Hydrogen Fuel Cell Powered Mining Truck
Summary
In my freshman year engineering class, the Wabtec corporation tasked our group with reducing the carbon footprint of 400-ton mining haul trucks for the Rio Tinto Copper Mine in Nevada. The current system uses electric drive motors powered by a diesel generator. After meticulous analysis, my team of 3 decided to develop a hydrogen fuel cell system to replace the currently used diesel generator. As the technical and team leader, I was responsible for the overall system design, CAD modeling, delegating work, and managing deadlines. Careful attention was required to ensure that the system would be profitable.
How it Works
The hydrogen fuel cell system features a 5kW hydrogen fuel cell, three high pressure hydrogen tanks, and a 100kWh reserve battery. The reserve battery reduces fuel consumption by allowing for regenerative braking capability. The biggest design constraint our team gave ourselves was to fit the entire system within the current engine bay. This was to reduce the capital cost of the system. Using NASA documentation, I calculated tank wall thickness for the COPV tanks and optimized hydrogen storage volume.
The biggest factor in a mine’s profitability is the cost per ton output of the mine. A faster driving cycle time results in a lower production cost. This decreased cycle time results in increased profitability. The hydrogen fuel cell generates more power than the diesel generator and allows the truck to drive faster and provides higher utilization.
