ABB has launched ABB Ability™ eMine, a portfolio of solutions to help accelerate the move towards a zero-carbon mine. The company has also unveiled the piloting of the ABB Ability™ eMine FastCharge, which it claims is the world’s “fastest and most powerful charging system”, designed to interface with all makes of electric mining haul trucks.
eMine™ comprises a portfolio of electrification technologies from mine to port and is integrated with digital applications and services to monitor and optimize energy usage. It can electrify any mining equipment across hoisting, grinding, hauling and material handling.
eMine™ further provides design planning and thinking to maximize the value of electrification, helping to design the hauling process in the most optimized way with electrical solutions that match mine constraints and help meet production targets. By fully integrating electrification and digital systems from the mine to the port, ABB says eMine™ further “reduces overall costs and improves mine performance while significantly lowering environmental impact”.
From 2022, it will include the new ABB Ability™ eMine FastCharge which provides high-power electric charging for haul trucks and is currently in the pilot phase. It also incorporates the ABB Ability™ eMine Trolley System which can reduce diesel consumption by up to 90 per cent, significantly lowering energy costs and environmental impact.
“The global mining industry is undergoing one of the most significant and important transformations of our generation – and that is to become zero-carbon”, said Max Luedtke, Global Head of Mining at ABB. “ABB Ability™ eMine is an exciting milestone to help convert existing mining operations from fossil fuel energy to all-electric. Mines can become even more energy efficient with vastly reduced levels of CO₂ emissions, while at the same time staying competitive and ensuring high productivity”.
ABB states that the eMine™ FastCharge can “serve as a cornerstone of the transition to fully electrified mines across the industry” since the automated solution is being designed for the “harshest environments, can be installed anywhere and can charge any electric truck without human intervention at up to 600kW”.
The product’s charging capability is the highest power available to minimize the downtime of mobile assets, with some cases able to reach a “suitable state of charge” within 15 minutes. However, the company note the charging time will depend on the battery capacity onboard the haul truck and the operational profile. With eMine™, ABB is extending its capabilities to the electrification of mining trucks and technologies for the full mining process.
You can find more information about ABB and its new ABB Ability™ eMine portoflio of solutions on its website.
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