SA HIPPO - WORLD’S SAFEST SUBMERSIBLE PUMP FOR UNDERGROUND MINING Coal mining accidents caused by gas and coal dust explosions account for the most fatal mining disasters around the world. However, dangerous Methane gas is present at most underground mines as well and not only in coal mines. This was, once again, confirmed when a fatal methane gas explosion occurred underground at the ZAPOLYARNY Nickle Mine in Northern Russia on 7 July 2017, claiming 4 lives when a build-up of methane gas ignited. The most recent was a coal mine in Kashmir that collapsed on 7 August 2017 after a gas explosion took place at the Seri Darra village near Muzaffarabad killing five miners. The site has been shut down until further notice and six officials of the mining company were arrested for failing to observe safety standards. A photo of an underground mining tunnel that collapsed due to a gas explosion In June 2017 13 miners that died at coal mine in the Cucunuba district of Colombia in a methane gas explosion and the 35 miners were killed in a similar way at the EMESTSNYURT Coal Mine in Iran on 4 May 2017.
Coalminingaccidentscausedbygasandcoaldustexplosionsaccountforthemostfatal mining disasters around the world. However, dangerousMethane gas ispresentatmostundergroundminesaswellandnotonlyincoalmines.Thiswas,onceagain,confirmedwhenafatalmethanegasexplosionoccurredundergroundattheZAPOLYARNYNickleMineinNorthernRussiaon7July2017,claiming4liveswhenabuild-upofmethanegasignited.
AtthePIKERIVERCoalMinetheventilationshafthadbeentotallyblownaway.Coaldust,ifnotsufficientlysuppressed,couldcontributetofatalexplosionsandall equipment installed must duly comply with the IEC 60079-1 flameproofrequirements.
Excessgroundwaterplaysamajorroleinthesafetyoftheminesandithasasamajor effect on production underground should the pumping system beinadequate and flooding would occur. In most underground applications, thesubmersible pump will be totally submerged and operate in the presence ofmethanegas.
InSouthAfrica,theareasthathavebeenminedoutarereferredtoas“madalasites” and submersible pumps aremainly used to pump away the sludge andwaterfromtheseareasandhereoftenthereisalsomethanegaspresent.
To minimize the damage when an electrical flash occurs inside an electricalenclosure it is essential that these enclosures comply with IEC 60079-1, thisapplies to all submersible pumps as well. It should be ensured that there issufficientprotectiontoensurethatfailureofthemechanicalsealsofthepumpis
Thesurfacetemperatureoftheelectricalwindingisnormallyaround120oCandshouldasealfailureoccurthecolderliquidbeingpumpedwillcomeintocontactwiththewindingandthiswouldsubjectthewindingtoathermalshock-causinganelectricalshortcircuitdowntoearth, inanoccurrencelikethis it ispossiblethat therewillbeanelectrical flash. In instanceswherethesubmersiblepumpdoesisnotflameprooftheelectricalflashwillignitethemethanegaswithfatalresults.
Mostsubmersiblepumpsrelyontheliquidbeingpumpedforthecoolingoftheelectrical winding and should there be no liquid available to be pumped theelectricalwindingwilloverheatandburnout.Shouldthesubmersiblepumpnotbeflameproofandmethanegasbepresentthiswouldresultinanexplosion.
The electrical windings should be fitted with thermistors measuring thetemperature of the electrical windings and should the windings overheat theelectricalsupplytothepumpwillbecutofftopreventanelectricalshortcircuitaswellasanypossiblesubsequentexplosions.
Toprotectflameproofsubmersiblepumps,itisalsoessentialtohaveaflameproofelectrical control panel installed as close as possible to thepump. The controlpanel needs to firstly have overload protection, secondly a sensing device tomeasurewhenthemechanicalsealshavefailedandthirdlyarelaysuitedtothethermistorstopreventtheelectricalwindingoverheating.
HAZLETON PUMPS manufactured its first flameproof pumps in 1993 and thecompanycontinuallyresearcheswaystoimprovethesafetyfeaturesoftheHIPPOFlameproofSubmersibleSlurryPumprange.In order to move the HIPPO Flameproof Submersible Slurry pump effectivelyaround underground a Flameproof Submersible Pump Systemwas developed.ThissystemconsistsofaHIPPOFlameproofSubmersibleSlurrypumpmountedonaskipthatcanbemovedaroundwithatractortoreachthevariousplaceswherenuisanceliquidispresentthatneedsberemoved.
In areaswhere a tractor cannot be utilised tomove the skidmounted HIPPOFlameproof Submersible Slurry pump system a trolley mounted FlameproofSubmersibleSlurrypumpsystemcouldbeprovidedwhichcanbemovedaroundbyhand.
Due to themajor increase in volume of liquids that have to be pumped fromundergroundincoalminesdirectlytosurfaceHAZLETONPUMPShassuccessfullydesigned and manufactured the world’s first High-Volume; High-Head;Medium/High Voltage Flameproof Submersible Slurry Pump. This pump hasspecialized protective features to ensure that the statorwinding would neverburnoutduetooverheatingorthefailureofthemechanicalseals.
Toensuretheeliminationofanelectricalflashinsidethepumpenclosurewhenusing Medium/High Voltage equipment such as submersible pumps in areaswhere flammable gasses might be present, HAZLETON PUMPS developed theessentialadditionalprotectionrequired.
2006 Winnerof an award fromDesign Instituteof SouthAfrica (DISA) for theHIPPOFlameproofSubmersibleSlurryPumpRange.
2011 WinnerTT100Award forExcellence inManagementofResearch for theHIPPOFlameproofSubmersibleSlurryPumpRange.
2015 EngineeringFederationofSouthAfrica(SEIFSA)AwardedtheCompanyoftheYearandwinnerintheCustomerServiceCompanyoftheYearawardfordevelopmentoftheHIPPOHigh-Volume,High-Head,Medium/HighVoltageFlameproof Submersible Slurry Pump range as well as the repair andrefurbishmentoftheHIPPOSubmersibleSlurryPumprange
2015 HAZLETONPUMPSwon the prestigious SouthAfrican Premier BusinessAwards’ (SAPBA) Manufacturer of the Year award for the design,development and manufacture of a Medium/High Voltage SlurrySubmersiblePumpwhilealsowinningoftheSMMECompanyoftheYear.
2016 The Southern African Development Corporation (SADC) Quality Awards
bestowed the honour of the winner of the Southern African SMMECompanyoftheYearontheCompany,andProductoftheYearfortheHigh-Volume,High-Head,Medium/HighVoltageFlameproofSubmersibleSlurryPumprange.
2016 South African Flameproof Association (SAFA) for the HIPPO FlameproofHigh Voltage Submersible Slurry Pumpwhichwas awarded as theMostInnovative Product or Engineering Solution of the Year and is the onlyproductofitstypeintheworld
2017 EngineeringFederationofSouthAfrica(SEIFSA)AwardedtheCompanyoftheYearandwinnerintheCustomerServiceCompanyoftheYearawardfordesign, development andmanufacture of the HIPPO Submersible SlurryPump rangeaswell as the repair and refurbishmentof this SubmersibleSlurryPumprange.
