Pumps perform a myriad of tasks throughout mining operations. By investing in performance optimization with AC drives, you can achieve more efficient pumping, better equipment protection and lower operating costs in a lot of different areas.
Many mine sites prefer to use an electric-driven pump skid instead of the traditional diesel-engine-driven pump skid, for environmental and cost reduction reasons. This is possible when there is an electrical supply close to the dewatering pump skid location.
Instead of a diesel engine, an electric-driven pump skid typically uses an AC motor and drive to set the flow rate of the dewatering pump. Normally the initial cost of an electric-driven skid is higher than the diesel-driven alternative, but the operating costs are significantly lower. The higher initial investment is recovered very quickly, often within months. As there is no need to change the oil of a diesel engine every few hundred operating hours, or pay for refueling trucks and labor, this results in even greater savings in maintenance and operating costs.
For dewatering of open pit mines with submersible pumps, Danfoss AC drives perform these important tasks and offer these advantages to optimize performance of the dewatering pump skid:
Danfoss AC drives also offer the advantage of compatibility with all typical motor technologies, such as induction motors (IM), synchronous reluctance motors (SynRM), and permanent-magnet (PM) motors. This flexibility enables you to optimize the system with the motor brands and technologies you prefer.
Common challenges for drives on electric-driven pump skids include
Danfoss drives address these challenges with ease and are used extensively on dewatering pump skids on many mine sites. Their compact enclosures often enable the pump skid manufacturer to minimize the size and cost of the skid. Their robust, high ambient temperature design ensures reliable, long lifetime of operation even when installed on a dewatering pump skid out in the open, on a hot, humid mine site with mining trucks kicking up dust as they pass by every few minutes.
Since IP66 enclosures are available for a wide power range, it is easy to install these drives on the pump skid, with a simple weather shield to provide shading. This solution is robust, reliable, and requires only a minimum level of maintenance.
VLT® drives are installed on a mine dewatering system that distributes water to the plant operations as well as the local town water supply.
Read case study
Read the Mining and minerals brochureRead more about Energy and natural resources
An enclosed drive designed for demanding applications that includes options for Active Front Ends and low harmonic solutions.
Dedicated functionality that improves flow control and saves energy in industrial pump and fan applications.
A drive for indoor and outdoor applications that withstands high pressure and vibration levels, water, heat and dirt.
Designed for a broad range of demanding applications, focusing on higher power sizes and system drives.
The VLT® AutomationDrive FC301 / FC302 is designed for variable speed control of all asynchronous motors and permanent magnet motors. It comes in a standard version (FC301) and an advanced high dynamic version (FC302) with additional functionalities.
MEXICO: Faced with the challenge of pumping stagnant water from depths of more than 400 meters, the Cerro Los Gatos mine opted for medium-voltage variable speed pump control using the VACON® 1000 drive from Danfoss. Drives were delivered and installed in the record time of 14 weeks from factory acceptance test.
This 720 Mtpd nitric acid plant in South Africa saves 3.6 M Rand annually on operating costs, thanks to VLT® drive control of electric pumps and motors.
VACON® AC drives improve the operation of underground ventilation and pumping systems and cut energy consumption of many application processes.