MINING ENGINES
important steps in our journey to offer electrified
power solutions for the future.”
Back with mining engines, Thulin had some
encouraging things to say about just how quickly
the transition was happening when compared
with other sectors.
“We see that mining is one of the leading
segments in electrification with a range of
products now emerging from all leading OEMs,”
he said.
Alternative power
There’s more to this discussion on ‘new
technologies’ within the mining engines field
than electrification.
This was made clear when IM spoke with
Cummins’ Executive Director, Power Systems,
Mining and Aftermarket, Beau Lintereur, recently.
When asked about the potential for
electrification in the company’s range of engines,
Lintereur said: “Cummins wants to be a leader in
all powertrains – whether that is electric, fuel
cells, diesel, natural gas, you name it; that’s
where Cummins wants to be.”
Cummins is already equipping some of its
power generators to run on natural gas,
Caterpillar has proven its Dynamic Gas
Blending™ technology for LNG can provide
savings on fuel costs and emissions while
maintaining the same performance, payload and
productivity in engines on its diesel 785C haul
trucks in Mexico, and Anglo Platinum has
continued to clock up the hours with fuel cell
locos in South Africa.
One of the more recent developments has
been in hydrogen, with the likes of Fortescue
Metals Group and Anglo American talking up its
use (see this month’s High Profile interview on
pages 8 & 9 to hear more from Anglo American).
DEUTZ is one of the first engine manufacturers
to invest in such technology after partnering with
Munich-based start-up KEYOU to jointly develop
commercially-viable, carbon-neutral hydrogen
engines for off- and on-road applications.
DEUTZ, which has already established an
electrification platform called E-DEUTZ, said: “As
a leading global manufacturer of innovative drive
systems, DEUTZ is seeking to play a pioneering
role in the development of high-quality, eco-
friendly and efficient engines.”
Dr Frank Hiller, DEUTZ CEO, said: “The use of
alternative fuels such as hydrogen is growing in
importance. We believe that this drive solution
will be a valuable addition to our electrification
strategy and play an integral role in the zero-
emission vehicles of the future.”
The company’s expertise in combustion
engines is being combined with KEYOU-inside
technology, which can convert conventional
production engines to run on hydrogen. “The
technology is extremely scalable, both for on-
32 International Mining | JULY 2019
road and off-road applications, and it can be
used in a range of hybrid configurations,
including in combination with electric drives,”
DEUTZ said.
KEYOU says it has developed a prototype for
its KEYOU-inside technology that can turn a
conventional diesel engine into a drive based on
state-of-the-art hydrogen technology.
DEUTZ provided support as a development
partner, supplying the engine – one of its
standard six-cylinder models – and sharing its
engineering expertise. The resulting hydrogen
combustion engine is extremely cost-efficient,
which makes it an attractive alternative to
electric drives, fuel-cell drives and other zero-
emission systems, the company said.
KEYOU’s first 7.8-litre hydrogen-ready
prototype DEUTZ engine was unveiled to the
public in 2018 and was also showcased at the
recent Bauma fair, in Munich, Germany.
Specific pilot projects with vehicle
manufacturers and end users are in the planning
stage, with the appearance of the first prototype
vehicles expected in the first half of 2020, DEUTZ
said. The aim is to bring these prototypes to
production readiness by 2021/22.
Stage V
It was a battle of the EU Stage V engines at
Bauma, with major suppliers premiering new
models or solutions that tick the regulatory box
for use in off-highway machinery on the
continent.
Cummins displayed the QSK60 Stage V engine
for the first time at the show. The engine is part
of a mining line-up that goes from 55 kW to 2,125
kW.
Available from 1,398-2,125 kW with a peak
torque of 11,218 Nm, the QSK60 is ideal for
excavators, dump trucks and wheel loaders,
Cummins said.
“The proven QSK60 platform delivers high
reliability and outstanding durability, with no
loss of power or torque,” the company said. Heat
rejection is similar to a US Tier 2 engine, so there
is no need to re-engineer the cooling package,
and the redesigned power cylinder, optimised
wastegate turbocharge and improved crankcase
breather system work to keep particulate matter
(PM) levels low, Cummins added.
Cummins’ Lintereur said: “With single-stage
and two-stage air handling configurations, this
engine encompasses a wide range of ratings and
altitude capabilities to meet the needs of the
toughest mining applications.”
The engine is equipped to achieve an altitude
capability of up to 3,500 metres above sea level
(masl) without loss of power, plus the ability to
go even further to 5,000 masl in certain
instances.
“The projected life-to-overhaul exceeds 1.1
million gallons (3.8 million litres) of fuel burned,
which makes it a great choice for repowers as
well as new equipment,” the company said.
In a location not too far away, Caterpillar
showcased a Stage V lineup that included the
debut of the next generation C13B – shown as an
industrial plug-and-play power unit solution at
the event. This engine comes with multiple
power ratings from 340 kW to 430 kW and a peak
torque of 2,634 Nm, which fits into its
underground mining engine range. It delivers
20% more power, 19% more torque and the
aftertreatment is 65% smaller than EU Stage IV,
according to Cat.
In addition, the company displayed a C18
engine on the stand, which featured engine-
mounted aftertreatment enabling it to be dual-
certified to EU Stage V and US Tier 4 Final.
The C18 was representing the newly regulated
power category above 750 hp (560 kW), which
also includes the C27 and C32 engines. The three
engines are rated between 563-839 kW.
Steve Ferguson, Cat’s Vice President Industrial
Power Systems, said: “With more than a billion
hours of real-world, off-highway experience with
diesel particulate filter (DPF) technologies at Stage
IV, we’re extremely confident in the reliability and
durability of our new Stage V engines.
“Furthermore, customers will see up to 20%
increases in power density across our Stage V
lineup, maximising productivity and reducing
cost of ownership.”
And Rolls-Royce Power Systems-owned MTU
also showcased EU Stage V engines for the
construction equipment and industrial sectors at
the show, explaining that MTU Series 2000
engines (567-970 kW) for construction
equipment, industrial and mining applications
would be available with EU Stage V certification
from the end of 2022.
As well as reduced CO 2 emissions, the torque,
performance and fuel consumption of the
engines have all been improved, according to
Rolls-Royce Power Systems.
Lars Kräft, Head of Industrial Business at
Rolls-Royce Power Systems, said: “The first EU
Stage V engines have been tested rigorously in
numerous prototypes, at times under extreme
weather and altitude conditions. This way, we've
been able to evaluate a wealth of application
data and operating experience, and the engines
finally went into full production seven months
before the new directive came into force.”
Bell Equipment recently took delivery of the
first six EU Stage V certified MTU Series 1000-
1500 engines from Rolls-Royce Power Systems.
As early as 2016, Rolls-Royce Power Systems
provided two EU Stage V prototypes for external
testing at Bell, which were trialled in the hot,
dusty climate of South Africa and endurance-
tested at extreme altitudes of up to 3,000 masl.