UNDERGROUND EV REAL COOL

Locally developed battery tech powers a new-wave mine hauler A fridge that’s a freezer, or not

TRACTION CONTROL, torque vectoring, all-wheel drive, zero emissions… no, it's not a high-performance racer competing in the Green class. It's a locally developed electric mining hauler that uses innovative powertrain technology.

Underground trackless mining machinery manufacturer Fermel has partnered with local consulting engineers and project managers Thuthukani to develop this 25-ton-capacity beast. That's a big step up from their previous collaboration, a battery-operated personnel transporter.

As mines seek more effective ways of extracting the Earth's resources, mechanisation is an increasingly heard buzzword. The new hauler fits right into that kind of thinking, combining Thuthukani's expertise in battery management and electric drive technology with Fermel's standing as a leading OEM in innovative mining solutions.

Thuthukani designed the hauler's traction system and all auxiliary systems. That includes battery storage, electrical propulsion, cooling and electrical management and distribution. These engineering solutions answer some nagging problems posed by the harsh South African mining environment. Severe gradients, lack of traction, restricted room and huge payloads can prove too much for some imported mining equipment running on rubber tyres, it seems. “This opens the door for local manufacturers to leverage their knowledge and understanding of the south and create products that answer its unique needs,” argues Calvin Coetzee, electronic system engineer at Thuthukani.

The new hauler design integrates multi-wheel drive and independent steering and is said to be able to move 25 tons of ore on gradients in excess of nine degrees. Coetzee says they've stumbled on a host of opportunities to improve mining operations and achieve significant cost savings. Battery-powered mining machines run cooler than diesels, so ventilation needs can be as much as halved – which means that they can operate in warmer environments than diesel systems. Plus, there are no toxic emissions and noise is radically cut. The technology is adaptable to both trackless and rail bound equipment.

What about recharging? Done, says Coetzee: “The battery and associated charging are designed to reload the battery within two hours and to utilise opportunity charging to mitigate energy-related risk.” A CENTURY AGO, cars and planes were established forms of transport – but the domestic fridge as we know it didn't exist. It was only in the late 1920s that General Electric came up with an electric fridge that succeeded its earlier gasoperated design, followed a few years later by Frigidaire's introduction of the first really practical refrigerant, freon. Whether Samsung's new independently cooled top mounted freezer-refrigerator ranks with these pioneering efforts we will leave to market forces to decide, but there's no question that it represents a breakthrough for top-mounted freezers.

How so? Its fridge and freezer sections keep food fresh independently of each other, using separate airflows. Besides benefiting efficiency, it keeps fridge odours (remember that leftover curry?) from penetrating the freezer.

By separating cooling and freezing, the Samsung RT7000 maintains an optimum humidity level of approximately 70 per cent in the fridge and keeps the freezer frost-free. Smart power technology provides a 42 per cent power saving, too.

Because the cooling systems are independent, you can configure them as needed; you can turn the freezer into a fridge or turn off the fridge compartment completely when leaving home for a holiday. Price: from R13 000.