Early field test results from a hybrid diesel-battery mining truck deployed in China have shown marked improvements in fuel efficiency.
According to Cummins executive director of strategy, digital and product planning Molly Puga, the global need to reduce mining emissions will be achieved with the support of ready-to-implement power solutions.
“Cummins anticipates that the mining industry will need multiple power technology solutions for the foreseeable future,” Puga said at MINExpo 2024 in Las Vegas during September.
“The mining energy transition will be driven by the availability of solutions that help achieve TCO (total cost of ownership) parity or improvement, combined with the ability to meet varied environmental sustainability goals in operation.”
And Cummins has seen first-hand how important it is to provide operations with ready-to-implement technologies.
Early field test results of a hybrid diesel-battery mining truck deployed in China have shown 15–20 per cent improvements in fuel efficiency after Cummins laid out the bridge technologies it is pursuing to support the energy transition.
“While longer term zero-emission technologies – such as full battery-electric solutions and hydrogen – have exciting potential, a lack of infrastructure availability, high upfront costs and performance of current equipment limits how effective this technology can be over the coming years,” Puga said.
“Based on conversations with our customers, there has been a noticeable shift in expectations from focusing solely on zero emissions to also considering bridge technologies, which can reduce carbon emissions and assist miners in making sustainability progress this decade.”
Bridge technologies
Cummins will continue to invest in its internal combustion engine range while advancing its Destination Zero strategy for mining, which includes further development of two bridge pathways: hybrid and clean fuel capabilities.
Both technologies provide fuel savings and emissions reductions from well to wheel.
As of 2023, all Cummins high-horsepower engines are approved for unblended use with 100 per cent HVO (hydrated vegetable oil), allowing miners to utilise renewable diesel and generate emissions savings while maintaining power output.
Cummins is also developing dual-fuel technology to allow for the use of ethanol or methanol alongside diesel in mining applications.
Cummins, global mining company Vale and Komatsu recently signed an agreement to develop and test dual-fuel haul trucks, powered by a mixture of ethanol and diesel. They are set to be the world’s first dual-fuel powered trucks of their size, with payloads of 250–320 tonnes (t).
For hybrid power units, Cummins is taking a modular approach, with plans for first-fit and retrofit application capabilities.
Cummins’ hybrid solutions can be used in tandem with HVO-ready internal combustion engines to generate additional emissions benefits, creating an affordable way to reduce emissions and fuel consumption costs compared to alternatives like trolley assist.
Hybrid fuel savings
Cummins is performing field testing of a mining diesel-battery hybrid truck solution in China with North Hauler Joint Stock Co., Ltd. (NHL).
In the hybrid NTH260, a 220t payload mining truck, the hybrid system allows the truck engine to be downsized from the previous 2500 horsepower (hp) QSK60 engine to the current 2000hp two-stage QSK50.
Early field test results show a 15–20 per cent average fuel saving compared to a non-hybrid system.
“Hybrid bridge technology makes economic and environmental sense, which is why it has so much potential to achieve change,” Puga said.
“Projected potential increases significantly when you consider further system optimisation, opportunity charging and use of low-carbon fuels.”
This feature appeared in the December 2024 issue of Australian Mining.
