Water is current in all places in mining and its control varies in accordance with its position in the mining processes. In a current in-depth article by pumps main KSB, the corporate outlines how this in flip influences the selection of applied sciences utilized in pumping water. “Alongside the safe supply and recovery of process water is the problem of removing floor water. Process water and groundwater comprise abrasive and corrosive parts in various portions which have an opposed have an effect on on pump efficiency and life. Working circumstances, distant places, various temperature ranges and the lack of electrical power are additionally extremely influential components.”
The copper mines in Chile and the iron ore mines in Western Australia may be many 1000’s of miles apart, but these mining operations nonetheless require dewatering and the protected disposal of doubtless contaminated water. “The similar can be stated of the coal mines of Mozambique and the silver mines of Mexico. What all of them have in common is a requirement for environment friendly and efficient water and slurry pumps. Well-matched solutions assist to maximize the longevity and efficiency of the system and likewise optimise cost-performance ratios, all attributes fulfilled by KSB’s Hard Rock Mining Division.”
The changing face of mining
The seek for more rare and precious minerals and metals has opened up mining in nations and places the place previously the trade was small scale or non-existent. Consequently, mining corporations and tools manufacturers have had to develop new techniques and merchandise. And with the major mining firms having operations in plenty of international locations, turning into a most well-liked tools supplier is crucial. “The dewatering market is slowly shifting from a pure CAPEX perspective to an increasingly OPEX perspective,” reviews Brett Lewis, Mining Manager at KSB Australia. “This is very true for the massive mines that understand that poorly designed equipment that frequently fails, causes a major increase in alternative and servicing cost. Some mining firms are actually committing to a carbon impartial goal in the subsequent 20 to 30 years, so are focussing on excessive effectivity tools. They wish to phase out diesel reliance by connecting most bores to their native electrical grid.”
KSB says it’s conscious that mining companies are recording pump performance and are accumulating information to match brands and higher rank their qualities or deficiencies. “This is nice information for KSB as the corporate is dedicated to delivering high reliability and effectivity pumps, so helping to scale back the carbon footprint of mining dewatering operations.
Is there a ‘one-fits-all’ pump solution?
KSB says the answer to this could be a resounding ‘no’, but “by sharing experiences between offices and in addition frequently working with the identical worldwide mining companies, KSB has been able to develop appropriate options. KSB’s involvement within the iron ore industries in Brazil and Australia show two completely different approaches to dewatering, both using vertical multi-stage pumps.”
In Brazil’s Minas Gerais State open pit iron ore mines extreme floor water, monsoons and underground lakes are issues. To maintain continuous production water needs to be pumped to a dewatering lake which has a dynamic water degree that have to be raised two or three times a 12 months. KSB Brazil’s answer is a floating station fitted with KSB vertical turbine B pumps positioned over a pontoon (Fig.1). The pontoon rises and falls with modifications in the water level so there isn’t any need for the pumps to be repositioned. This ends in cost-savings to the client. After 20 successful years it has become the standard for this sort of gear in South America.
“The floating station supporting the pumps over the pontoon delivers the circulate rate requested by the client,” explains Jardel Ribeiro, Sales Manager, KSB Brazil. “Sometimes the pumps, excessive energy motors and related equipment results in the size of the floating station being increased. Stabilizing tools that weighs more than 200 t requires a lot of planning, in addition to the problem of constructing a system in such a remote space.”
Boreholes in Australia
In the Pilbara Region of Western Australia iron ore is mined in a quantity of locations around the Chichester hub zone, an space between 5 and 9 km broad and 80 km lengthy. The mineral deposit sits between ninety m and 117 m under the floor. With the groundwater and water desk often replenished in moist seasons and cyclones including to the inundation, greater than 75% of the iron ore is below the water table. If an extreme amount of water mixes with iron ore, it turns into low grade and unsuitable for export, which finally ends up in massive income losses. Also, surface dewatering processes are extremely expensive if the water may be very excessive.
The accepted dewatering process throughout the region is to pump the water out by way of boreholes. However, this is not with out its challenges. High water temperatures and high salinity end in extreme corrosion, while iron micro organism can develop on motors which stop environment friendly motor cooling. The presence of gasoline is a constant menace in some areas as this causes gasoline lock on the impellers resulting in heavy vibrations, which places a great pressure on the motor, loss of move price and motor failure.
This implies that commonplace off-the-shelf products are not at all times suitable and the incidence of failures is excessive. Typically, most bore pumps fail within 12 months, and sometimes only some weeks. At its Hope Valley facility in Western Australia, KSB offers mine operators with its UPA multistage borehole pump, customised to withstand website conditions. Although a costlier product than its opponents, the UPA has been proven to deliver a significantly longer working life and lowered costs of possession. KSB’s proprietary know-how that inhibits the expansion of iron micro organism makes the UPA a winner.
Trailer mounted units
In Africa the setting and minerals being mined require innovative approaches to dewatering. In the Katanga Province of the Democratic Republic of Congo, house to a number of open cut and underground copper mines rainy seasons wreak flooding havoc. Here, KSB is delivering a number of totally different pumping solutions involving both UPA Z borehole pumps and surface-mounted Omega pumps. “To stop mining operations from being shut down, a fast localised response is required,” says Rob Bond, Area Manager Mining-Sub-Saharan Africa. “Our answer has been to provide Omega pumps mounted on rough terrain trailers. We provide a complete package made up of the pump, engine/motor, couplings, gearbox, hydraulic drives and auxiliary tools together with vacuum pump, control panels, screens and so forth that delivers excessive head pumping.”
A comparable resolution can also be supplied for the open solid Moatize coal mine in Mozambique the place the water ranges must stay low for continuous manufacturing reliability. Whilst borehole pumps offer good reliability on a relentless basis, when the rainy season begins, extra resources are in demand KSB SA offers skid-mounted Omega items. To date, KSB SA has provided 152 items and all are working reliably.
Latin America
In Mexico’s Zacatecas silver mines underground water is a continuing drawback. According to Roberto Valenzuela, Sales Manager Mining KSB Mexico, the water contains solid particles so the excessive pressure encapsulated UPA borehole pumps should be wear-resistant for long term effectivity. Because the dewatering pumps work at a high speed, the impellers and the wear and tear ring can undergo from premature put on. Using Multitec horizontal multistage pumps with KSB’s C6 standard chrome coating, wear is greatly minimised. “We have had pumps operating on this mine for over two years without the impellers being modified,” says Roberto Valenzuela. “It is a solution that no competitor provides, and adds value for the customer via decreased maintenance, spare parts and greater mining uptime.”
In Chile’s Atacama Desert copper and gold is mined at altitudes ranging between 2,000 m and four,500 m. Remote sites, mine depths and the unavailability of electricity needed to drive high capability pumps complicate dewatering. High volumes of water contaminated by minerals can delay drilling and blasting and result in environmental pollution. KSB Chile has met these challenges by supplying encapsulated borehole pumps and cantilevered Etanorm pumps, pushed by diesel motors.
“Our prospects require high-pressure pumps in a modular configuration that could be moved with the enlargement of the open pit,” comments Patricio Araya, Mining Head KSB Chile. “The resolution is to use horizontally positioned borehole pumps with a special configuration for sand filters encased in a strain shroud. This provides the customer flexibility and versatility because the tools is compact, develops high pressures and is easy to move around the web site.
To accommodate growing flows and discharge stress pumps are configured in sequence and in parallel particularly for the client’s necessities. Being coupled to diesel engines permits continuous, autonomous operation in locations with out electricity for between 12 and 24 hours with out refuelling. Vertical Etanorm pumps and cantilever-type UPA pumps put in on a raft enabling them to deal with the buildup of water inside the mine, eliminating elements such as adverse suction head at high altitudes. KSB gear for mine drainage is supplied in standard variations, with variations for rafts or well pumps installed in pressure jackets. Having viable solutions for dewatering adds value to the purchasers operations and can also be necessary as a outcome of every year minerals are found at deeper ranges.
Innovation in Indonesia
Indonesia is amongst the world’s largest exporters of thermal coal, and also a major player in copper, gold, tin, bauxite, and nickel. Here KSB pumps are acknowledged for his or her excellent capability to carry out in extreme open pit mine sites. Its growth of dewatering and dredge pump sets (DnD), as a solution for mining applications, particularly for open-pit mine websites is one example of KSB’ commitment to steady product improvement and improvement. To date, greater than 260 DnD pumps with GWI® LCC and LSA pumps have been installed in mines throughout Indonesia and South East Asia. In 2013, KSB Indonesia launched a new model, the DnD Cruiser with enhancements requested by prospects.
KSB builds the whole diesel pushed pump unit on a barge, complete with gas tank, vacuum pump, management panel etc, and ships them on trailers for easy commissioning at website. Because monsoon rains are seasonal dewatering is also a seasonal activity and this implies pumps can stand idle for several months during the dry intervals. Recognising this example, KSB has launched a rental programme, whereby the pumps are equipped fully-kitted out in accordance with the customer’s necessities. By not having to buy the pump sets, clients are relieved of the prices of ownership and know that after they require models they come prepared for operation.
Summary
KSB’s mine dewatering methods allow the protected and efficient reducing of groundwater in open pit dewatering, underground drainage and borehole drainage functions. Regardless of a mine’s location, the kind of mining operation being carried out, the geological and the aggressive and corrosive nature of the water, KSB has fluid dealing with applied sciences that can fit all eventualities. This scenario has come about through the cross-fertilisation of ideas, technologies and experiences gained over many a long time by our firms around the world, supported by extensive investment in analysis and development. Wherever ตัววัดแรงดันน้ำมัน pumping answer is required, we can convey a co-ordinated response to the desk.
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