Tag Archives: MTU

Rolls-Royce truck engine repower project lowers emissions at Los Bronces

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Rolls-Royce Solutions and its Chile-based distributor Detroit Chile S.A. have helped lower emissions associated with Anglo American’s Los Bronces haulage operation thanks to a strategic engine repowering project on its 30-strong fleet of Komatsu 930E haul trucks.

The project for Los Bronces, a copper mine in Chile, originated with the mining company looking to comply with incoming emission guidelines for mine operations, as well as Anglo American’s own plans to make operations increasingly sustainable over the long term.

For the fleet at the Chile mine, the company was looking at engines to repower the trucks that would meet the emissions targets without compromising performance. Together with Detroit Chile S.A., the company found what it was looking for in the mtu Series 16V 4000 C05, which, in addition to significant emission savings, also offered other benefits for operations in the South American mine, Rolls-Royce says.

This project kicked off back in January 2018, with all 30 trucks in the fleet having now been equipped with mtu engines. An operating time of around 24,000 hours was calculated for each engine and, up to today, this fleet has surpassed 720,000 cumulative operating hours.

“Another and undoubtedly the biggest benefit of this repower project is the cleaner operation of these engines, or the tremendous reduction of emissions,” Rolls-Royce says. “To comply with local emissions regulations, the previous engines required to add a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system to meet Tier 4 emissions. This includes additional maintenance and extra failure points that impact truck operation, the use of Diesel Exhaust Fluid and the potential for the catalyst to become contaminated at any time through regular operation of the truck, requiring replacement of the catalyst.

“Since the mtu engine meets Tier 4 emissions without the SCR system, this results in less downtime, less maintenance and lower operating costs.”

With the mtu Series 16V 4000 C05 engines, Anglo American is cutting CO2, particulate matter and nitrogen oxide emissions, according to Rolls-Royce. These engines comply with US EPA Tier 4 regulations, they consume less fuel than Tier 2 engines and still deliver the same power as previous engines.

Since the start of the repower project in January 2018, around 9,960 t of CO2, 91 t of particulate matter and over 3,000 t of nitrogen oxide have been eliminated, according to Rolls-Royce. As a result, the mining haul trucks meet local emission targets and bring Anglo Americans operations at the Los Bronces mine closer to the goal of net zero.

mtu Series 2000 and 4000 Tier 4 emission reduction technologies include a common rail injection platform, advanced electronics, two-stage turbocharging and exhaust gas recirculation

Rolls-Royce said: “An important factor in the decision for our solutions was the holistic approach: together with Detroit Chile S.A., we were able to provide engines, repower kits and ongoing comprehensive service that gets the most out of the mtu engine.

“The first of the trucks recently achieved over 24,000 hours of operating time, in mid-2023, and is still operating as expected. This proves the project is a strong, sustainable milestone not only for Anglo American, but also for other mining companies.

“The future has already begun and together, we are providing a cleaner future for the world.”

Rio Tinto’s U.S. Borax starts 5,000-hour ‘renewable diesel’ trial on haul truck

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U.S. Borax has become the first site across Rio Tinto to trial “renewable diesel” fuel in one of its haul trucks, the company confirmed.

The Boron mine in California is currently conducting a 5,000-hour trial to ensure the truck’s performance meets its standards and that the renewable diesel does not impact the truck’s fuel system components life, it said. The renewable diesel is running on an mtu engine, it confirmed.

Renewable diesel, the company said, is a like-for-like replacement for the standard diesel that currently runs its trucks.

“The major difference with is that renewable diesel is manufactured using organic biomass, such as vegetable oil and a variety of waste including tallow and residues,” it said. “These materials are hydro-treated in the same manner as normal diesel, but the feed stock used means renewable diesel fuel produces significantly less emissions – between 70-80% less.”

Whereas biodiesel can only, typically, be used as a blend of up to 20% volume of normal diesel, renewable diesel can be used as a complete replacement or mixed with normal diesel, the company explained.

U.S. Borax, part of Rio Tinto, supplies around 30% of the world’s need for refined borates from its open-pit mine in Boron, California, about 160 km northeast of Los Angeles.

Rolls-Royce to step up hydrogen content in mtu power generators

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Rolls-Royce says it is further developing its mtu gas engine portfolio for power generation and cogeneration to run on hydrogen as a fuel and, thus, enable a climate-neutral energy supply.

Generation sets powered by mtu Series 500 and Series 4000 gas engines can, today, be operated with a gas blending of 10% hydrogen, but, beginning in 2022, operation with a hydrogen content of 25% will be possible, the company said.

Perry Kuiper, President Sustainable Power Solutions at Rolls-Royce Power Systems, said intensive tests on test benches and pilot installations at customer sites in 2022 will lead to Rolls-Royce continuously marketing new mtu Series 500 and Series 4000 gas engines beginning in 2023 for use with up to 100% hydrogen, and, on a design to order basis, conversion kits to allow already installed gas engines in the field to run on 100% hydrogen.

Last month, Rolls-Royce and FLANDERS signed an MoU to develop hybrid mining truck retrofit kits for hybridising mining trucks with mtu engines, batteries and hybrid control systems.

Andreas Görtz, Vice President Power Generation at Rolls-Royce Power Systems, said: “The decarbonisation of power generation requires reliable, flexible, but also climate-neutral, power plants to supplement the fluctuating generation from wind and sun. We assume that natural gas will initially be the primary fuel in the development of the hydrogen ecosystem, but we see hydrogen as technically and economically possible. That is why we continue to develop our gas engines for use with green hydrogen – whether as a 10 or 25% admixture or for 100%.”

Rolls-Royce says fuel cells powered by 100% green hydrogen can also play an important role in future energy supply in combination with renewable energies.

At its Friedrichshafen headquarters, Rolls-Royce’s Power Systems division has installed a 250 kW fuel cell demonstrator, which will be used to test and present future CO2-free energy systems to customers. The entire hydrogen ecosystem, including the infrastructure for supply, conversion, test benches and future production, is also being mapped in the company’s own plants, thus building up expertise, it said.

Rolls-Royce’s Power Systems division, through its climate protection program, “Net Zero at Power Systems”, has set itself the target of saving 35% of greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 compared with a 2019 baseline using new technologies.

This near-term target plays an important role in the Rolls-Royce Group’s ambition to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 at the latest, it said.

In addition to new technologies, a key element in achieving these targets is the certification of key mtu engine products to run on sustainable EN 15940 fuels such as e-diesel and second-generation biofuels as early as 2023, the company added.

Rolls-Royce and FLANDERS sign MoU to develop hybrid mining truck retrofit kits

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More details have emerged on Rolls-Royce and FLANDERS Electric’s plan to develop a retrofit solution for hybridising mining trucks with mtu engines, batteries and hybrid control systems, and FLANDERS drive train solutions at MINExpo 2021 this week.

As IM revealed last month, Rolls-Royce has been working on concept of a hybrid drive system for mining trucks, with  FLANDERS Inc power electronics and controls to be used for retrofits.

The two companies have now signed a Memorandum of Understanding enabling them to offer a scalable retrofit kit for hybridising mining trucks in a wide range of mining applications.

With its brand mtu, Rolls-Royce says its business unit Power Systems is a leading provider of advanced integrated and sustainable power solutions for a wide variety of applications, including mining equipment. FLANDERS, meanwhile, develops and sells electric motors and generator systems, as well as automation and control systems for heavy industrial applications.

The companies plan to leverage their extensive experience to offer customers hybrid solutions that aim to save fuel and reduce the CO2 footprint of mining trucks as well as optimising vehicle power performance and efficiency, enabling more climate-friendly and safer mining operations, they say.

John Oliver, CEO and Chairman of the Board of Flanders, said: “Improving our customers’ operations, lowering their costs while enhancing their energy footprint, is a win for the mining industry and for the environment as a whole. We are excited to partner with Rolls-Royce Power Systems to deliver an industry leading hybrid power solution that will help our customers achieve their energy or carbon reduction goals.”

Scott Woodruff, Vice President for Mining and Oil & Gas at Rolls-Royce Power Systems, said: “We are excited to shape the mining industry’s sustainable future together with Flanders and further leverage our advanced hybrid technologies, which are already proven in the rail industry. Together we will offer our customers integrated, future-oriented, hybrid solutions.”

The mining truck hybrid concept recovers braking energy, using the mtu EnergyPack battery system. This energy is then fed back to power the wheel motors, allowing the diesel engine to be downsized. The smaller engine reduces fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by up to 30%, helping mining customers to achieve their emissions reduction targets, while optimising their operations, it says. The hybrid concept also includes the DC/DC converters which interface the battery system with the DC link of the truck. The system is highly modular and scalable for trucks of any size, working anywhere in the world, according to Rolls-Royce.

Rolls-Royce mtu Aiken facility to offer engine remanufacturing capabilities

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Rolls-Royce has announced a $17.4 million investment at its mtu Aiken manufacturing facility in Graniteville, South Carolina, USA, for the addition of a new Remanufacturing and Overhaul Regional Center.

The planned 109,000-sq.ft (10,126 sq.m) expansion project will provide dedicated and streamlined remanufacturing and overhaul operations to support growth based on customer demand, it said. It will also result in the addition of about 20 new jobs.

To be built next to the mtu Aiken plant’s existing engine manufacturing operations, the new centre will bring currently outsourced workshop and warehouse operations in-house and expand them to provide remanufacturing of mtu Series 2000 and 4000 engines and components, the overhaul of mtu brand and customer-owned engines, plus internal and external rework services to help customers and distributors fine-tune maintenance and performance metrics, the company said.

Construction of the new centre is scheduled to begin later this year, with operations expected to begin in early 2023.

“Remanufacturing offers a wise lifecycle investment for customers, returning equipment to like-new condition and resulting in lower acquisition, maintenance and operation costs,” Rolls-Royce said. “Already performed at select global plant locations, the Rolls-Royce remanufacturing and overhaul process is designed to ensure optimal performance and durability, where used engines and assemblies are fully disassembled, cleaned and inspected, and then reworked and reassembled using all new parts to replace any outdated, worn, or damaged components.”

Dr Otto Preiss, Chief Operating Officer at Rolls-Royce Power Systems, said: “Investing in a remanufacturing and overhaul centre in the US is the next milestone in implementing our global strategy to optimise the value of our installed base, with regional centres and supporting workshops offering the best support for our customers.”

Marc Goldschmidt, Global Vice President Remanufacturing and Overhaul, added: “The new centre will fulfill regional and local customer needs using the global network and processes, following the remanufacturing and overhaul Lead Plant located in Magdeburg, Germany.”

The facility at Aiken will feature distinct work areas to carry out the remanufacturing and overhaul process: core management; cleaning and disassembly; measuring and inspection; rework; reassembly; test; and painting and packaging. Upon start-up, the centre will remanufacture all applications of mtu Series 2000, Series 4000, and Detroit Diesel 2-Cycle engines. The future aim is to add capabilities to support the company’s sustainable solutions such as battery containers, along with natural gas engines and systems.

Steve Blaszczak, Senior Manager, Remanufacturing and Overhaul – US, said: “Our investment in remanufacturing and overhaul solutions is also in line with our initiatives toward more environmentally-friendly solutions. By remanufacturing and overhauling engines, we are able to extend their useful life while also bringing them to the latest emissions standards. This benefits our customers as well as the environment.”

Since its opening in the fall of 2010, the mtu Aiken Plant has continued to innovate, invest and expand, the company said.

“What began with the production of Series 2000 and Series 4000 engines, has grown to include the assembly of military engines, the machining of parts and even the production of energy through its solar field and microgrid,” it said. “With an on-site research and development centre and now a new Remanufacturing and Overhaul Center, the mtu Aiken Plant covers the full circle of life for an mtu engine – from concept to second life (ie overhaul).”

Zest WEG helps South Africa platinum miner power up

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Zest WEG, looking to accommodate the space constraints of a South African platinum mining customer, is constructing a large diesel powered generator set to be delivered later this year.

The capacity of the 2,500 kVA genset will make it the largest unit yet to be fully load-tested at the company’s genset manufacturing facility in Cape Town, South Africa, according to Craig Bouwer, Projects and Product Manager at Zest WEG.

“In addition to functional testing, we will be equipping ourselves to conduct load testing to 11 kV on this unit,” Bouwer says. “With load-banks in-house, we will be stepping the voltage down to 400 V during the testing, and drawing on MV specialists to ensure a safe and reliable process.”

The genset is a highly technical solution to match the customer’s specific needs, he says. Based on the available space, it is housed within a 12 m ISO shipping container with the electrically-driven radiator mounted on the roof.

Prime-rated at 11 kV and powered by an MTU diesel engine, the genset has been designed in close consultation with the customer over a number of months. Having concluded the engineering design, construction is currently underway in Cape Town.

Bouwer highlighted the detailed and time consuming nature of engineering design for a project of this magnitude and complexity: “Stringent technical requirements demanded lengthy and ongoing collaboration not only with the customer, but between our engineering team and production operations,” he said. “The customer was particularly pleased with our flexibility and the extra effort we applied to ensure the optimal technical returnables for the project.”

As one of the few South Africa-based original equipment manufacturers capable of undertaking a customised genset of this capacity in-house, Zest WEG will also be supplying the control and protection panel from its range of electrical equipment and products.

“To enhance safety and ergonomics, the control panel is in its own compartment within the ISO container,” Bouwer says. “A 1,000 litre bunded day tank has also been installed inside a separate compartment within the container, including a fuel cooler and filtration system.”

The COVID-19 lockdown has had minimal impact on the work schedule, he noted, as planning and communication with the customer could continue regardless, dealing with various technical clarifications. To facilitate the transportation of this large unit to site, it will be shipped as three separate components: the genset, radiator and exhaust system. Once installation is complete – a process that Zest WEG specialists will supervise – its experts will conduct the cold and hot commissioning, and hand over to the customer.

MTU and ASI Mining to offer ‘integrated future-oriented autonomous solutions’

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Rolls-Royce and Autonomous Solutions Incorporated (ASI) have signed a memorandum of understanding enabling Rolls-Royce to offer autonomous-compatible, Mobius-ready MTU engine solutions for equipment in a wide range of mining applications.

As part of the agreement, ASI Mining, a subsidiary of ASI, has agreed to ensure compatibility of MTU engines and ASI’s Mobius command and control software for autonomous vehicles.

With its brand MTU, Rolls-Royce business unit Power Systems is a leading provider of advanced power solutions for a wide variety of applications, including mining equipment. ASI Mining, meanwhile, is an industry leader in the development and sales of high-tech autonomous solutions for mining equipment and other machinery in a wide range of applications. The companies plan to leverage their experience to offer customers engine solutions that are compatible with ASI’s vehicle automation software to help optimise vehicle power performance and efficiency, thus enabling more environmentally friendly and safer mining operations, the two said.

Scott Woodruff, Global Director for Mining and Oil & Gas at Rolls-Royce Power Systems, said: “We are excited to shape the mining industry’s future together with ASI and further leverage our advanced MTU technologies. Together we will offer our customers integrated future-oriented autonomous solutions. This agreement may help mining operators save big on operational costs and at the same time, reduce their environmental footprint by cutting emissions.”

Drew Larsen, Director of Business Development for ASI Mining, said: “We are excited to start these discussions with Rolls-Royce Power Systems. This is another testament to the interoperability of Mobius and real value it adds to our mining customers.”

One potential benefit to customers of Rolls-Royce and ASI Mining may be the ability to retrofit the power system on existing haul trucks and convert them to autonomous operation, the companies said. The companies are interested in exploring the value customers would receive by modernising their trucks with more efficient MTU engines along with implementation of ASI’s industry-leading autonomous mining solutions. Customers would thus save on operating costs and further benefit from the increased performance of the autonomously optimised MTU engines, they said.

MTU says its diesel engines have been setting the standards for performance and fuel efficiency in mining applications around the globe for decades. “They reliably power vehicles for underground and surface mining, including loading vehicles such as excavators and wheel loaders, transport vehicles such as haul trucks or blasthole drilling rigs, and other mining machines – diesel-mechanic, diesel-electric or diesel-hydraulic,” it said. “For these applications, MTU engines provide high performance, reliability and availability as well as a maintenance-friendly construction. Long service intervals and an efficient use of fuel provide for exceptionally low operating costs of machines powered with MTU engines.”

ASI Mining’s Mobius, meanwhile, leverages advanced multi-vehicle command and control software to set up and manage a coordinated system of haul trucks. The Mobius Haulage Platform manages autonomous traffic, coordinates manned or unmanned vehicles and regulates the haul cycle in the most efficient way possible. By employing Mobius software, mines can improve utilisation, along with increase safety and productivity.

Rolls-Royce Power Systems brand restructuring sees MTU name focused on product lines

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The Rolls-Royce Power Systems business unit, with its core brand MTU, will present itself more clearly in the future as an integral part of the British Rolls-Royce engineering group. A new brand architecture is currently evolving, which will be visibly implemented as of autumn with the launch of the new MTU website. The company is one of the leading global suppliers of mining engines.

“The new, clear brand structure will support the PS 2030 strategy of the Power Systems business unit and the global growth path. Rolls-Royce will be the corporate brand and the employer brand,” the company said. “Consequently, the companies within the business unit that include MTU in their names will be given a new designation. MTU, as the brand name customers are familiar with, will continue to be used to identify the company’s products and solutions. The current MTU Onsite Energy brand for decentralised power supply systems will be integrated into MTU.”

One of the first visible steps to be taken will be the renaming of four operating companies, which manufacture products and solutions: MTU Friedrichshafen GmbH will thus become Rolls-Royce Solutions GmbH in autumn 2019. This will be followed by MTU America Inc, which in future will operate as Rolls-Royce Solutions America Inc. Today’s MTU Onsite Energy GmbH in Augsburg will become Rolls-Royce Solutions Augsburg GmbH and MTU Onsite Energy Systems GmbH in Ruhstorf will be renamed Rolls-Royce Solutions Ruhstorf GmbH. The remaining subsidiaries will successively be given new designations based on the above examples. The products of Bergen Engines will also be part of the new brand architecture.

“The new brand architecture will provide clarity and improve the recognition of our company and its products,” said Andreas Schell, CEO Rolls-Royce Power Systems. “Our new profile is a clear commitment to Rolls-Royce, as its second largest business unit. By the same token, Rolls-Royce is committed to our MTU brand, which is something we are proud of,” Schell added.

“The new brand profile will be visible with the launch of the MTU brand’s new website in autumn of this year. Additionally, company employees will be given e-mail addresses with the domain [email protected], plus new working clothes that will emphasise the affiliation of the MTU brand with Rolls-Royce.”

Bell ADTs benefitting from EU Stage V MTU Engines from Rolls-Royce

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Bell Equipment, the articulated dump truck (ADT) specialist, recently received the first six Series 1000 – 1500 MTU engines from Rolls-Royce that meet the new EU Stage V emission standard, the engine specialist said.

The engines cover a power range from 170-430 kW.

The order had been preceded by a test phase of several years under the most adverse operating conditions in order to ensure the trucks would be guaranteed a reliable, cost-effective upgrade, according to Rolls-Royce. To this end, MTU’s off-road engine series were optimised to comply with the emission standard and a new exhaust aftertreatment system introduced.

In preparation for the more stringent emission requirements, Rolls-Royce had made two Stage V prototypes available to Bell for field trials in 2016 – a 260 kW MTU 6R 1000 engine and a 430 kW 6R 1500 were successfully tested in the hot, dusty climate of South Africa and for the tough conditions encountered at extreme altitudes of up to 3,000 m.

Bell and Rolls-Royce with the MTU brand have been working together closely since the 1990s, with Rolls-Royce not only the supplier of more than 1,000 MTU engines a year, but also the technology partner in all emission-related design and construction decisions – including the upgrading of the ADTs.

Stefan Rudert, Head of Sales and Application Engineering for Construction & Agriculture at MTU, said: “During the field trials, we accumulated an enormous amount of experience that goes way beyond any simulation on a test bench, since the real-life interplay between the engine and the vehicle affects the behaviour. Data obtained during the field tests, which we collected from sensors mounted on the engines was subsequently used in the configuration of the components.”

The new Stage V engines, which Bell will successively upgrade to, besides MTU’s current SCR exhaust technology, also include a diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC) and a diesel particulate filter (DPF), with all components installed in a compact one-box solution behind the driver’s cab, according to the company.

“Another positive aspect of the new emissions technology is that it reduces fuel consumption,” the company said. “To prepare for the upgrade to the new emission regulation, Rolls-Royce had around 100 MTU engines undergoing trials with various vehicle manufacturers.

“In total, over 110,000 operating hours were accumulated as a result, with individual engines running non-stop for more than 4,000 hours. Since the trials had started at an early stage, the MTU engines were certified in accordance with the EU Stage V regulations by mid-2018, marketable and ready for series production.”