Volvo’s Stage V-compliant engine is powering a range of Sandvik loaders and trucks used for underground mining operations.
The OEM’s vehicles that operate beneath the Earth’s surface, including its LH517 loader have now been installed with the Volvo Penta engine after prototyping and testing had been carried out in Finland.
Underground mining provides some of the toughest working conditions in confined areas and, as the next level of EU emission regulations approaches, choosing the appropriate engine to meet the stringent requirements as well as able to cope with the demanding conditions is significant.
“Ventilation in mines requires fresh air being pumped underground both for human needs and to dilute the exhaust emissions, and this is then pumped back up to the surface,” said Wayne Scrivens, vice president of product line, load, and haul at Sandvik.
“In deep mines, this air can be refrigerated, so the processes all add up to considerable cost. With Stage V, reduced emissions from the engine means reduced ventilation requirements, so it lowers the costs for the operator.
“Our units have a low profile for working in confined spaces and tunnels, so they must be compact, and Volvo Penta has found solutions for us.”
To comply with forthcoming EU standards, Sandvik will offer Volvo’s Stage V solution which is certified by the US Department of Labor’s MSHA (Mine Safety and Health Administration) and Canada’s CANMET (the Canada Centre for Mineral and Energy Technology) – both of which stipulate regulations for ventilation in mining.
Scrivens added, “We have found that many customers embrace lower emissions engines even when the regulations in their countries do not require the strictest levels.
“And as Volvo Penta’s Stage V engines are certified by MSHA and CANMET, it means we can offer our machines in the USA and Canada with the correct certification already in place. It’s good for us that Volvo Penta is able to support us in this way.”
The engine range offers power from 105kW to 565kW (143-770hp) and feature a high-performance engine and exhaust aftertreatment system (EATS).
David Hamilton, director of global key accounts and business development at Volvo Penta, said, “We weren’t well known in the mining industry when we first started working with Sandvik a decade ago, but we have good products and we have learned a lot about what is important to them.
“Uptime in particular is very important in underground mining. The engines are put in extreme conditions in mining and their success shows we have a robust and durable range.”
March 29, 2018
