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PRODUCT News
66
MODERN MINING
May 2015
Non-detonating rock breaking cartridge range launched
AEL unveiled InstaStem, a technologi-
cally-advanced range of non-detonating,
self-stemming rock breaking cartridges,
at the recent Institute of Quarrying con-
ference and exhibition held at the Lord
Charles Hotel in Somerset West near Cape
Town.
“InstaStem Cartridges produce no
shockwaves which means these products
are safe and ideal for use in vibration-sensi-
tive areas. Furthermore, the non-detonating
nature of this range of products ensures
safer operations because they provide no
over-break detonation damage in the tun-
nel ceiling or floor,”says Velly Mngomezulu,
AEL’s Account Manager for South East
Cluster – Northern Region.
With these products there is no risk of
auto-ignition and they have a shelf-life of
18 months. In terms of South African legis-
lation, InstaStem cartridges do not require
transportation by an explosive truck for
quantities less than 250 kg because they
are classified as UN:0323 cartridges, power
device, Class 1.4S.
“InstaStem operations are also suitable
in areas of low-ventilation as the blasts emit
only harmless gases – which are quickly
diluted even in low-ventilation areas – and
there is a minimal gas re-entry time of
about 15 minutes,” notes Mngomezulu.
As there is no stemming or required
change of existing drilling patterns, these
products provide ‘drop-and-go’ ease of use
and do not impact on support infrastruc-
ture. Therefore, there is no interruption or
downtime caused to the quarry or mine
because there is no need to remove equip-
ment or staff.
Mngomezulu says the range is also
extremely efficient and competitive with
traditional explosive products. “Although
these products deflagrate – as opposed
to detonate – at 360 m/s, the energy con-
tent contained within these cartridges is
comparable to that of a high explosive,” he
explains.
InstaStem is also said to be highly accu-
rate, delivering no overbreak in the visible
barrels left behind after the blast, coupled
with a reduction of commodity loss in fines
and dust.
AEL, website:
www.aelminingservices.comFLSmidth recently completed the early
engineering contract for the production,
service and auxiliary winders for the No 2
shaft at Ivanplats’Platreef project. The early
engineering of the three separate wind-
ers was necessary to facilitate the design
of the headframe structure by Murray &
Roberts Cementation.
Mark Sheward, Sales Manager Mine
Shaft Systems for FLSmidth, says the con-
tract award was based on the company’s
60-plus years of experience and an exten-
sive reference base of installations. The
largest Koepe winders previously supplied
by FLSmidth are the two 6,5 m diameter
units at Impala 16 shaft and their success-
ful implementation forms the basis of the
design and engineering undertaken for
the Ivanplats Platreef project’s winders.
“Experience is critical in projects of this
nature and the ability to adapt to chang-
ing conditions is one which differentiates
FLSmidth. Each of the two 6 m diameter
Koepe winder installations with drums,
brake systems and drives needs to be
accommodated within the constraints
of the headframe dimensions. The solu-
tion we provided involved installing the
two Koepe winders at 90 degree angles
to each other, with the auxiliary winder
being installed in a lower level,” Sheward
explains.
During the early engineering phase,
FLSmidth made use of Finite Element
Analysis (FEA) to establish and
verify the stress loading in the
final design. Other supplied
data included dimensions, loads,
required tolerances, stiffness
requirements and the position
and length of the anchor bolts, as
well as the mass and dimensions
of the major components to be
lifted into the headframe.
Both the production and
service winders are four rope
friction winders. The production
winder will hoist two 40-ton skips
while the service winder will be
equipped with a man/material
cage and counterweight. The
rock or production winder is
being designed for a rope speed
FLSmidth completes early engineering for Platreef winders
of 18 m/s while the man/material winder
will operate at 10 m/s. The auxiliary winder,
with a rope speed of 6 m/s, will be a 2,4 m
diameter, 1,2 m wide single drum unit and
could initially be ground-mounted and
used for shaft equipping before being relo-
cated to the head frame on completion of
shaft sinking.
The shaft depth is approximately
1 050 m and braking will be effected on
all three winders by a 4-channel closed
loop hydraulic system incorporating disc
brakes.
The auxiliary winder forms part of the
new small winder design which FLSmidth
has been developing over the past year.
This ongoing development work allows
design optimisation and a reduction in the
weight of the actual winder, as well as the
simplification of the clutch design.
In addition to the early engineering for
the winders, FLSmidth also secured the
contract for the design and engineering
of the conveyances for these winders. This
contract comprises the detailed design of
the two 40-ton skips for the production
winder and a 40-ton double deck cage and
cage counterweight for the man/material
hoist. The skips will incorporate hydraulic
dump mechanisms.
All work for the skips and cages will be
undertaken at the FLSmidth technology
centre for conveyances in Orilia, Canada,
where engineers have access to the latest
technical information.
FLSmidth, tel (+27 10) 210-4820
Top view of the production and service winder engineering model for
the Platreef project.