IM 2017 September 17 | Page 44

MECHANISED COAL The Joy AFC is a 3 x 1,000 kW, 1,000 mm raceway, 50 mm Broadband chain, while the shearer is a Joy 7LS6 with J750 ranging arms, and again the new Joy Super Duty Radial cutter drums. The roof supports are 2 x 1,750 t with Joy Compak valve system and RS20s FACEBOSS controls, 2.05m wide supports, 67 t in weight for the face shields Again, the monorail system is supplied by Macquarie Manufacturing, the pump stations by Longwall Hydraulics, but in this case the electrical distribution system came from Ampcontrol. LTCC Grosvenor was the first to use TBM technology for mining tunnels in Queensland. Anglo American opted for an 8 m diameter Robbins Dual Mode ‘Crossover’ TBM and continuous conveyor system, which was assembled on location using Onsite First Time Assembly (OFTA) with onsite support from Robbins’ experienced field service team. The Crossover XRE TBM was chosen over more traditional roadheaders for several reasons, including excavation speed and tunnel maintenance. The machine bored two decline access tunnels at grades of 1:6 and 1:8, one for conveyors and another for people and equipment complete this project seven months ahead of schedule whilst remaining well under budget. In order to ensure that the Grosvenor package was manufactured to the highest standards the package was put through a vast array of testing processes before and after delivery to the mine site. Longwall Hydraulics was able to for the first time commission the pump station and Becker Mining transformer package in the New South Wales workshop with the hire of a large genset and transformer package. This commissioning process allowed multiple OEMs to test all hydraulic systems as well as all power supply and control systems right up to 11,000 V. Upon the successful completion of the commissioning process in the Longwall Hydraulics workshop, each package was sent to the mine site where it was operated as a part of the longwall mini build. This process was the first time that the entire longwall package was operated as a whole prior to being installed underground ready for production, according to Longwall Hydraulics. Becker Vale a subsidiary of Becker Mining Systems secured two major multi-million dollar contracts with Joy Global and its customer Anglo American’s Metallurgical Coal business. The first was to provide, install and commission electrical equipment and control systems for Grosvenor. This contract included four flameproof substations and six flameproof Direct Circuit Breakers (DCBs). The Endis substations and DCBs were manufactured by Becker (SAIT) in France and accessorised at the Becker Vale Moss 42 International Mining | SEPTEMBER 2017 Vale facility. Becker says: “the modular substations and eight outlet DCB revolutionise energy distribution in Australia with no-bolt door access and rackable circuit breaker/contactor assemblies allowing ease of acc