When conventional contactors in the ventilation system failed due to long cablings, LKAB turned to ABB for a solution.
The client
Numbering around 4,000 employees, LKAB is the largest producer of processed iron ore in the European Union. Untypically for the industry, the ore is extracted from deep underground mines, at Kiruna and Malmberget, in the north of Sweden. Every day, the amount of iron ore extracted from the Kiruna and Malmberget mines is enough to provide steel for almost six-and-a-half Eiffel Towers. When mining at depth, good working conditions are crucial, effective ventilation being a priority. When conventional contactors in the ventilation system failed due to long cablings, LKAB turned to ABB for a solution.
The challenge
Power for the fans and ventilation systems at the Kiruna and Malmberget mines is transmitted by cable, some stretching for up to 400 meters. Voltage fluctuations due to these long cables sometimes caused failures when the original conventional contactors welded shut, causing stoppages. To ensure the best working condition for their miners, LKAB turned to ABB for a solution.
The ABB solution
Working closely together, LKAB and ABB defined a number of factors contributing to the failure of conventional contactors: voltage dips associated with lengthy cables, as well as the effects of damp and dust. The answer: ABB’s AF contactor. Fully encapsulated to protect it from a sometimes rough mining environment, the AF contactor’s electronically controlled coil absorbs voltage fluctuations, preventing welding. Since replacement with AF contactors, none have welded and contactor failures have become history.
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