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own power by means of diesel generators and solar plants on site for mining operations .
The Bulk Air Cooler ( BAC ) is adjacent to the plant room , minimising interconnecting piping and thermal losses . The BAC basin is constructed from reinforced concrete with insulated panel side walls and roof to speed-up construction time , reduce time spent working at heights and increase thermal efficiency of the spray chamber . Similarly , the Condenser Cooling Tower ( CCT ) used for heat rejection is constructed from lightweight Fibreglass- Reinforced Plastic ( FRP ) components with similar benefits in cost , time and safety . Furthermore , FRP is a good alternative to concrete because of its high strength , light weight and stability .
All civil , structural , mechanical and piping works were carried out by local contractors in line with the mine ’ s commitment to drive socio-economic development and training . Site construction , erection and assembly was supervised by BBE Projects with regular inspections by discipline specific engineers from BBE and OEMs .
To manage the challenges of Andhee remotely overseeing the project site , a site manager ( a South African , Humphrey Maluleke , a civil engineer ) was seconded to Mali to provide a constant presence at Loulo Mine supported by a junior civil engineer recruited locally in Mali . Andhee supplemented this with regular meetings and periodic in-person visits , while
View of plant from far .
Inside the plant room showing the evaporator pumps and refrigeration machine .
inspections were conducted by the site manager and the project team , ensuring effective communication and quality control throughout the project .
“ During the period of sanctions , efforts were made to limit visits to the site , relying instead on the site manager ' s daily reports and photographs for quality control , as well as bi-weekly online meetings .”
Equipment for the refrigeration plant was sourced and shipped from all over the world . CCT fans and electrical motors from Brazil , FRP CCT structure and header piping from India , FRP CCT fan stacks from Poland , CCT gearboxes from Belgium , FRP CCT Cladding from Turkey , refrigerant from Dubai and the refrigeration machines from USA . The balance of the mechanical equipment ( pumps , plant room crane , valves , piping , fasteners , etc .), EC & I equipment ( transformers , MV Switchgear , MCC , cables , instrumentation ) and civil material and structural steelwork ( rebar , plant room steelwork , shaft inlet ducting , pipe supports ) were consolidated and shipped from South Africa .
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The duct .
RACA Journal I September 2023
CHALLENGES ON SITE Mine refrigeration is the area of specialisation of BBE Projects , so while there were the usual challenges , says Avinash Andhee , senior project leader and mechanical engineer at BBE , they were all in a day ’ s work for them .
He adds : “ This was our second such project in Mali and we had already learned a great deal from that . Undertaking the HVAC cooling project at Loulo Mine presented several unique challenges for the team . At the outset , the project coincided
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