[breetai]

This is a Liebherr 282 Haul truck. They weigh approzimately 400 tons and are powered by a v16 turbo detroit diesel with approzimately 3800 hp. The motor drives a generator that runs two 1500 hp ac electric motors, one for each rear drive wheel. They are equipped with 4 caliper (four seperate calipers) disk brakes on the front brakes that are used only for emergency and parking. If used to stop the vehicle they have to be replaced. The front suspension is double a arm with struts. The rear is a live axle. The motion arresting brakes are actually regenerative electric, by running the motors backwards they act as brakes and generators. To deal with the electricity created, there is a huge heat sink on the right side of the platform. They are capable of hauling 400 tons of whatever at speeds up to 45 mph (on a flat smooth surface like pavement). They have about 25 of these at the gold mine I work at. What's really impressive is the electric shovels used to load them.

 

[77Impala]

There are times I would like to drive one of them on the highways. That truck means business. Do you get to drive this brut? I believe it would be fun to.

 

[Guest]

i love how tiny the dang mirrors are!

 

[77Impala]

Headlight size?

Did you notice that the headlights are even smaller? If you look close it has four of them.

 

[breetai]

More

No, unfortunately I haven't been able to, I work security, not mine-ops. I drive, ick, a 3/4 ton ford 4wd. The mirrors on ours are bigger. Even at that they have a QUARTER of a MILE blind spot on the right. There's a story a few years ago about a guy in Wyoming I think who got into a fight with his wife and did drive off site and head home to in his words "squash the house". As I understand he didn't make it. Those headlights may be small but they are about as bright as aircraft landing lights. They are BRIGHT. I'll take a pic night after tomorrow at work.

 

[Richard]

The World's Largest Hybrid
http://www.ecogeek.org/content/view/1570/69/

 

[77Impala]

I have always looked at these systems as hybrids, reason is that they are more efficient now using the current technology then using the previous drive train. The Diesel Electric Trains are the first that I am aware of to try and utilize the system. It still amazes me how much tonnage these brut's can move using electric motors.

Now I understand GE trying to make these things even more efficient but as far as I am concern they are still the first Hybrids ever designed.

 

[breetai]

Regenerative electric storage

That's the one big downfall in the system, storing the energy created by the regenerative braking. When you run an electric motor it takes for example (i'm no electrician so the figures will be off, but the theory is correct) 100kw to run the motor creating 5 hp. If you run the motor backwards with a 5 hp outside power source it'll create 100kw of electricity. Right now they turn the electricity generated into heat, and vent it. I am absolutely for the idea of storing that energy to re-use it.

BTW, I'm a bit of a hippie, so green technology is a favorite subject of mine. Anyone interested in such things, feel free to pm me. I'll wax philosophical for hours. lol.

 

[77Impala]

Those headlights may be small but they are about as bright as aircraft landing lights. They are BRIGHT. I'll take a pic night after tomorrow at work.

Were you able to get the picture yet of these lights on at night?