MOZAMBIQUE MATTERS RTS Africa has installed several air filtration systems in Mozambique, experiencing only technical challenges related to site constraints
Specialised engineering company RTS Africa has experienced significant success over the past 26 years while expanding into Mozambique and further afield in Africa.
Working through contractors in Mozambique, RTS Africa has been able to expand into the engineering and mining industries through the provision of innovations such as its inertial spin filter solution, which provides a low-maintenance, robust alternative to the ongoing challenge of hazardous dust build-up.
RTS Africa MD Ian Fraser explains that the company has installed several air filtration systems in Mozambique, experiencing only technical challenges related to site constraints.
RTS Africa has had to install some of its air filter systems at older mines, where existing systems – some of which were more than 20 years old – were failing and needed to be removed before the new systems could be installed.
Tshwane-based RTS Africa recently started installing its inertial spin filters at mines across the country, with mining operations in the northern parts of Mozambique already using the air filter system. The spin filters can move more than 1 200 Nm3 /h of air for smaller applications, with the largest system installed by RTS Africa capable of moving 250 000 Nm3 /h of air. There is no theoretical ‘top limit’ to the capacity of the inertial spin filters, the company adds.
“The amount of air moved depends on the requirements of the application. “The spin filter installation is designed to provide the correct amount of dust-free air for the application,” explains Fraser.
He notes that there are hundreds of applications using RTS Africa’s inertial spin filters across Southern and Central Africa. This is because spin filters are easy to install, with the self-cleaning system requiring little to no maintenance.
However, in some rare applications, the spin filter system can have a limited life span, particularly if it is filtering abrasive dust, such as the dust from chrome ore.
“Abrasive materials passing through the filters do shorten the product’s life span; however, most systems are still operating after 20 years in service.”
Fraser says hazardous dust can include dust from coal, iron-ore and other conductive materials that can be not only dangerous if inhaled but can also cause short circuits in electrical equipment, and result in extensive damage to machinery.
“With prevailing costs and uncer- tainties in the mining sector and the labour market, in general, spin filters offer an ideal solution to limiting the impact of hazardous dust and repair costs by reducing a company’s dependence on support and maintenance,” he concludes.