Improving mine compressed air network efficiency through demand and supply control

Abstract

The platinum price has decreased nearly 42% since 2010, forcing platinum mines to reduce expenses in order to remain profitable. Electricity consumption is a large capital expenditure for the mining sector and efforts should thus be made to reduce energy consumption while maintaining production. Compressed air networks were identified as a large energy consuming section in the mining industry. Inefficiencies in these networks were thus investigated, with focus given to the compressors, the pipelines transferring compressed air and the compressed air consumers. A strategy was then developed in order to ensure that the compressed air consumers will not receive insufficient pressure or flow. This strategy also includes a reduction in energy consumption of the compressed air network. Finally this strategy was tested on a mine and savings were calculated. These savings include daily energy savings of 18.9 MWh which result in annual cost savings of R15.7 million.