As part of its efficiency improvement program, the Solntsevsky coal mine, a key mining asset of the Eastern Mining Company, has introduced modern high-speed refuelling of mining equipment. The new system allows a reduction in the time for refuelling one piece of equipment of 2.5 times thereby increasing mining equipment productivity.
As part of the introduction of a high-speed refuelling system, the fuel dispensers were modernised. The throughput of the fuel was increased by increasing the diameter of the pipeline, plus more powerful high-performance pumps were installed, increasing the fuel supply capacity from 250 to 500-600 litres per minute. Also, quick disconnect couplings have been improved for faster and more convenient machine maintenance. Thanks to technical updates, it was possible to achieve the required pressure in the fuel tank, which automatically closes the valve of the filling nozzle when the tank is full.
The whole range of implemented measures has reduced the time spent on replenishing the mining transport units with fuel. For example, earlier it took 15 minutes to refuel BELAZ trucks with a carrying capacity of 220 t and a tank volume of 2,150 litres. The refuelling time is now 6 minutes.
“We started the implementation of the project for the development and implementation of high-speed gas stations at the beginning of the year. When planning, all aspects were taken into account: from the number of fuel dispensers and their initial technical characteristics, as well as the total number of vehicles of 133 units to the number of vehicles working in one shift and the amount of fuel consumed by them. The new system allowed us not only to increase the speed of refuelling trucks, but also to optimise the entire workflow, getting rid of downtime and queues. As a result, when 110 dump trucks are operating on the line, the new system of high-speed refuelling frees up almost a day of work for one unit of equipment,” commented Stanislav Wegner, Technical Director of the Solntsevsky coal mine.
Within the framework of the project, system regulation has been developed that allows the mine to regulate equipment trips to the gas station. The refuelling process is carried out using the automated dispatching system KARIER from Zyfra Mining, which monitors the amount of fuel remaining in the tanks, the location of the equipment, and the load of the dispensers and makes the optimal decision on refuelling.
The commissioning of a new high-speed refuelling system also made it possible to create an additional 10 new jobs in the Uglegorsk region. Refuellers work in shifts, which ensures round-the-clock and uninterrupted operation of the gas station.
