Posted by Paul Moore on Aug 24, 2021
At mining and quarrying sites, dust from haulage roads can affect safety and productivity, resulting in an ongoing struggle to balance dust suppression and overwatering. Building on the proven Cat® 777G truck platform, the new Cat 777G Water Solutions truck offers mining and quarrying companies an innovative and smarter water truck for controlling road dust. It’s an interesting direct move from Caterpillar into the mining watercraft market that has traditionally been served by dealers and specialist third-party companies that use Cat chassis.
By integrating the truck, tank and water supply system along with technology, the Cat Water Solutions 777G helps solve surface and subsea problems with an emphasis on sustainable operations. The Cat Water Delivery System (WDS) combined with Cat® MineStar Edge ™ connectivity helps operations manage the site more securely and productively with scalable technology levels and offers both basic and premium options to meet site requirements . “
The new Cat 777G Water Solutions truck comes standard with an integrated 76,000 l (20,000 gal) Cat brand water tank, complete with a spray system, splash guard, filler chute and stone chute. Thanks to the adaptive economy mode, the truck’s engine uses up to 13% less fuel than in full load mode. The water cannon works at engine idling speed and reduces fuel consumption by up to 50%.
The “Exclusive Cat WDS” provides a variable water flow based on truck speed and determines the appropriate flow to reduce the risk of accidents due to poor visibility while saving water. The variable displacement pump starts and stops automatically when the truck slows down or comes to a standstill, thus preventing overwatering and the resulting poor traction at intersections. ”It also has a soft start and switches off automatically when the tank is empty to prevent damage on the system by running the pump dry. WDS components include a water cannon, oil cooler, variable displacement pump, hydraulic oil tank, electronic control boxes, and hydraulic motor / water pump.
By reducing the health hazards posed by particles in the air, automated water dispensing also allows the driver to focus on driving for increased safety at the site. The remote control of the tank, complete with automatic shutdown to prevent overfilling, allows the driver to stay in the cab while refilling to avoid possible slips and falls of the driver.
Scalable technology with Cat MineStar Edge
Integrated into the Cat WDS, the cloud-based MineStar Edge collects and communicates machine data and enables site managers to monitor the fleet and achieve production goals. The system is scalable to specific site requirements and can provide a range of data to improve fleet productivity, including real-time and historical reports, truck location and utilization, fuel and water levels, amount of water distributed, area covered and amount of water recorded. in addition to other operating metrics.
This fully integrated system with a Cat branded tank is supported by your local Cat dealer. The water truck, including tank and components, is covered by Caterpillar’s standard factory warranty and is eligible for Cat Equipment Protection Plans (EPP) and Customer Value Agreements (CVAs). Retrofit kits are available for existing Cat 777G truck platforms in the field.
