BATTERY AND ELECTRIC VEHICLES
GHH’s new tethered battery-electric loader, the
LF-19EB, is predominantly for soft-rock
applications and specifically designed for
loading into a feeder breaker
benefit of zero emissions and can operate in
sections with limited to no ventilation, but
unfortunately there is a significant loss in
productivity, having to tow the machine with
diesel-driven tow trucks between production ends,
or get a generator set up to be able to drive it to
the other stope.”
This effectively means that although the vehicle
may have high availability and productivity while
working, it suffers overall low utilisation.
The new GHH machine is equipped with a
battery for tramming up to 2.5 km (depending on
the ground condition), without the use of any
utilities such as generators, and with greater
independency than traditional tethered electric
loaders, the company said. “This effectively
improves the utilisation of the vehicle per shift,
therefore improving productivity considerably.”
The machine comes with a 19 t payload
capacity, a tractive effort force of 380 kN, an
average of 250 kVA under permanent load and 315
kVA peak, and has a maximum cable length of 250 m.
The loader can cope with the very high
temperatures and undulating footwall conditions
often found in underground soft-rock salt mines,
according to GHH; it is able to operate at a
maximum of 28% grade, 15% slope and at 52°C.
On top of this, the rear of the machine is
ergonomically designed with low and flat top
covers to allow for maximum visibility for the
operator as well as good manoeuvrability in tight
spaces.
The new battery-electric tethered loader comes
with a significantly lower operating cost than both
a diesel LHD and a traditional tethered electric
LHD, GHH said.
“Not only does the regenerative braking reduce
both brake and tyre wear, thus reducing the
predictive operating costs, but there is also no
diesel engine, therefore no refuelling and a lot
less maintenance due to having electrical
components,” the company said. “The LF-19EB
requires far less ventilation and also generates far
less heat compared with a diesel LHD, resulting in
a less negative impact on the operator.”
Thanks to a direct driven gear box, axles and an
16 International Mining | MARCH 2020
intelligent motor management, the ride is
extremely smooth, according to GHH, something
that will be welcomed by any operator.
“This loader is a perfect intermediate between
tethered electric and a pure battery solution,” the
company continued. “It is more flexible than a
tethered loader and less risky than a pure battery
loader, as long as the battery technology does not
meet the requirements of an eight-hour shift. It is
the perfect solution, especially for existing mines,
when it comes to the power supply system
because the battery is not only designed for
moving the loader without cable, but also to buffer
peaks in power consumption and recuperation.”
Just as MacLean’s Marshall indicated, the need to
charge battery-electric machines varies depending
on the application.
Companies such as Artisan are sticking to a
battery change-out policy to improve the
productivity of its battery-powered loaders and
trucks – a solution set to become even more
efficient with an automated change-out process in
development – while others use either an on-
board or off-board charging solution.
Adria Power Systems, which has been building
electrical infrastructure for mining for almost 25
years, specialises in the latter. Over this period,
the Quebec-based company has built up a
reputation for rugged and robust electrical
chargers suited to underground mine conditions.
IM caught up with Mathieu Bouffard, Adria CAN bus-type battery-electric machines working
there.
While Bouffard was not certain all BEV
manufacturers would move to the CCS protocol
that the likes of Epiroc and Normet are pushing
for, he did say there were plenty of benefits to the
design.
“Working with the CCS, we have realised it is so
well made – it’s so complicated that it cannot be
hacked and there is a start-up routine that does all
of the safety checks with the cables, so it is really
robust and safe. There is no room for human
mistakes within this.”
In addition to working on a “bi-directional
version” of this new charger – which could be
available later this year – Adria’s Bouffard said the
company was also developing a high-powered 4
MW charger for surface vehicles. This work is
being conducted over a three-year period so may
find its way into the development plans for the
new crop of all-electric open-pit mines like
Nouveau Monde Graphite’s Matawinie project, in
Quebec.
Judging by the data coming through from the
Miller Relay electric utility vehicle, the unit has
been working well at Young-Davidson.
Paul Summers, Lead Developer, Electric Drive
Systems, at Miller, said that, for utility and support
applications at least, Miller is finding battery-
powered electric vehicles are completely viable
even in hard-rock mines with steep ramps (see
graphs).
Randy McCooeye, Safety and Risk Assessment
Project Manager, to discuss the latest
developments in the company’s offering.
The company has recently been
working with Miller Technology on a CCS
charging protocol for Miller’s Relay
electric utility vehicle at the Alamos
Gold-owned Young-Davidson mine, in
Ontario.
The new generation charger from
Adria allows for Level 3 DC fast charging
via this protocol with type 2 plug as
recommended by the GMG BEV
guideline.
Bouffard explained: “We’ve built
another charging prototype before, but
this is the first one with a CCS protocol.
“We have just finished building the
second one (CCS-type charger), which is
going to be more powerful using two
DC/AC outputs, which will be working in
interleave mode. That upgrade is so we
can filter and regulate the charge at any
voltage/current with the same efficiency.”
The company’s goal is to, within a month or so,
swap the charger currently underground at Young-
Davidson with this upgraded charger, then take
the older charger to Kirkland Lake Gold’s Macassa
gold mine, also in Ontario, to integrate into the During two days of utilisation from a beat
mechanic (one of the higher daily mileage duty
cycles for light vehicles) at Young-Davidson,
Miller Technology’s Relay electric vehicle was
able to complete work without opportunity
charging and, at the end of the shift, there was
still more than 30%charge remaining, Paul
Summers says
To charge, or change out?