Gruenewald already has International Electrotechnical Commission certification for its SMALL-Ex series of products, which are also certified with Performance Level under International Code 13849-1, fitting new European Commission machinery directives issued in December.
Gruenewald product manager Jorg Wittkamp told ILN this intrinsically safe series of instruments could measure volume flow, temperature and level and was suitable for the Australian underground coal sector.
The range also covers combinations like a compact volume flow instrument with integrated pressure and temperature measuring.
The SMALL-Ex series of instruments also boasts the CAN-Open output system, capable of delivering output of 5-15 Hertz, 0.25-20 milliamps and 0-10 volts.
Although Gruenewald is new to the Australian underground coal marketplace and does not supply directly down under, Gruenewald technology is used in longwall systems which are supplied to Australia.
Wittkamp said the OEMs using Gruenewald products included Bucyrus, Kopex, Sandvik, Eickhoff, Famur and DH Mining.
“Joy is very new for us,” Wittkamp said.
“We presented our instruments to Joy on the occasion of the Mining Fair in Beijing.”
Designed for various underground applications, Gruenewald instruments are used for motor cooling, and are also found in pump stations, filter systems, gearboxes and mining vehicles.
On roof supports they gauge hydraulic pressure, while on longwall systems they measure volume flow for sprinkling systems, along with pressure and temperature.
Wittkamp said with the recent IECEx and PL certification of the SMALL-Ex series, Gruenewald had started getting in contact with companies in Australia to find an exclusive distributor.
He said several suppliers to the Aussie longwall sector were “very interested” in its products.
Gruenewald also has a magnetic inductive volume-measuring unit called MAGIN-Ex teed up for a mid-year release.
The volume-flow instrument uses a different measurement procedure.
“The flow will be measured with the help of two electrodes inside the pipe of the instrument,” Wittkamp said.
“This instrument could also be equipped with additional temperature and pressure measuring.”
Gruenewald has distributors in China, Poland, Russia, South Africa and China.
