STC In The News

Industrial traffic control for Arizona open pit mine

TEMPE, AZ - 01/28/2010 - Solar Traffic Controls has completed delivery of an industrial traffic control system for an open pit mine in Northern Arizona. The mine is developing a new deposit of material on the other side of a rail overpass from its primary dig site. The rail overpass includes a curved tunnel approximately 80 feet long. The eastbound approach to the tunnel is on an incline and trucks entering the tunnel need to take a sharp turn to enter. This turn, coupled with a curve in the tunnel and the height of the overpass, make it impossible to see traffic approaching from the other side of the tracks. Also, the haul trucks deployed at the site are so large only one truck can transit the tunnel at a time.

The mine safety manager began looking for options and devised a scheme to have an automation engineer at the plant build the system. While researching possible sensors for the project, the mine decided to have STC design and build the system.

The system design is based on the Solar Ped-X product line which uses wireless communications to control the lamps. The main goal of the system is to function as a single lane, industrial traffic control, which STC has previously furnished as a hardwired, AC powered system for many years. (See link below to Industrial Traffic Controls on STC's Website.) This goal required modifications to the standard software to place the system in standby (dark signals); respond only on sensor detection of a vehicle approaching the entry; and sequence the lamps in a specific manner to facilitate easy transit by the users.

Since the project is on private property, STC was able to apply equipment not integrated in normal systems. To minimize hardware on the pole and to aid color-impaired truck operators, STC selected an Industrial Traffic Solutions 12-inch dual color lamp. The lamp features a red X and a yellow ball, all LED, in the same signal face. Each entry is equipped with a TC26B sensor configured as an approach detect. Each exit is also equipped with an exit detector and both entries are also equipped with a Polara Bulldog pedestrian button. The balance of the equipment is a standard Solar Ped-X crosswalk system with FHSS radio connection and a solar-powered system.

The lamps appear dark in standby. When an approaching vehicle is detected, the entry which detects first, places its lamp into a yellow flash for a predetermined interval (field programmable) while the other end is placed in flashing red. At the close of the entry interval both lamps flash the red X. The red X display is maintained while the truck transits the tunnel.

Each tunnel exit is equipped with an exit sensor to detect the truck's exit. The flashing red X display is maintained during the exit detection. When the truck leaves the sensor's field of view an exit interval timer (field programmable) is started and holds the flashing red X long enough to allow the truck to exit the general area of the tunnel.

Both points in the system are solar powered with battery backup to provide up five days of operation without any sun. Communications are completed using FHSS radio modems with YAGI directional antennas to compensate for the short, but non-line-of sight radio pathway. STC also provided spun aluminum pole kits for the project which were mounted to rock at the site. The underpass also serves as a wash for rain water. Conventional concrete caisson foundations would most likely wash away in heavy runoff, thus the rock foundations.

For more information on STC's products and services, please stay here on our website or send an email to info@solar-traffic-controls.com or call 480.449.0222.

For more information on similar Industrial Traffic Controls projects: https://solar-traffic-controls.com/specialty/industrial.php

Key parts: For sensor information - www.mssedco.com
For lamp information - www.lanecontrols.com

 

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