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SHINDAIWA ARTICLE - Construction Meets Remote Mining Needs

Mines rarely open up next to major population centers, so usually at some point or another the mining operation has to consider bringing in mobile power systems; either to provide power until the mine is hooked up to the power grid or for longer periods of time because the cost of running power lines is prohibitive.

That’s where companies like Shindaiwa Construction Products of Oregon come in. They provide the generation equipment that powers many North American mines. Shindaiwa has also focused much of their technological development on criteria important to miners; compact units, noise abatement, and the flexibility to produce both single and three phase power.

Mobile power units that are expected to run continuously are quite different from standby emergency power units according to Dave Dahlstrom, Director of Marketing and Business Development. Standby generators are not robust and are usually natural gas powered. They are expected to run only 50 to 100 hours a year. A 24/7 schedule will quickly run them into the ground.

Long term power generation is usually provided by diesel generators that with proper maintenance can run 24 hours a day, every day of the year for over five years. And, when they begin to show wear, the parts can be easily replaced. They are usually housed in a module that can be easily transported to and from the site.

In addition to durability, there are other criteria for remote mines. Sound attenuation is critical for mines where workers may live on site or where noise pollution is a problem. Shindaiwa manufactures kWiet Power generators, which offer ultra quiet operation and pose less of a noise pollution problem than other generators.

Another factor for picking the right mobile power unit is size. Transportation and logistics often drive the choice of mobile power units at remote sites. There is also the issue of moving a power unit into the field if it’s to support a piece of electric powered heavy equipment like a drilling machine. The Shindaiwa power units are 10% – 20% more compact than the competition, which makes them easier to move to a site and into the field.

Fuel efficiency is also a critical factor. Since these generator sets run continuously, a little fuel inefficiency adds up fast. And, most important for remote sites where transportation costs are high, a less efficient power generating unit becomes a regular drain on the mine’s transportation and logistics system. For instance, a less efficient 80 kW generator might use an extra 10 gallons of diesel a day. That may not seem like a lot, but it equals 3,650 gallons of extra fuel a year which requires over 12 tons of transport capability. And, most mines require a lot more than one 80 kW mobile power unit. In fact, an 80 kW unit would normally supply the power needs for only two modern houses.

Shindaiwa provides mobile power generation units ranging from 20 kW to 120 kW. Generally smaller units provide single phase 120 – 240 power. However, the Shindaiwa 20 kW DGK25C gen-set can simultaneously produce three phase and single phase power thanks to Simul-Phase technology. At the same time, it produces noise levels of only 56 dB(A) at full load. The manufacturer uses a combination of air dams and insulated panels to decrease emitted noise. The unit also incorporates a 20.6 gal. fuel tank. Shindaiwa said the gen-set has a fuel consumption rate of 1.57 gal./hr at full load and 0.89 gal./hr at 50% load.

The DKG 150D is the largest unit provided Shindaiwa Construction products and its Ultra Quiet technology produces 60 dba at full load at 23 feet, which is the level of sound produced by a normal conversation.

In many cases, a mining site may require several mobile power units to support the mine site and remote operations. A mine interested in mobile power units is best advised to bring experts in early so they can help the operation keep its power requirements down and pick the best units for the specific site.

Although many companies offer mobile power systems, they aren’t all alike. A mine operator needs to look at the specific needs of the mine and make sure that the power systems it buys meets the needs at an value price.

For more information, contact: Shindaiwa Construction Products at 866-205-0199 or visit their web site at www.kwietpower.com.