Remote monitoring specialist Omniflex has helped wireless data communications systems firm Scan RF implement site-wide monitoring systems at the 17 000-hectare site of the Kolomela iron-ore mine in South Africa. Omniflex provided Teleterm M3 modules for each of the mine’s 12 outstations to monitor key parameters such as access control, fire alarms, air conditioning, temperature and humidity, and relay data to the mine’s central control room. It has also provided Teleterm Silent Sentry modules at the central control room to send customised alerts to off-site personnel in the event of critical incidents occurring.
RTUs are installed at each of the 12 outstations to monitor key parameters and relay data to the mine’s central control room.
Scan RF was tasked to provide telemetry systems across the Anglo American Kolomela iron-ore mine and installed all the necessary infrastructure equipment, such as antennas and power supplies, and provided handheld two-way radios for mine personnel. The firm engaged Omniflex to work with this infrastructure to provide the mine with site-wide monitoring capabilities as the extent of the site made physically visiting all the outstations to collect data costly and inefficient in terms of time.
Omniflex’s solution is in the Teleterm M3 remote terminal units (RTUs), which it installed at each of the outstations. The modules collect all key operational data and relay it to the mine’s central control room where it is displayed on a large television screen, so all data is clearly visible. This TV is duplicated to a smaller display that can be set up to customise what data is visualised at any given moment and to provide limited control capabilities for the outstations.
Omniflex also integrated its Silent Sentry module into the control room’s systems so it can send SMS alerts to key off-site personnel if critical incidents arise that require action.
Ian Loudon, International Marketing Manager at Omniflex says, “The instrumentation we provided for Scan RF enabled the mine to implement site-wide remote monitoring capabilities quickly, without the need for extra infrastructure to be installed. We also integrated our systems into the mine’s SNMP IT system, so the mine’s computer network gets the same alarms as those sent to the central control room.
“Following the successful rollout of the systems at the mine’s twelve outstations, Scan RF has been commissioned to expand the project and we are working together to proceed with this job in the coming months.”
For more information visit: www.omniflex.com