Case Study for Optidrive P2 | Hanson's Quarry

Problem

High running costs and a need to reduce maintenance and downtime was needed by one of the UK's leading quarry operators. The need to control the speed of a new quarry crushing plant and water pumps used in the process required high performance variable frequency drive technology.

Solution

Optidrive P2 VFDs were introduced to the process to ensure accurate control over the motors on the crushing mechanisms as well as the water pumps. This helped reduce energy costs through the reduction of the motor and pumps use dependant on the use.

HANSON AGGREGATES

TCE installed a number of Invertek Optidrive P2 drives to reduce running costs and enhance the grading plant at Hanson Aggregates in Ripon.

Tim Coats of TCE said: "We were asked to replace the control system on a new replacement quarry crushing plant, for producing three different grades of gravel and sharp sand for the building trade. We needed to control the speed of the 22kw and 37 kW water pumps used in the crushing plant. With the use of Optidrive P2 drives supplied by Crawford Controls Ltd we can fine tune the speed of the pumps with potentiometers saving a huge amount of energy in the process."

TCE have also installed a large 75kw Optidrive P2 to control the motor on a large barrel scrubber.

Tim commented, "With the benefit of soft start to save the drive belts and also dynamic braking to slow the barrel to a stop more quickly, we were able to stop product over spill onto a vibrating screen, which had previously been an issue."

TCE have installed a total of seven Optidrive P2, ranging from 5.5kw to 75kw mounted in control panels inside an air conditioned shipping container on this project and Hanson Aggregates are reaping the benefit.

Richard Cunningham, General Foreman, Allerton Park and Ripon Quarry, Hanson Aggregates said: “The benefits of using inverters in our business are already proving a cost saving. In the past, if we were required to slow an item of machinery down we would have to mechanically do this by the means of pulleys using valves to reduce the flow of water.

"With the introduction of inverters we can now do this much more quickly and without incurring the extra costs of purchasing pulleys to determine what speed we require. Using pulleys to slow an item of machinery does not necessarily save us in power, but inverters do. As a general foreman I have to show power savings on an annual basis and this can be shown straight away with comparing the old system with the new system."

Key Customer Benefits: