After supplying its first BH150E 150 t electric drive truck to the South Eastern Coalfields Ltd (SECL) Gevra coal project, India’s mining equipment major has now held a ceremony to celebrate the handover of its first 205 t electric drive truck, the BH205E, to Northern Coalfields Ltd (NCL). The truck was developed with an objective of strengthening the ‘Make in India’ initiative of the Honourable Prime Minister and BEML says will address the growing demand for higher capacity equipment in the mining industry. Both SECL and NCL are Coal India divisions.
At a function held at Mysore on September 10, 2018, Shri Deepak Kumar Hota, CMD, BEML and Shri PK Sinha, CMD, Northern Coalfields Ltd (NCL), flagged off the equipment.
The indigenously designed and developed BH205E truck is powered by Tier 2 emission compliant modular common rail electronic engine with 2,300 hp. “The AC drive system has been engineered to provide exceptional haul road performance with reduced maintenance. This dump truck is environmental friendly in relation to mechanical drive due to its superior efficiency. The state of the art AC drive system has been engineered for best in class efficiency and reliability. Consumption of transmission oil, final drive and brake cooling oil are eliminated reducing the environmental impact over its life cycle.”
The dump truck weighs 335 t when fully loaded but BEML says is easily manoeuverable with power-steering and a short turning radius. Emphasis has been accorded to operator comfort while designing the machine and it has an ergonomically designed dash board and tiltable telescopic steering wheel. Other salient features of the truck include good visibility in addition to safety features with provisions for emergency steering, breaking and proximity warning.
“With the introduction of this new generation dump truck, BEML has touched another milestone in its R&D efforts in achieving self-reliance, enhanced productivity in mining operations and increased production, apart from optimising costs. BEML acknowledges the encouragement being provided by CIL & its subsidiary for [the] Make In India policy of [the] GoI,” said Shri Hota.