Tag Archives: batteries

EPCA to produce 50-70 battery-electric mining trucks a year, Xerotech says

Environmental, Mining equipment, Mining services, Sustainable mining, , , , ,

Having showcased its “Green Machine” to attendees at two major events in Australia recently, Electric Power Conversion Australia (EPCA) now has plans to produce 50-70 battery-electric mining trucks annually, according to a recent case study from one of its suppliers.

EPCA, located in Perth, Western Australia, recently electrified a CAT 777 100-ton (91-t) mining truck using a Xerotech Battery System. Known as the “Green Machine”, this project marks a significant advancement in mining truck electrification and showcases EPCA’s expertise in converting diesel mining equipment to fully battery-electric systems, Xerotech says.

EPCA faced the challenge of delivering high power levels for extended operations within the constraints of the existing truck design. Space is a key factor in battery system integration and the widespread adoption of battery-electric applications. The solution was to install six 290 kWh Xerotech batteries, its largest single pack, running in parallel to generate a total of 1741.8 kWh and 671 V. This installation transformed this CAT 777 into the world’s highest energy density, battery-electric mining truck, the supplier claims.

Clayton Franklin, Chief Engineer and Founder of EPCA, said: “We’ve now got the world’s highest energy density, full battery-electric mining truck.”

This truck was first showcased at The Electric Mine 2024, in May of this year, with attendees of the event at Crown Perth able to see the machine in the iron. The company has since gone on to display the machine at Diggers & Dealers, in Kalgoorlie, Western Australia, this week.

Switching to battery-electric power increased the truck’s horsepower from 1,000 hp (746 kW) to 1,120 hp and improved the torque from 4,700 Nm to 5,200 Nm. This performance boost, along with an efficiency leap from 35% to 95%, underscores the advantages of the Xerotech battery system, the company said.

The Green Machine offers numerous benefits to operators, including reduced noise and vibration, enhancing comfort and safety. It can run for eight hours on a full charge and recharges in just 50 minutes using smart charging technology, making it ideal for continuous mining operations, EPCA says. “For an operator operating this machine, the advantage is no noise, low vibration,” Franklin said, emphasising the improved safety features, including a SIL2-rated functional safety system.

EPCA plans to produce 50-70 battery-electric mining trucks annually. With 5,500 mining trucks in Australia and 55,000 globally, the potential impact is substantial, it says. Franklin said: “Our mining clients here in Australia are ecstatic that this truck’s being built and manufactured right here in Western Australia.”

Xerotech’s vision of a fully electric future is, the company says, supported by its scalable and configurable battery platform, enabling every OEM and integrator to embrace electrification. With no recurring engineering and design costs, electrifying prototypes or entire fleets is both feasible and cost-effective.

Anglo American partners with GEM on resource-efficient battery material use R&D

Base metals, Energy minerals, Environmental, Mineral processing, Sustainable mining, , , ,

Anglo American has launched a research and development project in collaboration with GEM, one of China’s largest battery and battery material recyclers, to explore new and more efficient technologies for the use of existing and alternative raw materials to be used in batteries for electric vehicles (EVs).

Paul Ward, Executive Head of Base Metals Marketing for Anglo American, said: “Our diversified portfolio includes a range of products critical to the long-term decarbonisation of transport – a sector estimated to account for over 15% of global emissions. We are collaborating with leaders in the sector to explore new technologies that build on the physical qualities of our portfolio of products to help tackle some of the key challenges facing the industry and contribute to the
sustainable scale-up of EV travel.

“Our work in this space is part of our commitment to supply our customers with products tailored to their specific needs and that capitalise on the opportunities offered by ongoing technological innovation.”

The project will focus on jointly developing metal dissolving technologies, using metals such as nickel, cobalt and manganese, to facilitate a more efficient use of battery materials, from either mined or recycled routes, with the intention of improving existing processes as well as exploring the use of new materials not currently employed in the battery value chain.

China is the world’s largest EV market, with an expected eight million vehicles sold in 2023. GEM is a leading global battery material producer, with pioneering technology and capability to recycle batteries through the extraction of the minerals they contain, Anglo American says.

Professor Xu Kaihua, founder and Chairman of GEM, said: “We have over two decades of experience in recycling batteries and electronics and have invested heavily in understanding the processes needed to recover raw materials essential for the energy transition. This collaboration marks an important step for us, as we seek to drive synergies with industry leaders such as Anglo American that participate in the critical raw materials value chain and share our commitment to advancing technological development to shape a more sustainable future for the transport sector.”

CatR1700XE

Cat R1700 XE battery-electric loader set to be showcased at major technology conference

Automation, Environmental, Mining equipment, Mining events, Mining services, Power supply for mines, Sustainable mining, , , , , , , ,

Attendees at CES 2024 are set to experience the “Power of Possible” at Caterpillar Inc.’s roughly 9,600 sq.ft (892 sq.m) exhibit on January 9-12 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

This year’s display focuses on Caterpillar’s electric machines and energy solutions to meet the evolving needs of customers as they electrify their job sites, Caterpillar says, with the OEM continuing to innovate and invest in electrification, alternative fuels, connectivity and digital solutions as part of this focus.

Rod Shurman, Senior Vice President of Caterpillar’s Electrification + Energy Solutions division, said: “We are delighted to return to CES to showcase our advancements in energy solutions. This event is known as the proving ground for breakthrough technologies and global innovators which makes it the ideal place for us to showcase our leadership in power systems and integrated service solutions to help our customers in the energy transition. We’re putting our expertise to work on multiple advanced power technologies to enable the energy transition solutions that our customers need to be successful in a reduced-carbon world.”

The exhibit’s centrepiece, the Cat® R1700 XE LHD underground loader, offers a 15-t payload. The zero-exhaust emission loader includes the industry’s only on-board battery, eliminating the need to handle or exchange batteries, Caterpillar claims. It charges in less than 20 minutes when paired with two of the Cat MEC500 chargers, a standalone charging system designed to charge quickly and safely as needed.

Also on display is the company’s 301.9 mini excavator, the first machine with a Caterpillar battery.

Alongside this, the company is set to showcase lower-carbon intensity on-site power production solutions, such as generators running on a variety of renewable fuels, solar panels and hydrogen powered fuel cells, plus battery energy storage solutions, including the compact XEX60.

The on-board battery pack on display at CES is designed to power the 301.9 mini excavator with a total capacity of 32 kWh and a nominal voltage of 48 V. Cat battery packs consist of a modular design with factory integrated telematics and a rugged structure to endure the use on our heavy equipment, the company says.

Additionally displayed at CES will be a Cat 750 V electric motor and inverter, components that support a variety of machines and power systems. A 750 DC motor provides mechanical power for the machine movement when commanded by the operator. The inverter transfers power to the electric motor from an onboard Caterpillar machine power source like a generator or battery.

Lastly, Cat digital solutions will feature at CES, showcasing the ability to monitor Caterpillar equipment and power solutions for the provision of advanced analytics, transforming data into customer insights making it easier for customers to own and operate their equipment, the company said.

Perkins premieres new off-highway engine, reveals future fuel-agnostic plans

Environmental, Mining equipment, Mining events, Mining services, Power supply for mines, Sustainable mining, , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Perkins says it is addressing evolving industry demands for improved fuel efficiency and performance with a “next-generation” 13-litre diesel engine suitable for off-road applications.

Available in 2026, the Perkins® 2600 Series engine platform is designed for demanding requirements, as well as the realities of moving towards a lower-carbon future.

Perkins says the new 2600 Series achieves best-in-class power density, torque and fuel efficiency for heavy duty off-highway applications, with applications in mining, including excavators, dozers, drills, trucks, feeders, screens and pumps, among others.

It comes with eight power ratings from 340 kW to 515 kW, offering up to 3,200 Nm of peak torque. Industrial open power units configured with engine-mounted aftertreatment and cooling packs will also be available from the factory to reduce installation and validation costs for OEMs, the company said.

Perkins will offer 2600 Series engines configured to meet the emissions standards of higher regulated countries, such as EU Stage V, U.S. EPA Tier 4 Final, China Non-road IV, Korea Stage V, and Japan 2014, as well as versions for lesser regulated countries. The engines are compatible with renewable liquid fuels such as 100% hydrotreated vegetable oils (HVO), B100 distilled Biodiesel and up to B100 fatty acid methyl ester standard biodiesel.

Additionally, the platform’s core architecture supports the future development of spark-ignited natural-gas and hydrogen fuel capabilities, according to the company.

To date, engineers have completed more than 20,000 hours of design validation on the 13-litre engine platform, with early OEM pilots available in 2025 and commercial production scheduled to begin in 2026.

Speaking at a press event held in London yesterday, Product Marketing Manager, Allen Chen, said prototypes were already out in the field in construction, agriculture and material handling applications, some of which were testing the highest power category.

He also said the new design piggybacked off the development of the smaller 904 Series engine, and was engineered for “tomorrow” with options for a drop-in exhaust gas recirculation system should future regulations require further emission reductions.

Hybrid power options – diesel-electric, among them – were also front of mind when designing this engine, Chen added.

Perkins says it is continuously developing and optimising a large, fast-growing portfolio of advanced power product and service solutions designed to help customers manage the energy transition to a more sustainable, lower-carbon future, including:

  • 48-, 300- and 600-volt lithium-ion battery solutions with modular designs and factory-installed telematics that Perkins is developing to optimise performance and packaging in numerous next-generation off-highway applications;
  • EU Stage V and U.S. EPA Tier 4 Final industrial diesel engines and industrial open power units that are already available to help OEMs reduce greenhouse gas emissions from their machines;
  • A full range of engines that today, without modification, can use a wide range of lower-carbon intensity drop-in fuels such as HVO and biodiesel;
  • Highly configurable integrated, end-to-end diesel-electric hybrid powertrains, suitable for a wide range of off-highway applications;
  • Connectivity solutions with hardware reading important engine data, displayed to the customer as timely insights; and
  • Aftermarket capabilities promoting sustainability through improved fuel efficiency and prolonged machine life cycles, such as Perkins Hypercare packages and overhaul kits to full replacement engine solutions.
Perkins says it has highly configurable integrated, end-to-end diesel-electric hybrid powertrains, suitable for a wide range of off-highway applications

At that same press event, Paul Moore, Head of Powertrain System Integration Engineering – Industrial Power Systems division, revealed details of “Project Coeus”, which has been established to come up with a “compact drop-in solution for flexible low carbon intensity power”. Such a solution would leverage hardware and software that allows the use of alternative fuels – ethanol, methanol, bio-methane and hydrogen – to be used within the Perkins engine portfolio.

Moore said a solution could be demonstrated in a machine in three years’ time that allowed such agnostic fuel supply options.

Jaz Gill, Vice President of Global Sales, Marketing, Service and Parts, said of the 2600 Series: “As the off-highway industry advances toward a lower-carbon future, equipment manufacturers still face expectations for long-term productivity and reliability in the world’s most demanding work environments. The new Perkins 2600 Series engine platform demonstrates how we’re leveraging our experience, intelligence and commitment to help OEMs navigate the energy transition with power solutions that deliver exceptional performance on the work site.”

The Perkins 2600 Series showcases the company’s commitment to innovations that support the success of customers by challenging traditional assumptions – which was evidenced by the 82 patents granted to date across the entire engine platform, the company said.

The engines are designed to perform at altitudes of up to 12,000 ft (3,658 m), and in extreme ambient temperatures as high as 60°C and as low as minus 40°C with aids.

The engine supports quality, reliability and easier maintenance through numerous design enhancements, including the integration of components as well as a reduction in the number of leak joints by more than 45%, the company says. Together, the upgrades result in lower fluids consumption and extended oil and fuel filter service intervals as long as 1,000 hours, reducing operating costs and downtime.

Perkins said: “2600 Series engines will offer telematics solutions enabling OEMs to collect, analyse and integrate key engine performance data within a connected intelligent platform. By modularising and eliminating components, its architecture is space-protected to accommodate configuration adjustments anticipated for future tiers of emission standards in the US and EU without relocating customer connection points. All eight power ratings for higher regulated markets will be available on a common core engine, enabling OEMs to reduce their inventory and integration costs.”

It added: “The combination of the all-new rear gear train, stiffer core architecture, and common rail fuel system reduces noise by up to 3 dB when compared with Perkins current 13-, 15- and single-turbo 18-litre engines.”

The launch came at the same time Perkins unveiled a new global strategy to advance sustainable power with a brand refresh – a move, it said, better reflects its commitment to helping customers confidently challenge conventional wisdom and explore new ways to achieve their power and climate-related goals.

A subsidiary of Caterpillar Inc. for over 25 years, Perkins says it pioneered diesel engine power in the 1930s and has continuously evolved to help customers navigate technological change and solve complex challenges. Since its founding, the brand has manufactured over 22 million engines – with more than 4.5 million in use in over 5,000 different applications today.

The new Perkins brand strategy communicates a clear promise – “delivering smarter solutions to advance sustainable power” – and a renewed sense of purpose rooted in helping customers build and power a better, more sustainable world, it said.

BluVeinXL: aiming for benchmark status in the haulage fleet electrification game

Environmental, Mining equipment, Mining services, Mining software, Power supply for mines, Sustainable mining, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Since being named one of eight winning ideas selected to progress to the next stage of the Charge On™ Innovation Challenge in 2022, BluVeinXL has done more than most, assembling a consortium of major mining partners focused on accelerating BluVein’s standardised dynamic charging technology to decarbonise the mining sector.

Late last year, Austmine, which manages the BluVeinXL project, welcomed Rio Tinto, OZ Minerals, BHP, Newcrest Mining, Evolution Mining and Freeport-McMoRan to the consortium of funding members to fast-track the BluVein technology. It has since welcomed Vale to the consortium.

These companies have backed the vision of BluVein, a joint venture between Olitek (Australia) and Evias (Sweden), to dynamically power mixed-OEM haul fleets while in motion, enabling smaller on-board battery packs, faster vehicle haulage speeds up ramp, grid load balancing, elimination of static fast charging, maximum fleet availability and – most importantly – the complete elimination of diesel.

These consortium partners are focused on delivering BluVein’s fleet electrification solution to Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 6 with a minimal viable product (MVP) demonstration, ahead of full commercial deployment of the technology.

BluVeinXL leverages much of what was developed for BluVein1, the primarily underground solution using the BluVein Rail™ slotted power rail system and the on-vehicle BluVein Hammer™ to simultaneously charge and power mining fleets ‘on the go’. The Rail is an enclosed electrified e-rail system mounted above or beside mining vehicles while the Hammer connects the electric vehicle to the Rail.

In underground scenarios, BluVein’s technology completely removes the need for battery swapping or static fast charging while allowing the use of smaller, lighter and lower cost batteries in continuous and high-duty applications, according to the company.

In open-pit operations, BluVeinXL will be similarly transformative, offering a next-generation alternative to what BluVein refers to as “the cumbersome, inflexible and expensive conventional catenary wire trolley systems that are currently hampering mines from fully decarbonising their haulage operations”.

To get the latest on the BluVeinXL open-pit electrification solution, IM caught up with James Oliver, CEO of BluVein.

IM: Now you have the founding consortium members confirmed for BluVeinXL, where do you go from here? Are you currently engaged with major OEMs on creating a standard design that can fit on any truck?

JO: Seven consortium members is just the start, and we will be announcing additional members very soon. We greatly value our members as it is ensuring we get ‘voice of industry’ and the key technical requirements during this critical stage. One of the major benefits our members see in BluVein is our standardisation, meaning our technology can be used with mixed-OEM fleets, mixed machine types and can even be used to make alternative clean fuel use more efficient and cost effective.

We are currently working with two to three major fleet OEMs and progressing agreements related to integration and demonstration of the BluVeinXL technology. We are confident we will be able to demonstrate with at least one OEM as the MVP, and hopefully more during the current project. Once we agree with each OEM the agreed interface point, then the BluVeinXL integration with the various fleet types becomes quite simple. To do this our technical team works closely with the OEMs on all aspects of the integration including Hammer, Rail and the control systems. By standardising with our various OEM fleet partners, we are delivering on what the mining customers are demanding – a truly standardised dynamic charging system.

James Oliver, CEO of BluVein

IM: How are you managing to engage OEMs that are also providing their own trolley assist applications that, they believe, may be suitable for similar haul truck propulsion setups to BluVeinXL?

JO: BluVein’s safe and proven electrification technology is based on over a decade of research and development undertaken for electric highways by our joint venture partner Evias. We are confident in our system’s ability to deliver high power transfer whilst also delivering on the safety and robustness requirements demanded by mining customers. Critically, the high-power transfer characteristics of BluVein’s slotted rail system enables simultaneous on-ramp hauling and charging of multiple closely spaced mining haul vehicles. This is a game-changing capability and of high interest to our mining partners. The conventional catenary wire-based trolley systems have limitations on power delivery capacity, earthing and other critical safety elements, and, therefore, are not as favoured by miners.

We do, however, see benefits of OEMs trialling a range of different mine electrification approaches, as long as we can all agree on a common vehicle connection point, specifically at the dynamic charge interface. This will ensure the end customer is able to select the best solution for their individual sites. We understand that BluVein will not be everything to everyone, but for the applications it does suit, we are confident it will be a true game changer over conventional catenary and static fast charging options for haul truck fleets.

We hope to be able to demonstrate BluVeinXL side by side with a catenary wire system to showcase the competitive advantages BluVeinXL has – that is higher power transfer; safer, easier to install, use and relocate; and overall lower cost. Ultimately it will be up to the customer to choose based on the performance of the system and we think this will stack up in BluVeinXL’s favour.

IM: Can you expand on how your system alleviates the requirements on haul road conditions that typically comes with the current generation of trolley assist technology? Do you see your Rail and Hammer technology being able to work in any conditions (the Arctic included)?

JO: Part of our current package of work is to understand with our mining partners what these extremes are to ensure we are developing a solution that has minimal up-stream and down-stream impact on operations. The vision is to have a deployable solution that suits all climates and terrains.

Our core technology partner, Evias, has spent over a decade developing BluVein’s core technology to function effectively in icy and muddy conditions. By building on these learnings, we are confident that BluVeinXL will work in the vast majority of terrains and climates experienced in mining – from the hot and humid Pilbara region of Australia to the coldest parts of northern Canada.

It is BluVein’s safe slotted e-rail technology that enables it to be located near to the ground to the side of haul roads. Our Hammer and Arm is being designed to cater for the full range of haul road conditions, thereby reducing the burden on mines to maintain haul road conditions to perfection as is required with conventional overhead wire catenary systems.

Our consortium members have very good geographic spread to help us understand and test in these conditions. Part of our current work is to clearly understand from our mining partners what these environmental extremes are to ensure our solution will function effectively in all operations.

IM: Has your work to this point indicated how small the on-board batteries could be in a typical open-pit scenario for 220-t-payload trucks?

JO: We have taken a technology-agnostic approach to what on-board power and storage system we are supplying; our current focus is getting enough energy onto the vehicle as efficiently and safely as possible to power drive motors and charge smaller batteries if and when available. While we cannot reveal exactly how much smaller we can make the batteries, early studies show the batteries can be reduced as much as 60% when coupled with dynamic charge that has enough capacity to power the drive and charge the battery.

BluVein1 for underground and quarries can provide up to 3 MW of power sufficient for up to 100-t payload vehicles

IM: So what payloads do you think you could be providing this solution for?

JO: The BluVein Rail and Hammer design is completely scalable. BluVein1 for underground and quarries can provide up to 3 MW of power sufficient for up to 100-t payload vehicles. The BluVeinXL system can offer in the range of 4-7 MW, sufficient for up to 250-t payload vehicles. Our engineering team plan to use BluVein1 and BluVeinXL as stepping stones for an eventual introduction of a BluVein solution suited to ultraclass fleets with 9-12 MW of capacity sufficient for up to 350-400 t payloads.

IM: Where are you with your field trials on this solution? Do you expect these to commence this year?

JO: The targeted ‘wheels on track’ for BluVein1 is 2023, followed closely in 2024 with the BluVeinXL MVP demonstration. Right now I cannot reveal too much but there are some exciting partnerships being progressed to achieve this.

In terms of field trials, our ideal setup – and I think one the industry really wants – is a single site where all key mine electrification technologies can be tested out side-by-side. There are some very positive conversations going on between all three parties – the solution OEMs, truck OEMs and mining companies – on this front, which is exciting for BluVeinXL.

As has been said many times, there is no ‘silver bullet’ when it comes to mine decarbonisation. We know that BluVein’s dynamic charging solutions will tick a lot of boxes, but not all. So, it’s great if we can work together to ensure we cover any gaps. There is just too much at stake to try and go it alone.

IM: Anything else to add on the subject of electrification and dynamic charging?

JO: One question we have been asked is does BluVein’s Hammer and Rail technology only support dynamic charging? While power transfer while in motion is our obvious advantage, our system is basically an automated IP2X-rated power connection that can transfer more than 4 MW of energy. Could we use this for automated static fast charging also? Our answer to that is absolutely.

WAE putting Fortescue in mine electrification pole position

Environmental, Mining equipment, Mining services, Mining software, Power supply for mines, Steel and iron ore, Sustainable mining, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Andrew Forrest’s statement on Fortescue Metals Group’s planned acquisition of Williams Advanced Engineering (WAE), an offshoot of the Williams F1 team founded by the revered, late Sir Frank Williams CBE, back in January was hardly understated.

He said: “This announcement is the key to unlocking the formula for removing fossil fuel powered machinery and replacing it with zero carbon emission technology, powered by FFI (Fortescue Future Industries) green electricity, green hydrogen and green ammonia.”

As time has progressed, the £164 million ($193 million) deal for the UK-based WAE closed (in March), and another significant announcement in the form of a tie-up between FMG, FFI, WAE and Liebherr has followed, the FMG Founder and Chairman’s words have looked increasingly prescient.

This became apparent to IM on a recent visit to WAE’s Grove headquarters in Oxfordshire, England.

What FMG now has on its books and what FFI is managing in the form of WAE is arguably one of the world’s leading decarbonisation technology companies.

WAE’s reach goes far beyond the pit lanes of a race track. Its impact is felt in the automotive, defence, aerospace, energy, life sciences and health care sectors – as an example, a Babypod 20, a Formula One-inspired environment for new-born babies in need of emergency transportation, was on display in the boardroom IM sat in during an interview at Grove.

One of its more recent market entries has been in mining, with WAE’s fingerprints on two of the industry’s major fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) haul truck movements.

Prior to the acquisition by Fortescue, WAE provided “electrical architecture and control hardware and software” for the battery system on a 100-day “sprint” FFI project focused on converting a legacy 221-t class Terex Unit Rig MT4400 AC electric drive, diesel-powered haul truck to run on a ‘green’ hydrogen 180 kW fuel cell system and a 300 kW/h battery.

For the nuGen FCEV truck that premiered at Anglo American’s Mogalakwena PGM mine in South Africa earlier this year, WAE supplied a 1.2 MWh battery pack that, along with multiple fuel cells amounting to 800 kW of power, propelled the converted 291-t-class Komatsu 930E around the mine site.

Input to these two projects put WAE on the mining map, but this represents a fraction of the impact the company is likely to have on mining’s decarbonisation journey going forward.

WAE is currently engaged on two major projects for FFI – one being the conversion of another legacy Terex MT4400 AC electric-drive truck to an all-battery powered setup and the other being an all-battery rail loco that FFI has named the INFINITY TRAIN™.

Both projects highlight the depth of battery system technology expertise that led FMG to acquiring the company in the first place – design expertise spawned from development across multiple sectors and operating environments, utilising the latest cell technology across all form factors.

There is a common thread that hangs between all this work, as Craig Wilson, WAE CEO, explained to IM.

“We develop our battery systems for the specific application, factoring in the duty cycle, the cost constraints, required performance and environment the solution will be working in,” he said. “In motorsport, for instance, you can imagine weight, aerodynamics and space are more critical than they are in mining.”

Being battery cell, chemistry and format agnostic, WAE has built up a reputation in the battery industry for specifying and developing a diverse pool of battery systems that continue to push performance to the limit.

Differentiated modelling

Sophisticated modelling and simulation tools – much of which has been developed in-house – are behind this, according to WAE’s Chief Programme Manager, Alec Patterson.

“We have detailed in-house simulation tools which allow us to develop and optimise a battery pack’s performance against any customer’s drive cycle criteria,” he said. “This includes thermal simulation where the team model the detailed internals of a cell, allowing them to understand exactly how each cell is likely to behave and, thereby, being able to optimise their cooling for increased performance. This comes from our motorsport heritage and the team’s ability to manipulate and analyse large amounts of data through supercomputer levels of processing power.”

Prototyping and field tests are designed to “validate” this modelling and simulation work, he added.

Battery design also calls for a strong focus on safety and this is where WAE’s extensive practical experience is fully utilised.

“We have detailed in-house simulation tools which allow us to develop and optimise a battery pack’s performance against any customer’s drive cycle criteria,” Alec Patterson says

Patterson summarised this offering: “There are a number of ways the battery is developed to ensure cell safety. These range from understanding in detail the performance of the cell through practical testing, the design of the modules themselves and the monitoring of the cells for voltage and temperature throughout usage. WAE has developed its own Cell Monitoring Unit hardware and Battery Management Unit hardware and, combined, they monitor the status of the pack and control the performance outputs many times a second. In the FFI battery sub pack, dielectric (non-conductive) coolant is used so if a leak was to occur it wouldn’t cause an internal issue; detection of which would be through WAE’s propriety on-board sensors.”

Overlay these preventative measures with an array of experience in various fields that would have seen battery systems take significant G-shock loads and operate in high temperature environments – whether that be a crash on a Formula E circuit or an Extreme E race in the Sahara – and it is easy to see why FMG initially believed WAE had knowledge and skills transferrable to mining.

Patterson concludes that advances in quality within the manufacturing process will also add to the reliability of the sub packs. At WAE those advances come in the form of laser welding, which ensures each cell is connected robustly for maximum performance.

Battery prototype progress

All this and more are being factored into the 221-t all-battery solution WAE is currently focused on as part of the FFI and FMG brief.

The battery will take the place of the diesel engine and alternator and will plug directly into the Terex MT4400 inverter to drive the motors and rear wheels. The battery system will have a capacity of >1 MWh (final specification to be revealed at a later date) and will be charged by a “fast-charge solution” sourcing power from a renewable grid FMG has already setup as part of its 60 MW Chichester Solar Gas Hybrid Project.

FMG has already set up a renewable grid as part of its 60 MW Chichester Solar Gas Hybrid Project

Once the battery system is delivered, integrated into the truck and commissioned at FFI’s Hazelmere facility, it will be transported to the Pilbara where it will start extensive testing outside FMG’s current mining operations.

WAE, FMG and FFI have overcome more than a few hurdles to get to the point where they can talk about such a plan.

While most of the battery houses in the UK can test each sub pack individually, WAE had to locate a specialist test house capable of testing out the full battery pack from both a motor-drive perspective and a battery re-generation standpoint.

This has seen the complete solution – a 12 t motor, inverter, cooling system, battery system and power distribution unit – begin testing a few months back.

Charging packs of this scale is one of the major industry challenges currently.

“Our charging strategy is centred around the individual cell chemistry and form factor which allows us to specify a higher rate of charge for the battery sub pack,” Patterson said. “To enable fast charging, a combination of a large charger and ability to cool the pack through the charging process is required, and our pack is designed for both.”

At the same time, WAE is aiming to further optimise the regeneration aspect of the electrification project, realising this is key to getting the trucks to complete as many haul cycles as possible without the downtime associated with a battery recharge – even if it is a ‘fast charge’.

“The real challenge is centred around how to manage the large accumulation of energy from the wheel motor during braking or retarding downhill fully laden,” Patterson said. “Do you send this to the battery or the resistor grid to burn off? Our job is to optimise the power electronics to make sure as much of that energy as possible goes back into the battery in order to make the whole system more efficient.”

The entire battery system will soon be shipped to Australia to go into the Terex truck at Hazelmere, at which point the charging system can be fully tested and the re-generation system trialled.

Leveraging gravity

This work will no doubt influence the other big project WAE is currently involved in for FFI and FMG – the electrification of FMG’s rail operations.

Fortescue’s current rail operations include 54 operating locomotives that haul 16 train sets, together with other on-track mobile equipment. Each train set is about 2.8 km in length and has the capacity to haul 34,404 t of iron ore in 244 ore cars.

A world first, zero emission INFINITY TRAIN concept has been put forward to replace this setup – which travels on some 620 km of track between the Cloudbreak mine and Herb Elliott Port at Port Hedland.

Fortescue’s rail operations consumed 82 million litres of diesel in the 2021 financial year, accounting for 11% of Fortescue’s Scope 1 emissions (©JoshFernandes2021)

The regenerating battery-electric iron ore train project will use gravitational energy to fully recharge its battery-electric systems without any additional charging requirements for the return trip to reload, according to FMG.

The challenges associated with this project include the size of the battery and motor combination required to store enough energy from the fully laden, downhill journey from Cloudbreak to Herb Elliott Port to make sure the unladen trains can travel back without a charge, and the residual power and torque generation that would typically be applied to get the locos started.

On the latter, Patterson said: “Your contact area in terms of the wheel to rail is very small in comparison to the load, so our control strategy will utilise learning from our in-house VDC (vehicle dynamic control) software to design a solution that controls slippage for maximum adhesion.”

If an appropriate solution comes to the fore, the sustainable value is significant for FMG.

Fortescue’s rail operations consumed 82 million litres of diesel in the 2021 financial year, accounting for 11% of Fortescue’s Scope 1 emissions. This diesel consumption and associated emissions will be eliminated once the INFINITY TRAIN is fully implemented across Fortescue’s operations, significantly contributing to Fortescue’s target to achieve “real zero” terrestrial emissions (Scope 1 and 2) across its iron ore operations by 2030.

Electrification for everyone

Just as WAE’s involvement in the conception of the first Formula E battery led to wider electrification in motorsport, WAE believes its work in mining will have far-reaching ramifications across the off-highway sector.

Just how far reaching it will be is dictated by the most significant project – in terms of scale and timeline – WAE has on its books.

In June, FMG announced a partnership with Liebherr for the development and supply of green mining haul trucks for integration with the “zero emissions power system” technologies being developed by FFI and WAE.

Under the partnership, Fortescue will purchase a fleet of haul trucks from Liebherr; a commitment that represents approximately 45% of the current haul truck fleet at Fortescue’s operations, with truck haulage diesel consumption representing approximately 200 million litres in the 2021 financial year, accounting for 26% of Fortescue’s Scope 1 emissions.

The zero emissions power system technologies are expected to be fitted on machines based off the 240-t T 264 model to be deployed at its Pilbara mining operations. They could include both battery-electric and FCEV configurations, hence the reason why the all-battery prototype project and the FCEV project are so significant.

With the first of the zero emission haul truck units expected to be fully operational within Fortescue mine sites by 2025, FMG, WAE and Liebherr look set to take the electrification lead over its mining company peers.

The zero emissions power system technologies are expected to be fitted on machines based off Liebherr’s 240-t T 264 model to be deployed at Fortescue’s Pilbara mining operations

Yet Wilson says this type of solution could turn into a commercial product that others select for their own decarbonisation program – hence the industry-wide electrification potential.

When asked the question whether the company may still supply battery systems to the likes of Anglo American (as it did for the NuGen truck) under the new Fortescue ownership, he replied: “We could do, but the decision is not just down to us.

“Through the relationship with Liebherr, the intention is to provide really competitive products that are available to other mining companies, whether it be Anglo, Vale or BHP, for example…The absolute intention is not to come up with a development or product that is just for Fortescue.”

In this respect, he likens FMG to Tesla in the way the electric car manufacturer has acted as the catalyst to fundamentally change the automotive sector’s electrification approach.

“Tesla, today, is nowhere near being considered a large automotive manufacturer by industry standards, but they have created a catalyst for everybody else to move from in terms of battery-powered cars,” Wilson said.

“They have almost coerced the rest of the manufacturers to move this way; you only need to look at VW Group now – one of the world’s largest car makers – that is committing the majority of its business towards electrification.

“The difference with Fortescue is it is both the operator of these vehicles as well as the owner of the technology (through WAE). It is developing these products to use them, putting its whole business on the line.”

This extends as far as looking at its own mining operations and how it can optimise the pit profile and infrastructure to benefit from all the advantages expected to come with battery-electric haulage.

“Both the Fortescue mine planning and decarbonisation teams are working hand-in-hand with us to develop a mine site for the future of electric mining,” Patterson said. “We are working together to answer the questions about what needs to change to operate these trucks to maximise uptime, where to put the charging points, how to optimise the charging, etc.

“That work is going to be really important for us in terms of developing a commercial solution that provides the sustainable gains over the long term and decarbonises the entire fleet.”

Even when factoring in a project that takes ‘stretch targets’ to a new level, that is reliant on sourcing components from an evolving electrification supply chain, and that is scheduled to see solutions arrive within three years of finding an OEM partner in the form of Liebherr, it’s hard to doubt WAE, FMG, FFI and (of course) Andrew Forrest from steering such a project through to the finish line.

After that, it’s a matter of the rest of the industry catching up.

Saft develops NMC ARROK battery tailored for off-road vehicles

Environmental, Mining equipment, Mining services, Power supply for mines, , , ,

Saft has launched ARROK® as a new breed of lithium-ion battery tailored, it says, for off-road industrial vehicles.

ARROK is designed to deliver both high energy content and fast charging within one hour. It maximises the availability of heavy-duty vehicles for all off-road markets including mining, the company says.

Vehicles for these sectors are produced in low volumes, but with a broad array of applications and requirements compared with the car industry. Therefore, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) need a battery solution that can easily be adapted to multiple vehicle types. Adopting a unique flexible approach reduces the lead time and expense of developing new vehicles and cuts down the requirement for type testing and certification, according to Saft.

The ARROK batteries are based on lithium nickel-manganese-cobalt oxide electrochemistry to offer the highest energy density for longer autonomy, it says. Saft’s century-long experience also ensures reliable operation over a long cycle life across a wide range of temperatures.

Franck Cecchi, Executive Vice President of Saft’s Mobility division, said: “Saft’s ARROK battery systems bring a new level of modularity. By combining top-notch voltage and energy capabilities, with a compact size of 216 Wh/L and one-hour charge, ARROK opens up new opportunities for OEMs to easily electrify their existing diesel vehicles or to design new electric models.”

ARROK batteries can be combined to create battery systems rated at 48-900 V, providing from 4.2-750 kWh energy storage capacity, enough to power small, medium or large industrial vehicles over a full day, with a one-hour break for recharging, it says.

Cummins powers up for the future of mining

Environmental, Mine ventilation, Mining equipment, Mining services, Power supply for mines, Sustainable mining, , , , , , , , , , ,

Mining operations are embracing the opportunities created by new technology, from automation and electric vehicles to renewable energy, but what can traditional fossil fuel power generation contribute to this technology-led evolution of mining? Craig Wilkins, Director Prime Power at Cummins, explains how natural gas power is key to meeting the industry’s power needs in the coming decades.

Many mining operations take place in remote parts of the world where access to large electric utility feeds is either unavailable or requires significant investments in electrical transmission and distribution. These same sites may also have little or no access to pipeline gas, or experience a variation of natural gas supply. In addition, they are operating in the most extreme climates imaginable, faced with blistering heat, the wettest humidity and high altitudes.

Therefore, the need to secure a reliable prime and peaking power supply to keep production up and running 24/7 is paramount.

Cummins has responded to this challenge with a significant investment into the natural gas arena with the launch of its HSK78G gas-powered generator, a flexible prime power solution for heavy-industry installations in the most extreme environments. Its extreme engineering is designed to push the boundaries of performance and challenge the perceived limitations of natural gas generators for mining operations. It has barrier-breaking fuel flexibility, able to burn pipeline natural gas, flare gas and biogas, even the lowest BTU methane down to 40MN, and free fuel sources, with high efficiency and low emissions.

The investment on the HSK78G comes as the power market across the globe is changing. Technological advances in renewable energy and its application with batteries as part of modular power networks, tend to dominate the future of power generation. The concept is flexible, scalable and able to power entire cities as well as remote off-grid installations – such as mines. So why invest in traditional natural gas power?

Gas vs diesel

Miners continuously look for ways to lower their cost of production.  One of the major sources of cost for an open-pit mine site is fuel.  Some mines have access to an un-interruptible supply of natural gas that offers them a lower total cost when compared to diesel. 

Although technological advancements in natural gas storage and filling have yet to yield an economical replacement to diesel engines in mobile mining equipment, prime power generator sets are quickly moving towards lean burn, natural gas technologies. Lean burn gas powered generator sets use twice as much air in the fuel/air mix than required for total burn, which lowers burn temperature and NOx output, ensuring compliance with emission regulations.

Due to increasing emissions limits being adopted for generator sets, diesel generators sometimes are limited in their use. Lean burn, natural gas generator sets typically have ten times lower NOx than diesel equivalents (250-500 mg/Nm3 for natural gas compared to 2,500-3,000 mg/Nm3 for diesel.) Also, lean burn particulate levels are almost zero, so meeting location specific emissions regulations can be far easier across a global perspective.

Power generation fuel flexibility

Technological advances in design, running in tandem with market change, will result in gensets that can use fuel efficiently in varying qualities. This innovation is demonstrated by our new HSK78G, which delivers high electrical efficiency of up to 44.2% (50 Hz) and 43.5% (60 Hz) on a range of pipeline natural gas down to 70 methane number (MN) without impacting power output and efficiency.

Ultimately this fuel flexibility empowers operators to derive clean power from what would otherwise be regarded as waste products, at worst emissions. The technology for smarter and cleaner power solutions is speeding up and adoption will continue to grow as more mines embrace its capital expenditure (capex) and operational expenditure (opex) advantages.

Engineered to extremes

A further challenge for the mining operation is the environment in which the generator set operates. As engines operate, they produce heat and tend to be more sensitive to the ambient temperature levels. A generator’s ambient capability is defined as the maximum temperature at which it can operate without experiencing a loss of efficiency and it is an essential factor for customers operating in such extreme environments.

Without an engine capable of meeting high ambient temperatures, customers risk having to derate their engine, which can lead to reduced power efficiency and shorter operational life from the generator or having to stop it altogether. The HSK78G has been designed to operate at the highest ambient temperatures in the most remote locations, all far from the closest grid, offering full power capability without derating at 50°C (122°F) and 500 m (1,640 ft).

Gas vs renewables

The focus of many customers is to achieve the optimum levelised cost of electricity (LCOE) given the availability of different technologies which are suitable for their application. This can range from 100% gas generation through to a balanced mix of renewable sources such as wind or solar, and complementary storage technologies that leverages the reliability of gas generation to ride through periods where renewables are limited by their cyclical nature. The technology mix utilised will drive the different capex and opex cost scenarios that will ultimately affect the LCOE.

Improvements in gas engine technology, such as in the new HSK78G engine from Cummins, have pushed maintenance and overhaul limits well beyond the traditional envelope, thereby lowering opex costs over time. Jointly, we will continue to see cost reductions in storage and battery technology as volumes increase. For the near future, however, miners will continue to look for mixed technology to balance their capex and opex trying to achieve the lowest LCOE for its sites.

Preparation for electrification

As much as 40% of an underground mine’s energy outlay is spent on powering ventilation systems to remove pollutants from tunnels. Reducing the use of fossil fuels underground could have significant cost benefits for underground mines. In addition, The International Council on Mining and Metals have set their vision to provide solutions for minimizing the impact of underground diesel exhaust by 2025. As more underground mining vehicles and equipment contemplate the potential benefits of electrification, Cummins will continuously invest in power systems that will be ready to support such power need and respond to any changes in the mining industry

The right technology choice

In the future most power systems will require a mix of technologies that are specifically suited to their environment, emissions zone and location.  Natural gas power offers mining operators an efficient and proven and prime power solution. From Cummins perspective, a lot of investments are made in new gas engineering technology, which are demonstrated with the HSK78G gas series. Additional product investments are being made within the 500-1 MW space, which will be released later this year, offering a comprehensive gas product portfolio to meet all market requirements. Progressively stringent global emissions standards are also driving Cummins investment into a variety of technologies – natural gas, diesel, batteries and fuel cells, to ensure that customers have the right power for the right application.