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Water_Hazelwood_Coal_Mine

Water_Hazelwood_Coal_Mine

Water_Hazelwood_Coal_Mine

Product catalog summary
Introduction
International Power plc, operating as IPR - GDF SUEZ in Australia, achieved a significant return on investment by using Bentley’s WaterCAD software to optimize the fire water services at the Hazelwood coal mine. This case study highlights the efficiency and safety improvements achieved through in-house water modeling.

Project Background
The Hazelwood brown coal mine, located in Victoria, Australia, supplies about 25% of the state's electricity. In a competitive and politically dynamic environment, maximizing operational efficiency while maintaining high safety standards is crucial. The mine engineers used WaterCAD to model and optimize the fire service water system, resulting in substantial cost savings.

Challenges and Solutions
Previously, fire services water modeling was outsourced, which was costly and time-consuming due to the fast-changing mining environment. By bringing this expertise in-house with WaterCAD, the engineers could quickly analyze and adapt to changes, optimizing the water system design and saving approximately AU$15.8 million over the mine's lifespan.

Technical Implementation
WaterCAD's interoperability with MicroStation allowed engineers to leverage existing data and CAD models, reducing the need for data re-entry. The software's ease of use and ability to create multiple scenarios enabled efficient analysis and optimization of the fire service water network.

Results and Benefits
The project led to a reduction in pipe sizes and the elimination of redundant components, resulting in significant capital expenditure savings. The optimization efforts did not compromise the system's efficiency or safety. Overall, the project achieved an approximate 450-times return on investment, with additional savings in design man-hours and fieldwork.

Conclusion
By using WaterCAD, IPR - GDF SUEZ Hazelwood mine engineers gained the knowledge and skills to better understand and optimize their water system, ensuring a safe and compliant mining operation.
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Catalog excerpts

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Case Study Project Summary Organization International Power Australia Pty Ltd Solutions Mining and Metals, Water and Wastewater Location Morwell, Victoria, Australia Project Objectives • Maximizing the mine’s output while incorporating high standards and safety measures • Optimizing the design of the network for the mine fire service water system for a safe and compliant mining operation • Bringing water modeling expertise in-house to quickly analyze the impact of any changes in the mine Products Used WaterCAD®, MicroStation® International Power plc Achieves 450-times Return on Software Investment With WaterCAD In-house Water Modeling Enables Optimization of Hazelwood Coal Mine’s Fire Water Services, While Ensuring High Safety Standards Competitive and Political Constraints Drive Need for Maximum Efficiency International Power - GDF SUEZ Australia’s (IPR - GDF SUEZ) Hazelwood mine engineers used Bentley’s WaterCAD, water distribution analysis and design application, to model the mine fire service water system. With WaterCAD, the engineers were able to create design scenarios for optimizing the network for the mine fire service water. The Hazelwood brown coal mine with an electricity-generating power station in the Latrobe Valley, Victoria, Australia, supplies approximately 25 percent of Victoria’s electricity. In the current competitive commercial and dynamic political environment, it is particularly important that mining operations maximize efficiencies for output while incorporating high standards and safety measures. Using Bentley’s WaterCAD, water distribution analysis and design application, the engineers at Hazelwood mine were able to bring fire service modeling in-house, which allowed them to optimize the mine’s water system design, saving approximately AU$15.8 million over the life of the mine in the process. Mining operations face many challenges including reducing CO2 emissions, pricing models, and legislation that affect electricity production. As a result, IPR - GDF SUEZ Hazelwood is focusing on ways to improve the efficiency of its business in this environment. One step in this direction is establishing a better-performing mine fire service water network. Fast Facts • Outsourced modeling services were costly and time consuming because of the fast-changing mining environment • WaterCAD’s interoperability with MicroStation (which was already in use) enabled mine engineers to leverage the existing data and CAD models • The reduction of main sizes allowed for significant savings without increasing the risk profile of the design ROI • The project has generated an estimated savings in the CAPEX budget of approximately AU$15.8 million for the life of the mine • Low software expenditures enabled an approximate 450-times return on investment • The optimization of the network for the mine fire service water system has also saved field work man-hours An example of modeling the mine fire service water system in WaterCAD.

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“The use of WaterCAD has meant that IPR - GDF SUEZ Hazelwood mine engineers now have the knowledge and skills in-house to better understand and optimize our system.” – Duncan Orr, mine civil engineer, IPR - GDF SUEZ Australia Find out about Bentley at: www.bentley.com Contact Bentley 1-800-BENTLEY (1-800-236-8539) Outside the US +1 610-458-5000 Global Office Listings www.bentley.com/contact The network is an integral system in an open cut brown coal mine. Brown coal is extremely combustible, making it critical to have a water system nearby to prevent large-scale fires. Changes in the Hazelwood...

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