Dragline in Surface Coal Mining in Australia

“The DC-EXX drive system has proven to be highly reliable for excavator applications, and combined with GE’s powerful DC motor technology, this drive application is fast becoming an industry standard,” says Bill Horvath, General Industries A.E. Team Leader at TMEIC-GE.
 

 

For each order, the DC-EXX was selected for its excellent support at the mine level, and optimum performance and exceptional durability in controlling DC motors operating in the demanding environment of draglines service. 

 

The DC-EXX system is innovative, yet employs proven Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor (IGBT) technology used in field exciter-regulators.  These are fed from two common DC buses. Two simple diode DC rectifiers power these buses–one for all the generator fields and one for all the motor fields.

 

The DC-EXX MG set control was based on the customer’s close working relationship with the GE Australia Mining Team and TMEIC GE’s many years of experience in applying controls to DC mining excavators.  In upgrading their draglines, the DC EXX system offered the customers clear advantages over competing thyristor exciter technology.

 

Key Benefits:

The DC-EXX is designed for multiple DC generators and motors used in large machines.  The unique DC-EXX system configuration provides significant key benefits to the customer, including:

 

• High response digital control for superior machine control and protection;
• Improved performance and reliability compared to last generation systems;
• Ease-of-maintenance: fewer, common spares and an easy-to-read flat-screen interface to speed setup and troubleshooting;
• Faster motion stop to protect motors, generators and increase brake life
• Built on proven technology and more than 50 years of GE experience in motors and controls for the mining industry.

 Overall Motor Generator Set System:

• Medium voltage AC power from the mine trail cable feeds MG set synchronous motor and auxiliary transformer;
• Each synchronous motor MG set powers multiple DC generators on a common shaft;
• Diode AC-DC converters on auxiliary power create two 600 volt common DC busses for generator and motor fields.

 The performance of the DC-EXX in the Australia mine applications was a key factor in TMEIC GE receiving an order through GE Motors for ten DC-EXX Drive Systems to be installed in new rope shovel excavators.  The first five of the systems will be for use in iron and coal mines in India.  The first shovel system for this project is expected to be commissioned in 2009.

 

About Billiton Mitsubishi Alliance (BMA)

BMA is Australia’s largest coal producer and a leader in the international coal industry.  BMA is distinguished by the quality of its assets, its commitment to sustainable development and support for the communities in which BMA operates.

 

About Rio Tinto Coal Australia

Rio Tinto Coal Australia is one of Australia's leading mining organizations with a highly successful record in the development and management of world-class open cut and underground coal operations.  The company operates eight mines in Australia.