BHP is redefining iron ore extraction and loading at its Newman Operations through thermal imagery.
To monitor the health and operation of mining equipment, BHP teams are testing the use of remotely piloted aircraft (drones) fitted with infrared cameras.
Mark, a Reliability Specialist at Newman Operations, stated that infrared technology assists teams in measuring the temperature of equipment such as iron ore reclaimers.
“Thermal imagery enables us to identify components that may be operating outside of their normal limits,” Mark said.
“To put it simply, we are performing temperature checks on our machine much like a doctor does with a patient. We are checking the ‘temperature’ of critical components like motors, gearboxes, bearings, and pumps to ensure they are ‘healthy’ and operating within their optimal temperature ranges,” he added.
Drones are equipped with laser range finders to keep an ideal distance from moving reclaimers, ensuring accurate infrared measurements while avoiding any collisions.
According to BHP, the timing of the operations, which take place at night, adds to the interest in the initiative. This is a purposeful option; operating at night significantly reduces solar loads’ effect on the reclaimer’s components. Solar loading, or the heat influence of the sun, may cause temperature readings to be distorted. BHP noted that they can obtain more consistent and reliable data by doing operations at night.
The innovative practice of night-time thermal surveillance demonstrates BHP’s commitment to dependability, operational efficiency, and safety.
