Empowering Sustainable Mining.
July 2021
CY SERIES Multi Level Fuse Terminal Blocks for efficient conveyor system control over 37 km.
The world is constantly hungry for raw materials to feed its industries. Brazil produced an estimated 400 million tonnes of iron ore in 2020 which is 17% of the global consumption. The Carajás Mine in Brazil’s northern state of Pará is one of the largest iron ore mines globally, with estimated reserves of 7.2 billion metric tonnes of iron, gold, manganese, bauxite, copper, nickel and other valuable ores.
To ensure that such a mega operation stays ecologically sustainable, safer and more productive, requires automation of process. The mining operation relies heavily on the automation of an almost 37 kilometer long ore handling conveyor belt system that drastically reduces the environmental impact of using mining haulers and associated carbon emission making it sustainable and efficient. This conveyor system requires Distributed Control Systems (DCS) along the length of the conveyor system. Signals from various part of the conveyor are brought to control room through control and marshalling panels. These DCS marshalling and control cabinets are the heart of such ccomplex control systems.
The Challenge
Typical Conveyor Belt System for Ore HandlingDistributed Control Systems (DCS) solution provider responsible for implementing the Conveyor System, was faced with the following challenges:
- Thousands of sensors and field devices with 2 wire, 3 wire and 4 wire configuration, needed to be connected with an I/O module. Any surge in these signals could damage the expensiveas I/O modules and hence they needed fuse protection. As these signals run in proximity to power cables in the field, they also needed protection from electromagnetic (EM) interference which was achieved by providing grounding to shielding wires of these cable.
- To smoothly control the multiple section of belts they needed fast switching of various field devices which required High Frequency Digital Switching relays with galvanic isolation for added safety.
- The Terminal Blocks needed to be fitted into compact cabinets, located in an extremely harsh mining environment, with the highest degree of ore dust pollution and machinery vibrations.
The Connectwell Solution
Connectwell offered high-performance CY Series screw-clamp technology terminal blocks and compact slim relay solutions to address the challenges faced by these DCS automation panel builders.
- Connectwell’s CY Series Multilevel Fuse Terminals with integrated ground function allowed 300% more signal wiring per meter.
- Connectwell CSR Series Slim Relays facilitated fast switching and galvanic isolation required for digital outputs of modules to activate the field devices. These Slim Relays also saved 70% space on the Din rail, compared to conventional modular relays.
- Due to the Compact Multi-level Fuse Terminal Blocks, with integrated ground function and Slim Relays provided by Connectwell, the overall cabinet size was reduced by 30% - saving critical space inside the control room.
A Successful Outcome
With our decades of experience in manufacturing Terminal Blocks for higher than real world benchmarks, we are consistently able to provide some of the most resilient foundations for panel builders. This was put to the ultimate test in the adverse conditions of the Carajás mining operation. Connectwell’s high performance CY Series Screw Clamps, Multi-level Fuse Terminals and Slim Relays, empowered our customer in engineering compact DCS control and marshalling cabinets. In effect, it helped improve the core electrical stability of the entire ore conveyor system, increasing ore throughput, cutting down-times and reducing impact on the environment.
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