Electrodrives participated in the latest edition of the international conference Comminution 25, held in Cape Town, presenting the paper titled “Optimizing Comminution at Ban Houayxai Mine: Upgrading to Variable Speed in a Fixed-Speed SAG Mill”.
During the conference, the company highlighted its Slip Energy Recovery Drive (SER Drive) technology, an advanced solution designed for the efficient operation of SAG mills, particularly advantageous where operational flexibility and superior energy efficiency are essential, compared to traditional systems such as Variable Frequency Drives (VFDs).
The main benefits of the SER Drive include:
- Higher energy efficiency: Recovers energy from rotor slip to the grid on the recovery side, and with lower commutation losses.
- Hyper-synchronous operation capability: Allows the motor to operate above its rated speed, allowing operating point flexibility in the face of input ore variations.
- Integrated operational redundancy: It has a back-up system (LRS), which guarantees production continuity even in case of failure.
- Fast installation and minimum operational interruption: Possibility of containerized installation, reducing integration time and costs.
The case study presented for Ban Houayxai Mine confirmed substantial improvements achieved through the implementation of the SER Drive:
- 6% reduction in energy consumption per tonne of processed ore.
- 16% decrease in grinding media consumption.
- 25% increase in SAG mill liner lifespan.
- Rapid return on investment, with estimated annual savings exceeding one million dollars.
These results reinforce the SER Drive as an optimal, cost-effective, and sustainable solution to enhance productivity in modern mining operations.
