US locomotive and railcar producer Wabtec and Roy Hill, an Australian iron ore mining firm, just lately debuted the FLXdrive battery locomotive at Wabtec’s Pennsylvania design and growth heart.
The locomotive has an power capability of seven MWh and is anticipated to supply a double-digit-percentage discount in gas prices and emissions per prepare. After remaining battery set up and observe testing, it is going to be delivered to Roy Hill amenities within the Pilbara area of Western Australia.
At present, Roy Hill makes use of 4 Wabtec ES44ACi diesel-electric locomotives in a consist to tug trains which might be usually 1.6 miles in size and carry greater than 36,000 tons of iron ore. Including the FLXdrive will kind a hybrid locomotive consist with the diesel-electrics and supply recharging by regenerative braking. The FLXdrive’s power administration software program is designed to regulate the general prepare power circulation and distribution, and its thermal administration system makes use of liquid cooling to face up to Pilbara temperatures that may attain 130° F.
“Through the use of regenerative braking, the FLXdrive will cost its battery on the 214-mile downhill run from our mine to the port facility and use that saved power to return to the mine, beginning the cycle yet again. This won’t solely allow us to appreciate power efficiencies but additionally decrease working prices,” stated Gerhard Veldsman, CEO of Group Operations at Hancock Prospecting, the bulk proprietor of Roy Hill.
Supply: Wabtec