INGETEAM – CHILE

One of Chile’s largest copper mines can be found in Quebrada Blanca. The development project for this mine was so large that it had to be divided into three stages, and we had to develop different tailor-made solutions for each one.

STAGE I: AREA 600 / Copper Mine Make-Up Water System Pumping Stations

STAGE II: AREA 500 / Desalination Plant

STAGE III: AREA 400 / Seepage Booster Station

 We designed and manufactured rooms to install 91 medium-voltage frequency converters with power ratings between 2000 kW and 3500 kW. A total of 7 large rooms designed to support extremely heavy loads:

Area 600: The project consisted of 5 electrical rooms:

• Room 0651-ERR-622 consisting of the assembly of 4 modules. Overall size: 24.47 x 6.77 x 4.6 m (L x W x H), designed to support a total weight of 260 tonnes.
• Room 0652-ERR-624 consisting of the assembly of 4 modules. Final size: 24.47 x 6.77 x 4.6 m (L x W x H), designed to support a total weight of 260 tonnes.
• Room 0653-ERR-628 consisting of the assembly of 4 modules. Final size: 33.47 x 6.77 x 4.66 m (L x W x H), designed to support a total weight of 260 tonnes.
• Room 0654-ERR-629 consisting of the assembly of 4 modules. Overall size: 33.47 x 6.77 x 4.66 m (L x W x H), designed to support a total weight of 260 tonnes.
• Room 0655-ERR-630 consisting of the assembly of 4 modules. Overall size: 33.47 x 6.77 x 4.66 m (L x W x H), designed to support a total weight of 260 tonnes.

Area 500: The project consisted of 1 electrical room:

• Room 0575-ERR-581 consisting of the assembly of 5 modules. Overall size: 51 x 5.1 x 4.2 m (L x W x H), designed to support a total weight of 120 tonnes.

Area 400: The project consisted of 1 electrical room:

• Room 1462-ERR-002 consisting of 1 module. Overall size: 12 x 5.1 x 4.4 m (L x W x H), designed to support a total weight of 27 tonnes.

The project was carried out using structural steel certified according to Chilean standard Nch 203:2006, with EI90-certified walls made of 2 mm thick corrugated sheet metal and rock wool insulation.

The structure has an R60 fire-protection rating. The rooms are equipped with large Ei60-certified doors for the evacuation of equipment. They were designed taking into account the seismic requirements specified in Chilean regulations and included treatments and materials suitable for adverse weather conditions and with a high copper concentration.

The rooms included Ingeteam medium voltage frequency variators, auxiliary transformers, LV Switchgears, UPS, as well as lighting, power, outdoor lighting, fire protection, air-conditioning and overpressure systems.

Inspections were carried out by authorised control bodies on the welding (welders approved according to Chilean standards), surface treatment, leak testing, and operational tests. The packaging was performed by immobilising the equipment using timber for maritime transport.

In addition, our team travelled to the construction site in Chile to offer advice and technical assistance for the assembly of the modules and on-site watertightness tests.

This project was possible thanks to the facilities and lifting power that we have at iQuord, as the volume and weight of the rooms were a challenge for the manufacturing process, as was the volume of storage needed for Ingeteam’s equipment (variators, hoods, etc…).