NEW TECHNOLOGY FOR CONVEYORS

Siemens installed variable speed
drives in the mineral belt of the world's longest.

It is a tool used by Alcoa to transport coal from the Three Oaks mine to power plant Rockdale, Texas, that supplies power to the plant's largest aluminum producer in the United States, located in its surroundings.

The route of 32 km of each other point is saved with the large conveyor belt, whose critical section, about 19 km, is in the middle section of the trail. This point is covered by the conveyor belt in one piece world's longest, which runs, in part, rugged terrain and linking the section from the open pit mine with the section from which the coal is continuing its path towards power plant.

The transport system was equipped with a solution drives the product range Simine Con, Industry Division of Siemens.

Five drives Master-drive VC, of 556 KW each, were located so as to optimize the operation of the tape, including his stop and start. The fiber optic communication between the stations of the conveyor belts allow the operator to individually control the velocity in terms of cargo. The regulation system of conveyor belts inhibits vibration of the load in the starting or stopping.

The system was adapted to different load conditions (idle, partial load and full load), which allows significant energy savings and protection of mechanical parts, represents an advantage over conventional fixed-speed drives and ensures a high degree of availability and a decrease, while operating costs.

The Oaks Three coal mine was opened in early 2002. Produces lignite, a type of coal with high calorific value. Coal fuels a central four turbines with a combined output of 1,500 MW. Next door is the plant's largest aluminum producer United States of 264,000 ton / year of aluminum used in the production of laminates and foil.

Tags: Technology for conveyors , mineral belt , largest aluminum producer , production of laminates ,