Work

Load and Energy Consumption Analysis of Rope Winches Used in Mining Rail Transport

Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: A central engineering concern in the use of such winches is their energy intensity, which is significantly influenced by operational factors such as the length and gradient of the transport route, the transported weight, and the target hauling velocity. These variables directly affect the drive system’s load and thus the power demand of the motor, which represents the primary component of the system’s energy consumption. While manufacturers typically provide structural, kinematic, and power-related specifications, the user must evaluate whether a given winch can operate efficiently within the energy constraints imposed by specific site conditions. To aid in this assessment, an analytical model, along with a computational software tool, has been developed. This solution enables the continuous determination of essential parameters, with particular attention paid to the energy requirements of the system, supporting informed selection and implementation of winches with appropriately rated motors to optimize energy consumption. For the analyzed case, it was calculated that doubling the transport distance results in an increase in energy consumption of approximately 50%. Moreover, an increase in the velocity of the transported weight by only 0.5 m/s leads to a rise in energy consumption of approximately 25%.
Source: Energies
Language: English
Subfield: Food Science
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,137
OpenAlex ID: W4410901839
FWCI: 0.43
Cites: 17
Cited by: 1
Related to: 10