ABB India provides Electrification, Drives & Automation solutions to world’s longest conveyor systems 

By OEM Update Editorial October 25, 2021 2:31 pm IST

JSW leverages ABB’s technical expertise to set up a 24 km long conveyor system saving nearly 3000 road trips, reducing carbon emissions significantly. 

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.

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.”

For more info, visit: new.abb.com/indian-subcontinent