At bauma 2016, Prysmian Group, Wuppertal/Germany, world leader in the energy and telecom cable systems industry, presented a broad product portfolio of the brands Prysmian and Draka, specially developed for open-cast and underground mining. The focus was on particularly light and thin reelable power cables with excellent electrical qualities. With a design certified in accordance with VDE 0250-812 and 813, the flexible cables are oil-resistant, wear-resistant, heat-resistant and weatherproof.
The performance requirements in mines are increasing significantly, leading to machines becoming larger and larger. A bucket wheel excavator, e. g., with an installed performance of more than 15 MW is operated at a voltage of 35 kV (Figure 1). Sufficiently reliable cables are a fundamental requirement for use in moving machines. The special reelable cables from the Prysmian Group are highly flexible and hold up to the extreme conditions in mining. They have been in use worldwide for decades and are being developed constantly.
As a reliable partner in mining, Prysmian Group complies with 90 % of the approvals and certificates common in the industry. In this regard the Prysmian and Draka cables stand out from the competition, as Robert Jesumann, Sales Director Export & Business Development of the Prysmian Group explains: “Most standards in mining are already several years old. We, on the other hand, set significantly higher quality standards for our products. We have optimised our solutions and adapted to a modern industry. In comparison with the market as a whole, our cables have the same mechanical and electrical properties, and are about 20 % thinner and 25 % lighter.”
The Prysmian Group covers many different areas of application with its power lines for mining. The voltage levels of the medium-voltage cables and wires range from about 10 kV for extraction underground to 20 kV for tunnel excavation and up to a maximum of 36 kV for open-cast. In open-cast mining the company produces cable cross-sections according to customer requirements of up to 400 mm2 with a cable diameter of around 100 mm. The cable from a single drum can thus be up to 7 km long. The relatively large distances of conveyor bridges in open-cast mining can therefore be safely bridged without a drop in voltage. Additional joining technology is reduced to a minimum.
In underground mining, explosion protection and self-protection play a particularly important role. A single spark can have fatal consequences, since flammable methane is released during the coal mining process. Especially in tunnel excavation, cables are in demand for moving machines which possess integrated monitoring conductors and monitoring systems.
The Prysmian Group develops and produces its cables for international mining applications at its German locations in Neustadt near Coburg (Bavaria) and Wuppertal (North Rhine-Westphalia). Besides flexible power cables, the company also offers corresponding copper and fibre optic cables for communication at the mine. The Prysmian Group engineers do not just support clients in making the best product selection, but also in the implementation of the project.
Further information/Weitere Informationen:
Prysmian Group GmbH
www.prysmiangroup.com
