Achievement by Engineers of NLCIL

Neyveli: The Bucket Wheel Excavator (BWE) L& T IV in Mine-II that got rested on the receiving boom of the machine due to puncture of lower confined aquifer was retrieved, repaired and re-deployed by the Engineers’ of NLCIL on 06.08.2017.

 

Nature’s fury

 

On 08.02.2017, during the second shift, both Rear Steering Tracks (RST) BWE L& T – IV suddenly got bogged in New Lignite Bench 1 conveyor on the non-shifting side as a result of a puncture of lower confined aquifer causing sudden outburst of water flow below RST. Since the superstructure was tilted, the discharge boom of the machine rested on the receiving boom of the Mobile Transfer Conveyor-10 that was working in tandem with the BWE. The superstructure of the machine was in a unstable condition since the counter weight boom also rested on the discharge boom. The team of Engineers realised the risk involved in retrieving the BWE. Expert from Austria

 

The Static Expert from M/s.Sandvik, Austria, the technical consultant to M/s.L& T for erection, of the equipment inspected the equipment at site and suggested dismantling the excavator and re-erection of the same as the condition of the machine was unstable But the Engineers of NLCIL under the direction and support of Director(Mines) decided to retrieve the machine at the site itself.

 

Three Teams formed

 

Three teams comprising of technical experts were formed to work round the clock for the challenging task of retrieval of the BWC and completed the task within a short period of 62 days(From 08.02.2017 to 10.04.2017)without any injury to any human or damage to the machinery. Subsequently, the BWE was moved and parked at a safer location in Lignite Bench. After Major repair and replacement work, the machine was re-deployed on 06.08.2017.

 

Function at Mine-II Lignite Bench

 

Shri Subir Das, Director(Mines) in a function on 06.08.2017 at the Lignite Bench of Mine-II re- commissioned the repaired machine. Shri Syed Abdul Fateh Khalid, ED(Mines), Shri V.Renganathan, ED(SME), Shri M.Rajasekaran, CGM-Mine- II, Shri P. Velusamy, GM(SME), Senior Executives and employees participated. These Engineers’ were honoured in appreciation of having retrieved and repaired the machine, during the raising day celebrations during the month of May this year.