April 2021

CONVEYORS AND MATERIALS-HANDLING n amounts to 58MW, and includes 11 5MW gearless synchronous motors. A dedicated control program ensures that the belts operate smoothly and that the high-power motors synchronise safely with the hydraulic brakes needed to ensure safe operation of steep uphill conveyors. The drives do not need mechanical backstops. “This is a new milestone in underground applications for continuous mining,” declares Ulf Richter, ABB’s global product manager for belt conveyor systems. “It is the highest drive power ever installed on a conveyor and uses a wide range of features for data acquisition, equipment assessment and process optimisation. We have overcome tremendous technical and logistical challenges due to underground situations, elevation change and capacity requirements.” “This mega project achieves a number of firsts, from the system’s installed drive power to the application of the ST10000 conveyor belt,” adds Takraf project manager, Marc Hollinger. It incorporates technologies “that push the boundaries of what has been done before”. Gearless drives reduce the number of wear parts significantly, resulting in higher efficiency and reliability, and reducing the need for maintenance. Commissioning the conveyor system took four months. It is expected to extend operations at the mine by 40 years. n A video of the Chuquicamata conveyor system in action can be seen at https://drivesncontrols.news/8yzwjt The underground sections of the conveyor had to be commissioned in tough operating conditions