Reconfiguration of diesel-powered haul truck with hybrid hydrogen fuel cell and battery power supply
The present disclosure provides a mining haul truck with the diesel-powered components removed, the resulting available volumes retrofitted with components of a hybrid hydrogen fuel cell/battery-based powerplant. In some embodiments, the tray and/or the canopy of the haul truck can be replaced or reconfigured to create an additional volume for receiving components of the hybrid hydrogen fuel cell/battery-based powerplant.
1. A method of retrofitting a diesel-powered mining haul truck with a hybrid hydrogen fuel cell/battery-based powerplant, comprising:
removing, from a frame of the haul truck, (a) an engine and an alternator from an engine bay, (b) a diesel tank from a first wheel pocket, and (c) a hydraulic fluid reservoir from a second wheel pocket to create a plurality of first available volumes;
installing the hydraulic fluid reservoir in a rear axle pocket; and
installing at least a portion of a fuel cell system, a battery system, or a hydrogen storage system (HSS) in at least one of the first available volumes.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the installing includes installing at least a portion of the battery system in one of the first wheel pocket or the second wheel pocket.
3. The method of claim 1 ,
wherein the installing includes installing a first portion of the battery system in the first wheel pocket and a second portion of the battery system in the second wheel pocket.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the installing includes installing the fuel cell system in the engine bay.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mining haul truck includes a tray, the tray and a surface of the frame forming a second available volume, and wherein the installing includes installing at least a portion of the fuel cell system, the battery system, or the hydrogen storage system (HSS) in the second available volume.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the installing includes installing the HSS in the second available volume.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the HSS is configured to store hydrogen in a gaseous state.
8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
removing a radiator from the frame of the haul truck to create a front of frame volume; and
installing a cooling system in the front of frame volume, the cooling system being at least 10% larger in volume than the radiator.
9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
connecting the fuel cell system, the battery system, and the HSS.
10. The method of claim 3 , wherein the battery system has a mass, the mass of the battery system being evenly distributed between the first wheel pocket and the second wheel pocket.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the HSS is configured to store hydrogen in a liquid state.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the HSS includes a plurality of storage tanks.