Join the e-volution: Keestrack shifts via e-drive to ZERO drive

Keestrack going for ZERO emissions

“At Bauma the Join the e-volution campaign is at full speed”, says Marcel Kerkhofs, Marketing Manager at Keestrack. “Keestrack has a strong reputation on innovative and cost-effective equipment with a relentless search on the best performance at the lowest cost per produced ton and using the best drive system possible Today this means going electric.”

 Sustainability

“A focus on sustainability is at the core of our company as this is the origin of our business.

Producing and recycling valuable raw materials is what mobile crushing and screening is all about”, says Frederik Hoogendoorn, Vice President Sales & Marketing, “and Urban mining is definitely having a positive impact on the ecological footprint.” Throughout the years Keestrack is active, besides urban mining, in the quarrying, mining & aggregates industry. “As these heavy duty industries need very powerful drive systems Keestrack kept on searching for alternative drive systems. From load sensing hydraulics,  to e-drives and now we are going to ZERO drives. This way we want to protect the planet and save money at the same time”. Hoogendoorn continues.

E-drive and drop-off engine

Keestrack introduced electric drives in 2012 by the e-drive; electric plug-in with onboard diesel/gen-set in case there is no electric plug-in available. The e-driven machines evolved to equipment with a drop-off engine/gen set unit which could be placed next to the equipment, in less dusty and vibrant circumstances, or on the frame of the machine.

Zero drive

Nowadays Keestrack introduced the ZERO-drive machines, without any combustion engines on board. Electric motors drive most of the mobile crushing and screening equipment and power some necessary hydraulics systems. The following equipment is available in ZERO-drive: H6e & H7e cone crushers, all impact crushers incl. I4e , all scalper screens except the K8, C6e classifier, all stackers, all jaw crushers except the B3 and the tracked Apron feeder A6.

“At this point electric drive systems are the greenest and most effective options on the market, as they are more efficient than conventional hydraulic systems. But it also makes the end-user  less dependent on a specific engine supplier. If there is no electric plug-in available the end-user can choose his own gen set or select one of the Keestrack (tracked)engine/gen-set units”, says Kees Hoogendoorn, President of the Keestrack Group. 

Some figures

Compared to conventional diesel-hydraulic units, diesel-electric driven plants directly save up to 40% of fuel.

While working in production trains, the attributable fuel consumption may even decrease by 70% when the hybrid screens and stackers are powered directly via the plug-out supply of an upstream or downstream electric crusher.

When plugged in to the grid savings are even bigger, (depending on the local electricity price), as operational costs and maintenance cost will decrease drastically.

Machines on show

Keestrack I4e tracked mobile reversible impact crusher

A complete new mobile concept is the new tracked mobile horizontal reversible impact crusher. Due to the innovative RIC (Reversible Impact Crusher) technology, this machine can be used in secondary and tertiary crushing of rock, oversized gravel and recycling building materials (e.g. Asphalt). The specific design of the reversible horizontal impact crusher with a large variable crushing chamber, powerful rotor (Ø 1100 mm; 4 blow bars) and electronically monitored hydraulic gap adjustment (+80 to -220 mm with new tools) allows feed sizes up to 250 mm and ensures consistently high-quality end products of up to 0/2 mm in closed circuit. Secondary and tertiary crushing can be combined in one highly mobile solution, which makes the Keestrack I4e a real alternative to mobile cone crushers or vertical impact crushers, especially with regard to its outstanding production capacities from 100 to 250 t/h. According to Keestrack, the system offers also lower wear, better quality of the end products (grain shape) and significant energy savings in typical applications (e.g. sand production 0/4 mm: approx. -30% compared to cone crushers; -30 to -40% compared to VSI impact crushers) also due to the advanced electric ZERO drive concept, backed up by the drop-off engine/gen-set consisting of a 447 kW diesel engine and 300 kVa generator.

Electric drives for the crusher (160 kW), feeders and conveyor belts as well as the system hydraulics enable particularly cost-efficient and emission-free plug-in network operation. Three specific patents illustrate the innovative potential of the new Keestrack I4e concept.

The material enters the hopper of the I4e, the loading apron feeder, which grants no loss of fine material and ensures a long life time is then gradually feeding the reversable loading conveyor which has an integrated metal detector. When metal is detected the conveyor reverses and a drum magnet separates only the metal.

The compact system (transport dimensions: 15.270  x 3.000 x 3.310 mm), weighing 42 t includes a single-deck after screen with return conveyor of oversized material. The closed circuit ensures a production of 100% final material with very high quality for any European norms!

H7e ZERO cone crusher

The biggest machine on show is the new H7e ZERO cone crusher. With a height over 7m, a cone with proven technology of 26t, and options like a 2-deck pre-screen and 3-deck after screen, it weighs fully equipped 92t. In case there is no electric plug-in connection possible for the H7e ZERO it can be driven by the M7 tracked engine unit. The H7e cone has a feed size up to 250 mm, C.S.S. min. – max. 16 – 48 mm depending on the crusher chamber configuration and a capacity up to 415 t/h and is driven by a 330 kW e-motor.

Another machine of the ZERO range on show is the B7e ZERO jaw crusher. Without an onboard combustion engine, the B7e will be driven only by electro motors. At Bauma the B7e will be connected to the tracked engine unit M5. The B7e ZERO jaw crusher has a double deck pre-screen and a feed opening of 1.200 x 830 mm and an outlet adjustment C.S.S. min.-max. 75 – 250 mm and can take a feed size up to 700 mm. The jaw crusher is equipped with the patented N.S.S., non-stop system, which protects the crusher from uncrushable feed and resets the C.S.S. automatic during operations.

The R5e impactor of Keestrack is now available in full electric plug-in ZERO mode or it can be powered via a drop off engine/gen set unit. The R5e is very mobile and can be transported in one piece even equipped in closed circuit. The double deck pre-screen ensures perfect screening and the material can be stockpiled by the side conveyors, or can go via the crusher bypass. The impact crusher is driven by a 200kW motor and drives the rotor, with a width of 1.000 mm and a diameter of 1.260 mm, with an extremely high mass moment of inertia, which gives high productivity and stability. The optional 2-deck precision screen can be placed in closed circuit and the middle and fine fraction can be stockpiled as an additional option.

The R5e can power, like all e-drives, other machinery with its plug-out functionality. The R5e ZERO at Bauma has its drop off engine placed on the chassis of the machine but it can also be taken off the machine. It functions as a backup when there is no connectivity to the grid available.

The M5 tracked engine/generator unit introduced at bauma, can supply connected Keestrack crushers, screeners and stackers directly with electricity in case there is no plug-in connection from the grid available. This way the economic advantages of the complete production train will rise due to using only one engine for several machines. The Keestrack M5 tracked engine unit which carries a Cummins X12 EU Stage V engine and Alternator which delivers 383kW, 450 kVA to drive all electric equipment at 197g/kWh. The tracked engine unit can be a perfect back up for the ZERO drive machines in case they have no electric plug in capacity on site.

The new full electric tracked apron feeder A6 functions as a buffer with its 15m³ hopper and makes sure the following machine, often a stacker, is evenly fed with material. The A6 has to be powered by other e-machines or the grid .The A6 is easy to position with  2 drive speeds and the hopper can turn 90°, so it is possible to use the hopper in line to the tracks or in 90° position.

Keestrack shows the most equipment in crushing and screening at bauma 2022 with 14 pieces of equipment. The new designed K3 scalper and a K5 with bivitec® screen, followed by the Semi static electric S1e stacker. A complete new 2-shaft schredder P3 and the award winning R3e impact crusher which has a complete new double deck after screen, completed with two dust suppression cannons W4 & W7. Besides all this Keestrack will also show at their booth the first electric Keestrack B1e tractor which will be produced at Goldoni-Keestrack in Italy.