Saldanha iron ore terminal Archives

Bauer Geared Motors, a business division of Hudaco Trading Ltd, has been awarded a contract to deliver a total drive solution that includes five large sized 750 kW industrial gearboxes and two 185 kW units for the Tippler upgrade project at the Saldanha Iron Ore export terminal in South Africa.

Weighing up to 15 t each, the 750 kW gearboxes are the largest machines ever supplied by Bauer.

Bauer says it has been a market leader in electric drives since 1984, initially specialising in geared motors. The Hudaco power transmission division later diversified, expanding its portfolio to include industrial gearboxes and transmission solutions.

It joined the Hudaco group in 2002 and, in the same year, became a supplier to Saldanha providing slew and bucketwheel drives. Bauer upgraded these drives after 10 years of operation and, in 2020, supplied a third slew drive with planetary gearboxes, and an overland conveyor.

When Derek Gilmore joined Bauer as Managing Director – Drives and Motors, in June 2019, the Tippler upgrade project for Saldanha Iron Ore port fell under his auspices. He explained that the company responsible for overseeing the project favoured a total solutions supply chain through a single sourced provider.

“The fact that Hudaco is a listed supplier to the Saldanha Port operation paved the way for Bauer, as part of the Hudaco group, to put in a bid on the drive requirements for this project,” he said.

Bauer proved compliance on design and all critical criteria as specified by the main consulting house.

The full scope of supply from Bauer includes industrial gearboxes, medium-voltage electric motors, drive base plates, high- and low-speed couplings, brakes, actuators, parts and spares as well as condition monitoring.

“We will also be responsible for torque arm and complete drive assembly,” Gilmore added.

“Our industrial gearboxes are manufactured by India-based OEM, Elecon Engineering Company Ltd, one of the largest manufacturers of industrial gear units in Asia,” he said. These gearboxes boast a service factor of more than two and 100,000 hours design life, according to the company.

The 750 kW gearboxes, two parallel drive systems and three parallel and tandem drives, will be installed on a sacrificial conveyor and a 283 m long overland conveyor, respectively. The 185 kW units will drive an adjustable shuttle conveyor.

Compliant with necessary and important thermal criteria, the 750 kW gearboxes are equipped with a cooling and forced lubrication system with dual oil pumps, one serving as a backup unit. Gilmore explains that, in addition to machine longevity, this system is also a safety feature, keeping the drive temperature to below a safe-touch of 70°C.

Bauer will also be responsible for providing the condition monitoring sensors to facilitate remote monitoring of the gearboxes, including motor speed and motor windings temperatures, brake wear and temperatures, oil levels and flow pressures, as well as bearing wear and vibrations.

“Early detection allows for a planned shutdown to do the necessary maintenance, thereby avoiding critical failure and costly downtime,” Gilmore noted.

He said Bauer is also supplying large 710 mm diameter hydraulic disk brakes for the sacrificial and shuttle conveyors in collaboration with supply partner, Magnet Service Binder.

FLSmidth says it has had its Operate and Maintain contract at the Saldanha Iron Ore Terminal on South Africa’s west coast renewed for another three years.

The company has successfully operated the quality control laboratory at Saldanha – Africa’s largest iron ore export facility – for the past eight years, according to Martin Matthysen, Director, SPA (sampling, preparation and analysis), Sub Saharan African and Middle East at FLSmidth.

“An average of approximately 8,500 t of iron ore per hour pass by conveyor from the rail head to the ship during loading,” Matthysen said. “Our automated laboratory located above the conveyor must sample and test from this ore stream, delivering accurate and precise data timeously to stakeholders.”

He says the automated system installed by FLSmidth for a leading iron ore producer takes a representative sample of the ore and processes it though the laboratory with minimal human intervention. It is the only laboratory with ISO 17025 accreditation for the iron ore sector, according to the company, complying with standards ISO 9516 for chemical analysis, ISO 4701 for particle size determination, ISO 3087 for moisture analysis, ISO 11536 for loss of ignition analysis and ISO3082 for sampling.

“Operational quality and stringent standards are vital in this process, as both the seller and the buyer of the ore must be confident that test results on the shipment are accurate and precise,” Matthysen said.

“The laboratory analyses the material’s chemical composition, particle size, moisture content and loss of ignition levels – as these indicators all impact on the final price of the product.”

The accuracy of results is further checked by participating in a proficiency testing scheme as well as ‘round robin’ analysis – in which samples are verified by laboratories selected by end-customers elsewhere in the country and world, according to the company.

“We are pleased to have delivered exemplary past performance at Saldanha, in service of our client’s best interests and efficient operation,” Matthysen said. “Our ongoing focus on quality has also ensured that we remain compliant with all-important ISO standards in our daily processes.”

He added that the automated laboratory’s ability to deliver reliable and accurate results as quickly as it does, is also a vital benefit to the client.

Bauer drives Tippler upgrade project at Saldanha iron ore terminal

FLSmidth automated lab wins contract extension at Saldanha Iron Ore Terminal