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wotmate t1_ixl563o wrote

Reply to comment by PlayfulParamedic2626 in This mining tractor developed by Caterpillar is completely battery-operated by redhatGizmo

Other way round. They drive down into a hole empty, get loaded with material, and then use all their power driving back out of the hole. Regenerative braking doesn't have a hope of recovering the energy used to drive 100 tonnes of rocks out of a hole.

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franzn t1_ixlgb1h wrote

There are mines where the deposit is above the plant. Obviously this isn't the best solution for all cases but where it does work it should be great.

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wotmate t1_ixlgru2 wrote

Those tend to use articulated dumpers, not the heavy haulers though. The heavy dump trucks can only go up a certain grade, which is why they're used in open cut mines, because they can make the haul roads whatever grade they want.

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franzn t1_ixlhl37 wrote

I worked at a company with 100 ton haul trucks in the Denver front range. Articulated haul trucks are great for rough terrain but the rigid frames can definitely climb. You have to manage grades with either truck though whether going up or down, just has to be addressed with good mine planning.

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48mcgillracefan t1_ixmfxil wrote

8 to 10% grade and plenty of mines use 240 to 320 ton trucks in these mines.

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frontiermanprotozoa t1_ixll9qf wrote

Dont they also spend most of their time waiting loading and unloading? Running a high gauge wire to loading and unloading bays sounds easier to do than refilling individual trucks.

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wotmate t1_ixlpyit wrote

Where they get loaded is a big hole in the ground that is constantly changing, with parts of it periodically blown up. They don't do it in bays...

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BukkakedFrankenstein t1_ixlv8pc wrote

Regenerative breaking also isn’t 100% efficient… No machine is 100% efficient. Realistically if these were nuclear powered they’d be more environmentally friendly… That would be a hard sell to a coal pit mine though…

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