Differences between fuel and oil supply systems

in above-ground and underground mining

In terms of centralized fuel storage, above-ground and underground mining operations are structured similarly. Both sectors have a technical base in their respective production areas, including administration, workshops, raw material processing and treatment, and a central tank farm capable of holding up to several hundred thousand liters. Delivery from here is usually made in tank trucks but also in rail tank cars.

Storage tank containers as large tank farms

Large tank farm – the Krampitz concept

Tank farm – double-walled, fully automatically connected and monitored

Krampitz has developed a concept for a large battery tank farm, which has proven successful for many years at a wide variety of international locations.

The biggest advantage is the easy international transport of the container blocks and the quick assembly on site.

For this concept, 3 container dimensions can be used depending on the application.

The 20” version with 25.000 liters volume per container.
The 40” version with 60.000 liters volume per container.
The XXL version with approx. 90.000 liters volume per tank chamber.

Large tank farm

Each Tank battery consists of a centrally located administrator container with pumps, counters, filters and central control and five Worker storage container on each storage page of the administrator. In total, a standard storage tank battery consists of a Administrator, which controls all processes, and up to 10 workers. The battery can be expanded to 20 workers in a larger expansion stage.

This whole tank farm is double-walled, fully automatically connected, and monitored. Tank trucks and rail tankers can be unloaded here with their own fuel pumps (700-1.000 liters/min). The allocation and selection of the workers to be filled is done fully electronically via integrated motorized ball valves. Large machinery and vehicles as well as district tankers can be filled here. Depending on the container size used, up to one million liters of tank storage volume will be realized.

District filling stations – refueling with district tankers from large tank farms

Im Underground district or in the respective Opencast mining above ground are located District petrol stations, which through District tanker from Large tank farm All passing work machines and vehicles refuel here.

Krampitz has special petrol stations Underground petrol stations usually have a volume of 5.000 to 7.000 liters and refueling dispensing systems with a flow rate of 50 to 120 liters per minute.

District filling stations above ground typically have a capacity of 20.000 to 50.000 liters. The vehicles and machinery here are much larger and have higher consumption. The dispensing systems have delivery rates of 50, 120, or even 200 liters per minute.

The Krampitz concept consists of “Pegasus” type swap containers, which are parked and filled at the large tank farm.

The carrier vehicle loads a filled Swap tank container and returns to the area. This eliminates downtime and waiting times. Each swap body container is constructed of double-walled steel and equipped with vacuum leak monitoring.

These containers have a large feed pump with a meter and a 5m-long refueling hose for refueling the district filling stations in a rear machine cabinet. The container receives its electrical power from the permanently installed district filling station.

These swap body containers have been in use for over 25 years and have been operating to the full satisfaction of our customers. Depending on the location, they have different dimensions and shapes.

Above ground they have 20" container dimensions with reduced height. Here, volumes of 7.000, 10.000 and 15.000 liters are used depending on the open pit mine. The container exchange systems are either hydraulic hooklifts or swap bodies.

For small and narrow underground shafts, a different Transport system It consists of a special trailer that is open at the rear. This trailer is pushed over the upright swap body and secured to the container on each long side and the front wall. It is hydraulically raised via a subframe. These trailers are custom-made by a German vehicle manufacturer.

Here, the swap containers are available in single-, double-, or triple-chamber versions for fuels as well as special oils. The volumes range from 5.000 to 7.000 liters per container. The flow rates of the installed pumps vary from 25 to 250 liters per minute.

Centaur IBC transport tank

Another state-of-the-art transport system is the Centaur IBC from Krampitz.

These IBCs (Intermediate Bulk Containers) are double-walled steel tanks with international approval for the transport of hazardous liquids. They can operate independently or as a battery. For this purpose, they are mounted and secured on container platforms or open truck trailers.

Every miner knowsthat conventional tank trucks can only travel at a maximum speed of 5-10 km/h on gravel roads. If they travel faster, the vehicle's twisting and vibrations, caused by potholes and depressions, will cause hairline cracks in the tank body and thus destroy the tank truck.

At the Working with Centaur units This issue is not a problem. Each Centaur stands on its own and functions like a vertebra within a spine. Twisting, bumps, shocks, and abrupt changes in vehicle level in difficult terrain do not affect the stability of the Centaur units in any way.

Centaur tanks are manufactured with volumes of 1.000, 1.500, 2.000, 2.500, and 3.000 liters. Special Centaur container platforms combine an open transport area for the container tanks with a fixed equipment cabin for installing a diesel engine and other equipment.

Each Centaur can be equipped with a dispensing pump, One Counter and a Particle and water separators For this purpose, there is a Installation niche. An 8m long Dispensing hose with automatic Dispensing nozzle completes the installation package.

CENTAUR transport tank & storage tank container

Intelligent electronic options are available for modern consumption monitoring:

The easiest way is to enter a Numeric codes into a keypad on the pump. This numeric code unlocks the system and records the amount of fuel or oil dispensed based on this numeric code. This information is stored in a data memory on the pump and transmitted to the operator via data transfer. This transfer can be done via radio, data lines, or a data stick.
The second option is to use TAGs or Transpondersthat one vehicle. assigned.
The third option is to attach a TAGs am Tankstutzen of the vehicle in question.
The fourth option is to install a radio box in the vehicle in question for contactless vehicle recognition, release and data transmission of machine running times, fill levels and consumption data.