12-Ton Lithium Battery Locomotive for Surface Haulage at a Large Iron Mine in China
At a large iron mine in China, surface rail haulage covers routes of 2-3 km. Each trip carries approximately 90 tonnes on 600 mm gauge track, with a maximum gradient of 10 per mille. The customer needed a locomotive configuration that could meet this duty while reducing both the number of charging events and the time required for charging.
The selected solution was a 12-ton mining battery operated locomotive in the CTY12/6GP configuration. It uses lithium battery power, two battery packs with one charger, AC frequency speed control and compressed-air braking.
Project Background
The project serves a large iron mine in China. The customer’s name is withheld for confidentiality. The locomotive operates in an open-pit surface transport application rather than in a coal mine or an underground explosive-gas environment.
Customer Requirement
The customer’s request focused on battery operation and maintenance. The objective was to reduce charging frequency, shorten charging time and reduce maintenance. The locomotive also needed to handle the mine’s approximately 90-ton single-trip transport requirement.
Working Conditions
The known operating conditions defined the selection boundary: a 600 mm track gauge, a maximum gradient of 10 per mille, a surface transport distance of 2-3 km and an approximate single-trip load of 90 tonnes. Because the application is at an iron mine rather than a coal mine, an explosion-proof configuration was not required.
Equipment Selection
The selected equipment was the CTY12/6GP 12-ton lithium battery locomotive. The 12-ton class matched the project’s approximately 90-ton traction requirement, while the 600 mm build matched the existing rail gauge.
Selected Technical Parameters
- Model: CTY12/6GP; locomotive weight: 12 tonnes; track gauge: 600 mm.
- Traction force: 16.48 kN; maximum traction force: 29.43 kN; speed: 8.7 km/h.
- Battery device: 192 V and 560 Ah; charging arrangement: two battery packs and one charger.
- Motor power: 2 x 22 kW; transmission: secondary drive.
- Overall dimensions: 5,100 mm long, 1,050 mm wide and 1,800 mm high.
- Wheelbase: 1,150 mm; wheel diameter: 680 mm; minimum turning radius: 10 m.
- Speed control: AC frequency control; braking method: compressed-air brake.
Why This Configuration
Capacity Matched to the Haulage Requirement
The required load was approximately 90 tonnes per trip. This traction demand was the primary reason for selecting the 12-ton locomotive class.
Power Arrangement Selected Around Charging Needs
Lithium battery power was selected in response to the customer’s request for fewer charging events, shorter charging time and less maintenance. The project configuration uses two battery packs and one charger.
Configuration Matched to the Site
The 600 mm gauge matches the mine’s rail system. The selection also accounts for the documented 2-3 km transport distance and maximum gradient of 10 per mille. As the project is a non-coal mining application, explosion protection was not required.
Specified Control, Braking and Drive
The completed configuration uses AC frequency speed control, compressed-air braking and secondary transmission. These are the specified control, braking and drive arrangements for this locomotive.
Factory Testing and Project Documentation
The project record includes a factory running test of the completed locomotive. It also includes photographs of the lithium battery pack, the charging connection and the battery interface. At the mine, the locomotive was photographed on the rail line with project personnel.
Actual Result
The locomotive is now operating at the iron mine. According to the available project information, its operating performance is good and it fully meets the customer’s requirements.
A Selection Based on Documented Duty Conditions
This project connects the operating duty directly to the equipment choice: approximately 90 tonnes per trip, 600 mm track, a maximum gradient of 10 per mille, a 2-3 km surface route and a non-coal mining environment. The resulting solution is a CTY12/6GP lithium battery locomotive with a two-battery, one-charger arrangement. For model details, see the 12-ton battery locomotive product page. For other projects, use the mining electric locomotive selection guide to organize the operating information needed for model selection.
