Miner using tablet in underground facility

Protect Your Electrical System in Harsh Mining Conditions

ABB’s Top Solutions for Liquid Ingress, Corrosion, and Safety Challenges

By ABB | September 25, 2024
Read Time: 3 Minutes

ABB Installation Products understands the challenges faced in the mining and metals industry and is committed to offering innovative electrical solutions that provide corrosion protection, prevent liquid ingress for continuous operation, and improve safety conditions in harsh environments.

Thwart Corrosion from Harming Your Electrical System

Corrosion. It’s the constant enemy of mining and metals electrical systems everywhere and costs an estimated $2.1 billion annually in lost equipment, plus labor and downtime.

Problems caused by corrosion include:

Equipment failure and shortened life
Poor electrical system reliability due
Long maintenance repair time
Safety hazards and product contamination

Harsh environmental factors inherent in mining and metallurgy applications — such as liquid and dirt ingress, heat, vibration, and shock — can greatly accelerate corrosion and cause failures in the electrical and automation systems if not properly addressed. ABB solutions are made with corrosion-resistant materials to extend the life and reliability of your electrical system. Our PVC-coated Ocal® offerings are just two of our many solutions to your corrosion issues.

Ocal® OCAL-BLUE® PVC-Coated Conduit

This PVC-coated, hot-dipped galvanized conduit provides superior corrosion protection against many harmful elements. Its interior blue polyurethane provides corrosion protection around cables.

Ocal® OCAL-BLUE® PVC-coated UL Type 4X Form 8 Conduit Bodies

This form 8 condiuit is double coated inside and out for exceptional corrosion protection. The stainless steel encapsulated cover screws can be hand-tightened — using only 15 in.-lbs. of torque — to achieve the UL® Listed Type 4X watertight rating.

Prevent Liquid Ingress for Continuous Operation

Liquid ingress protection is a critical element to keeping electrical systems operational. Exposure to water in indoor or outdoor applications, dust in suspension, condensation, and accidental spills of machine oils and lubricants can all shorten the life of your electrical system.

Abrasive and corrosive mine waters combined with moisture present extra challenges for liquid-tight electrical components in mining and metal applications. Liquid exposure can cause deterioration of electrical connections or short circuits. One drop can be enough to ruin your production. Appropriate product design, materials and labor skills are required to ensure reliability, maintainability, and safety of electrical connections subject to liquid ingress, as well as dust and oil ingress. Electrical system components designed with round surfaces help to shed contaminants, rather than creating a shelf where they can collect.

To avoid cost-prohibitive unscheduled downtime, ABB Installation Products offers fittings that provide formidable ingress protection and boost operational availability.

T&B® Fittings Stainless Steel Liquid-Tight Conduit and Cord Fittings

The stainless steel T&B® fitting resists corrosion, with a rounded gland nut that deflects water from the connector. Its continuous sealing ring ensures a liquid-tight seal.

Improve Safety in the Harshest Environments

In 2023, electrical accidents accounted for 7% of all deaths in the U.S. mining industry.¹ Electrical injuries in mining are also disproportionately deadly, with 1 out of every 22 such injuries a fatality compared with an average of 1 out of every 203 for all other types of injuries.²

Safety in metal and mining industries encompasses personnel, vehicles, machinery, the materials, and the mine itself, with issues such as roofing and ground sustainability. Common hazards requiring preventive safety measures in these industries include:

Fire or explosion
Electrical shock from lightning or faulty electrical
Release of toxic materials
Temperature extremes
Heavy vehicles and projection of debris
Large equipment and bulk conveyor systems
Drilling, climbing, hoisting, and excavation machinery

ABB Installation Products offers a multitude of products that address safety concerns in mining and metal processing workplaces. Here are a few:

Ty-Met™ Stainless Steel Cable Ties

Ty-Met™ cable ties provide a strong, safe installation with a unique dual-locking mechanism. They’re strong, fireproof, and easy to apply for safe cable bundling. Ties resist corrosion and UV light, with the ability to withstand temperature extremes.

Ty-Rap® Flame-Retardant Cable Ties

Ty-Rap® cable ties are perfect for low-smoke applications and carry a UL94V-0 flammability rating. Designed for use in temperatures ranging from -46°C to 140°C.

Whether you seek to prevent liquid ingress, thwart corrosion, or improve safety in harsh environments, ABB’s mining and metals solutions help you overcome the toughest of challenges.

¹ Bloomberg Law, 2023

² U.S. Occupational Safety and Health

View our full portfolio of ABB products.

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ABOUT THE SPONSOR

This article was brought to you in partnership with ABB.
As a leader in electrification and automation, ABB is enabling a more sustainable future. Their solutions connect engineering know-how and software to optimize how things are manufactured, moved, powered and operated. Building on more than 140 years of excellence, ABB’s 105,000 employees are committed to driving innovations that accelerate industrial transformation.