SPECIALIST EQUIPMENT BREAKDOWNS Banishing A new drive system is improving conveyor reliability at a Norwegian mine E
urope’s fi rst Dodge controlled start transmission (CST) drive system – part of ABB’s motors portfolio – is helping prevent repeated
breakdowns of a 700m conveyor at a Norwegian mine, saving up to NOK 1 million (€107,000) in lost production each time. Operating since 1960, the Titania mine located in Sokndal, Norway is the world’s largest open cast ilmenite mine, producing nearly 850,000 metric tonnes per year. A 15-year-old conveyor transferred ilmenite ore from the primary crusher to mountain silos, where it is stockpiled before crushing, blending and milling to produce titanium dioxide (TiO2), a powder used in the whitening of products from paints to toothpastes. T e mine’s maintenance team
was struggling with repeated breakdowns of the conveyor’s existing mechanical drive system, which
peaked during the harsh winter of 2010 to 2011.
Productivity and production costs “Everything that we do in the mine is geared towards doubling the waste-to- ore ratio,” says Knut Petter Netland, Titania’s mine manager. “Failure to control this aspect of productivity means we face a massive increase in production costs. T e conveyor’s capacity and reliability were not good enough. And the stockpiles between the primary crusher and the milling plant were too small.” Initially, the hydraulic couplings
that provide the conveyor’s soft start were to be replaced with an electrical option but this was dismissed due to the need for a new supply network, additional mountain top electrical room and costly cabling. With the help of Kellve Sweden, a specialist in mining conveyors,
the CST was selected. T e CST is a two-in-one gearbox that combines a planetary gear reducer with an integral wet clutch system. When coupled to an AC induction motor the CST gearbox converts the motors high- speed, low-torque input to a low-speed, high-torque output, delivering smooth control, with enough power to drive the largest and longest conveyors. Because the CST provides precisely controlled transmission of motor power and torque, it minimises the loads and stresses on all conveyor components. T e in-built multi-plate system absorbs shock loads from the conveyor, protecting the motor, reducer, pulley assemblies, idlers and belt splices. T is adds to the overall reliability of the entire conveyor system.
A first for Europe Although there are over 3,000 CST installations across the world, this is Europe’s fi rst. Because of this,
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