Description
In line with the Improvement of current mining practices, the Hybrid Locomotive aims to address the growing concerns around the use of diesel driven machinery, and its emissions, in underground environments. Designed to be a suitable replacement for diesel locomotives, the Hybrid Locomotive is designed to operate without the need for battery bays, or associated infrastructure, required for conventional battery locomotives, significantly reducing the capital required for a full replacement strategy. It’s highly efficient and regenerative power delivery system, modular design and inclusion of multiple safety systems makes the hybrid locomotive a competitive replacement for conventional battery locomotives as well, offering significantly lower operating costs than that of its DC driven counterpart.
Basic Machine Specifications
Power Generation, Storage and Delivery System
Generator set:
Intermediary power storage and supply:
Control and drive system:
Perkins 30 kVA – Tier 4 (65 l Diesel tank
Merelli Generator
LiFePo4 Battery Pack - 160 Ah – Equivalent to conventional traction battery capacity
Operating voltage: 460 V
Integrated battery management systems
Potential operating life of 6000 cycles (current traction batteries offer 500 to 600 cycles)
Battery Electric Maxus locomotive management and communication system
InMotion (previously Kolmorgen) Drive Control System
Kolmorgen KBM 118 400V frameless permanent magnet motors (2) with regenerative braking.
Duplex chain drive – all axle drive-Continuous axle torque – 1680 Nm-Peak axle torque – 5790 Nm
Carlisle, spring applied and hydraulically relapsed disk brakes
Design Features
Design Innovation - System, Subsystem and Control
Modular design reduces downtime and maintenance requirements:
Plug and play locomotive control system
Maxus vehicle management provides for pre-use inspection, maintenance and operational data logging
Modular power generation, intermediary storage, and delivery units provide for improved maintainability, uptime and operational effectiveness
Modular design provides for removal of faulty units from underground environment during repair,improving effect of repair and maintenance
Design Innovation - Drive Efficiency
Intermediary Power Source / Maxus / InMotion /Kolmorgen:
Combination of efficient power train and regenerative braking improves overall efficiency by up to 54% capital requirement reduction of 32% for battery systems.
Effective in temperature ranges up to 60˚ C
85% to 92% efficient (conventional DC drive – 55% efficiency)
Battery charging cycle can be completed in approximately 90 minutes
Regenerative braking capacity able to recoup 30% of expended energy during operating cycles
Tier 4 generating set operates at high efficiency levels compared to conventional diesel locomotives
LiFePo4 Battery and battery management system present effective battery life cycles in excess of 10 times normal lead acid traction batteries at equivalent cost and greatly increased energy density
Design Innovation - Safety
Control system (Collaboration with Battery Electric):
Proximity detection system Guard Car Communication, Front Driven and Remote piloting capability
Self-steering bogies reduce potential for derailment
Improved axle box suspension – reduced potential for catastrophic mechanical failure or derailment
Ergonomically designed cab with full air-conditioning and comfort seating.
Triple laminated glass front window and tempered glass side windows
Full camera system in front of loco, behind and in front of caboose.
Cab occupation sensor (interlocked with control system)
Door position monitoring (interlocked with control system)
Seat belt (interlocked with control system)
Fail-to-safe control lever with dead man switch and multiple interlocking redundancy.