Efficient Fuelling Solutions For Coal Mine In Witbank

This coal mine is situated in the Witbank Coalfield in Mpumalanga province, they are one of the world’s largest producers of thermal and coking coal.  The coal mine is focused on running a profitable business in a safe, efficient, responsible and sustainable manner.

In 2017 FloSolve commenced with the supply and installation of Wiggins non-pressurized fuelling systems for the fleet of vehicles at the mine.

The servicing of heavy, off-road equipment has long been a headache for end users worldwide. The downtime previously required to properly service large vehicles cut deeply into operational efficiency. With rising costs associated with labour, work injuries, hazardous material remediation and the increasing cost of diesel fuel, the Wiggins Service System is an essential tool for all off-road equipment.

Past conventional servicing methods created hazardous conditions for maintenance personnel. Valuable spilt fuels caused waste and environmental concerns and dirt and dust ingress caused the very breakdowns to the equipment that scheduled maintenance sought to prevent.

The Wiggins Service Systems have helped to solve these problems. Systems utilize the high efficiency of a closed system. Large capacity pumping modules, in conjunction with dry-break quick disconnect couplings, permit refuelling at rates of up to 570 litres per minute, more than ten times faster than the traditional splash-fill method.

The bottom fill method prevents foaming – and the possibility of picking up partial loads of fuel – which means fewer trips to the service bay. The vehicles are fuelled quickly and efficiently which translates into more productivity (quicker vehicle turnaround times).

Cleanliness is an important benefit that’s derived from the Wiggins Service Systems. The dry-break couplings help keep the environment safe from contamination as a result of leakages & spills. The use of the Wiggins systems also meant less frequent and costly trips to the workshop for the fleet.

Safety is a big concern in mining environments, the Wiggins fuelling systems have helped the mine work towards their goal of eliminating the risks to staff typically associated with fuelling of heavy vehicles which includes the risk of fire or explosions, spills and slips or falls as a result of spills.

The Wiggins fuelling solutions help the mine address challenges faced on site from safety and environmental concerns to concerns about productivity. FloSolve has teamed up with the mine to ensure the fuelling process for the fleet is safe for staff, kind to the environment and protects their valuable assets.