Water is present in all places in mining and its control varies according to its function within the mining processes. In a recent in-depth article by pumps main KSB, the company outlines how this in flip influences the selection of applied sciences used in pumping water. “Alongside the secure provide and restoration of process water is the problem of eradicating ground water. Process water and groundwater contain abrasive and corrosive components in various portions which have an adverse affect on pump efficiency and life. Working circumstances, distant locations, various temperature ranges and the dearth of electrical energy are also highly influential factors.”
The copper mines in Chile and the iron ore mines in Western Australia could additionally be many 1000’s of miles apart, but these mining operations still require dewatering and the safe disposal of doubtless contaminated water. “The same may be said 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 effective water and slurry pumps. Well-matched solutions help to maximize the longevity and effectivity of the system and likewise optimise cost-performance ratios, all attributes fulfilled by KSB’s Hard Rock Mining Division.”
ตัววัดแรงดันน้ำ altering face of mining
The seek for extra uncommon and precious minerals and metals has opened up mining in international locations and locations where beforehand the business was small scale or non-existent. Consequently, mining corporations and gear producers have had to develop new methods and merchandise. And with the most important mining firms having operations in many international locations, turning into a most popular tools provider is important. “The dewatering market is slowly shifting from a pure CAPEX viewpoint to an more and more OPEX perspective,” reports Brett Lewis, Mining Manager at KSB Australia. “This is especially true for the big mines that realize that poorly designed gear that frequently fails, causes a big increase in replacement and servicing value. Some mining companies are now committing to a carbon neutral goal within the next 20 to 30 years, so are focussing on excessive effectivity equipment. They wish to phase out diesel reliance by connecting most bores to their native electrical grid.”
KSB says it is aware that mining firms are recording pump performance and are accumulating knowledge to compare brands and higher rank their qualities or deficiencies. “This is sweet information for KSB as the corporate is dedicated to delivering excessive reliability and efficiency pumps, so serving to to scale back the carbon footprint of mining dewatering operations.
Is there a ‘one-fits-all’ pump solution?
KSB says the answer to this is a resounding ‘no’, however “by sharing experiences between places of work and also frequently working with the identical international mining corporations, KSB has been able to develop appropriate options. KSB’s involvement within the iron ore industries in Brazil and Australia show two different approaches to dewatering, each using vertical multi-stage pumps.”
In Brazil’s Minas Gerais State open pit iron ore mines excessive ground water, monsoons and underground lakes are issues. To preserve continuous manufacturing water must be pumped to a dewatering lake which has a dynamic water stage that should be raised two or three times a 12 months. KSB Brazil’s solution is a floating station fitted with KSB vertical turbine B pumps positioned over a pontoon (Fig.1). The pontoon rises and falls with changes within the water level so there is no need for the pumps to be repositioned. This ends in cost-savings to the customer. After 20 profitable years it has become the standard for this kind of tools in South America.
“The floating station supporting the pumps over the pontoon delivers the flow rate requested by the customer,” explains Jardel Ribeiro, Sales Manager, KSB Brazil. “Sometimes the pumps, excessive power motors and related equipment results in the size of the floating station being elevated. Stabilizing gear that weighs more than 200 t requires a lot of planning, in addition to the problem of constructing a system in such a remote area.”
Boreholes in Australia
In the Pilbara Region of Western Australia iron ore is mined in a quantity of areas across the Chichester hub zone, an area between 5 and 9 km wide and eighty km long. The mineral deposit sits between 90 m and 117 m beneath the surface. With the groundwater and water desk regularly replenished in moist seasons and cyclones adding to the inundation, more than 75% of the iron ore is under the water desk. If too much water mixes with iron ore, it turns into low grade and unsuitable for export, which leads to huge revenue losses. Also, floor dewatering processes are extraordinarily expensive if the water may be very high.
The accepted dewatering process inside the region is to pump the water out by way of boreholes. However, this isn’t with out its challenges. High water temperatures and excessive salinity end in excessive corrosion, while iron bacteria can develop on motors which prevent environment friendly motor cooling. The presence of gasoline is a constant threat in some areas as this causes gasoline lock on the impellers resulting in heavy vibrations, which locations an excellent pressure on the motor, loss of move rate and motor failure.
This implies that standard off-the-shelf products are not always appropriate and the incidence of failures is high. Typically, most bore pumps fail within 12 months, and typically just a few weeks. At its Hope Valley facility in Western Australia, KSB offers mine operators with its UPA multistage borehole pump, customised to resist website situations. Although a costlier product than its rivals, the UPA has been shown to deliver a considerably longer working life and decreased costs of ownership. KSB’s proprietary expertise that inhibits the growth of iron micro organism makes the UPA a winner.
Trailer mounted units
In Africa the environment and minerals being mined require revolutionary approaches to dewatering. In the Katanga Province of the Democratic Republic of Congo, house to several open reduce and underground copper mines rainy seasons wreak flooding havoc. Here, KSB is delivering several totally different pumping options involving each UPA Z borehole pumps and surface-mounted Omega pumps. “To forestall mining operations from being shut down, a quick localised response is required,” says Rob Bond, Area Manager Mining-Sub-Saharan Africa. “Our resolution has been to supply Omega pumps mounted on tough terrain trailers. We provide a whole package made up of the pump, engine/motor, couplings, gearbox, hydraulic drives and auxiliary equipment including vacuum pump, management panels, monitors and so forth that delivers high head pumping.”
A similar solution can also be supplied for the open solid Moatize coal mine in Mozambique the place the water levels should remain low for steady production reliability. Whilst borehole pumps offer good reliability on a relentless basis, when the rainy season starts, extra sources are in demand KSB SA supplies skid-mounted Omega models. To date, KSB SA has provided 152 units and all are working reliably.
Latin America
In Mexico’s Zacatecas silver mines underground water is a continuing downside. According to Roberto Valenzuela, Sales Manager Mining KSB Mexico, the water incorporates stable particles so the high stress encapsulated UPA borehole pumps ought to be wear-resistant for long run efficiency. Because the dewatering pumps work at a high speed, the impellers and the damage ring can suffer from untimely put on. Using Multitec horizontal multistage pumps with KSB’s C6 normal chrome coating, wear is significantly minimised. “We have had pumps operating in this mine for over two years without the impellers being modified,” says Roberto Valenzuela. “It is an answer that no competitor provides, and adds worth for the client through lowered upkeep, spare components and higher mining uptime.”
In Chile’s Atacama Desert copper and gold is mined at altitudes ranging between 2,000 m and 4,500 m. Remote sites, mine depths and the unavailability of electrical energy needed to drive excessive capability pumps complicate dewatering. High volumes of water contaminated by minerals can delay drilling and blasting and lead to 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 answer is to use horizontally positioned borehole pumps with a particular configuration for sand filters encased in a stress shroud. This gives the customer flexibility and flexibility as a end result of the equipment is compact, develops excessive pressures and is easy to move across the website.
To accommodate growing flows and discharge pressure pumps are configured in collection and in parallel specifically for the client’s requirements. Being coupled to diesel engines permits steady, autonomous operation in locations without electrical energy for between 12 and 24 hours with out refuelling. Vertical Etanorm pumps and cantilever-type UPA pumps installed on a raft enabling them to deal with the buildup of water contained in the mine, eliminating factors similar to unfavorable suction head at excessive altitudes. KSB tools for mine drainage is provided in commonplace versions, with variations for rafts or properly pumps installed in strain jackets. Having viable solutions for dewatering provides value to the customers operations and can also be necessary as a outcome of each year minerals are found at deeper ranges.
เกจแรงดัน in Indonesia
Indonesia is amongst the world’s largest exporters of thermal coal, and also a significant player in copper, gold, tin, bauxite, and nickel. Here KSB pumps are acknowledged for their excellent capacity to perform in severe open pit mine websites. Its growth of dewatering and dredge pump units (DnD), as a solution for mining purposes, especially for open-pit mine websites is one instance of KSB’ dedication to steady product improvement and improvement. To date, greater than 260 DnD pumps with GWI® LCC and LSA pumps have been put in in mines across Indonesia and South East Asia. In 2013, KSB Indonesia launched a new mannequin, the DnD Cruiser with enhancements requested by clients.
KSB builds the whole diesel driven pump unit on a barge, complete with fuel tank, vacuum pump, control panel and so on, and ships them on trailers for straightforward commissioning at web site. Because monsoon rains are seasonal dewatering can additionally be a seasonal activity and this implies pumps can stand idle for several months during the dry durations. Recognising this situation, KSB has launched a rental programme, whereby the pumps are supplied fully-kitted out in accordance with the customer’s requirements. By not having to buy the pump units, clients are relieved of the prices of possession and know that once they require units they come prepared for operation.
Summary
KSB’s mine dewatering methods enable the secure and environment friendly reducing of groundwater in open pit dewatering, underground drainage and borehole drainage applications. Regardless of a mine’s location, the sort 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 will fit all eventualities. This scenario has come about through the cross-fertilisation of concepts, applied sciences and experiences gained over many a long time by our firms around the world, supported by intensive funding in research and improvement. Wherever a pumping solution is required, we are in a position to convey a co-ordinated response to the table.
Share