In March 2018 Longwall Hydraulics signed an OEM supply contract with CAT to supply Peabody North Goonyella Mine a new pump station package. This system will be part of a new longwall system being supplied by CAT in 2019. North Goonyella is currently operating a LWH pump station, however, the new system will feature the latest upgrades available including a first for the industry with dedicated high pressure dust suppression included in the design.
As dust suppression systems become more critical for safety and the environment, the Company turned our design attention to developing options using high pressure pumps and misting technology. The Company have already designed and built units for surface applications and smaller units for retrofit to existing underground operations. The CAT/Peabody North Goonyella OEM contract will be the first installation to implement a complete high pressure mist dust suppression system.
By opting for a dedicated high pressure dust suppression pump and separating the fluid requirement away from the shearer water system, the Longwall Hydraulics system provides significant operational and safety benefits for the customer:
The system removes the requirement for pressure reducing systems.
The system simplifies water reticulation and reduces the volume requirement on shearer water.
The high pressure misting technology reduces water demands for the operation, and results in significantly less run-off and other environmental benefits.
The misting technology increases safety for longwall operators.
As well as the dedicated dust suppression, Longwall Hydraulics will also implement new designs on the pump cart to improve performance and efficiency in operation.
New safety initiatives to reduce fluid injection potential.
The pump station is designed to allow all pumps to be operated as both main Emulsion system and Hi Set systems.
Redundancy is designed into the system, with the highest performance guarantees every offered on a new station contract being agreed.
The new design focuses on commonality of components to reduce life cycle management costs.
The product innovation on the dust systems can be retrofitted to existing operations, and the high pressure misting designs can also be used in other industry applications including surface mining, constructions and earth works industries, utilizing both Kamat and Dynaset HP pumps.
The Company is now moving into high pressure jetting applications with the Kamat and Dynajet products and will be manufacturing UHP unit (ultrahigh pressure) moving into FY19. They will also be launching a broader filtration product range with Feature Tec over the coming months. With a new business system being planned for 2019, and expanding customer base, the Company is focused on growing the business over the next 25 years.
HP dust suppression power unit, utilising a Kamat K9055 pump, diesel engine and electrical control system manufactured for Enviromist surface application. Capacity 280 bar, 150 lpm, dust suppression range over 30 metres, weight 3 tonne