By Walter Koellner, senior director mobile mining, Siemens, and Dr. Joy Mazumdar, business manager – mining trucks, Siemens
Conventional haul trucks are still limited by the load carrying capabilities of the tires which set the maximum payload to 400 tons. This was really never matched optimally with the three pass shovel loading as the biggest shovels came in at 120 ton maximum which was not quite enough to load a 400 ton truck in three passes. With the latest shovel offerings by P&H and TZ this issue will be solved in 2013.
In 2013, Belaz will introduce the largest haul truck in the world–weighing in at a staggering 500-ton payload. This paper will describe what went into the development of an electric drive system for this monster and describe the sophisticated controls which will be used to safely guide this juggernaut.