mining shovel news

[icestationzebra]

For you guys interested in mining shovels:
Komatsu relocated hybrid shovel 2650CX #1 to Colorado and will be building #2 in 2020. Will also be assembling the first 4800XPC in Canada soon. (135 st, 3 pass load 400t trucks)

https://im-mining.com/2019/03/21/ko...vel-2020-first-unit-relocating-colorado-mine/

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[John C.]

Is that a totally electric shovel? The photo seems to show a radiator, is that machine self contained?

Thanks for the link.

 

[hosspuller]

John C. Seems like the shovel is diesel powered. The hybrid aspect is the energy storage and recovery. I wonder how a cable shovel can recover energy when it drops the load into a truck.
see here for more details.
https://mining.komatsu/technology/controls-and-drives/sr-hybrid-drive

 

[John C.]

What I have seen advertised so far on smaller machines is the swing function has the potential for coasting to a stop which would provide the method of energy recovery. I'm curious as to the size of the capacitor, it's life cycle and cost. I would also think that a diesel driven generator would be real expensive compared to line power.

 

[hosspuller]

Internet is great for getting more info...

It's diesel for mobility compared to line power. It doesn't store the regen electric energy from swing & bucket lowering. It uses it for other functions reducing the load on the diesel genset. Other: it's hybrid combining cable & hydraulic operation.

See here: https://www.bing.com/videos/search?...E7CE7EB18F5225161B8FE7CE7EB18F522&FORM=VDQVAP

 

[John C.]

The video says it does store electric energy from swing and bucket lowering. Whenever someone is talking reluctance it seems to always mean a capacitor. The hydraulic system apparently runs the compound bucket and maybe the travel functions. I see four stacks indicating two engines. I'm not sure I buy into the percentages of saved fuel and total cost of operation, especially if capital costs are considered. It is exciting to see new technology applied to old school iron though.

 

[Birken Vogt]

The video says it does store electric energy from swing and bucket lowering. Whenever someone is talking reluctance it seems to always mean a capacitor. The hydraulic system apparently runs the compound bucket and maybe the travel functions. I see four stacks indicating two engines. I'm not sure I buy into the percentages of saved fuel and total cost of operation, especially if capital costs are considered. It is exciting to see new technology applied to old school iron though.

With all this high tech stuff I really want to see figures for total cost of ownership/operation. Including lost production due to waiting on special parts or special repair people when the thing breaks down electronically.

 

[icestationzebra]

Switched reluctance is a type of motor, different than AC or DC. You can google it.

And to add to what Hosspuller already said, right from the Komatsu web site....

During braking, the SR motors become generators, transferring energy back into the SR drives. The SR drives use that regenerated energy to turn the engine SR generator into a motor. With the generator now acting as a motor, it:

• Supplies energy to satisfy parasitic / working loads (primarily hydraulics)
• Supplies energy to satisfy engine losses
• Shuts fuel supply off
• Increases the drive train speed (mass of the engine drive train acts as a flywheel for stored energy)
• Send any remaining excess energy to resistor grids
• Throughout the entire process, the engine experiences 0% load

Fuel is cut off for an appreciable amount of time during the shovel load cycle, which significantly reduces fuel consumption and 0% engine load during this time also increases the useful life of the engine. In the addition to fuel savings, the SR Hybrid Drives system also offers significant savings in terms of maintenance costs. The SR motors and generators have no commutator, brushes or rotor windings to repair or replace.​

As to special parts, at this size almost everything is special already!

Here is the deck layout right from the spec sheet.



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