Broad based gains in production efficiencies for Canadian coal company
February 2001
Fieldbus & Industrial Networking
Fording Coal is Canada's largest export-coal producer, shipping metallurigcal and thermal coal products to Asia, the Pacific Rim, North and South America, Europe and Mediterranean region. Fording Coal's three British Columbia mines - Coal Mounting, Fording River and Greenhills - collectively have more than one billion tons of reserves and output a combined total of 16 million tons per year of chiefly high-quality metallurgical coal used to make coke for the international steel industry. Thermal coal is also exported to power utilities worldwide.
Modicon PLCs and Modbus Plus network perform process documentation
Schneider Electric's Modicon 984 PLCs control the mines' electrical switchgear, conveyor systems, coal washing sprayers, coal-fired dryers, silos and loadout of coal onto railcars. These PLCs are linked across the entire plant with a high-speed Modbus Plus communications network.
Raw coal is mined from open pits. After the coal is processed and dried, it is fed through a series of conveyors and silos to railcars for the 1200 km journey to Vancouver's West Shore Terminals, where ocean-going vessels ship the coal to Fording's customers on five continents.
Modicon PLCs also control shovel dragline positioning. Modicon TSX 37 micro PLCs are used on large open pit trucks for lube monitoring.
Schneider Electric's Modicon PLCs and Modbus Plus communications network have facilitated process documentation and tracking. Improved process control has lowered operating costs and increased product quality, allowing Fording Coal to market their product as a premium, high-efficiency burning coal.
Ground fault system upgrade improves circuit breaker system reliability
To date, Schneider Canada Services' superior workmanship, product knowledge and fast turnaround time on smaller, previous retrofit projects, they were awarded a major upgrade/re-engineering of Fording Coal's ground fault system. Upgrades include the installation of electronic DSP Mark 2 ground fault systems. In addition to significantly increase the coal mine's circuit breaker system reliability, the ability of Schneider Electric's ground fault system to trip circuit breakers eliminated circuit breaker system damage and ensured employee safety.
[email protected]
www.schneider.co.za
Further reading:
A one-stop-shop for industrial
Fieldbus & Industrial Networking
HMS Networks has announced that Red Lion and N-Tron are officially product brands. For thousands of automation engineers and system integrators worldwide, this means that scalable industrial solutions for cloud connectivity, edge intelligence, asset management, industrial Ethernet switches, panel meters and operator panels are now available from one trusted source.
Read more...
Power over Ethernet (PoE) injector for seamless deployment
Vepac Electronics
Fieldbus & Industrial Networking
The Edimax GP-203IT from Vepac Electronics is a Power over Ethernet injector that not only delivers a cost-effective solution for power distribution, but also enables seamless deployment on the existing LAN infrastructure.
Read more...
A one-stop-shop for industrial communication
Fieldbus & Industrial Networking
HMS Networks has announced that Red Lion and N-Tron are officially product brands. For thousands of automation engineers and system integrators worldwide, this means that scalable industrial solutions for cloud connectivity, edge intelligence, asset management, industrial Ethernet switches, panel meters and operator panels are now available from one trusted source.
Read more...
Cost-effective industrial PoE injector
Vepac Electronics
Fieldbus & Industrial Networking
The Edimax IGP-203IT from Vepac Electronics is an industrial PoE injector that not only delivers a cost-effective solution for power distribution, but also allows seamless deployment on an existing LAN infrastructure.
Read more...
Harnessing the power of OT networking
RJ Connect
Fieldbus & Industrial Networking
Businesses are increasingly embracing IT/OT convergence to stay ahead and capitalise on advantages such as smarter factories and higher efficiency. This article provides practical insights and guidance to help you navigate these challenges effectively.
Read more...
PC-based control for advanced hydrogen storage technology
Beckhoff Automation
Fieldbus & Industrial Networking
Sufficient storage options for renewable energies are essential to use them as efficiently as possible. GKN Hydrogen offers a particularly compact and safe option, low-pressure metal hydride hydrogen storage systems with PC-based control from Beckhoff.
Read more...
Power over Ethernet splitter without electric cabling
Vepac Electronics
Fieldbus & Industrial Networking
The GP-101ST Gigabit PoE (Power over Ethernet) Splitter from Vepac Electronics delivers both data and electrical power to non-PoE Fast Ethernet or Gigabit Ethernet-enabled products such as network cameras and wireless access points, using an Ethernet cable, without the need for power outlets and electrical cabling.
Read more...
Beckhoff’s XPlanar boosts productivity in medical device assembly
Beckhoff Automation
Fieldbus & Industrial Networking
The intelligent transport system, XPlanar from Beckhoff provided the basis for an innovative system concept allowing the specialists at Automation NTH to reduce the space requirement of an assembly machine for medical diagnostic devices by a factor of 10.
Read more...
Comprehensive solutions for the food and beverage sector
RS South Africa
Fieldbus & Industrial Networking
RS South Africa is reinforcing its commitment to the country’s dynamic food and beverage sector, backed by a comprehensive portfolio of over 800 000 products, extensive technical expertise and end-to-end service capabilities.
Read more...
Case History 198: Cascade control overcomes valve problems
Michael Brown Control Engineering
Fieldbus & Industrial Networking
A large petrochemical refinery asked me to perform an audit on several critical base layer control loops. This article deals with a problem found on a valve controlling the flow of fuel to a heat exchanger.
Read more...
printer friendly version