Hytec Hydraulics For Sishen

Not many companies in the fluid power industry have the capacity to deal with multi-million Rand orders in the space of a few months from one client alone, while also meeting the quick turnaround times and high quality standards its other customers have come to know. Hytec has already completed the majority of orders received from project management houses involved in the Sishen Iron Ore Expansion Project (SEP).

“I think there are several factors that made our involvement in this project remarkable,” says Hytec Systems Sales Manager, Klaus Marggraff. “From the fact that we relied on the quality of Bosch Rexroth products and components on virtually every order to our involvement in design and planning, we have re-enforced our leading position in this field without a doubt.”

One of the largest single orders from the SEP to Hytec came in the form of the hydraulic system for the primary apron feeder, making the unit twice the size of the largest apron feeder that the company has been involved with to date. At 6,5t each, the two drive units involved are believed to be the biggest ever installed in South Africa, providing 600 kW installed power in total. Hytec designed and supplied the full hydraulic, variable speed control drive.

Hytec also supplied the hydraulic drive system for four stockpile apron feeders with 220kW installed power each. Due to space constraints, Hytec installed the compact range of hydraulic motors.

A jig feeding system represented another significant portion of work carried out by Hytec for SEP over the past few months. This involved eight hydraulic power packs, connected to proportional valve consoles that ensure smooth acceleration and deceleration of screening plates used in the beneficiation of iron ore. The very low natural frequency of these plates meant that Hytec had to carefully tailor its hydraulic design in order to achieve optimum operating speeds.

Hytec also supplied:

• The hydraulic cylinders and power packs for three stacker and two drum reclaimers

• Hydraulic systems for the secondary and tertiary crushing plant chute controls

• Smaller hydraulic solutions, including hydraulic traction drives with electronic proportional control for thickeners

• Hydraulic systems for various maintenance platforms on the primary and secondary crushers, as well as specialised electro-hydraulic actuators for the hydraulic systems used to remove the spile bars from the bunkers