TROLLEY ASSIST TO OPTIMISE HAULING CYCLES WITH ELECTRIC TRUCKS

By
Vicente E. Alvarado
Planning and Development Engineer
Grootegeluk Coal Mine

PURPOSE OF THE PRESENTATION

This presentation discuss the basic analytical tools required to evaluate the feasibility of the
application of TROLLEY ASSIST to mining hauling cycles.

By applying trolley assist, open

cast mining activities may save up
to 50% in the fuel cost and
improve the productivity of the
fleet by 10% or more

INTRODUCTION

TROLLEY ASSIST : What is it?

Power is collected from a DC

overhead line by means of
pantographs. The line propels
the truck. The engines just
idle along

An engine drives the alternator

to generate power on board of
the truck. The power is
chenneled to the wheel motors

Power Capacity in a 185

Tonne Truck:
Engine : 2000 HP
Wheels Motors : 3100 HP

COMPARATIVE DUTY

Accelaration

On Flat

On ramp Diesel

Retarding

Trolley

ENGINE

Heavy

Mild

Heavy

Low

Low

WHEEL

Mild

Low

Mild

Heavy

Heavy

MOTOR

THE OVERHEAD LINE

The overhead line consists of
galvanised mast poles positioned at
a maximum distance of 50 m apart.
The line is strung with grooved
contact wire, which may be fixed
directly to the poles by means of
insulated brackets or may hang from
a messenger cable, which is fixed to
the poles by means of insulators.

THE TRACTION RECTIFIERS

The rectifiers are sized to supply one truck
permanently. In this way, the number of trucks
to be connected simultaneously to the line
determines the number of rectifiers to supply a
specific line. This distributed scheme reduces
the possibility of overloading the contact wire
and reduces the voltage fluctuations
experienced by the truck
1500

1250

5000
3
4000
3000

2000
1
1000

Number of Trucks

DC Current [Amps]

6000

1000
750
500
j 250
0
1700

0
0

100

200

300

Time [se]

400

0
500

1660
1620
1580
1540
1500

THE PERFORMANCE PARAMETERS OF THE TRUCK

Speed Productivity
Rate of Fuel Consumption Hauling Cost
Energy Utilisation Rate Cost of Use of Electric Energy

Flat
Trolley

They depend on
the operational
conditions of the
truck

Retarding
Loaded
Flat

Flat

Tipping

Diesel
Retarding
Empty

Loading
Flat

TRUCK SPEED
Motor Torque Curves - EH4500
Euclid-Hitachi/Siemens AC Haul Truck Drive
Motor To rque [ ftlb ]

Truck
: EH4500
Electric Drive : Siemens AC Drive
Gross Weight : 960 000 lb
Payload
: 255.4 Tonne
Rolling Radius : 67.2 in
Gear Ratio
: 35.816
Engine GHP : 2700
Grade : 8% Ramp + 2% RR

26000
Propel, Diesel
Retard, Normal
Propel, Trolley
10% Grade

24000

22000
DC Link Voltage, (on
Trolley): 2200 V @
1500 A(max)

20000

Motor Torque =

960000 lb 10% 67.2 in

= 7505 ft lb
2 12 in/ft 35.816

18000

16000

14000

800 rpm 60 min/hr 2 67.2 in

Truck Speed in Diesel = = 14.1 KPH
35.815 39380 in/Km

12000

10000

8000

6000

4000

2000

Motor Speed [ rpm ]

3600

3400

3200

3000

2800

2600

2400

2200

2000

1800

1600

1400

1200

1000

800

600

400

0
200

1450 rpm 60 min/hr 2 67.2 in

Truck Speed in Trolley = = 26.1 KPH
35.815 39380 in/Km

FUEL CONSUMPTION RATE

In trolley mode, the engine normally idles at

about 750 rpm. In that condition, the load on
the engine is mainly the cooling blower of
the electrical system. This load is normally
about 10% of the gross capacity of the
engine.
In diesel propulsion on a 10% effective grade,
the engine will develop full power at
maximum speed. In the case of the 12V 4000
engine, this is 2025 BHP at 1900 rpm.

Fuel Rate in Diesel =

0.33 lb/BHP-Hr 2025 BHP

= 360 LPH
1.86 lb/L

Fuel Rate in Trolley =

0.41 lb/BHP-Hr 2025 BHP 10%

= 45 LPH
1.86 lb/L

ENGINE IN TRUCK 730E

Energy Utilisation in Trolley

For the EH4500 truck, the maximum line voltage is

limited by the capacity of the system specified by
Siemens at 2400 volts maximum at the DC link of
the drive. The current is limited at 1500 A.
Therefore the estimated energy utilisation of the
EH4500 truck in trolley mode is 3600 kW.

For the 730E Truck:

Energy Utilisation = 1600 * 1450 / 1000 = 2320 KW

730E Truck Motorised Wheel Curves

Truck Performance Measurements

Truck 25343 Pe rforma nce Test
Type:
Capacity:
GVW:

Koma tsu 730E

185 Ton
324.3 Ton

Truck
Opera tion

Pe rformance
Index

Performance Test on 730E Truck

Unit

Te st 1

Te st 2

Test 3

Da te
Sta rt
Finish
Duration
Fuel Used
Tra ve l

Lts
Km

01/08/2002
01/08/2002 01/08/2002
01/08/2002
12:25:28
9:56:04
10:31:16
11:01:46
12:44:58
10:28:08
10:57:45
11:37:20
0:19:30
0:32:04
0:26:29
0:35:34
42.91
37.38
34.63
44.66
9.075
7.921
7.660
8.252

Accelera tion
(Fully Loaded)

Time
Total Fuel
Tra ve l

sec
Lts
Km

93.7
4.13
0.756

Idling

Time
sec
Fuel Consump Lts
Av. Fue l ConsumpLph

885.1
5.08
20.67

625.7
4.32
24.86

1060.9
8.23
27.92

On Flat Roa d

Time
sec
Fuel Consump Lts
Tra ve l
Km
Av. Fue l ConsumpLph
Av. Truck Spe ed Kph

341.1
14.54
3.460
153
36.5

293
11.07
3.026
136
37.2

357.9
14.64
3.728
147
37.5

402
16.51
4.218
148
37.8

On Ra mp Diesel Time
sec
Fuel Consump Lts
Tra ve l
Km
Av. Fue l ConsumpLph
Av. Truck Spe ed Kph

78.3
8.03
0.429
369
19.7

44.4
4.57
0.236
371
19.1

22.2
2.25
0.112
364
18.1

40.8
4.04
0.196
357
17.3

In Trolley Mode Time

sec
Fuel Consump Lts
Tra ve l
Km
Energy
KW Hr
Av. Fue l ConsumpLph
Av. Truck Spe ed Kph
Av. Ene rgy UsageKW

89.2
1.25
0.602
52
50
24.3
2085

178.9
1.69
1.248
102
34
25.1
2050

146.1
1.16
1.029
78
29
25.4
1923

140.4
1.50
0.919
79
39
23.6
2024

In Reta rding

258.3
2.71
1.358
38
18.9

214.6
2.41
1.717
40
28.8

162.6
1.90
1.412
42
31.3

149.1
1.81
1.222
44
29.5

2000

48

1500

36

1000

24

Te st 4

Comple te Te st

Time
sec
Fuel Consump Lts
Tra ve l
Km
Av. Fue l ConsumpLph
Av. Truck Spe ed Kph
Loade d

Empty

88.6
4.35
0.592

MWcurrent in Amps

500

Trolley volt in volt

12

Fuel cons. in LPH

0

0
1

-500

K PH

Vo lts - A m p s - LP

Trolley cur in Amps

Idling
Truck speed in Km/h

1448 2895 4342 5789 7236 8683 10130115771302414471

-12

Window Trolley
Window Retarding

-1000

-24

Ramp Diesel
On Flat

-1500

-36

-2000

-48

EVALUATION OF THE TROLLEY ASSIST SYSTEM

Payload
Condition

185 Tonne
Idling

Flat r oad

On Ram p Die sIn Tr olley ModFlat r oad

Idling

Flat r oad

Re tar ding

Flat r oad

Cycle

Loading

Loaded

Loaded

Tipping

Empty

Empty

Empty

Summar y

Dis tance in [m]

800

Loaded
400

Loade d
1000

200

200

1400

200

Per form ance with Trolley

Spe ed [KPH]
Fuel Rate[LPH

35.1

12.2

23.7

35.1

35.1

26.4

35.1

30.2

144.1

367.0

37.4

144.1

30.2

86.4

44.2

86.4

1930

E. Rate [KW]
Tim e [s ec]

360

82

118

152

21

300

21

191

21

Fuel [Lts ]

3.0

3.3

12.0

1.6

0.8

2.5

0.5

2.3

0.5

27

81.5

82

Energy [KWHr
Truck Productivity TPH

1265

527

Per form ance only in Dies el

Spe ed [KPH]
Fuel Rate[LPH

35.1

12.2

12.2

35.1

35.1

26.4

35.1

30.2

144.1

367.0

367.0

144.1

30.2

86.4

44.2

26.5

0.0

E. Rate [KW]
Tim e [s ec]

360

82

118

295

21

300

21

191

21

1408

Fuel [Lts ]

3.0

3.3

12.0

30.1

0.8

2.5

0.5

2.3

0.2

55

0.0

Energy [KWHr
Truck Productivity TPH

0
473

EVALUATION OF THE TROLLEY ASSIST SYSTEM

Payload
Condition

255 Tonne
Idling

Flat road

Loading

Loade d

Distance in [m]

800

On Ram p DiesIn Trolley ModFlat road

Idling

Flat road

Re tarding

Flat road

Cycle

Loaded

Tipping

Em pty

Empty

Em pty

Summ ary

Loaded
400

Loade d
1000

200

200

1400

200

Pe rformance w ith Trolley

Speed [KPH]
Fuel Rate[LPH

36.1

16.0

31.5

36.1

36.1

27.0

36.1

34.0

199.9

499.8

46.4

199.9

34.0

119.9

30.5

119.9

3377

E. Rate [KW]
Time [se c]

360

80

90

114

20

300

20

186

20

Fuel [Lts]

3.4

4.4

12.5

1.5

1.1

2.8

0.7

1.6

0.7

29

107.3

107

Energy [KWHr
Truck Productivity TPH

1190

771

Pe rformance only in Die se l

Speed [KPH]

36.1

16.0

16.0

36.1

36.1

27.0

36.1

34.0

199.9

499.8

499.8

199.9

34.0

119.9

30.5

18.3

Time [se c]

360

80

90

225

20

300

20

186

20

1301

Fuel [Lts]

3.4

4.4

12.5

31.2

1.1

2.8

0.7

1.6

0.1

58

0.0

Fuel Rate[LPH
E. Rate [KW]

Energy [KWHr
Truck Productivity TPH

0
706

THE RELIABILITY OF THE SYSTEM

Dispatch PowerView - Panto Utilization (Fleet)

Haulpak 730E
Total
Actual

Euclid EH4500
Total
Actual

Util

Euclid EH3500
Total
Actual

Util

Total P. Fleet
Total
Actual

Util

Util

Aug-08

8019104

6174416

77%

746419

508819

68%

4397335

3430061

78%

13162858

10113296

77%

Sep-08

7856927

6275095

80%

1011703

742567

73%

3960866

3191251

81%

12829496

10208913

80%
79%

Oct-08

6140578

4912127

80%

1005292

741819

74%

3602549

2878114

80%

10748419

8532060

Nov-08

6928293

5701496

82%

696260

501402

72%

3897195

3217586

83%

11521748

9420484

82%

Dec-08

9163884

7296450

80%

1670151

1153852

69%

4466117

3431860

77%

15300152

11882162

78%

Jan-09

9657243

7750729

80%

2182507

1521806

70%

5138075

4167920

81%

16977825

13440455

79%

Feb-09

6744504

5685332

84%

1665515

1268863

76%

4160781

3525916

85%

12570800

10480111

83%

Mar-09

6477716

5501435

85%

1675983

1242466

74%

3640241

3059834

84%

11793940

9803735

83%

Apr-09
May-09
Jun-09

TROLLEY UTILISATION AT GROOTEGELUK MINE

Jul-09

100%

90%

80%

Jul-09

Jun-09

May-09

Apr-09

Mar-09

Feb-09

Jan-09

Dec-08

Nov-08

Sep-08

Aug-08

60%

Oct-08

70%

CONCLUSION

THANK YOU VERY MUCH