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Energy saving guide-vanes for fans at Anglo Platinum’s Rustenburg and Amandelbult operations

BBE Projects is working on an energy saving project for Anglo Platinum that will see automated guide vanes, timed to operate during peak tariff periods, being commissioned at the main fan stations on its Rustenburg Section and Amandelbult Section operations.  The contract, awarded in March 2009, was originally targeted as a demand side management (DSM) initiative, but owing to energy constraints, the client decided to fund the project.

BBE has already completed the installation of automated guide vanes on 12 fans at six fan stations at Amandelbult and is on track to complete the Rustenburg Section installation — involving 25 fans at ten fan stations — by year end.  Planning has been critical to ensure no interruption to mining production and all fan stations have remained operational during the installation.

The scope of work included installation of new inlet guide vanes, electrical power meters, fan pressure and flow instrumentation and upgrading the fan PLC and SCADA functions.  Once commissioned, the equipment will be controlled remotely via the mine’s central control room.

The power monitoring aspect makes it possible for the mine to monitor and record power consumption in real time.  The payback period is expected to be less than two years at current tariffs.