Mining Technologies

SIMINE CON GD
Gearless Drive conveyor system in cooperation with ThyssenKrupp

www.siemens.com/mining

Your challenge: Remote locations, longer distances, higher throughput, difficult maintenance conditions
In many mining regions, ore grades are declining. New mines are being developed in more remote areas, pits are getting deeper, and underground mines are becoming larger. This means that more and more material must be transported over longer distances, presenting new challenges for material handling systems. In order to manage the increasing volumes and high demands for availability, conveying systems will need to implement the technologies made possible by todays larger drive systems. Can traditional drives withstand up to 20,000 kW? In the near future, drive configurations for large conveyors with gearboxes will reach their physical limits. For example, a conveyor system with a drive power demand of more than 20,000 kW would require eight traditional drives, each of them equipped with 2,500-kW motors. This solution carries the disadvantage of reduced overall availability associated with a large number of mechanical components. Maintenance in remote locations The need for highly reliable equipment that can perform in remote mining regions is continuously increasing and at the same time, maintenance costs need to be kept under control as production costs grow. Therefore, the need to use new technologies that reduce maintenance costs is an important factor when deciding on your future material handling solution. You expect  Systems that help you transport more ore over longer distances  Precise and powerful drive solutions  Robust equipment, with fewer electrical and mechanical components  High availability and minimized maintenance costs  Lower operating costs  Optimized energy consumption

Your benefit: Move more ore. Save on energy. Save on maintenance costs.

Which converter to use? Siemens offers two types of converters, each of which has certain benefits. In Xstrata Coppers Antapaccay mine, the air-cooled cycloconverter SINAMICS SL 150 is used. Our engineers will be happy to help you find the right solution for your mine.

The beginning: 1985 the first conveyor using a gearless drive In 1985, Siemens and ThyssenKrupp teamed up to install the worlds first gearless direct-drive belt conveyor with cycloconverter-fed synchronous motors. Engineers at RAG Deutsche Steinkohle were strongly persuaded by converter technology, and decided to apply it to the underground Prosper-Haniel coal mine in Germany. More than a quarter-century later, the belt drives are still in operation to the complete satisfaction of the customer. Management at RAG report that:  There have been no significant interruptions or failures attributable to motors and converters.  Maintenance costs are significantly lower than for belt drives with gearboxes.  Estimated savings of 10 percent on electrical energy are achieved annually compared to fixed-speed geared conveyors.

The next generation: Going gearless in the Peruvian Andes Continuing their successful teamwork, ThyssenKrupp and Siemens are delivering a gearless drive for Xstrata Coppers new Antapaccay mine in Peru. The drive will be operated at an elevation of 4,200 meters (13,780 feet). Two 3,800-kW (5,096-hp), low-speed synchronous motors will provide 631 kNm of torque to each drive pulley. The 1.37-meter-wide belt will extend for 6,528 meters. The capacity of the conveyor is rated at 5,263 metric tons per hour, and it will operate at 6.2 meters per second. Using the well proven air-cooled cycloconverter will provide excellent behavior in this remote and mountainous area; specifically  when very high torque is needed; for example, when restarting the conveyor at low speed,  in case one of the two motors goes down; operators then can combine the cycloconverter and the gearless drive for a period of time to provide twice the torque on one pulley.

SINAMICS SL 150 cycloconverter air-cooled  High overload capability  Full converter power up to lowest motor speed (zero rpm)  High efficiency through direct energy transformation (one step for AC/AC)  Simple topology and few components result in: robustness with high reliability low investment costs easy maintenance  Low space requirement  Long-established and proven converter technology  Converter output frequency maximum 0.45 x fNet

SINAMICS SM 150 voltage source converter water-cooled  Latest converter technology  The possibility to regenerate for downhill operation and during braking  Low line impact no reactive power is generated low-line harmonics  Power compensation system is not needed  Fast switching element (IGCT) results in high drive performance  High efficiency as a result of high-voltage operation  Converter power derating at very low output frequency < 2 Hz

Our solution: Gearless Drives for conveyors capable of handling high power requirements and easy to maintain
In collaboration with ThyssenKrupp, Siemens has introduced a new high-performance generation of gearless, cycloconverter-fed conveyor drives: SIMINE CON GD. The principle has been proven for more than 25 years, with ongoing research and development. Its advantages are clear to see: fewer components, high availability, reduced overall energy consumption, lower maintenance costs. Redefining power for mining drives Long conveyors with high throughput and steep height differences require a significant amount of power. When the demand for power exceeds three MW per pulley, SIMINE CON GD is the right solution. This system overcomes the restrictions attributed to gear reducers, and its gearless construction is simple, robust, and easy to maintain. Cycloconverter technology has proven its high reliability over several decades. Conveyor belt suppliers are also able to manufacture stronger belts (ST-10,000) that can withstand higher stresses resulting from higher drive power. In a word: The time to go gearless has come. Fewer components, longer conveyors Fewer high-performance drives replacing many conventional ones: This formula makes longer conveyors a matter of fact. With fewer components, the drive stations require smaller footprints. In underground applications, the number of expensive cavities is minimized.

Good reasons for SIMINE CON GD

Compared to gear-reducer technology:  Higher plant availability by eliminating electrical components, couplings, bearings, and gearboxes therefore minimizing the risk of downtime  Up to four percent higher energy efficiency achieved with gearless direct-drive technology  Longer conveyors with fewer and smaller drive stations, and reduced excavations in underground applications  Higher power at the pulley free from traditional gearbox limitations  Reduced maintenance needs by reducing the potential for mechanical breakdowns, and using robust components  Fewer spare parts resulting in less inventory and less capital investment  Reduction of noise level by removing the reducer, the loudest component in a conventional drive station

Transformer Converter

Transformer C-Converter

Asynch. Motor Coupling Gearbox Coupling Brake Belt Conveyor Belt Drive Pulley

Synch. Motor

Brake Belt Conveyor Belt Drive Pulley

Conventional drive system (left) and speed-controlled gearless drive (right). By reducing mechanical parts, maintenance costs can be significantly reduced. Savings are estimated at up to five percent of the initial investment costs on an annual basis. 5

For further information, please contact: Siemens AG Industry Sector Industry Solutions Mining Technologies Schuhstr. 60 91052 Erlangen, Germany E-Mail: mining@siemens.com

Order No. E10001-M5-A40-V1-7600 | Printed in Germany | Dispo No.: 21662 K No.: 28400 | GB 110790 WS 08111.0 08.2011, Siemens AG

All rights reserved. SIMINE is trademark of Siemens AG. The information provided in this brochure contains merely general descriptions or characteristics of performance which in actual case of use do not always apply as described or which may change as a result of further development of the products. An obligation to provide the respective characteristics shall only exist if expressly agreed in the terms of contract.