The Chinese Yitai Group has awarded Siemens Drives Technologies an order in to supply two hoisting machines with integrated 9 MW motors for a new coal mine. The Hong Qing He mine winder project is to have the world’s maximum single-shaft hoisting capacity. The integrated design means a smaller footprint and lower CO2 emissions.

The drives for the Hong Qing He project in Inner Mongolia will be the biggest hoists in the world to feature a motor integrated in the drum. The extremely compact design of the integrated hoisting machines from Siemens will help the Yitai Group to reduce capital costs when building the new coal mine. The carbon footprint of integrated drives is smaller than that of a conventionally designed plant.

Siemens will supply two production hoists with integrated 9 MW motors. This means the installation will include the biggest mine winder motors ever supplied by Siemens.

In order to provide hoisting of personnel and equipment underground for this high capacity, Siemens will additionally equip the mine with two service hoists, each powered by a conventional 3.8 MW motor and a 355 kW motor, as well as by a SM150 and a S120 Sinamics converter. Siemens is also responsible for the entire automation control and monitoring systems as well as for all the medium-voltage and low-voltage control panels, the shaft signalling equipment, the loading and unloading facilities and spare parts as well as for commissioning and training. The start of operations is scheduled for early 2015.

Siemens says “the Inner Mongolia Yitai Group is one of the biggest private corporations in China.” Its coal mines produce about 50 Mt/y.