High pressure reciprocating pump specialist RMI Pump Systems says it has recently completed two comprehensive equipment overhauls and upgrades locally for mining customers in China.
According to Sabrina Zhang, General Manager of RMI China, a full system upgrade was just delivered to Shennan Industry’s Xiaobaodang mine, which comprised an Grade B overhaul. The system included RMI’s Quinmax emulsion pump station, Trimax water pump station and a control system. The second contract – for the Hanglaiwan mine in Shaanxi Province of China – included multiple pumps and related equipment.
Both upgrades were conducted in RMI’s MA-accredited factory and workshop in Shanghai. There have been two RMI emulsion/water systems in operation at Hanglaiwan mine, with the upgraded system having been initially installed at the mine in 2021.
According to Zhang, RMI conducted Grade A and B upgrades for Hanglaiwan on five of RMI’s Quinmax pumps, three of its S300 water pumps and one S300 high set. This followed a complete strip-down and assessment at RMI’s Shanghai facility.
“Our innovative maintenance schedules help customers to improve performance and reliability,” Zhang said. “Over a typical six-year cycle, RMI recommends three different grades of overhauls or upgrades.”
While the Grade A intervention is recommended at the end of the first and second years, the Grade B upgrade is recommended after three years – and comprises a full rebuild. Over the following two years, Grade A upgrades should again be conducted, with a Grade C upgrade – also an intensive rebuild – after the sixth year.
“Adhering to our tried-and-tested overhaul and upgrade methodology, customers can ensure that their pump systems operate consistently at peak performance,” she said.
Both contracts included the overhauling of the system’s control units. RMI’s in-house control engineer repairs the control units and works in collaboration with subcontractors to service the MMS control boards, power units, display units, etc.
After the completion of the upgrade, the equipment was dispatched in the last week of April to the mine. The units are to be transported by 17 m truck over a distance of almost 1,700 km to the mine site.
RMI, which has been designing, manufacturing and supporting its high pressure and high volume fluid pumping stations for over a century, has served the mining sector in China for more than 30 years. The company’s certified manufacturing facility in Shanghai – owned by RMI’s holding company Armstrong Fluid Technologies – can produce and service 15 different models of high pressure pump, according to Zhang. The facility has also enhanced the local availability of RMI’s genuine spare parts.
“This gives our customers in China fast access to our components – which is a cornerstone of our localisation strategy in China,” she said. “In times of emergency, parts can now be delivered to customers as quickly as three to four days. We also have technical service centres close to the main mining areas, allowing technical service engineers to reach customers within two hours.”