An Engineering Consultanting firm specified the premium MineSpec HydroBoost™ pumpset equipped with Lowara SV vertical multistage pumps for a Rio Tinto minesite in the WA Pilbara region.

APT was appointed to design & construct the complete HydroBoost™ pumpset skid for a major contracting company to install at Rio Tinto’s Western Turner Syncline mine site.  The package was supplied as part of a larger pipeline project undertaken and installed by PIHA Pty Ltd.

The function of the pumpset is to boost pressure from a remote, elevated water supply tank to provide variable volumes of water at a constant pressure used for a conveyer spray system, and various other washdown duties within the process zone.

The MCC containing 3 x Variable Frequency Drives (VFD) needed to be fully RTIO compliant, and capable of operating in a hot, dusty, remote location. It was therefore required to have the enclosure equipped with an air-conditioning unit to keep all the VFD’s and electrical components cool.  At the heart of the MCC is the HydroBoost™ GVS Touch-Screen HMI & PLC.  The Touch-Screen HMI is extremely user-friendly for people who are not normally accustomed to managing and commissioning multi-pump controllers.  It is designed as a fully-tested, turn-key package, with minimal parameters to “set”.  Compared to similar products on the market designed for the same purpose, with the HB-GVS system there is now no need to be scrolling through numerous menus to set irrelevant operating parameters.

The mechanical fabrication works also needed to be fully compliant to RTIO standards for certified welding practices for structural and pressure piping applications.  All valves and instrumentation were also in accordance with the clients stringent specifications.

A full FEA Analysis was also carried out to ensure confidence and compliance in the structural base frame and lifting devices

Some key points about the system included:

• The project was completed on time, with the client attending the Witnessed Factory Acceptance Testing in our premises. Complete packaged VFD system to provide a constant pressure output for a flow rate of 0 to 50lps.
• All pumps certified performance tested to AS2417.
• DN150 (6”) Table-E galvanized carbon-steel, pressure pipework, valves and instrumentation.
• Air-conditioned MCC with 3 x VVVF ABB drives, HydroBoost™ GVS Touch-Screen HMI & PLC.
• Base frame skid structure to support the pumps and MCC.
• FEA analysis carried out on all structural frames.
• Certified pipework and structural welding according to RTIO / AS standards.
• NDT carried out on all pipework welding, structural welding and lifting points.
• All drawings and MDR documentation supplied according to RTIO specifications.
• Designed, constructed and witnessed tested from our facility.

The successful delivery of this project demonstrates APT’s ability to design and construct large packages to suit any of the major mining company’s specifications.