Decarbonising Combustion

The mining industry is confronted with a myriad of opportunities and challenges in its energy transition. Mining equipment operates in the harshest of environments the world has to offer; the physical demands on the machines are tremendous, and reliability is paramount. Combine emissions compliance, robust demands of the products, and an ever-changing market landscape with an imperative need to balance total cost of ownership (TCO), and it is easy to see why many across the industry are asking important questions about what will be powering equipment in years to come.

There are many potential power solutions in varying stages of development that could meet the outputs needed for the future of mining, each with different surrounding infrastructure requirements and installation complexities. While there is a long-term future for many of these solutions, the timeframe and validation of when these technologies will be readily available, as well as able to meet the power demands and reliability requirements of miners while balancing TCO, is currently unknown.

What solutions can we therefore look at today that can generate valuable and required emissions reductions, while balancing robustness, TCO, and performance? For Cummins, these conditions make a strong case for the future of combustion.

Why combustion?

Internal combustion engines (ICE) play a crucial role in powering mining operations today, and are likely to continue to do so for many years to come. While zero emission technologies and accompanying infrastructure are advancing, combustion engines are also evolving to be more efficient and cleaner than ever before. The ongoing development of these technologies creates a promising pathway for the mining industry to reduce emissions while delivering dependable performance.

Latest generation combustion technology offers major benefits to miners, without requiring OEMs to entirely redesign existing equipment. For example, the Cummins QSK60 is a familiar design for OEMs that delivers up to 2850 hp and 8274 lb-ft of torque at Tier 4 and Stage V compliant levels of emissions. It can run for over 40 000 hr without an engine overhaul, and can be rebuilt more than three times. This long lifespan and commonality with previous generations reduces installation costs and total cost of ownership (TCO), while also lowering supply chain emissions associated with the development and transportation of brand-new engines.

Tier 4 and Stage V

Tier 4 and Stage V legislation were introduced with the primary goal of reducing NOx and particulate matter emissions from engines, but they are also beneficial in other ways.

Cummins Tier 4/Stage V compliant engines operate with an average 5% reduction in fuel consumption compared to previous generations, while still meeting aggressive emission regulations and providing significant gains in TCO to add substantial value to miners and their operations.

One of the ways in which Cummins has met these challenges is through the optimisation of combustion technology, combustion hardware, and systems to reduce particulate matter and improve fuel consumption efficiency.

 

This is a preview of an article that was originally published in the May 2025 issue of Global Mining Review.

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Read the article online at: https://www.globalminingreview.com/mining/21052025/decarbonising-combustion/