Method for using mining vehicle, arrangement in mine, rock drilling rig, and mining vehicle

• US 8,660,760 B2
• Filed: 11/25/2009
• Issued: 02/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sandvik Mining and Construction OY (Sandvik AB)
• Original Assignee: Sandvik Mining and Construction OY (Sandvik AB)
• Inventors: Piipponen, Juha, Osara, Jukka, Kouvo, Mikko, Kuittinen, Jarno
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TAN QUANG
• Application Number:
  US13/130,821
• Publication Number:
  US 20110224859A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,553 Days
• Field of Search: 701/50, 701/36, 320/104, 320/119, 175/195, 175/24, 191/45.R, 191/12.R, 299/1.05, 180/65.1, 180/275
• US Class Current: 701/50
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/00 Arrangement or mounting of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion, e.g. hybrid propulsion systems comprising electric motors and internal combustion engines ; Control systems therefor, i.e. systems controlling two or more prime movers, or controlling one of these prime movers and any of the transmission, drive or drive units arrangement or mounting in vehicles of electrical gearing, in which an electrical machine serves only as reduction gearing and not as the prime mover and in which no electrical storing means are used B60K17/12; control and regulation of purely electrical prime movers B60L; prime-movers comprising electrical and internal combustion motors in a common engine block or housing per se F02B65/00; electric motors or motor-generators used for starting the combustion engine F02N11/04; electric motors for synchronising gearing F16H3/12 Informative references: mechanical gearings with secondary electric drive F16H3/72; arrangements for handling mechanical energy structurally associated with the dynamo-electric machine H02K7/00; machines comprising structurally interrelated motor and generator parts H02K51/00; dynamo-electric machines not otherwise provided for in H02K see H02K99/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/003 to auxiliary motors, e.g. for pumps, compressors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/40 Working vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/28 Four wheel or all wheel drive
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/40 using propulsion power supplied by capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/51 characterised by AC-motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 9/24 fed from ac supply lines
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 7/025 Rock drills, i.e. jumbo drills
• CPC Class Codes: E21F 17/06 Distributing electric power; Cable networks; Conduits for cables circuit arrangements for supplying or distributing electric power in general H02J
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/322 the battery being on-board an electric or hybrid vehicle, e.g. vehicle to grid arrangements [V2G], power aggregation, use of the battery for network load balancing, coordinated or cooperative battery charging
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/1438 in combination with power supplies for loads other than batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/00 Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/126 the energy generation units being or involving electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV], i.e. power aggregation of EV or HEV, vehicle to grid arrangements [V2G]

Abstract

A method for using a mining vehicle, arrangement in a mine, rock drilling rig, and mining vehicle. Tasks according to a work cycle are performed at work sites with a mining work device in a mining vehicle. At the work site, the vehicle is connected to an external electrical network. An energy storage of the vehicle is charged during the work cycle defined by a excavation plan, when the vehicle is at a work site. After the work cycle is done, electricity obtained from the energy storage is used in a transfer drive.

Claims

1. A method for using a mining vehicle, comprising:

performing with at least one mining work device to drill a borehole or further process a finished hole in a mining vehicle tasks according to a work cycle defined in an excavation plan at a work site according to the excavation plan,

connecting the mining vehicle at the work site to an external electrical network of the mine for supplying the required working energy for the at least one mining work device,

performing after the work cycle a transfer drive of the mining vehicle,

using an energy storage located in the mining vehicle as energy source during the transfer drive, and

charging said energy storage with electricity obtained from the external electrical network during the work cycle,

wherein the external electric network is a primary energy source for the mining vehicle,

wherein the energy supplied from the external electric network of the mine is first directed to the mining work device for performing the tasks according to the work cycle and then directed to the energy storage for charging the energy storage such that the energy directed to the energy storage is adjusted in relation to the energy directed to the mining work device.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, comprising:

determining the electrical power requirement caused by the work cycle and

adjusting the charging power of the energy storage in relation to the input power of the work cycle.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1, comprising:

discharging the charge from the energy storage during a normal transfer drive only until a predefined charging limit, and

allowing from the energy storage a larger discharge than the charge limit only in response to separate approval.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1, comprising:

converting potential energy of the mining vehicle to electrical energy during the transfer drive and using it to charge the energy storage,

estimating on the basis of the route information of the next transfer drive the energy amount to be converted from the potential energy of the mining vehicle into electrical energy, and

reducing the amount of energy to be charged to the energy storage from the external electrical network during the work cycle in relation to the amount of charged energy to be generated from the potential energy.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1, comprising switching off the driving power transmission of the mining vehicle during the work cycle of the mining work device performed at the work site.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one mine working device is arranged to a boom with which the mine working device is moved during the work cycle.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the excavation plan is a drilling plan.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mining vehicle is essentially stationary at the work site during the work cycle and during the charging.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein during the transfer drive the mining vehicle is disconnected from the external electric network.

10. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mining vehicle is without a combustion engine for generating energy required for driving the mining vehicle.

11. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mining vehicle is combustion engine-free.

12. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the transfer drive is done using only the energy in the energy storage located in the mining vehicle.

13. An arrangement in a mine, comprising:

at least one mining vehicle equipped with at least one mining work device to drill a borehole or further process a finished hole and arranged to perform tasks according to a predefined work cycle with the mining work device at least at one work site according to an excavation plan in a mine,

an electrical network of the mine,

at least one set of connection means for connecting the mining vehicle to the electrical network for supplying the required operating power for the at least one mining work device, and

the mining vehicle comprising driving equipment for performing a transfer drive after the work cycle,

wherein the mining vehicle comprises at least one energy storage that is arranged to store electrical energy required for the transfer drive,

wherein the system comprises charging means for charging the energy storage at the work site during the work cycle according to the excavation plan, and

wherein the external electric network is a primary energy source for the mining vehicle,

wherein the mining vehicle further comprises at least one control unit that is arranged to first direct the electricity supplied from the electrical network to the at least one mining work device to perform the tasks according to the work cycle and then direct the electricity supplied from the electrical network to the charging means for charging the energy storage such that the electricity directed to the charging means is adjusted in relation to the electricity directed to the at least one mining work device.

14. An arrangement as claimed in claim 13, wherein the system comprises a charging apparatus, and the work site is equipped with connection members for connecting the charging apparatus to the electrical network of the mine.

15. An arrangement as claimed in claim 13, wherein

the system comprises a charging apparatus,

the work site is equipped with connection members for connecting the charging apparatus to the electrical network of the mine;

and

in connection with the charging apparatus, there is the control unit arranged to determine the electrical power requirement caused by the work cycle and to control the charging power of the charging apparatus in relation to the input power of the work cycle.

16. An arrangement as claimed in claim 13, wherein

the discharging of the charge in the energy storage in the mining vehicle during a transfer drive is limited, and

a larger discharge is possible by using a separate command.

17. An arrangement as claimed in claim 13, wherein

the mining vehicle comprises the at least one control unit that is arranged to determine the energy consumption for the next transfer drive, and

the control unit is arranged to control the charging apparatus automatically on the basis of the determined energy requirement or to issue to the operator charging instructions based on the energy requirement.

18. An arrangement as claimed in claim 13, wherein

the mining vehicle is connected with one single connection cable to an electrical network external to its own electrical system, and

the mining vehicle comprises the at least one control unit that is arranged to direct the electricity supplied from the external electrical network in the electrical system of the mining vehicle to actuators of the mining work device required for the drilling work cycle and the charging means of the energy storage.

19. The arrangement as claimed in claim 13, wherein the at least one mine working device is arranged to a boom with which the mine working device is moved during the work cycle.

20. The arrangement as claimed in claim 13, wherein the excavation plan is a drilling plan.

21. The arrangement as claimed in claim 13, wherein the mining vehicle is without a combustion engine for generating energy required for driving the mining vehicle.

22. The arrangement as claimed in claim 13, wherein the mining vehicle is combustion engine-free.

23. A rock drilling rig that comprises:

a carriage,

driving equipment for moving the carriage,

at least one boom movable in relation to the carriage,

at least one rock drilling machine arranged on at least one boom,

at least one set of connection means, with which the rock drilling rig is connected at a work site to an external electrical network during rock drilling,

at least one energy storage that is arranged to store electrical energy required for a transfer drive, and

charging means for charging the energy storage simultaneously with the drilling at the work site,

wherein the rock drilling rig is provided with at least one control unit that is arranged to control electricity supplied from the external electrical network to actuators required for the rock drilling and the charging means of the energy storage, whereby the electricity supplied to the charging means of the energy storage is adjusted in relation to the electricity supplied to the actuators.

24. A mining vehicle that comprises:

a carriage,

driving equipment for moving the carriage,

at least one mining work device for performing at a work site tasks according to a work cycle defined in an excavation plan, the mining work device being one of the following;

rock drilling machine, bolting device, shotcrete apparatus, scaling device, injection device, blasthole charger, measuring device,

at least one set of connection means connecting the mining vehicle at the work site to an external electrical network of the mine,

at least one energy storage that is arranged to store electrical energy required for the transfer drive, and

charging means for charging the energy storage simultaneously with the work cycle performed with the mining work device at the work site,

wherein the mining vehicle comprises at least one control unit that is arranged to first direct electricity supplied from the electrical network to the at least one mining work device to perform the tasks according to the work cycle and then direct the electricity supplied from the electrical network to the charging means for charging the energy storage such that the electricity directed to the charging means is adjusted in relation to the electricity directed to the at least one mining work device.