The mining industry faces a critical challenge: reducing its massive carbon footprint. With 33 000 hauling trucks and underground locomotives burning 900 000 litres of diesel each year, about 68-million tons of carbon dioxide emission (CO2) is being released into the atmosphere.

However, a solution is transitioning from diesel to electric drive systems, which will eliminate CO2 emissions and save money, enabling the mining industry to achieve remarkable benefits.

These include 25% savings on maintenance costs, as electric drives have fewer moving parts, thereby reducing wear and tear, as well as achieving significant ventilation savings, with 40% to 50% reduction in underground ventilation demands compared with diesel-driven locomotives.

Battery Electric points out that its advanced AC motor technology has direct speed control for optimised performance; energy regeneration; battery and drivetrain efficiency, with newly designed AC motors offering higher efficiency and superior system management; maintenance-free operations, with only yearly gearbox oil inspections required; and fast charging capability.

Alongside this, it enhances health and safety through noise and vibration reduction, diesel fume elimination and advanced safety features that benefit from safety control software, vigilance, data logging and communication.

According to the company, the DCAC switching battery allows dual operating voltages: 120V for traditional DC-driven locomotives and 360V for new generation AC-driven locomotives, which enables a future-proof and seamless integration into any system configuration.

The DCAC switching battery, which charges at higher voltages and lower currents, reducing charger sizes and costs, is operable in harsh mining conditions of extreme temperatures and vibrations.

Using lithium-ion technology, the DCAC switching battery enables higher power density and minimal condition-based maintenance and handling.

“Without the need for unloading and loading of batteries, the DCAC switching battery offers faster charging times and requires less infrastructure, actively reducing time delays while maximising shaft production. This allows for quicker turnaround times and optimal economic production,” Battery Electric points out.

Further, the battery monitoring system has cell-level monitoring to ensure safe and reliable use and its proactive remote monitoring ensures smooth operation, further minimising downtime and maximising productivity.

“The versatility of the DCAC switching battery is a future-proof design whereby the battery can be reused on any locomotive without compatibility issues, allowing a locomotive to be upgraded from DC Drive to AC without the need for a new battery.”

“Battery Electric can convert your diesel-powered and old DC-driven machinery to AC electric drive trains, tailored to your specific needs,” the company concludes.

Battery Electric engineering manager Eugene van der Merwe speaks to Mining Weekly at Electra Mining Africa 2024. Visit stand P50 to learn more about the company’s locomotive, DCAC battery and underground storage units, launched at Electra Mining.