Drive-Cycle Simulations of Battery-Electric Large Haul Trucks for Open-Pit Mining with Electric Roads

• Published in: Energies
• Main Authors: Lars Lindgren, Anders Grauers, Jonas Ranggård, Rikard Mäki
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2022
• Subjects: mining truck; haul truck; electric road; drive cycle; battery-electric vehicle; trolley; Technology; T; Copper Mine; Northern Sweden
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.3390/en15134871; https://doaj.org/article/e902de58c1d64446b684bcf78d929560

Transport of ore and overburden in open-pit mines is often performed with large haul trucks. Battery-electric operation of haul trucks can significantly reduce the CO <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><msub><mrow></mrow><mn>2</mn></msub></semantics></math> emissions and the fossil fuel dependence of open-pit mining. This simulation study investigates the feasibility and economy of operating large haul trucks battery-electrically, charging from an electric road system in the form of overhead trolley lines. The used simulation model is verified against measurements on diesel-electric haul trucks in normal operation. The simulation model is then tested with five drive cycles representing typical operations in the Aitik copper mine in northern Sweden. This simulation study shows that battery-electric operation with an electric road is feasible. It is shown that battery-electric operation is much cheaper than diesel-electric operation under reasonable assumptions. It is also much cheaper than diesel-electric operation assisted by an electric road.