BATTERY AND ELECTRIC VEHICLES
management software . It is also designed with a unique battery thermal management system using liquid cooling to withstand the Pilbara heat , where ambient temperatures can exceed 55 ° C .
In Brazil , Vale has also partnered with Wabtec to advance the decarbonisation of the company ’ s rail operations . The deal includes an order for three of Wabtec ’ s FLXdrive battery locomotives and a collaboration to test ammonia as a potential clean , alternative fuel to replace diesel . The three 100 % battery-powered FLXdrive locomotives will be used on the Carajás Railroad ( EFC ), which runs the world ’ s largest iron ore train consisting of 330 railcars transporting 45,000 t .
Today , three to four diesel locomotives pull the train . Once delivered , the FLXdrives will join the diesel locomotives to form Brazil ’ s first hybrid consist pulling the train uphill for 140 km in Açailândia , in the state of Maranhão , where fuel consumption is the highest . The FLXdrives will replace the two diesel locomotives , known as “ dynamic helpers ”, that are used to pull the train uphill today , Vale says .
Wabtec will build the FLXdrive locomotives at its plant in Contagem , in Minas Gerais . The delivery is forecast for 2026 .
Vale ’ s Director of Energy , Ludmila Nascimento , said : “ Initially , we are maximising energy efficiency , replacing the diesel locomotives in the dynamic helper with battery ones , but the idea is that , in the future , the other locomotives on the train can be fuelled by ammonia . This way , we would have a clean operation at EFC . This agreement is the first of many that we are seeking in order to accelerate the decarbonisation of our railway operation .”
Vale and Wabtec will work together on a study to use ammonia as a clean alternative fuel , which does not emit CO 2 . The study will initially be carried out as lab tests to validate performance , emission reductions and feasibility . Among the advantages of ammonia is the fact that it allows the loco a longer range than other carbon-free fuels . In addition , ammonia has a high-octane rating and an established large-scale distribution infrastructure , according to Vale . The two companies will carry out the study in a lab over the next two years .
The FLXdrive locomotive ’ s energy management system recharges the batteries along the route as the train brakes .
The FLXdrive locomotives are estimated to save 25 million litres of diesel per year , considering the consumption of all the railway ’ s trains that use the dynamic helper . These savings would reduce carbon emissions by approximately 63,000 t , it says .
The underground proposition
When looking below ground , the talk is less focused on trials and testing and tied more to fleet-wide implementations .
This isn ’ t to say everyone is going ‘ all in ’ on electric . In Australia , for instance , much of the electrification talk has concentrated on the use of diesel-electric and / or hybrids in a load and haul scenario .
Michelle Keegan , Manager Electric Mine Consortium , in an article from 2023 titled , ‘ Examining the alternate pathways to decarbonising fleet in an underground mine ,’ said as much when reviewing the market backdrop and trial progress Down Under .
“ Driven by technology available today , hybrid solutions in heavy haul appear to offer a transition technology that will enable lower emissions on site now , while waiting for technology-ready electric solutions ,” she said . “ Without requiring additional charge infrastructure , hybrids offer lower emissions , with improved fuel efficiency and productivity . Adoption of this technology can be implemented with limited operational impacts .”
While Keegan was adamant battery density improvements and the evolution of new charging technology would put fully-electric solutions front and centre , the rise of diesel-electric equipment in Australia is clear to see .
Caterpillar has been a beneficiary of this , making sales to several operators in the country . Gold Fields has committed to bringing three
GHH has a long history in the design , development and operations of tethered electric LHDs going back to the 1970s .
Battery technologies as an alternative to diesel-powered propulsion have more recently become a focus in the mining industry as the drive towards ‘ going green ’ increases .
The first GHH electric loader was introduced in 1978 , with some of these still forming the backbone of customers ’ production fleet . At least 12 of the LF-12Es – one of GHH ’ s original electric loaders – are still successfully running in Germany with over 60,000 operating hours on the clock and a few mini rebuilds .
GHH says it was one of the first OEMs to combine the benefits of battery and tethered electric loaders in the form of the LF-19EB , a 19-tpayload LHD initially designed for feeder breaker loading in the soft rock , salt and potash mining industries . This machine combines a small battery for panel-to-panel movement and , thus , does not require a towing vehicle or generator as long as the machine has power out of the mine grid for running on tethered electric while in the working ends .
The new SLP-14E LHD , which was launched at the end of the March quarter of 2023 , has a brand new , innovative direct drive electric drivetrain that will form the baseline for future developments .
Its innovative design has significantly less components , resulting in less maintenance , less breakdowns and , ultimately , reduced maintenance costs and improved availability / utilisation , GHH says . And , with very little hydraulics , except for the brakes , boom and bucket , the expected reduction in hydraulic-related breakdowns soars even further .
The proven coiling cable reel design on a horizontal axis , with spooling control , significantly improves the cable life , and is a standard on GHH electric machines . Although found to be a more intricate design for cable
The SLP-14E LHD has a brand new , innovative direct drive electric drivetrain that will form the baseline for future developments , GHH says
spooling , the benefits far outweigh the relatively simple design of competitors , GHH says , with the parallel groove system significantly reducing rope wear by evenly distributing the load between the individual layers .
The SLP-14E has a robust frame and system design , resulting in low operating cost , with all daily maintenance points accessible from ground level . The ergonomic FOPs / ROPs operators ’ compartment boasts a large footbox , swivel operator ’ s seat , ergonomically designed control layout , excellent visibility and intuitive three pedal control for accurate driving and loading , GHH adds . It also has advanced on-board controls and condition monitoring systems as well as an optional payload weighing system .
GHH says it is taking the next steps with this electric drivetrain and battery-electric drive , moving towards full battery drivetrain designs in the development pipeline .
16 International Mining | MAY 2024