Researchers associated with the mechanical engineering department of IIT Indian School of Mines (ISM) in Dhanbad, Jharkhand, have developed a power-efficient, cost-effective hydraulic steering system for load haul dump vehicles used in mining operations.

“Apart from being power efficient and cost-effective the improved hydraulic steering systems for load haul dump (LHD) vehicles is also in tune with the objective of net zero emission, at a time when there is a renewed focus on energy conservation across the world in tune with the call for Net Zero Emission by 2050,” said dean media and branding IIT (ISM) Rajni Singh.

Two faculty members of the mechanical engineering department at the institute, Ajit Kumar and Niranjan Kumar have developed a hydraulic circuit system for Load Haul Dump (LHD) vehicles used in mining operations that helps in ensuring energy conservation.

“The newly developed system can also prove to be helpful during emergency situations like — pump failure to drive out the LHD vehicles to safer places. The new system has been developed in around two years as part of an institute-funded project worth Rs 6 lakh which began in 2019,” added Singh.

The system can be used commercially by mining equipment manufacturers, especially industries dealing with LHD vehicle manufacturing.

Notably, LHD vehicles are improvised front-end loaders developed for the toughest hard rock mining operation as they are extremely rugged, highly manoeuvrable and more productive.

Ajit, principal investigator of the project, giving details said: “In the traditional hydraulic circuit arrangement of LHD vehicles, there is a separate hydraulic system for operation of Cable Reeling Drum (CRD) that requires an additional pump along with the couplers, thereby increasing the overall power requirement of the vehicles.”

“In the new design an integrated hydraulic circuit system for the LHD vehicles steering system and CRD drive has been introduced to facilitate the simultaneous operations of the vehicle’s steering system and CRD drive using a single power pack unit thus minimising the overall power required for the vehicle,” Ajit added.

Moreover, though there is no arrangement in the traditional LHD vehicles to steer during a state of emergency but in the improvised design of LHD vehicles an accumulator is used in hydraulic steering circuit that acts as a power assist unit (PAU) to account for the vehicles emergency operation, like during the state of pump failure.

Explaining the working of the accumulator Ajit said: “The accumulator flow can be utilised to steer the vehicle for a limited time and be brought to a safer location for troubleshooting.”

“The invention relates to an open circuit proportional directional valve controlled hydraulic power steering system coupled with a priority valve and an accumulator for LHD vehicles. The invention for which a patent application has already been filed is at present in the laboratory stage and its field trial would be conducted soon,” informed Kumar.