Applying Throttle While Dumping

8/16/2019 Applying Throttle While Dumping

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Reducing haul truck fuel costs

through rule-based data

analysisCristian Ramírez

Modular Mining Systems



Agenda

• Introduction• Data logging

• Trend workshops

• Project details

• Methodology

• Results

• Conclusions



Introduction

• Mine operators are constantly looking for ways to maximize

the efficiency in the use of consumables

– Fuel and tires represent most of the operating costs of a mining truck

• A mine operator in Brazil discovered the opportunity to save

fuel by changing operator behavior at dumps

•The opportunity was validated and quantified using ModularMining’s maintenance management software, MineCare®



Data logging

• Historically, all data was measure, collected and stored on

onboard devices

– Delay in getting de data (donwload process required)

– Huge volumes of data to analyze

• High capacity telecommunication networks allowed to

transmit data on demand or in real-time to central servers for

processing

– Still requires analyzing huge amounts of data, a slow process

– Need dedicated personnel for real-time monitoring



Data loggingReal-time monitoring



Rule-based triggers

(trends)

Start monitoring when pre-defined conditions are met

• Reduced volume of recorded data

– Faster analysis

• No need for real-time monitoring personnel• Integration with mine management systems (e.g.

Dispatch®) allowing correlation with operational data

– haul cycle, location, operator, etc.

Trends are predictive analysis tools used for advancedmonitoring and detection of impending failures



Trend workshops

• Who – Maintenance personnel (preventive, planning, etc.), MMS’

consultants, facilitator

• Goal

– Discussion on early detection of operational problems or

undesirable operational conditions or abuse of equipment

• Output

–

Formal document to facilitate the upload of thisinformation into the MineCare® configuration



Project details

• Brazilian iron-ore producer, 72 truck fleet

• Situation

– 240-ton haul trucks automatically increased engine speedfrom a 700 rpm idle to 1500 rpm while lifting the bed.

– It was discovered that operators were applying additionalthrottle (over 1900 rpm) to lift the bed faster

• Study

– Determine the impact of this situation on dumping timeand fuel consumption, and

– estimate the potential benefits from correcting thepractice.



Methodology

• Trend workshop

• Modular’s consultant selected a sample of 26Caterpillar Model 793C 240-tonnes

• Data was collected during a month

• Specific parameters to monitor

– Engine speed (rpm)

– Fuel burn rate (l/hr)

– Dump time – from mine management system (Dispatch®and VIMS events)



Methodology

MineCare® Trend

Trend 1 Trend 2

Conditions

Engine speed is greater than 1500 rpm

and less than 1600 rpm

Engine speed is greater than 1900 rpm

Truck bed is up Truck bed is up

Truck location is a dump Truck location is a dump

If conditionsare met

Record engine speed (rpm) Record engine speed (rpm)

Record burn rate (l/hr) Record burn rate (l/hr)



Results

Week

Number of alarms

exceeding 1900 rpm

Affected loads

(%)

1 1564 27.1

2 1928 33.5

3 527 9.1

4 2289 39.7

5 2334 40.5Average 1728 30.0

Alarms of excessive rpm at dumps

- On average, 5763 loads are dumped by this sample per week



Results (cont’d)Normal idling engine

speedExcessive engine speed

Engine

speed (rpm)

Fuel rate

(l/hr)

Engine

speed

(rpm)

Fuel rate (l/hr)

Truck 1 1,580 74.3 1,915 124.7

Truck 2 1,582 74.2 1,911 130.6

Truck 3 1,571 80.2 1,936 137.8

Truck 4 1,544 85.3 1,930 134.8

Truck 5 1,557 72.6 1,919 133.8

Truck 6 1,536 57.2 1,935 136.2

Truck 7 1,567 77.6 1,929 142.7

Average 1,562 74.5 1,925 134.4

Relationship between engine

speed and fuel burn rate



Results (cont’d)

• In 30% of the dumps on average, operators applyexcessive throttle

• At dumps, fuel burn rate nearly doubles when enginespeed exceeds 1,900 rpm – Average fuel consumptions following manufacturer

recommendations: 74.5 l/hr

– Average fuel consumptions applying excessive throttle: 134.4l/hr

•

The average dump time across all loads was measured at20 seconds

– No observable difference in dump time between the twostudied conditions



Conclusions

• Excessive engine speed during dumping only

increased fuel consumption without a noticeable

improvement in dumping time

• If dumping practices were standardized to comply

with manufacturer recommendations, mine could

save on fuel consumption



ConclusionsCalculating fuel savings

• Considering the 26-truck sample

representative of the whole fleet of 72 trucks,

30% of the total loads are dumped over

speeding the engine

– This is 4,788 loads per week

• Per each load, 20 seconds of extra throttle

consumes an extra amount of fuel of 20 [seconds] x (134.4 – 74.5) [l/hr] = 0.33 litres



ConclusionsCalculating fuel savings

4,788 “extra throttle” loads per week,

where each dump consumes 0.33 extra liters

of fuel,

result in extra fuel consumptions of 82,853

liters per year@ US$ 1/liter, this is more than US$ 80,000 savings per

year



ConclusionsSummary

• Substantial cost-savings opportunities exist

within a 20 second part of a 40 minute hauling

cycle

• Maintenance Management systems can be

used to identify those opportunities



Thank you

Cristian Ramirez

Senior Engineer - Value Add Services

Modular Mining Systems Canada Ltd.

+1 604 468 8715

[email protected]

www.modularmining.com

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.modularmining.com/

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Applying Throttle While Dumping