It can arrive on schedule, via a maintenance calendar with plenty of notice. Or it can come in a flash. Planned or unexpected, an air compressor interruption can cripple production in an instant. That’s why it’s important to have a reliable backup plan, especially when the application is critical and production stoppages can quickly lead to expensive losses. The right plan can get you back online ASAP and stem those losses, and the right preparation will help keep production from ever subsiding.
In November 2015, one compressor at the Barrick Gold mine in the Dominican Republic was down for repair when an unexpected motor failure in another compressor reduced production capability by 30 percent. It was too risky to rely on just one compressor, and the plant needed a backup plan.
The project manager contacted an Atlas Copco sales representative in Florida. A number of rental units for a variety of industries were available for times just like this, and distribution to the island would be quick and easy. A four-person technical team was assigned to the task and immediately got to work on site prep and shipping logistics.
The fleet of 14 self-contained Atlas Copco air compressors was quickly delivered, installed and soon operational. Only a few connections were needed at each of the containerized compressors: a single electrical hook up with zero exhaust, hoses for water inlet/outlet, and an air discharge.
Technicians from Atlas Copco remained on-site after setup and initial alignment, monitoring production and tuning performance levels 24/7, even through the holidays. For 50 days the ZH compressors ran at full capacity, sustaining a steady 105,000 cfm flow of ISO-quality, 100-percent-pure air at 75 psi; production was maintained throughout the repair. And as easily as they were installed, the Atlas Copco containerized compressors were unplugged and shipped back to the U.S. when the mining operation’s primary power was restored to full capacity.
Owning one or supplemental several compressor units to have on-site will provide immediate and permanent compressed air power as backup and is an alternative solution. However, when the security a permanent backup provides just isn’t available, a rental machine is a suitable short-term solution. Contact us to learn more. Wide-ranging portable units are available for a variety of industry needs and can be quickly delivered – even if you’re in the middle of the Caribbean.
What’s your most distressing air compressor interruption story? Tell us what happened and what you learned in the comment section below.
