BATTERY AND ELECTRIC
and centre when it comes to facilitating the early onset of electrification through retrofit solutions that are installed by multiple parties . It sees industry OEMs taking the lead over the next decade . Beutler said : “ Retrofitters have an important space when it comes to pushing the technology and the OEMs with pilot projects and proof of concept studies ; they are really accelerating this change and showing it is feasible – hence making it a reality .
“ But , when it comes to larger conversions of equipment on a global scale , we are unfortunately seeing miners rather reluctant to perform these . We think this is down to the conversion , for one , being quite expensive if you do not have the required economies of scale .”
“ Secondly , if the OEM is not supporting this transition or retrofit , then it will be very hard to make any changes down the line . Such changes could see the warranty invalidated . This means there is a bit of a risk for the miners .
“ Thirdly , considering the logistics associated with such a retrofit , these companies need to be locally based . Shipping the vehicles forward and back over a long distance means it is hard for the numbers to work .”
Instead , the next phase of electrification is likely to be OEM-led retrofits ( see An electrification partner for one example of this ) and new generation machines that have factored in electrification from the off .
“ This could be very relevant for the open-pit sector where the lifetime of the vehicles is larger or longer , so you can use the chassis of the vehicle for something like 20 years ,” Beutler said of the OEM-led retrofits . “ But it would need to be supported by the OEMs so they can provide all the necessary support and assistance for the vehicles afterwards .”
Along these lines , ABB is currently engaged with miners looking into the potential of incorporating a battery into the trolley assist mix at open-pit mines .
Beutler explained : “ Customers are looking into this and , for many applications today , it would already be feasible . As you know , the trolley is installed at the incline where the major energy consumption is happening . You only need to potentially overcome the last stretch from the trolley to the crusher , or to the pit on battery .”
In this new landscape , Beutler says ABB will continue to be a system integrator able to provide a holistic view .
“ We are trying to support the shift away from diesel by setting out the roadmap , showing the constraints and matching the right technology to realise this change ,” he said .
“ The focus , which we embrace at ABB , is interoperability , standardisation across electrification and automation and trying to bring the players in this ecosystem around the table to promote an agnostic service so miners have the freedom of choice to assort their fleet according to their operational needs . “ This is the only way to get a fully-optimised , fully-electric solution .”
Driving change
It is the development of new variable frequency drive system technology that has Kenny Boles , VP of Market Development for Saminco International , predicting a speedy transition to battery or hybrid machines in the mining market .
In addition to supplying non-exclusive products , the US-based company also designs and manufactures brand-labelled drive systems for some of the world ’ s largest mining OEMs .
Saminco recently launched its VFD-3 traction drive system for DC charged trailing cable shuttle cars after undergoing significant development and testing at its Fort Myers facility in Florida and launching its first system at
an underground US coal operator at the back end of 2020 .
Following the successful completion of the trial at the US coal mine , the
company has received multiple orders for additional machines from this coal producer , according to Boles .
“ That ’ s the advantage of working with the US ’ s top non-longwall
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MARCH 2021 | International Mining 19