THEKO LETSIE The mining market is always cyclical and Yokogawa is investing in the development of solutions that will be required when the market improves
Interest in automation, control and safety systems manufacturer Yokogawa’s DTSX fibre-optic distributed temperature sensor range is growing in the South African mining sector, as the industry takes steps to prepare for an inevitable upswing in the commodities market, says Yokogawa South Africa mining business development manager Theko Letsie.
The DTSX is a long-range integrated sensing system, mounted on a process control platform that measures temperature for up to 50 km along fibre-optic cables. It has applications in a variety of industries and in mining applications is highly effective as a retrofit solution for fire detection on conveyor belts and leak detection in pipelines.
Letsie explains that the product eliminates the need for multiple surveillance and detection devices, as it can be routed along the course of any piece of equipment that requires monitoring. Temperature readings are displayed on a computer monitor, enabling maintenance personnel to identify and manage any problems immediately and, thereby, reduce damage to equipment, loss of conveyed material, cost of repair and plant downtime.
Having proven itself in the international market, the DTSX was originally introduced in South Africa in 2014, but uptake of the product has been stunted by a protracted period of lower commodities prices and a subsequent conservative approach to investment in new technology by the country’s mining industry, says Letsie.
Having implemented more comprehensive marketing strategies at the end of last year, however, Yokogawa has noted increased interest in the product and believes that this is a sign that mining companies are preparing for “a new mining era”.
“The mining market is always cyclical and, while the industry is facing a challenging downturn, an upturn will eventually follow. To be successful when this upswing in the market materialises, it is important that Yokogawa invests in the development of solutions that will be required when mining companies prepare to ramp up their operations.”
Letsie predicts that the South African mining industry is going to become increasingly mechanised and automated when this upturn transpires to improve the efficiency of operations, increase output and decrease opportunities for human error. “We are preparing for this development in our South African product offering and are continually attempting to provide solutions that balance cost with reliability, efficiency and safety.”
The DTSX can be easily integrated with other monitoring devices in process control systems to improve the overall efficiency of production processes. The design of the device allows for interchangeable configurations with up to 16 fibre-optic channels, control input/output variations and several power supply options. It has a wide operating temperature range, withstanding ambient temperatures of between –40 °C and 65 °C. The device is compact and lightweight, and has low energy consumption, making it ideal for installations in remote areas that rely on solar power.