Atlas Copco’s E-Air V1100 Variable Speed Drive (VSD) electric compressors are helping Mexico-based manganese producer, Autlán, improve the effectiveness of its ore sorting process by providing clean, dry compressed air whose temperature doesn’t exceed 20°C above ambient, the company says.

Compressed air is an essential component in the production of manganese nodules, with one such area being the company’s mineral sorting machine, which helps to classify the manganese ore. It blasts air at stones deemed to be waste, separating them from stones with high manganese content.

To do this, it needs clean, dry compressed air whose temperature doesn’t exceed 20°C above ambient. The amount of free air (FAD) needed to do this task is 45 Nm3/min at 150 psi.

Atlas Copco Power Technique Mexico worked closely with Autlán to understand and define the optimum airflow for the process. It advised Autlán that a constant flow of air was not required because the air shots were not continuous (only when stones with low manganese grades needed to be separated). Because of this intermittent requirement, Autlán could specify a compressor that met its FAD requirements but saved energy and lowered costs.

The suggested solution was to install three E-Air V1100 VSD mobile compressors: two compressors for production and one for stand-by purposes. These electric mobile air compressors with VSD technology are built to operate in harsh and outdoor conditions. Because of their robustness, Autlán did not need any special installation or compressor room, saving money on civil works, Atlas Copco says.

Atlas Copco’s E-Air VSD comes with the standard spillage-free frame that offers 110% fluid containment, providing reassurance against possible spillages on site. This was a key feature for Autlán, avoiding the possibility of polluting the soil of the mine, which is strongly regulated.

Moreover, the compressors come equipped with potted motor windings to prevent dust and water ingress, an IP65-rated controller, an IP67-rated water-cooled drive, single-sheet steel, non-welded undercarriage, and a three-layer anti-corrosion paint system, the company explained.

As the compressed air quality is vital for this project, Atlas Copco recommended adding its UD+ filter after the cooler to ensure the air guns didn’t clog. The UD+ filter is a patented design, two-in-one coalescing filter that takes out oil aerosols, dust and water, providing clean compressed air with hardly any pressure drop or efficiency loss. Moreover, this system is a space-saving option compared with traditional filter packages, according to Atlas Copco.

Julio Ponce, Sales Engineer & Air Master for Atlas Copco in Mexico and Central America, says: “The E-Air VSD provides Autlán with a reliable flow of compressed air without any CO2 emissions.”

The E-Air’s integrated VSD-driven permanent magnet electric motor only requires low power for start-up, so there is no need to oversize the power supply. The VSD and permanent magnet motor also make an important contribution to efficiency. Combined, they offer the best-in-class efficiency at partial load and ensure that power consumption closely follows the air demand trend, according to Atlas Copco.

These electric mobile air compressors with VSD range include the Atlas Copco’s PACE system (Pressure Adjusted through Cognitive Electronics). This enables users to control the pressure between 5 and 12 bar, in precise 0.1 bar increments, thereby adjusting the flow to the optimal level for their application. Because of this, one compressor can handle various jobs that previously would have required multiple units.

The E-Air VSD features the Smart Air Xc4004 controller. This increases the efficiency of operations by providing insights and features in an easy-to-use interface that allows a simultaneous view of several parameters, including pressure and flow. Additionally, top structured alarm settings allow for operation monitoring.

The E-Air VSD range is also equipped as standard with an after-cooler, providing high-quality air for applications like sandblasting.

In conjunction with WH Auctioneers, Ritchie Bros is supporting a mining equipment auction in Jwaneng, Botswana, this week, with assets coming from the end-of-mine contract of the Majwe Mining Joint Venture.

The Botswana Mining Machinery Live Auction will be held on July 8.

“The two companies bring unrivalled expertise and experience in their respective fields,” Finlay Massey, Sales Director APAC, Ritchie Bros, said. “This is a live auction in Botswana with online bidding, hosted by WH Auctioneers with the support of Ritchie Bros. expertise, marketing efforts and our global database of buyers, which is second-to-none.”

On offer are Caterpillar 777D 85,000-litre water trucks, Caterpillar 834H and 854K wheel dozers, Caterpillar D10T tracked dozers, Caterpillar 16M motor graders, a Caterpillar 336DL tracked excavator, Terex TA100 and TA60 rigid dump trucks, Hyster 25 tyre handler, a Komatsu D375-5 tracked dozer, a Caterpillar 966 wheel loader, a Komatsu WA600 loader, Bell B20 articulated dump trucks, Manitou MHT780 and MRT2540 telehandlers, Atlas Copco drill rigs, crushers and screens, Lincoln Electric Vantage 500 welder/generators, and trucks and light delivery vehicles.

The auction will be conducted live on-site in Jwaneng, Botswana, on July 8 at 10:30AM SAST with webcast bidding available for overseas buyers. Those interested in bidding are urged to register to bid before the auction.

Back in 2019, the Majwe Mining Joint Venture was awarded a A$1.7 billion contract at Debswana Diamond Co’s Jwaneng Mine Cut-9 project in Botswana.

Majwe, a JV between Thiess (70%) and long-term local partner Bothakga Burrow Botswana (30%), was to provide full scope mining services over nine years, including drill and on-bench services, mine planning, equipment maintenance, load and haul, and mining operations.

In 2021, the contract was terminated by Debswana, with the Cut 9 operation transitioning to an owner-mining operation.

Atlas Copco says Peru-based mining development, construction and infrastructure services business, JRC, has recently purchased six HiLight V5+ light towers to ensure continuous and efficient operations at the Iscaycruz zinc-lead mine in Oyón province.

Iscaycruz, owned by Empresa Minera Los Quenuales SA (majority owned by Glencore), is a polymetallic deposit with four mines in production: Limpe, Chupa, Tinyag 1 and Tinyag 2. Due to its altitude of 4,700-5,000 m above sea level, the mine is situated in one of the most challenging areas of Peru.

“The survival in this area is very hard, both for people and equipment: we worked with light towers from another manufacturer for a while and they did not work out,” Julio Tello, JRC Equipment Manager, said. “The three-cylinder engines shut down after two hours working and the lamps broke easily.”

The tough working conditions and the lack of having the right light tower for this project led to heavy losses for JRC, due to the impossibility of starting the night shift, according to Atlas Copco. To solve this issue, the company tested on site a HiLight V5+ light tower from Atlas Copco to ensure the unit was the right equipment for the project. After carrying out the test, JRC purchased six HiLight V5+ light towers to be used at Iscaycruz.

Atlas Copco’s HiLight V5+ light tower has been designed for the most demanding conditions, according to the company.

Featuring a HardHat® canopy as standard, which ensures maximum protection of internal parts, the design includes directional optic lenses that maximise practical light coverage while minimising dark spots. A single light tower has four LED floodlights each projecting 350 W of light and the HiLight H5+ can illuminate an area of up to 5,000 sq.m, providing an average brightness of 20 lux. The LED lamps offer users higher durability without any deterioration in lux level and have a life expectancy of more than 50,000 hours, according to Atlas Copco.

Additionally, the HiLight H5+ light tower offers low fuel consumption, offering a run time between refuelling of 260 hours and consumption of less than 0.5 litres/h of fuel.

“The acquisition of Atlas Copco’s HiLight V5+ light towers with two-cylinder engines changed the whole picture for us. It’s a solution that has been radical,” Tello said. “Until now, JRC’s expertise has been mainly in underground mining projects, however the operations at Iscaycruz is showing that we are the right fit for open-pit operations; that is why we are preparing seven mining projects in Peru and one in Mexico. The HiLight V5+ light towers are helping us to operate this type of project perfectly.”

Nelson Batistucci, Atlas Copco Business Line Manager for the Andean region, explains: “In order to deliver the right solution for our customers, we need to understand their needs well. In this case, considering the challenges of working at extreme altitude, as it is common for many of our mining customers in Peru, helped us choose the right light tower for JRC. At Atlas Copco, we are strongly committed to technological innovation and have a highly skilled team to analyse the challenges and provide the best solution for our customers.”

Atlas Copco has developed a new addition to its WEDA submersible dewatering pump range specifically designed for thick, soft, wet mud, and other similar mixtures.

The WEDA S50 fits into the S family of WEDA sludge pumps, complementing the other units in the range, in terms of specifications, the company said.

“These pumps are ideally suited for construction dewatering, industrial or refining applications,” Atlas Copco said. The technical specifications of the new S50 model place it between the S30 and the S60 pumps, offering a maximum flow of 1,450 l/min while pumping sludge with a specific gravity of up to 1,400 kg/m3. The S50 has a rated output of 4.8 kW and a maximum solids handling size of 50 mm, which is the same as both the S30 and S60 models, according to Atlas Copco.

Hrishikesh Kulkarni, Product Manager, Atlas Copco Power and Flow division, said: “The WEDA S50 is an ideal pump for rental companies and general contractors where they don’t have to worry about what goes in the pump.

“Accordingly, these vortex designed pumps are ideal for abrasive media and handling solids up to 50 mm. The S50 fits neatly into the existing range of sludge pumps, making our S family portfolio complete with a range from 0.5-1-3-5 and 7.5 kW.”

The sludge portfolio covers a wide range of applications such as cement plants, industrial process water, sedimentation tanks, treatment plants, construction sites, etc, Atlas Copco said.

The WEDA S50 comes with the standard WEDA+ features, including rotation control, phase failure protection, thermal switches in each motor winding, and 16 Amp phase shifter plugs. All WEDA+ pumps are fitted with a 20 m cable, with the reinforced cable entries ensuring high resistance to water leakage.

Atlas Copco said: “S50 pumps are built with hardened high-chrome impellers and volute, which provides high wear resistance. The aluminium alloy construction also offers high corrosion resistance. All these features combine to ensure durability and reliability in harsh environments.”

Low weight materials have the extra benefit of making handling and transportation easy, according to the company, meaning the new S50 is an attractive option for rental use.

For extra protection, the casing rib design offers external cooling to the motor in case of dry running.

WEDA seal systems, meanwhile, have a unique modular design, thus allowing for flexibility and ease of maintenance. “Service technicians can change S50 seals at the job site with minimum impact on pump availability,” the company said. “The pump has an external oil inspection plug making it a simple maintenance task to perform quick inspections.”

The S50 base is designed for stability while the bottom side discharge allows the passage of solids up to 50 mm. It offers several options and sizes for connections, and flow direction is changeable from 90° to 180° on the discharge.

Atlas Copco Power and Flow has completed its portfolio of WEDA electric submersible dewatering pumps, in the process adding a new range for slurry applications.

The range now comprises three families; the expanded WEDA D for dewatering, WEDA S – also expanded – for sludge, and the entirely new WEDA L slurry family.

WEDA D pumps handle either clean or dirty water, even with small solids, while the WEDA S range supports dewatering of liquid sludge containing larger solids. The WEDA L products are the toughest, Atlas Copco says, having the largest apertures to facilitate handling of slurry with the most challenging solids.

“The WEDA D family expansion is marked by the D80, a new model for dewatering,” Atlas Copco said. “S30, and S60, as the new models for the WEDA S sludge family, can handle thick, soft, wet mud or other similarly viscous mixtures of liquids and solids, especially the product of an industrial or refining process. The completely new WEDA L family handles semi-liquid slurry mixtures, typically of fine particles of manure, cement or coal, and water.”

Aside from optimising performance, a lot of focus has been given to making the pumps lighter, enhancing electrical safety, improving the seal design and easing installation, Atlas Copco said. All pumps in the D and S range are available with WEDA+ features, which include phase failure protection, rotation control, thermal switches and a 20 m cable with phase shifter plug for all three phase pumps. The WEDA+ features are also available as an option on the L range.

Overall, the WEDA D pumps, which use top-discharge, can handle water of specific gravity to 1,100 kg/m³, and, depending on model, solids of 4-12 mm diameter. The bottom side discharging WEDA S pumps’ capabilities extend to water with specific gravity to 1,400 kg/m³, and solids of 25-50 mm, depending on model. The WEDA L pumps, which also use bottom side discharge, handle water of specific gravity up to 1,700 kg/m³, and, depending on model, solids of 20-60 mm diameter.

The company said: “The pumps’ specifications equip them well for an extensive range of dewatering applications; they provide the performance, reliability and ease of use and maintenance essential to users across multiple industries.

“All models feature a built-in starter and motor protection system along with optional automatic level control. Adjustable wear-resistant rubber diffusors and hardened high-chrome impellers ensure durability in tough environments.”

Hrishi Kulkarni, Product Manager, Atlas Copco Power and Flow division, said: “The WEDA pumps can handle flow rates of up to 16,500 l/min, with power ratings up to 54 kW. Accordingly, they make ideal dewatering solutions across many, diverse applications within the construction, industrial, emergency and maintenance sectors. Now, our ubiquitous coverage has been highlighted by these latest additions to the range, as they make our portfolio complete.”

Handling and transportation are eased by the pumps’ weight, which is 20% lower than competitor products, Atlas Copco said, adding that this makes them especially attractive for rental use. Ease of operation is carefully balanced with high performance, with some models’ ability to pass solids of up to 2 in (51 mm) through the pump. An improved aluminium alloy provides higher corrosion resistance over all applications, while reinforced cable entries assure higher resistance to water leakage.

“Uptime is maximised through several measures,” the company said. “All pumps have seal types appropriate to their size, and an external plug for grease filling or an oil inspection plug for easy maintenance. With many connection options and sizes, discharge connections are adjustable, with flow direction changeable from 90-180°.

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