en.Wedoany.com Reported - ABB Chile has proposed a technical solution centered on arc flash protection for mining electrical safety, aiming to address the high-fatality electrical accident risks posed by aging power infrastructure in Chilean mines. The company noted that arc flash threats are among the most insidious risks, with arc temperatures capable of approaching 20,000°C within milliseconds. Records from the Chilean National Geology and Mining Service (Sernageomin) show that between 2000 and 2025, 23 fatal accidents related to electric shock occurred in Chile's mining industry, highlighting that electrical faults remain a high-impact risk.
The Chilean Copper Commission (Cochilco) forecasts total project investments of $104.549 billion from 2025 to 2034, an increase of over $21 billion from previous projections. Priority tasks focus on enhancing the capacity and availability of existing assets, with technological modernization becoming key to ensuring personnel, production, and investment safety. Francisco Torres, Market Specialist for Motor Starters and Safety Products at ABB Chile, stated that detection devices, relays, and circuit breakers must work together as part of the same protection logic; in arc flash events, response speed and coordination between devices are critical for controlling accident severity and maintaining the reliability of key assets.
ABB's proposed technical solution revolves around three core elements: protection, speed, and digitalization. Its TVOC-2 Arc Guard System, certified to SIL-2 (IEC 61508 / IEC 62061), can detect arc flashes and clear faults within 30 to 50 milliseconds, significantly reducing incident energy. On the medium-voltage side, the architecture integrates with advanced Relion series relays (such as the REX640) to quickly trip circuit breakers in the event of severe anomalies. On the low-voltage side, coordination is achieved through Emax 2 and Tmax XT circuit breakers. The solution is complemented by NEMA Spec Setter safety switches for visible and safe disconnection, and the UMC management system for motor monitoring in critical processes. Additionally, Rogowski current sensors (CSU-2) eliminate power losses associated with traditional solutions, reducing operational footprint and enhancing the mine's sustainability performance.
Guido Pardo, General Manager of ABB's strategic partner Esys, noted that local mining companies face three major challenges: personnel safety, electrical asset reliability, and production continuity. Companies strive to ensure their facilities operate in accordance with international standards such as NFPA 70E and NFPA 70B. Combining world-class protection technologies with specialized engineering can significantly shorten post-accident recovery times and enhance operational continuity at mines.
Following its participation in Exponor 2026, ABB Chile emphasized that electrical safety should be integrated from the design, technology selection, and maintenance planning stages. Anticipating risks in advance and coordinating electrical system responses will be key to moving toward safer, more reliable, and more resilient operations.
This article is compiled by Wedoany. All AI citations must indicate the source as "Wedoany". If there is any infringement or other issues, please notify us promptly, and we will modify or delete it accordingly. Email: news@wedoany.com
