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Issue link: https://coal.epubxp.com/i/131326
operating ideas continued Most mining equipment is suitable for mining roads only; however, the Teck Coal motivator is designed to be transported on public highways as well. "We can remove the mufflers and fold down the roof ladder, and we're at the upper height limit for traveling on British Columbia highways," said Baily. "We really worked to make sure that the height would be low enough so that the motivator would be able to easily travel to every site that it needed to." The large size of the motivator's diesel fuel tank ensures that a single tank of fuel is sufficient for any shovel move Teck wants to make in the Elk Valley area. With a full tank, the genset can run for 7.1 hours at 100% load and for 20 hours or longer while powering the shovel, according to Baily. Whether the motivator is in motion or sitting idle, its sturdy metal enclosure protects the contents from the elements. Inside, a variety of heaters also protects critical equipment during the harsh Elk Valley winters. The enclosure, designed by Alum-Tek Industries, a British Columbia firm that designs and fabricates generator set enclosures, contains all of the motivator's power-generation and control equipment. A separate control room inside the new unit houses all of the electronic components, which are protected by dust-tight enclosures. Keeping the electronics much cleaner than in the old motivator significantly reduces component maintenance and replacement. Because the electronics are in a room separate from the engine, crews working the controls have more space, better air quality and less noise. The old unit's design required "a lot of complicated manual processes for both operation and maintenance," said Baily. User-friendly features on the new unit include simpler procedures for starting and operating the engine, and automatic equipment-monitoring systems that indicate problems and eliminate the need for personnel to check gauges and equipment operation. Indicator lights on the control panel, as well as on the outside of the enclosure, ensure that operators can spot problems even when no one is in the control room. A reserve oil tank automatically levels engine oil, while oil and coolant lines extend to the outside of the unit, allowing faster fluid changes. With occupant safety being a design priority, the new motivator has three exits March 2013 The new Teck Coal motivator can be easily transported on highways. instead of just one. Two of these are in the engine room and one, a trap-door exit, is in the control room. The new unit also has more sophisticated safety equipment than its predecessor. This includes up-to-date fire-suppression systems, spark-detection devices, and arc-flash relay protection. Given the efficient engine-generator set from MTU Onsite Energy, the stateof-the art controls and the careful attention to safety in design, Teck is confident the new mobile power source will significantly reduce downtime and contribute to the company's goals to improve energy efficiency. www.coalage.com 45