Mobil

Løkken Gurber A/S & Co – Wire rope Lubricator Trial

In December 1984 Mobil in coopertation with Løkken Gruber made a trial of Masto Wire rope Lubricator with Mobilarma 798.

We lubricated the Koepe lift’s wires in Astrup mine. Altoghether there are 4 such wires, each 1000 meters long. Their construction is 17 x 7 right hand lay over 11 x 7 left ahnd lay over 6 x7 left hand lay over a fiber core. The diamter of the wires is 42 mm.

The capacity is appr. 15 ton of copper pyrite at a speed of apr. 30 kms per hour. Aboce the cargo hopper there is space for personell conveyance. The wires have never been lubricated earlier, and in the summer of 1984 one of the wires broke because of inside corrotion, and the lift fell down. Fortunately there were no people in the lift at the time.

It is quite obvious that is is of great importance for the safety of the mine to protect the wires against corrotion.

We used the following equipment during the test with the Masto Wire Rope Lubricator.

1 piece Orion air pump

2 pieces seals at 38 mm

1 piece lubrcator type 36-76 mm.

Product: Mobilarma 798.

The pump’s supply pressure was appr. 6,5 kp/cm2, the surrounding temperature was appr. 17oC, and the lubricant application caused no problem at all.

The best lubricating result was obtained when the ire operated at a aspeed of appr. 45 m/min. Before the test the wire was covered by a thick layer of dust and dirt were removed and replaced with a thin layer of Mobilarma 798. Grease consumption was appr. 0.75 kilos per meter wire. This consumption shows that the grease also penetrates into the core of the wire.

Maintenance engineer Mr. Harley Gausen of Løkken Gruber was very pleased with this result. The equipment used during the trial has been bought by the company. In addition they have also bought a lubricator type 5-35 mm., making it possible to lubricate all wires from 5 to 76 mm. by the Masto Wire Rope Lubricator.

We feel quite certain that this is a useful instrument for many companies in order to obtain more efficient lubrication, more safe and simpler maintenance, reduced stop time, and of course it will contribute to the release of valuable man power.

Trond Bråten

Field Engineer