Engineering & Mining Journal

AUG 2013

Engineering and Mining Journal - Whether the market is copper, gold, nickel, iron ore, lead/zinc, PGM, diamonds or other commodities, E&MJ takes the lead in projecting trends, following development and reporting on the most efficient operating pr

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D E W AT E R I N G The mine has installed dewatering sumps at 200-m intervals along the main adit to control a groundwater inflow of 180 m3/h. forward to our reliable partnership continuing in the future." Aktor SA is part of the Ellaktor Group, the largest construction company in Greece, with market presence in 17 countries. The group has 60 years of expertise in a range of industries, from mining to construction, and has won various awards for sustainable construction and development. Each sump contains three dewatering pumps, including Atlas Copco Weda models 70H and 90H. (Pump Technology - from p. 39) and 76 mm (3 in.) sizes and features maximum discharge pressures up to 8.6 bar (125 psig), maximum flows up to 923 l/m (243 gal/min) and maximum solid-handling size to 13 mm (1/2 in.). The Pro-Flo SHIFT is available with maximum suction lifts to 7.2 m (24 ft) dry and 9.6 m (31 ft) wet. In an online product introduction held for the trade press, Wilden's technical staff noted that the Pro-Flo SHIFT not only significantly improves energy efficiency, but also costs 50% less than an electronically actuated ADS, is submersible, and features plug-and-play operation. Its robust design makes the Pro-Flo SHIFT ideal for use in harsh operating environments and includes ATEX compliance for use in potentially explosive atmospheres. The Pro-Flo SHIFT has fewer operating parts, which equates to less downtime and simple maintenance. With no electronics, its design is well suited for the harsh environments typically found in industrial applications. Wilden's Pro-Flo SHIFT Air Distribution System instead restricts the air flow into the air chamber near the end of each pump stroke so that only enough air is introduced to keep the pumping process going. This is accomplished through the incorporation of an air control spool that automatically meters the air to prevent overfilling with no reduction of product yield. The result is reduced air consumption while still maintaining maximum operational efficiency and flow rates. This mode of operation eliminates the need for the operator to manually adjust the pump for efficiency since the ADS automatically does it. This creates a new efficiency point in AODD pump operation, highlighted by improved energy use with no loss of flow rate. Cutaway of Wilden's new Pro-Flo SHIFT Air Distribution System. "The Pro-Flo SHIFT represents a giant leap forward in the energy efficiency and performance of AODD pumps. The simple design of the ADS doesn't require any additional bolted-on equipment or bulky electronics, allowing operators to keep the same compact footprint," said Chris Distaso, director of engineering for Wilden. The Wilden Pro-Flo SHIFT is available in 38 mm (1-1/2 in.), 51 mm (2 in.), (How Wilden's New ADS Works - from p. 39) monitored and controlled, rather than mechanically actuated, which raises an entirely different set of energy usage, maintenance and operational concerns. Second, electronic ADS technology requires time to "learn," meaning that every time the pump is turned on, the electronic system needs 30–40 seconds to monitor the operation of the pump before it can estimate when to cut off the air supply prior to the end of the stroke. This can result in erratic and inconsistent flow rates for up to 40 seconds and a corresponding waste of air, a drawback that is compounded in dosing operations that feature constant on-off cycles. 42 E&MJ; • AUGUST 2013 www.e-mj.com

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