If you head out to the west of Sydney, over the Blue Mountains and past Lithgow, you’ll find an overland conveyor belt winding its way over the landscape. This particular overland conveyor follows a graceful path over hills, past farmland and through forest, moving mining materials from pit to wash plant.
It’s just one of many that’s powered by Toshiba, and at approximately 4km long, it’s not the longest in operation. Nor is it the newest. What’s special about this one is what’s driving it.
Toshiba believes that this overland conveyor may be the first in Australia that’s powered by Variable Speed Drive Motors.
A first of its kind
Overland conveyors are hard-working machinery. They need high power drives to transport materials long distances.
This particular overland conveyor doesn’t just move one way, either; it carries materials in both directions, with three sets of 280kW machines delivering around 800kW of rated power, across three motors.
There’s a lot of power there, which requires a laser focus and split-second support to detect issues before they become bigger problems.
Enter Toshiba’s Variable Speed Drives (VSD).
Connected between the power supply and the motor, VSDs enable the operator to adjust the motor’s speed continuously — anywhere between zero and full speed — without losing torque. Being smart devices, they connect easily to network infrastructure, unlocking a flow of data for better visibility, improved contro and enhanced productivity.
In the event of a problem, VSDs allow the operator to automatically sense any changes in operation, limit torque, slow down the conveyor and prevent damage before it occurs.
The evolving face of technology
This particular overland conveyor was constructed between 1993 and 1994, with commissioning occurring in the same year, and is still going strong today. It was built using third generation VSD technology.
Since that time, as the equipment has aged, Toshiba has continued to refine its VSD, and the asset is now using the current seventh generation models. It’s part of their remit, to replace the equipment before it reaches end-of-life, ensuring continued operation and improved efficiency 24 hours a day.
As the first overland conveyor installed with VSD, it’s been something of a guinea pig for the technology, and has demonstrated its ability to face any challenges thrown its way.
A good example of this is when it was first installed. At the time, people didn’t know how to optimally keep switch rooms clean, cool and well-ventilated. Ventilation was run through the equipment, and with it came ore dust, which made its way throughout the equipment. Yes, it was being kept cool — but the machinery was being punished with dust.
Thanks to its robust design, the VSDs were still able to operate. They featured coated printed circuit boards, and good spacing between HV conductors — the telltale signs of quality and design — that ensured the equipment kept running, despite the conditions.
The ventilation issue was eventually fixed some time later, but the VSD’s robust design ensured that the equipment continued to operate, even in these challenging conditions.
VSDs provide critical support where downtime isn’t an option
When it comes to mining equipment, operators are looking for equipment and technology that just works. It needs to be stable, robust, and reliable; not necessarily the latest technology, but the best technology. Any downtime causes the mine’s entire operations to grind to a halt.
VSDs ensure that mining operations, like this overland conveyor, continue to run no matter what. That they remain profitable, and continue to be successful as the price of minerals goes up and down.
Drawing on vast experience in a range of different industries, Toshiba has created a technology that doesn’t rely on constant upgrades. VSDs are a stable platform that power mining operations, with a high degree of programmability that allows for unique use cases, allowing operators to program them individually.
It’s equipment that remains current and state-of-the-art, while built on a legacy of success; and while the individual components may change, the overall technology remains the same.
So when you’re out to the west of Sydney, over the Blue Mountains and past Lithgow, you’re seeing an overland conveyor that was a turning point in how mining machinery is powered.
You’re seeing a first of its kind.
Featured image: Toshiba supplies VSD to mines across Australia including these overland conveyors located in Queensland. Image credit: Toshiba.
This sponsored editorial is brought to you by Toshiba.
