Three new Doosan DA40s for LES
Fuel economy, drive power and high comfort from new Doosan ADTs on Scottish colliery reclamation contract
THREE new 40-tonne Doosan DA40 articulated dumptrucks (ADTs) have been purchased by Land Engineering Services Ltd (LES), based in Wakefield, Yorkshire, for use on the company’s Comrie Colliery Reclamation Scheme in West Fife, Scotland. The trucks were supplied by Wakefield-based Filtermech Plant Sales Ltd, the authorized Doosan dealers for Yorkshire.
The former Comrie colliery site is recognized as the largest area of post-industrial dereliction in West Fife. A combination of contaminated land, large areas of hardstanding associated with the former colliery pit-head area and a 40m high burning colliery waste bing mean that in excess of 100ha of countryside are currently unfit for any conventional countryside use.
The LES project involves using a fleet of equipment, including the Doosan ADTs, to deliver more than 680,000 tonnes of coal through the working of the 52ha of the coal resource, whilst using revenues from the extraction to: treat the spontaneous combustion on the bing; reprofile and remove dereliction on the bing; treat contamination in Bickram Wood and the former Rexco smokeless-fuel plant; and create a new wetland habitat on the north of the site.
The Doosan DA40 ADT has an increased body capacity of 24.4 cubic metres, and the payload has been boosted to 40 tonnes without tailgate, an increase of more than 15% over the payload of Doosan’s previous MT41 model.
In a range of competitive tests carried out by LES, the DA40 demonstrated superior fuel economy, rough-terrain capabilities and operator comfort, which formed the basis of the decisions behind the purchase of the trucks.
Dean Devine, a director at LES, said: ‘In one of the tests we carried out, the fuel efficiency of the DA40 was compared to that of an equivalent model from another manufacturer and we found that the Doosan used up to 10 litres/h less fuel on the applications we typically carry out.’
The DA40 ADT is powered by the six-cylinder Scania DC13 Stage IIIB-compliant diesel engine with a gross power output of 368kW (500hp) at 2,100 rev/min, offering a 10% increase in engine power compared with the MT41 model. The increased engine power is combined with SCR technology to further reduce fuel consumption.
Also contributing to the overall 8% reduction in fuel consumption is a new ZF transmission offering eight forward and four reverse speeds. To withstand the increased power, the driveline dimensions and cooling capacity of the truck have been increased. Overall, the DA40 is said to combine best-in-class fuel consumption with a higher top speed of 58km/h (36 miles/h).
Mr Devine added: ‘In another test we conducted in the thick wet clay we have at our project in Tadcaster, Yorkshire, the DA40 greatly outperformed other ADTs on the site in terms of its ability to drive and manoeuvre in the heavy conditions.’
According to Doosan, a 22% increase in gross torque to 2,373Nm (1,750 lb ft) at 1,300 rev/min, together with high engine power, improved ground clearance and an efficient powertrain, mean the DA40 delivers best-in-class rimpull in extreme hauling conditions.
Moreover, the DA40 has permanent six-wheel drive for equal power distribution while the combination of the free-swinging rear tandem bogie, special articulation system and sloping rear frame avoids the need for electronic aids, such as traction control, in rough and soft terrain.
Mr Devine continued: ‘The DA40 also scores very highly in terms of operator comfort. We have had a number of different operators driving the new ADTs and all of them agreed that it was the comfiest cab they had ever been in.’
The DA40 has a completely new cab providing more space and improved visibility for the operator, reduced noise levels and a fully automatic climate control system. For easier operation, Doosan have also introduced new electronic systems and simplified fingertip controls with a digital display of all machine functions.
