Becker Mining South Africa has launched its range of IGBT mine traction battery chargers designed to charge underground traction batteries in the shortest possible time, at the lowest possible temperature, to ensure optimum battery performance.
“The most common causes of battery failure and reduced service life are associated with incorrect charging techniques,” says Andrew Trentelman, senior general manager: electronics, Becker Mining South Africa. “Becker Mining’s new IGBT mine traction battery chargers, which utilise insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) technology for quick on and off switching, are more efficient and cost effective than conventional transductor controlled oil-cooled traction battery chargers.
“These IGBT battery chargers are lightweight air cooled units, which are controlled by an intelligent micro processor circuit that acts as the main control computer, responsible for the logging, charge functions and controls.
“Becker Mining’s new chargers utilise delta volts/delta time (dv/dt) for the precise detection of a battery’s gassing stage so the charger can terminate the second rate charge more rapidly. This technology, which prevents over-charging often associated with conventional battery chargers, ensures reduced charging times and lower power consumption. By reducing the charge current once dv/dt is reached, batteries are charged at a significantly lower temperature.”
With an improved power factor of 0,8 and a maximum input current which has been reduced from 42 to 32 A, these energy efficient battery chargers offer power savings up to 10 kVA during maximum output current.
The auto cell detection system enables IGBT chargers to execute a short test charge on every battery to determine the number of cells connected to ensure correct charging. Other cell configurations and various Amp/hour ratings (100 to 1 000 A/h) can be programmed and stored through the user interface, with no additional changes to the battery charger itself.
For the efficient management of mine traction batteries, Becker Mining’s robust chargers have an integrated power line communication (PLC) identification method, which automatically logs the serial number, as well as the charge history related to that specific battery.
The user interface is a full colour display that provides relevant information, including voltage, current, state of charge, temperature of stack, capacity charged, duration of charge, errors, time and date.
Becker Mining’s new chargers are equipped with Wi-Fi to facilitate future downloading of data, errors and the charge history of each battery, or for viewing or analysis on the surface.
Becker Mining South Africa offers a technical advisory and support service to mines throughout southern Africa.
For more information contact Andrew Trentelman, Becker Mining South Africa, +27(0)11 617 6300, [email protected], www.za.becker-mining.com
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