To ensure timely, cost effective, and safe transportation of iron ore with minimal impact on the environment, JSW, one of India’s largest private sector steel companies, set up the world’s longest conveyor system at one of their plants in Bellary, Karnataka. ABB India has been commissioned to provide complete electrification, drives & automation solutions for this conveyor system through its ‘Made in India’ products manufactured in the local factories.
Through this pipe conveyor system, JSW has cut down nearly 3000 road trips required for the transportation of the iron ore. This not only solves the critical issue of transportation of raw material from mining to processing sites, but also makes the process more sustainable by significantly reducing carbon emissions caused by road transportation.
The key requirement of the project was system design, product reliability and life cycle support. The system consists of 3 flights of pipe conveyor to transport iron ore from Nandihalli yard to JSW site at Toranagallu in Bellary, Karnataka. For the project, ABB supplied complete Medium Voltage switchgear panels for their four substations, ACS880 low voltage high power single drive & parallel connected drive, engineered AMI series of low voltage motor, converter duty transformer and hot redundant PLC and SCADA solutions for the conveyors, through OEMs Macmet, FLS & LNVT.
ABB’s solutions for conveyor system help improve efficiency and sustainability
Transportation of iron ore by road resulted in hefty costs, unavoidable delays and loss of material due to breakdowns and slippage. The pipe conveyor system has achieved reduced inbound logistics costs, contained material losses, improved safety, and minimized carbon footprint. There have been zero road accidents after this pipe conveyor got commissioned.
Talking about the project, Sunil D Kathariya - Executive Vice President (Projects), JSW India, said, “We are delighted to work with the ABB India team on this one-of-a-kind project. This unique and challenging project had to be delivered in a year’s time, against all odds. The advanced conveyor system has resulted in significant advantages, both in terms of cost reduction as well as enhancing our contribution to the environment. We look forward to collaborating with ABB on our future projects as well.”
Commenting on the project, Ganesh Kothawade, Sr. Vice President of Electrification business, ABB India, said, “We are delighted to have contributed to this world-class pipe conveyor project by JSW. ABB’s electrification solutions are designed to significantly improve performance while also ensuring safety and sustainability. We have large installed base at JSWs various sites and looking forward for similar collaborations also in the future.”
“The project execution was quite challenging with the 24km stretch being executed by 3 conveyor OEMs,” said Anoop Anand, President, System Drives. “Our team had packaged the complete solution for the conveyor system, including low voltage motors, drives and overall control automation. Implementing some of the project's special automation requirements at our test facility and replicating them on site for the customer's satisfaction was a very enriching experience for the team," he added.
Sustainability is at the core of ABB’s solutions and a key part of the value created for all stakeholders. As a technology leader, ABB actively contributes to a more sustainable world, leading by example in its own operations and partnering with customers and suppliers to enable a low-carbon society, preserve resources, and promote social progress.
ABB (ABBN: SIX Swiss Ex) is a leading global technology company that energizes the transformation of society and industry to achieve a more productive, sustainable future. By connecting software to its electrification, robotics, automation and motion portfolio, ABB pushes the boundaries of technology to drive performance to new levels. With a history of excellence stretching back more than 130 years, ABB’s success is driven by about 105,000 talented employees in over 100 countries.
