The Almalyk Mining and Metallurgical Complex has always paid attention to fuel and energy resources, and especially after the energy collapse that occurred this year. The situation occurred the last winter required revision of the existing energy consumption systems, saving resources and search for new energy sources to maintain the electricity and gas supplies necessary for the full operation of the main divisions of the Complex. The work carried out in these areas is closely monitored by specialists of the Chief Power Engineer Department and local energy services, who analyze all indicators of actual consumption of electricity and natural gas.

Electricity consumption for 6 months of 2023, according to the approved main technical and economic indicators, was planned in the amount of 1,417,358 thousand kWh. In practice, 1,313,894 thousand kWh of electricity was consumed during this period. The savings amounted to 103,464 thousand kWh. But such a significant figure was due to reduced loads during the severe cold weather in January and February. The savings due to implementation of the approved organizational and technical measures are also taken into account here - 8,067 thousand kWh.

For example, the savings at the copper concentrator amounted to 39.2 thousand kWh due to installation of frequency converters on 6 electric motors KCH-30 45 kW and 13 electric motors KCH-30 30 kW.

At Industrial Railroad Transportation Department savings amounted to 1891.9 thousand kWh due to a reduction in electricity consumption by changing the switching scheme of contactor KB-17 for separate operation of auxiliary electric motors of ДТ-51 electric control locomotive and 1 motor dump truck during parking waiting for loading, unloading and technical processing.

The savings at Central Machinery and Repair Plant amounted to 223.4 thousand kWh by installation of a frequency converter to control the faceplate rotation drive on the KNA 110/135 vertical boring machine; installation of a frequency converter to control the spindle rotation drive and replacing the DC motor with an asynchronous one on the 2A637 horizontal boring machine; replacement of the balancing booster welding rectifier with a QUBOX-500W welding semiautomatic machine and a number of other measures.

In Rare Metals and Hard Alloys Research and Production Association the savings amounted to 403.4 thousand kWh. This was promoted by reduction of specific power consumption during production of Mo briquettes due to production of the 1st recovery on furnace СКБ-5062 (capacity 31kg) instead of furnace СКБ-1,6 (capacity 19kg); reduction of input time from 32 to 24 hours due to increase of furnace current from 120A to 140A, collection of discharged hydrogen after recovery in a specially allocated receiver for reuse, etc.

Significant savings due to the measures were also achieved at the copper smelter - 1,276 thousand kWh. This reduction in electricity was achieved by modernization of the cooling tower irrigation scheme with a change in the location of nozzles and reducing the load on the heating elements of roasting furnaces, all without compromising the quality of products.

In Kalmakyr mine administration, the savings amounted to 250.3 thousand kWh due to replacement of the existing low voltage distribution switchboard (LVDS) ЭКГ-10 No. 24 with LVDS with TrP-D system.

Changing the design of fans ВКР-12,05-01 to ensure operation with compressed air instead of electric motor at the compressor section and modernization of starting devices at the turbo blower with 200 kW electric motor due to the introduction of frequency-controlled electric drive in the Khandiza mine administration allowed to save 162.5 thousand kWh.

At the lime plant the replacement of obsolete cooling pump of the support roller of the rotary limestone kiln K80-65-160 P-7,5 kW by pump K-50-32-125 P-2,2 kW allowed to reduce electricity consumption by 28,0 thousand kWh.

At the Copper Concentrator-2 the savings amounted to 64.0 thousand kWh. Here, a frequency converter was installed on 55 kV motor on Grat 170/40 pump No. 2 of Booster Pumping Plant-2 and No. 26 left-side and others.

Measures aimed at saving electricity were also carried out at gold mines. Due to modernization in Angren mine administration, the savings amounted to 656.2 thousand kWh, in Chadak mine administration - 151.0 thousand kWh.

Efforts to save natural gas were also carried out at enterprises where this resource is used in technological processes.

According to the main technical and economic indicators for the first half of 2023, natural gas consumption was planned in the amount of 168370 thousand cub.m. Actual consumption amounted to 135301 thousand cub.m. Natural gas savings amounted to 33069 thousand cub.m. It was also affected by severe frosts in January and February, during which Hududgazta’minot restricted natural gas supplies. Due to implementation of the planned organizational and technical measures, gas consumption was reduced by 1,768 thousand cub.m.

At Central Machinery and Repair Plant changes were made in the technology of molding sand drying in the drying drum and antipenetration wash “Megnesitschlichte 5848” was applied in the manufacture of cone crusher armor. This resulted in savings of 44.0 thousand cub.m.

Rare Metals and Hard Alloys Research and Production Association increased the loading of the analytical crucible for firing in a high-temperature gas furnace by changing the tooling and pressing method. This resulted in savings of 31.5 thousand cub.m.

In order to save natural gas, the Copper-Smelting Plant intensified the thermal regime of the reflection furnace and improved the technology of charge drying in the oxygen flame melting drying pipe. The saving amounted to 862.0 thousand cub.m.

At Copper Concentrator 419.4 thousand cub.m. was saved due to optimization of the technological process by drying of copper concentrate.

It is worth pointing out that that practically all divisions of Almalyk Mining and Metallurgical Complex take the most active part in works on reduction of electricity and natural gas consumption. Specialists of the divisions constantly monitor all technological novelties and possible proposals for improvement of equipment, search for resources and opportunities in order to achieve savings of fuel and energy resources at the lowest cost and thereby reduce costs and, as a consequence, the cost price of the Complex products.

Uzeir Ablyaev

Acting Chief Power Officer of Almalyk MMC JSC