Start/Stop Retrofit for Mine Haul Dump Trucks

摘要

Start/Stop functionality is being developed by Bosch since 70's for the automotive sector and nowadays becoming almost a standard for passenger cars. The aim of the system is to reduce pipe exhaust emissions and save fuel consumption turning off the engine automatically meanwhile the vehicle is on a queue position and turning it on when the driver wants to restore the movement again.In mining operations, several locations/situations have been identified within a mine where HDT remains on queue: loading and unloading points, driver shifts, traffic jams on roads among others.Since December 2013, Bosch has been collaborating with Anglo American Copper, in the transfer of this technology into a Haul Dump Truck (HDT), as the Retrofit. Start/Stop Retrofit (SSR) benefits expected are the same as for automotive, diesel and emissions. Special considerations in terms of safety for operators, for the equipment and to ensure the operational continuity of the mine have been met. All of them to make sure that the SSR turns off/on the engine just in the right place, at the right time; automatically, reliably and without any intervention of the truck operator. In accordance with a real data analysis, around 10% of the effective operational time of the truck could be saved. Considering a Cummins QSK60 diesel engine, the savings in terms of diesel could reach up to 27.000 litres/year and in terms of emissions, based on an empirical analysis, up to 70 tons/year of CO_2 per truck. Nevertheless, it is necessary to emphasize that benefits in terms of fuel savings are highly dependent on each mine. Loading equipment, HDT specifications, mine geography and cycle distances/time are key factors that need to be studied to estimate the benefits. Both, Anglo American and Bosch are looking forward to validating the savings in order to deploy the SSR among their fleet.