Caterpillar automates water delivery in mining operations

While necessary for dust control, driving a water truck across mine site haul roads is a repetitive task that lends itself to automation and autonomy. As such, Caterpillar has launched what it said is the first commercially available autonomous water truck (AWT), based on the 789D mining truck chassis integrated with the truck, tank and Cat Water Delivery System (WDS) and connected with Cat MineStar technology.

The autonomous water truck is based on a 789D mining truck chassis integrated with the truck, tank and Cat Water Delivery System (WDS) and connected with Cat MineStar technology. (Photo: Caterpillar)

The 789D is the largest model in the company’s water truck product offering and can accommodate up to 165,000 liters (43,588 gal.), depending on tank configuration. The WDS varies waterflow based on truck speed and automatically determines the correct amount of water needed to control dust. The AWT in turn senses when the water tank is running low and can be programmed to integrate with the water refill station to fully automate the water refill process. The auto shutoff feature prevents tank overfilling.

Featuring Command for hauling, the 789D AWT complies with watering plans and seamlessly interacts with other autonomous equipment, the company stated. It also integrates with customer mining processes and systems managed by MineStar.

The Cat Water Delivery System varies waterflow based on truck speed and automatically determines the correct amount of water needed to control dust. (Photo: Caterpillar)

“To meet customer requirements for dust control, Caterpillar implemented a MineStar-integrated watering model based on many years of site watering studies and Cat WDS performance data,” said Corey Wurtzbacher, general manager and vice president, Technology and Global Sales Support at Caterpillar. “This model allows the truck to monitor traffic, weather and road conditions, prioritize what areas need watered, when the areas need watered and how many passes it should take to apply the correct amount of water saturation for the given conditions.”

If a site is not yet ready for a fully autonomous water truck, MineStar has cloud-based solutions that will work in the interim and allow customers to utilize, track and measure the productivity of the 789D before it is put into autonomous operation. 

Mines have the option to quickly switch the 789D AWT from autonomous mode to staffed mode as necessary for tasks such as front water cannon operation. Even with staffed operation, Auto Mode water delivery automates the watering process. The water truck can be integrated into the MineStar ecosystem once a site is ready for full autonomous mode.