highly personalised service that you would expect from a leading…

RENEWABLE energy is an essential end goal for any responsible corporate citizen but until recently alternate energy systems have struggled to fully replace grid or diesel/LNG generated electricity. The SolarGEM system from Sequentia Services, in Queensland, provides a proven and reliable solution for remote power generation, delivering flexible and relocatable renewable energy from a hybrid power station. Containment policy The foundation of the SolarGEM system is the container-mounted integrated photovoltaic (PV) system, which includes an inverter, an AC distribution board, communications and fire protection. A total of 200 PV panels, mounted on 40 hinged frames, concertina into a single 20-foot container. When the side doors of the container are opened a pair of tracks are withdrawn and set up on…

THE days of running a single, large genset to power an entire camp or processing plant are long gone. Using clever controllers to manage and synchronise a number of smaller generators saves not only upfront capital costs but also ongoing operating costs. The fuel savings alone, enjoyed by adopters of this technology, have been between $1-2m per year. Genset Hire and Sales Australia (GHASA) is a WA company with more than 40 years’ experience in remote power generation. In that time, it has been instrumental in developing power installations that do away with a single large generator and instead utilises several smaller generators with the same total output. The benefits of this system are manifold and impact directly on the…

ENERGY Power Systems Australia (EPSA) undertakes the fast mobilisation, set-up and commissioning of power stations across Australia. Business development manager Terry Knott said rapid deployment was important because it reduces risk of delays or shutdowns, therefore decreasing the potential costs involved in lost operational days. EPSA is the trusted advisor for multi-megawatt rapid deployment power stations. They combine all internal capabilities to ensure mines stay fully operational. The services EPSA provide include electrical engineering, onsite technicians, logistics support and operations. EPSA’s deployment capability has resulted in responsive deployment of power stations around Australia. Mr Knott said that in November 2017, a mining customer suffered a mechanical tap changer fault that caused one of its main transformers to explode. The loss…

POWER reliability is vital for mining operations and with a wide range of compact generators available, Kubota has a solution for almost every application. From 5.5kVA through to 30kVA, Kubota GL and SQ series diesel generators are powered by genuine Kubota engines and renowned worldwide for their superior reliability and long service life. The Kubota GL and SQ series diesel generators are built to withstand Australia’s tough conditions, easy to transport and maintain, and are safer and quieter to use – which is ideal for the mining industry. With back-up power you can trust for off-grid energy mining operations, Kubota cazn be relied upon when unexpected power outages hit or the off-grid solar system lets you down. The GL series…