Leading mining and industrial ventilation supplier, TLT-Turbo, today announced its participation in the Mining Metals Central Asia Exhibition. This three-day event will be held from 20 – 22 September 2022 in Almaty, Kazakhstan.
Mining and Metals Central Asia is a professional platform aimed at demonstrating product innovation by Kazakhstani and foreign manufacturers and providers of equipment and services to the mining and metallurgy sectors. The Exhibition facilitates networking for specialist manufacturers and suppliers with potential customers from mining operations and processing works, wholesale trade companies, and other industry representatives.
Annually, hundreds of participating companies and thousands of visitors gather in Almaty to see the latest mining industry technology, take part in product demonstrations, find investors and partners, and to share the experience with colleagues. For a quarter of a century, this exhibition has proven itself as an effective dialogue platform for solving the problems faced by the Kazakhstani mining and metallurgical industry.
TLT-Turbo representatives, Philipp Oldenburger and Jörg Heisler will be attending the event and are looking forward to connecting with stakeholders in the region. “For us, this event provides the opportunity to engage with key clients in the region and to showcase what makes our mine ventilation equipment different,” says Oldenburger.
TLT-Turbo’s exhibition will focus on their recently expanded Auxiliary & Booster fan range and the new Modular Mine Fan offering. The Modular Mining Fan concept offers a range of modular solutions that cater to almost every ventilation requirement and aims to set a new standard for mine ventilation innovation. The range offers a modular design that results in a well-engineered and efficient ventilation system at lower operational and maintenance costs. Customers have the flexibility to order required units and build on the system as their requirements grow – resulting in lower initial expenditure with more economical options for system expansion.
Oldenburger explains that participating in events such as this puts TLT-Turbo’s innovative mining ventilation fan ranges in the spotlight. “We embrace the opportunity to showcase how our applications can benefit mining operations in person. Our attendance at Mining and Metals Central Asia underscores our dedication to helping Kazakhstani – and broader regional operations optimize their ventilation strategies and systems to adapt to, and overcome challenges related to operating environments, energy consumption, and changing legislation.”
TLT-Turbo’s exhibition is located at Stand 10-133 in Pavillion 10. Media and visitors are invited to the stand for comments and information on TLT-Turbo, current mining ventilation trends, and event feedback. Philipp Oldenburger and Jörg Heisler will be present to answer all questions.
Mosen’s Fathi Tarada, presented a paper at the annual Tunnel Safety and Ventilation Conference in Graz, Austria. The paper, which Tarada co-authored with Mosen’s Pier Bertacche and Product Manager of the Tunnel & Metro Business Segment at TLT-Turbo, Lars Lehmann, was titled: “Measurements and CFD Calculations with a MoJet and Conventional Fan”.
The three-day conference event was well attended with industry experts able to meet face to face after the conference’s four year hiatus.
TLT-Turbo and Mosen also exhibited at the event, with a MoJet® fan model on display, providing an opportunity to engage with interested colleagues in the industry as well as prospective customers. The display model provided visitors with a chance to see the technical details of the MoJet®, to find out how the special nozzle geometry redirects the air jet away from the tunnel ceiling. Visitors were also able to appreciate the MoJet’s® scale. Being the same height as a conventional Jet Fan, it provides a distinct advantage over the ‘slanted’ silencer design.
Along with Tarada and Lehmann, TLT-Turbo tunnel ventilation experts, Till Weishaar and Sander Wirth were in attendance to provide insight into the ways in which the MoJet® is redefining tunnel ventilation.
TLT-Turbo has formalized a large contract for services, spare parts supply and a 3-year overhaul of four fans as part of a framework agreement with a Polish mining group. The contract further cements the existing agreement that has been in place with this customer since 2018.
The customer is a mining operation based in Poland and operates in the copper and silver sector with 30,000+ employees globally. The scope of work for the delivery of services includes complete overhaul of the rotors, replacement of the main bearings of the built-in motors, renewal of the sealing systems of the built-in motors, maintenance of the main weather ventilation shutter, and maintenance of the regulation and control unit. These services will be jointly supplied with TLT-Turbo’s Polish service provider, HeymVent.
At their Poland-based copper mine, the customer is operating four GAF 38/25-1 type fans with adjustable blades for reverse operation and built-in motors. These fans are used for ventilation of the mine system and are essential for the survival of miners working there. TLT-Turbo will be completing the overhaul by November 2022.
This agreement is advantageous for the customer as the fans are designed for further operation and regular maintenance which ensures optimum availability of the ventilation system. This makes a major contribution to occupational safety for the miners.
It is worth noting that this is the first time that TLT-Turbo agreed to hydraulic revisions at a fixed price. This means that there will be no additional unplanned costs for this customer in future. Another benefit for the customer is that the turnaround times for hydraulic overhauls will be significantly reduced. The overhauled hydraulics will therefore be available earlier for reassembly.
TLT-Turbo have released a modular mining ventilation fan concept that simplifies the planning of ventilation systems for customers while still providing the benefits that are synonymous with TLT-Turbo products including increased efficiency and lower power consumption. The Modular Mining Fan concept offers a range of modular solutions that cater to almost every ventilation requirement and aims to set a new standard for mine ventilation innovation.
The range offers a modular design that results in a well-engineered and efficient ventilation system at lower operational and maintenance costs. Customers have the flexibility to order required units and build on the system as their requirements grow – resulting in lower initial expenditure with more economical options for system expansion.
German engineering and extensive R&D have resulted in the highest product quality. This, paired with TLT-Turbo’s field-proven technology, provides a high-end pre-existing solution which means that mines will not incur the design and engineering costs that are usually associated with bespoke ventilation installations.
The modular concept makes it extremely convenient for customers in the mining industry to plan, design and optimize their ventilation systems to optimally benefit their operations. The modular approach eliminates guess work and ensures that the entire system can be planned to deliver predictable and accurate performance.
The modular design offers seven base fan sizes combined with six different hub sizes to ensure the right fit for all requirements. Numerous customizable and adaptable parts offer flexibility for specific customer needs. Add-ons have been developed for all seven base sizes allowing for modular pre-existing upgrades to meet individual requirements.
The modular components are designed to slot together, and no additional engineering is needed to ensure that different modules fit together to suit a specific operating environment. The advanced design ensures total fan efficiency of up to 90%, lowering the operating costs while maintaining full performance. This entire offering is available at lower initial costs with short lead times for supply.
All the modular components can be manufactured simultaneously and are commissioned and installed once completed. Expansion of an existing TLT-Turbo Modular Mining Fan system is a simple process as new components are slotted into the existing system with minimal effort. Typically, ventilation systems need to grow or be upgraded as production demands increase. Where a major overhaul would usually be required, TLT-Turbo’s modular installation can be expanded by installing additional components to the existing system to scale up ventilation capacity or replace existing modules with higher specifications to optimise or upgrade the system.
With the modules being manufactured at state-of-the-art TLT-Turbo manufacturing facilities, customers can be assured of the highest quality end product. Continual monitoring, testing and quality checks are conducted at every stage of the manufacturing process. Well considered opportunities for varied combinations ensure shorter manufacturing and delivery lead times at lower costs to get your project running faster and smoother.
TLT-Turbo have a long-standing tradition of supplying wind tunnels especially for the motor vehicle and aerospace industry. TLT-Turbo were among the first to focus on aero-acoustic wind tunnel fans. As a supplier for some of the world’s most prominent car manufacturers, TLT-Turbo aims to become renowned as a global leader in wind tunnel fans and systems through continual innovation and a deeply ingrained passion for performance.
The development of wind tunnel production at TLT-Turbo started with their ancestral company, Dinglerwerke, who built their first wind tunnel back in 1936. Decades later, the company now known as TLT-Turbo, would be responsible for some of the world’s most notable wind tunnel installations. “From the start we set out to establish a tradition of being pioneers and innovators in this field of ventilation as we recognized the significance of these systems for vehicle testing,” says Volker Szemskat, Vice President of TLT-Turbo.
TLT-Turbo’s first wind tunnel installation for the motor vehicle industry was built in 1940 for FKFS (Research Institute of Automotive Engineering and Vehicle Engines) in Stuttgart. It was a low speed wind tunnel designed for wind speeds of up to 72 m/s. This wind tunnel was later taken over by Daimler.
Testing vehicles in wind tunnels started with projects such as Peugeot’s passing a car through the Eiffel Wind Tunnel at the rue Boileau, in Paris in 1914. The goal was to gain information on how to modify the shape of models to decrease aerodynamic drag. Since then these types of tests have advanced significantly and today, they are becoming more and more relevant as a means of testing for reducing pollutant and noise emissions. “Even the smallest gain in the aerodynamic drag leads to a decrease in consumption of fuel,” Szemskat explains.
In total, over the past 90 years, TLT-Turbo have supplied around 70 wind tunnels and test stands, of which about 30 were delivered for the automotive industry. This includes more than 70 customized fans ranging from 100 kW to 88.000 kW with diameters from 1 to 15 meters. Among these are some of the most notable facilities in the world – such as the ONERA (French Aerospace Center) Transonic Wind Tunnel S1 in Modane, France, being installed in 1949, with a 2-stage counter-rotating fan measuring 15 m in diameter with a drive power of 88.000 kW. This colossal fan remains to this day the largest wind tunnel fan in the world being in continuous operation since 1952.
Another example of the longevity of TLT-Turbo’s fans is the wind tunnel installed for Volkswagen in 1965. Its 9-meter diameter fan has been in operation in operation for over 50 years.
“The combination of our experience, with the field-proven performance and long operational life spans of these fans has made us a trusted supplier across the globe,” says Szemskat.
(Above) Diffuser section of a TLT-Turbo Aero-acoustic Wind Tunnel Fan
This status has been well maintained over the years with clients including Volkswagen, Ferrari, Ford and Audi coming back to TLT-Turbo for repeat orders.
TLT-Turbo’s 145 years of experience in ventilation design and supply has contributed to the innovations and new methods they have been able to apply to their wind tunnel designs. In 2010, TLT-Turbo supplied a fan for an aero-acoustic wind tunnel for the DLR (German Aerospace Center) which features a special blade and guide vane design for particularly low noise generation as well as composite material for the fan blades. Since then, this innovation has been applied to most of their automotive wind tunnel fans.
“Most often the development of innovations in the application of wind tunnels is guided by the needs of a particular client or the project itself. We need to think on our feet to come up with new approaches to solving challenges that arise as a project unfolds. This then informs future designs and installations and ensures that our offering is constantly evolving.”
Some of TLT-Turbo’s latest field-driven innovations include the application of their ‘Cut-off’ and ‘Lean/Sweep’ design that they have applied to their low speed aero-acoustic fan design to reduce blade tone and broadband noise. “We have also been working with the use of composite materials which has allowed us to apply 3D-geometry on the guide vanes which increases efficiency and overall performance,” Szemskat says.
The use of composite materials is also being applied in their current projects for the CAERi and CATARC automotive research institutes in China. These projects are currently in installation and commissioning phase.
For the past 12 twelve years, TLT-Turbo have changed their focus to the centerpiece of wind tunnels; the fan. “In the past, TLT-Turbo supplied turn-key wind tunnel solutions. From 2007, this offering changed to focus solely on the fan itself as the key component of a wind tunnel system. Our clients still benefit from our extensive experience and expertise in complete wind tunnel systems. This allows us to provide a tailored solution because we understand how the separate components interact with each other,” Szemskat reports.
(Above) TLT-Turbo now focuses solely on the fan itself as the key component of a wind tunnel system
“This gives us greater scope for customization. Every fan and its project planning is adapted to its specific installation. Stand-alone drive systems with local operation, control and monitoring systems and their connection to the parent digital control system also form part of our portfolio. Our experience with the supply and installation of turn-key wind tunnels means that we are able to recognize the significance of specific wind tunnel features to the design of the fan.”
Global ventilation fans
and systems manufacturer, TLT-Turbo GmbH, has announced the redesign of its
Auxiliary and Booster fan range. Developed in close collaboration with clients,
the new designs address both efficiency and cost effectiveness, in a versatile
product range that meets the specific ventilation requirements of the mining
industry.
Development of the new fan range concept began in early
2015. Following a lengthy global market study to gain an understanding of the
market requirements, the range was defined in mid-2017, with fabrication of the
first units taking place shortly thereafter. “The development of the Auxiliary
and Booster fan range would not have been possible without the input of
clients. This ensured that we focused on key market driven requirements
including energy efficiency, noise reduction, cost effectiveness and turnaround
time,” says Michael Minges, Technical Director at TLT-Turbo Africa, who headed
up the fans’ designs.
“To sell these products we needed to ensure close customer
relationships and visibility. We are striving to change the industry’s mindset
on the use of such fans to ensure proper fan selection for the ventilation
required. In optimizing mine ventilation, efficient, high quality Auxiliary and
Booster fans can add as much value as surface fan installations.”
(Above) The new TLT-Turbo Auxiliary and Booster fan range addresses both efficiency and cost effectiveness
TLT-Turbo started commissioning of the first iterations of
the fan range towards the end of 2017 within the Sub-Saharan market through its
Africa office. From there, they based the development of the various fan sizes of
the new range on market interest. The fan designs and their performance
validation was completed at the end of July 2019. They aim to complete product
roll out, with all supporting documents and certification, by the end of
September 2019.
Minges explains that meeting identified market demands was
the main focus of the improved designs. “As energy efficiency is one of the
main drivers of industrial equipment usage, and minimum efficiency requirements
on certain equipment are often legislated, TLT-Turbo identified the need and
opportunity in the market for more efficient mining fans compared to what is
currently in use.”
The new designs include several innovative additions to
enhance performance in order to provide exceptional underground ventilation. The
fan range was developed using the latest in engineering flow technology which
allowed TLT-Turbo to improve the aerodynamics, and thus efficiency of the fans.
A unique stator design and aerodynamic fairings, all manufactured from wear
resistant composite materials, result in improved efficiencies and reduced
noise levels. The modularity of the fan casings allow for quick and easy
assembly with interchangeable ancillary fan parts. The motor mounting in coherence with a
machined impeller track ensures low and controllable blade tip clearances for
improved performance and efficiencies. Pad mount motors are used for all fan
sizes and help reduce vibration levels in the axial direction of the motor
significantly which leads to longer motor bearing life and lower maintenance
requirements.
(Above) The first orders for the new range were received at the end of 2017
Minges says that all possible measures are taken to ensure
the highest quality and best possible performance of every fan supplied by
TLT-Turbo. “All fans are ISO 5801 tested, unless the client agrees to type
testing on higher volume orders. We ensure the client quoted performance is met
before the fans leave the factory. Test certificates on both raw data and
calculated performance can be provided on request. Fan efficiency is determined
with the performance test and this quality check ensures we deliver on what we
promised the client. Clients are regularly invited to witness the performance
tests to sign off on acceptance. The fans also come with pressure ports that
can be hooked up to a calibrated handheld measuring device to measure
performance in-situ.”
In addition to performance and efficiency, ease of
maintenance was also a major consideration in developing the new Auxiliary and
Booster range. The modularity of the product design and the interchangeable standardized
parts allows for quick turnaround time on parts supply. “For example, we only
have two blade types for the full product range and generally only one motor
barrel per fan size accommodating various motor sizes and types. Standardization
on the product is the key to successfully managing maintenance and repair as it
allows ample supply of spares for companies certified to do the repair work.
The design track record has indicated a longer mean time between failure (MTBF)
than previous products,” Minges explains.
(Above) The new TLT-Turbo Auxiliary and Booster fan range is available to clients worldwide
The fan range is being rolled out in phases. The preliminary
testing at sites located in Sub-Saharan Africa has been launched successfully.
The next phase is globalization as the new range will be rolled out in the USA,
Canada, Europe, Russia and Australia. Following this, product supply and
support will be extended to TLT-Turbo offices in South America and India. In
the interim though, Minges says that these fans can be supplied to clients
worldwide from TLT-Turbo Africa.
TLT-Turbo Africa has received a number of orders for these
fans since the end of 2017. These orders include South African clients seeking
a solution for deepening a gold mine, and for Kamoa Copper in the DRC as an
exclusive supplier. “The feedback that we have received thus far has been that
the fans are meeting our and client expectations. I am proud to say that one
EPC consultant used the phrase ‘super fan’ to describe the new range and
indicated that he has not heard a fan of this size so quiet before,” says
Minges commenting on the reception of the new range.
“The Auxiliary and Booster fan range was developed to
enhance TLT-Turbo’s mining ventilation product portfolio. The product is based
on historic innovative designs by the TLT-Turbo Africa R&D team. Continual
product development and keeping up to date with the latest technologies is
ingrained within the engineering teams of TLT-Turbo. Ensuring that innovations
are market and client driven with the end result being a benefit to the
industry, puts us in the forefront of advancement in ventilation solutions,”
Minges concludes.
TLT-Turbo GmbH builds
radial and axial flow fans for virtually any application. First-rate
engineering, tradition and progress in air handling technology and a worldwide support
network have been the cornerstones of their excellent global renown as a fan
and systems manufacturer for more than 140 years. TLT-Turbo GmbH fans and the
associated system components are deployed successfully all over the globe. To
date over 10,000 fans have already been installed. Their subsidiaries, branches
and agencies span the globe including TLT-Turbo offices in Germany, China,
Austria, Russia, South Korea, USA, Chile, Hungary, Australia, India and South
Africa.
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