DRIVES & CONTROLS
eMine has seen ABB extend its capabilities to the electrification of mining trucks and technologies for the full mining process
Electrically powered & driven
Electrification is having a major influence on the further evolution of drive solutions in mining in terms of switching from diesel to battery and other power sources in mine truck haulage ; while in other markets like conveying & milling , gearless drive solutions continue to gain influence , reports Paul Moore
No discussion of power solutions in mining today is complete without covering the transition to battery electric power to drive mobile mining equipment , notably in large mining trucks . While a significant proportion of today ’ s large mining trucks use AC drive wheel motors – going forward these will be powered not by diesel engines but by batteries or potentially other power sources including hydrogen fuel cells .
This was the nature of conversations during MINExpo 2021 between IM and companies like ABB and Wabtec , two of the world ’ s key drive solutions players in mining at the forefront of the industry ’ s electric transition . Historically , Wabtec has been working on electric drive systems for mining trucks for many years . In fact as GE Transportation it started that technology with the first commercially viable electric drive system for large mining haul trucks in the early 1960s . Today it includes the optimised integrated AC drives behind everything from the top of the class Komatsu 980E which is seeing a great market response globally especially in Latin America , to the leading Chinese OEM NHL and its largest ever export fleet which covers 28 NTE360A trucks going to Australia ’ s Yancoal .
Rogerio Mendonca , President Freight Equipment commented : “ So when we have new conversations about electrification of mining , this is right in our core expertise area already . Obviously , the power agnostic technology everyone is looking at has to evolve . But whether you have a diesel engine , battery , fuel cell , pantograph or a combination of these , our energy management system is able to handle all sources of current and convert them into AC driven wheel traction . Our design philosophy is very much power agnostic and our electric systems support that . Today , the wheel traction is electric and the controls are electric .”
He added that Wabtec is also working on electrifying some of the auxiliary systems that remain mechanical . “ So when the OEMs decide where they are going in terms of power source , we will be able to handle that in terms of the rest of the truck . And in the future other power sources will also be dealt with by the same logic – with hydrogen the industry is still looking at two options , either burning hydrogen in the combustion engine but this comes with onboard storage issues , and then using a fuel cell as a powerpack . At Wabtec we feel good about the direction in which we are going – our drive system has been electric by design from the very beginning which puts us in the best position to gradually evolve the technology to accommodate new power sources .”
Iron ore miner Roy Hill , in Western Australia , announced while the MINExpo 2021 event was on , the purchase of a Wabtec FLXdrive battery-electric locomotive , which will be the world ’ s first 100 % battery , heavyhaul locomotive for the region and the mining industry . Mendonca said : “ In that application it ’ s a great fit and is real today with a commercial order – the mining truck will get there too .” Roy Hill will receive the newest version of the FLXdrive battery-electric locomotive in 2023 with
an energy capacity of 7 MWh . Based on the route and Roy Hill ’ s rail operations , the FLXdrive is anticipated to reduce the company ’ s fuel costs and emissions in percentage by double digits per train . The ongoing use of the FLXdrive will also reduce ongoing operational costs through maintenance spend .
Mendonca adds : “ The ability to draw electric power into a drive system is already here and it can be done in mining today with existing technology . Of course then there is the question of how much battery power you can pack in the truck so that it becomes viable relative to current operations . I think for battery only trucks with fixed charging this is still some way off . But with battery and trolley together it can be done now with the operational success dependent on things like the availability of trolley lines and the types of haulage routes the trucks are running . The truck will run off the trolley but also charge the battery with the battery being used for certain segments such as loading and unloading .”
Wabtec ’ s capabilities when it comes to electric mine haulage also extend to its own mining truck pantograph which was displayed at MINExpo 2021 – the Mining PANTO MTP100 . Its pantographs inherit all the depth of experience from acquired company Faiveley , which introduced the single-arm pantograph in 1955 and has been supplying mine operators with pantographs for over 40 years . Wabtec says its mining pantographs “ are specially designed for
Komatsu 930E diesel-trolley truck powered by Wabtec AC drive technology at Boliden Kevitsa – going forward battery-trolley is becoming a major focus
NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2021 | International Mining 47