HIGH PROFILE
pose the greatest risk to cylinder liners , rings and pistons . This range is known as the ‘ Critical Particle Size ’ due to their tendency to lodge in the oil film layer between liners and piston rings . “ Because of the extreme hardness of the SiO 2 particles , metals are rapidly degraded through mechanical abrasion and loss of hydrostatic lubrication . Depending on the severity of the induction system leak and ambient dust conditions , damage can occur in a matter of minutes .”
Damage to cylinder walls from dust ingress
Green told IM that DustGuard™ interfaces with the engine ’ s air induction system analysing up to four discrete air sample inputs to allow for determination of dust ingress location for engines with multiple turbo chargers / intake ducts . The air samples are analysed using laser light-scattering technologies using ruggedised
sensors for severe environments . DustGuard™ determines particle size , quantity and concentration for each sample taken and uses advanced algorithms for analysis of real-time data and determination of unsafe conditions . Onmachine and remote alarms are used to alert operators and supervisory personnel . These alarms are graded : xn Pre-Alarm Alert : indicates small induction system leak and risk of wear or damage from extended operation xn Alarm Alert : indicates large induction system leak and imminent risk of severe engine damage or catastrophic failure xn Fault Alert : indicates DustGuard™ system error service required It can also be used for activation of third-party indicators or alarms and can even be used to shutdown unmanned machines via a connection to the ‘ fuel stop ’ solenoid or engine control panel . OEM air filters are < 100 % efficient so some amount of trace particles will always be present . DustGuard™ prevents nuisance alarms by allowing the user to adjust system sensitivity . It also allows users to customise pre-alarm and alarm setpoints based on OEM-specified limits , application specific requirements and / or baseline ‘ clean air ’ particle levels . The system is compatible with third-party machine telematics systems using CAN J1939 , Modbus RS485 or Modbus TCP . Optional DustGuard™ telematics can also use a cellular or satellite ( SWARM ) network .
Response to an alarm
Green said in response to an alarm , the operator should reduce engine power as soon as possible and stop the machine in a safe location or condition . Mechanics can then be dispatched to find and repair any induction system leak or leaks before the engine is restarted . “ Shutting down the engine as soon as possible after detection is critical to preventing damage as dust ingress damage is a function of time , particle concentration and engine power .”
One of the advantages to the system is that it has a simple retrofit process using standard shop labour skills with no special tools required . DustGuard™ can be installed during a typical PM service with setup and commissioning just requiring a laptop computer or smartphone interface . No engine modifications are required for installation with no drilling , tapping or machining required . Induction air samples are taken from pre-existing ports on engine or charge-air cooler . OEM air pressure / temperature sensor ports can be used for air sample locations and auxiliary ports are often available . does not impact engine performance . DustGuard™ does not require interface with engine or machine controls and only needs a 12 or 24 VDC power supply .
Progress so far and future potential
After two years of development that included both bench testing and on-engine validation , the first
DustGuard™ user interface screen commercial spec DustGuard™ system was installed on a Komatsu 930E truck powered by an MTU 16V4000 engine in August 2021 at a surface mining operation in Wyoming , USA . “ This particular mine recently had a number of dusted engine incidents so there was a real interest in our solution . From a telematics standpoint , they gave us access to their radio mesh network giving us really good communications and allowing us to coordinate in real time on the data .” A second DustGuard™ system is also set to be installed on a Cat D11 dozer at a coal mine in Australia , while a third is being fitted to a 2 MW electrical generator powered by a Cat 3516 V16 engine at a surface mine in New Mexico . In addition to these initial pilot projects , the company is also working on a larger demonstration on approximately 15-20 engines powering various machinery at a large surface mine in Uzbekistan . Another interesting aspect of market interest is from companies operating AHS fleets . “ These trucks are running for longer periods without shift changes and there is no operator onboard to give feedback to maintenance personnel .”
Finally looking to the future , in addition to the DustGuard™ System for engine protection , the company is also developing a sophisticated , standalone dust monitoring system for mining machine cabs focussed on operator safety . “ The product is called ‘ CabGuard ’ and will allow for real-time monitoring and alerting of operator cab air quality along with temperature , humidity , vibration carbon monoxide detection and pitch / roll state – the complete cab picture .” There is a lot of interest here too – even from mines using the latest positive pressure state of the art cabs , where it could act as a back up indicator in case of a failure in the cab systems . And like DustGuard™ , CabGuard is designed for wireless connectivity via Bluetooth and WiFi . In addition to onboard telematics capability , the technology can also link to existing data systems via CAN or Modbus . IM
12 International Mining | OCTOBER 2021