The system provides continuous voltage regulation for large underground energy consuming equipment such as mining machines, long-haul conveyors, crushers and mine hoisting plants.
One of the main advantages of the new system is that high-power mine production equipment can now be operated at much greater distances from the main power substation, without the need for increased feeder cable sizes or substation transformers.
ABB said by supplying a steady, nominal voltage, mining machine motors can develop full design torque and will be able to operate at lower temperatures.
"The bottom line is that our new VRS 3000 system will not only boost and continuously regulate mine voltage and extend motor life, but it will ultimately increase our mining customers' mining range, productivity and profitability," the head of ABB's automation technologies in Canada, Sandy Taylor, said.
The VRS was designed after a large underground Canadian company told ABB it was being hampered by low voltages at the end of long trailing cables, as well as major voltage fluctuations.
"This technology has been successfully used on many types of surface loads, but so far it has never been used in the harsh underground environment," Taylor said.
"The heavy dust loading and the need for portability, especially during lowering down the mineshaft, posed some interesting design challenges. Ultimately, however, we met the challenge and delivered an excellent system."
