How Efficient are Bucket Wheel Excavators in Europes Lignite fields?

Question

Bucket wheel excavators are used extensively around europe to remove overburden and extract lignite for power stations.

The largest offer 240,000 tonnes per day production.

But just how efficient are they over a year.

What are the realistic yearly production rates.

I am curious as this is a lot for one machine to actually handle.

Is there any where I can check?

Answer 1

Efficient? If you mean how much 'down time' could be expected over a year, then I wouldn't think they would be much different to any other large excavator, which really isn't a lot.
I drove large excavators (drag lines, face shovels etc.) on opencast coal sites etc. more than 30 years ago, and each machine had a 'banksman' whose main job was to grease all points at the appropriate interval. These varied from 2, 4, 8 16 hour intervals, up to (uncommonly) monthly intervals,
A lot of this, no doubt, is now done automatically, but the principal will be the same, and as with ANY piece of machinary, as long as they are 'looked after' they will give excellent service.


Google for "Bucket Wheel Excavators" Lots of sites