Customisable drive solution enhances operations

12th October 2018 By: Paige Müller - Creamer Media Reporter

Customisable drive solution enhances operations

INGEDRIVE SYSTEMS Ingedrive systems are available in units ranging from 250 kVA to 44 MVA, and 400 V to 6.6 kV, offering robust, reliable and long-lasting equipment

Spain-based inverter manufacturer Ingeteam highlights that its Ingedrive low- and medium-voltage, variable-speed drives (VSDs) provide compact, customisable and powerful drive system solutions for the African mining industry.

Ingeteam converters and automation division commercial sales manager Per Thorn tells Mining Weekly that the company’s Ingedrive systems have been developed as specialised solutions for high-powered applications, “making them ideal for strenuous mine operations”.

The systems are suited to mining applications, including use in grinding mills, semi-autogenous grinding mills and ball mills, pumps, as well as mine hoists and overland conveyor belts.

Thorn reveals that one of the company’s complete electrical room with Ingedrive system solutions has recently been awarded for a mine in sub-Saharan Africa. While he cannot disclose the name of the client, he reveals that the mine has ordered a complete Ingedrive VSD unit to be delivered and installed by the end of next year.

He however, adds that demand for the units has slowed in South Africa in recent months, but the company has also seen demand for specialised, high-powered VSD solutions for the mining peak in West Africa. He attributes this recent boom to the uptake of greenfield projects and mine expansions in the West African region.

Thorn elaborates that the systems use a modular design and boast a range of transformer arrangements depending on the drive family, which enables them to cover a range of power and voltage requirements while providing a compact structure that allows for easier installation and less space used to house each system, consequently reducing the sizes of electrical rooms and their associated development costs.

“Ingedrive systems are available in units ranging from 250 kVA to 44 MVA, and 400 V to 6.6 kV, offering robust, reliable and long-lasting equipment,” assures Thorn.

He adds that the range of Ingedrive VSDs are designed for single and multiple motor applications and can work with synchronous and asynchronous motors, as well as permanent magnet motors. The design is well suited to four-quadrant operation with energy feedback and for applications without energy feedback.

Meanwhile, the incorporation of control and regulation and internal communication based optic fibre cables for the converter range, and using the latest generation semiconductors, result in technologically advanced, highly efficient equipment with a safe, flexible and user-friendly interface, he says.

“The range’s versatile control architecture and powerful converter processing unit make it possible to control any type of electrical rotary machine, including induction, synchronous or permanent magnet devices with the best possible performance in terms of speed and torque precision,” explains Thorn.

Further, units can be custom-designed to suit a client’s specific operating constraints by maintaining the device’s core and power stack while allowing Ingeteam’s engineering department to adapt the final product to meet the requirements.

“The customisation of the Ingedrive systems is done without compromising their reliability or robustness and it enables the company to further increase the usability and optimisation for each application,” enthuses Thorn.

Thorn stresses that the company’s product design flexibility and client aftercare services set Ingeteam’s products apart from those of its competitors, with the company offering a 360º customer relationship service for its entire product range.

Moreover, the customer relationship service provides Ingeteam clients with comprehensive consulting and direct technical support, as well as training and maintenance services, throughout the lifetime of its products.

Ingeteam’s Ingedrive VSDs are available in all of the company’s global locations comprising Spain, South Africa, India, Brazil, Germany, US, Mexico, Italy, France, Czech republic and Australia.

Technological Innovation a Key Factor

Ingeteam invests more than 5% of its yearly turnover in research and new product innovation, while at least 11% of its personnel globally are dedicated to research and development (R&D).

“This is reflected in the considerable number of R&D projects developed each year by Ingeteam – projects which become real applications and products that meet the needs and expectations of clients,” says Thorn.

He emphasises that technology and innovation are pivotal contributors to the company’s global growth.