KSB Australia and ADENCO have announced a partnership to deliver reliable dewatering packages to the Australian resources and construction industry.
Water is present everywhere in mining and its control varies according to its role in the mining process. This in turn influences the technologies used in pumping water. Alongside the safe supply and recovery of process water, is the challenge of removing ground water.
“Mining operations require dewatering and the safe disposal of potentially contaminated water,” said Christoff van der Schyff, Managing Director of ADENCO.
“Our systems offer efficient lowering of groundwater in open pit dewatering, underground drainage, and borehole drainage applications, regardless of a mine’s location.”
Boreholes in Australia
In the Pilbara region of Western Australia iron ore is mined in several locations. The mineral deposit sits between 90 m and 117 m below the surface. With the ground water and water table regularly replenished in wet seasons and cyclones adding to the inundation, more than 75% of the iron ore is below the water table. If too much water mixes with iron ore, it becomes low grade and unsuitable for export, which results in massive revenue losses. Also, surface dewatering processes are extremely costly if the water is very high.
Is there a ‘one-fits-all’ dewatering solution?
The accepted dewatering process within the region is to pump the water out through boreholes. However, this is not without its challenges. High water temperatures and high salinity result in excessive corrosion, whilst iron bacteria can grow on motors which prevent efficient motor cooling. The presence of gas is a constant threat in some areas as this causes gas lock on the impellers resulting in heavy vibrations, which places a great strain on the motor, loss of flow rate and motor failure.
This means that standard off-the-shelf products are not always suitable, and the incidence of failures are high. Typically, most bore pumps fail within 12 months, and sometimes only a few weeks.
A partnership that delivers
As part of the newly joined partnership, KSB Australia and ADENCO are providing mine operators with a tailored solution using the KSB UPA Borehole Pump, customised to withstand site conditions. The KSB UPA has been shown to deliver a significantly longer working life and reduced cost of ownership.
“KSB and ADENCO’s mine dewatering systems enable the safe and efficient lowering of groundwater in open pit dewatering, underground drainage, and borehole drainage applications,” said Sarel Erasmus, General Manager, KSB.
“Regardless of a mine’s location, the type of mining operation being carried out, the geological and the aggressive and corrosive nature of the water, our systems have fluid handling technologies that will fit all eventualities.”
ADENCO a Market Leader in mine site Water Management
ADENCO is a dynamic, growing company in the water management and civil engineering industry, providing an innovative and flexible approach to project delivery and customer support. Drawing on over 60 years of experience in delivering a diverse range of services across an extensive project portfolio around the globe, ADENCO aims to become a market leader in the water management and civil engineering industry.
“ADENCO provides a complete water management project solution including, design management, product selection and procurement, construction, commissioning, training and the operation and maintenance of key water infrastructure,” said Mr van der Schyff.
“Our clients benefit from an extensive range of services which include design, project management, civil engineering, site installation, commissioning and on-site maintenance.”
KSB 150 Years: People, Passion, Performance
KSB Australia is a leading supplier of German engineered pumps, valves, and service. Their two major production facilities in Australia have the capabilities to repair rotating equipment, assemble pumping equipment, and test both dry-install and submersible pumps. In 2020, KSB Hope Valley commissioned a fully automated pump test bay, extending the services of the 3,000 square metre workshop.
“The capabilities of the test bay reflect the nature of KSB's installed base across Australia and the need to be able to test pumps of all sizes,” said Mr Erasmus.
The 90,000-litre clean water test circuit is designed for flow rates of up to 1500 l/s at 40 bar pressure and is equipped with manifolds ranging from 80mm to 600mm. For larger flows and higher pressure, testing can occur at reduced speeds, and affinity laws can be used to verify test results.
The 12,000-litre wastewater test circuit is designed for flows up to 200 l/s at 14 bar pressure and is equipped with manifolds ranging from 80mm to 250mm. The test bay is equipped with variable speeds from 7.5kW to 630kW.
“This test bay allows KSB to test all refurbished pumps — ensuring repairs meet OEM benchmarks — regardless of manufacturer,” said Mr Erasmus.
“As part of KSB SupremeServ, customers receive their four-part dedication to quality refurbishment: analysis, commissioning and start-up, operational support, and repair and maintenance.”
