System and method for reinjection of retard energy in a trolley-based electric mining haul truck
View Patent ↗Retard energy regenerated from an electrical motor during braking action is reinjected into a power system via trolley lines. The retard energy may be transmitted to a bidirectional electric substation and returned to a utility grid. The retard energy may also be transmitted to an auxiliary energy storage system, such as an ultracapacitor system or a battery system. Installing trolley lines for mining haul trucks on a downhill slope may be used to capture and re-use substantial quantities of retard energy.
1. A method for reinjecting retard energy regenerated from an electrical motor on a mining haul truck, the method comprising the steps of:
operably coupling the mining haul truck to trolley lines before the mining haul truck travels downhill; and
transmitting via the trolley lines at least a portion of the retard energy regenerated during at least one retard interval to a bidirectional electric substation, wherein the at least one retard interval occurs while the mining haul truck is travelling downhill.
2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:
charging an on-board electrical energy storage system with at least a portion of the retard energy.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein:
the on-board electrical energy storage system comprises at least one ultracapacitor.
4. The method of claim 2 , wherein:
the on-board electrical energy storage system comprises at least one battery.
5. The method of claim 2 , further comprising the step of:
supplying electrical power to the electrical motor from the on-board electrical energy storage system.
6. A method for storing retard energy regenerated from an electrical motor on a vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:
determining whether an on-board electrical energy storage system is fully charged;
upon determining that the on-board electrical energy storage system is not fully charged:
transmitting at least a portion of the retard energy to the on-board electrical energy storage system; and
charging the on-board electrical energy storage system with at least a portion of the retard energy; and
upon determining that the on-board electrical energy storage system is fully charged:
transmitting via trolley lines at least a portion of the retard energy to an auxiliary electrical energy storage system; and
charging the auxiliary electrical energy storage system with at least a portion of the retard energy.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein:
the vehicle comprises a mining haul truck.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein:
the step of transmitting via trolley lines at least a portion of the retard energy to an auxiliary electrical energy storage system occurs while the mining haul truck is travelling downhill.
9. The method of claim 6 , wherein:
the auxiliary electrical energy storage system comprises at least one ultracapacitor.
10. The method of claim 6 , wherein:
the auxiliary electrical energy storage system comprises at least one battery.
11. The method of claim 6 , further comprising the step of:
transmitting at least a portion of the retard energy to a unidirectional electric substation via at least one of:
the trolley lines; or
the auxiliary electrical energy storage system.
12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising the step of:
charging the auxiliary electrical energy storage system with electrical power supplied from the unidirectional electric substation.
13. The method of claim 6 , further comprising the step of:
transmitting at least a portion of the retard energy to a bidirectional electric substation via at least one of:
the trolley lines; or
the auxiliary electrical energy storage system.
14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising the step of:
charging the auxiliary electrical energy storage system with electrical power supplied from the bidirectional electric substation.
15. The method of claim 6 further comprising the step of:
supplying electrical power to the trolley lines from the auxiliary electrical energy storage system.
16. The method of claim 6 , wherein:
the on-board electrical energy storage system comprises at least one ultracapacitor.
17. The method of claim 6 , wherein:
the on-board electrical energy storage system comprises at least one battery.
18. The method of claim 6 , further comprising the step of:
supplying electrical power to the electrical motor from the on-board electrical energy storage system.