A 12-month lined-pipe trial has been completed by specialist provider of mineral processing and materials handling equipment FLSmidth Ludowici and global engineering firm Sedgman, as part of the companies’ research and development programmes.

By lining the internal surface of a codisposal system’s pipe with 12 mm of FLSmidth Ludowici’s Wear-Resist compound, the pipe’s life was extended despite the highly abrasive operating conditions.

The trial, completed in February, took place at the Sonoma coal mine about 6 km south of Collinsville at the northern end of the Bowen basin, in Queensland, Australia. The mine produces high-quality coking and thermal coal, states FLSmidth Ludowici.

The trial began in July 2011 and the two pipe lengths at the centre of the trial, which were 300 NB by 6 000 NB in length, were lined with the FLSmidth Ludowici Wear-Resist compound alumina-based ceramic bead, which is encapsulated in epoxy resin, and centrifugally cast into the codisposal tailing lines.

“Sedgman approached FLSmidth Ludowici with the proposal to trial Wear-Resist. At first it was considered the product would be trialled in lines at both Sonoma and Coppabella. However, after discussions were held between Sedgman and FLSmidth Ludowici, it became evident that Sedgman wanted to increase the wear life of pipes throughout many of their coal preparation plants. FLSmidth Ludowici took up the challenge and free-issued the pipes on a research and development project basis and the investment proved worthwhile,” says FLSmidth Ludowici product specialist wear surfaces Peter Carseldine.

“The pipes were put on a six-week rotation where the steel pipe wore at a rate of around 0.5 mm a week, while the pipe with Wear-Resist in place still had continuity through the pipe wear indicators. About 600 000 t of plant reject passed through those pipes over the test period,” confirms Sedgman’s project leader.

Carseldine says FLSmidth Ludowici is keen to expand the areas where Wear-Resist can be employed to increase the life of pipe installations. “With the apparent successes of these trials in the codisposal application and the proven success of lining paste backfill lines with Wear-Resist, we look forward to moving forward and extending the products use in the future,” he points out.

FLSmidth Ludowici’s Wear-Resist guarantees customers that the pipe linings are cast to achieve a jointless bore as the lining is not in segments but is cast into the pipe. The linings are 30% lighter than an equivalent basalt lining.

Also, the product can be supplied in any length up to 6 m and can be cut and welded on site by following the procedure recomm-ended by FLSmidth Ludowici. The company can also supply its pipes with a wear indicator so that lining thickness can be monitored in critical high-wear areas without having to open up the pipe for inspection.

Over the past 15 years, the Wear-Resist compound has been successfully used in codisposal pipes at the Jeebropilly mine, on the Moreton field, in Australia, which added confidence to the Sonoma trial, notes the company.