Caterpillar D7E: Move earth and save the Earth ( Hybrid Bulldozer...?

CNET ^ | June 12, 2009 2:28 PM PDT | Wayne Cunningham

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

fyi

[fso301]

D7 is nice but the D9 is a sight to behold

[OneWingedShark]

>The D7E differs from traditional earth-moving equipment in that it uses a locomotive-style series hybrid drivetrain.

Diesel Turbines! Nice.

[Not now, Not ever!]

Hybrid my 0bambi, I want to see a carbon belch!

[org.whodat]

No, it is a conventional engine, but the dozer has electric drive motors. The diesel powers a train style generator.

[tubebender]

It sure ain't my Daddy's D6 from the 40s. Don't the really big earth movers in mine quarries already use this technology...

[justlurking]

I thought the predecessors had hydraulic drivetrains: i.e. the engine basically drove an oil pump.

Maybe the electric drivetrain is more efficient, but wouldn't the hydraulic drivetrain be a "hybrid" too?

[org.whodat]

http://www.mechanicshub.com/mechanics-hub-community/21-worlds-biggest/148-World-Largest-Truck-T-282-by-Liebherr.html

[Gandalf_The_Gray]

No, it is a conventional engine, but the dozer has electric drive motors. The diesel powers a train style generator.

R.G. LeTourneau (LeTourneau, Inc.) built some of the largest earth moving machines in the world. The old man was fanitically opposed to the use of oil hydraulics and insisted that his machines use electric motor powered winches and cable for all the actuators. That extended to the propel drive train as well. He was so biased against oil that he swore that if there was a way to run an internal combustion engine without lube oil, he's do it. After the fonder retired they slowly integrated oil hydraulics into their machines. Many of the huge open pit dump trucks also use and electric drive as well.

Regards,
GtG

[reefdiver]

The Hi Track, up drive sprocket a thing of the past?

[org.whodat]

I read a few years back of ford experiments with conventional style V8 engines made out of glass, using no oil, they turned 12 and 14,000 rpm. Don't know what became of the experiments.

[texas booster]

Are you from East Texas, to know about LeTourneau?

[Andy from Beaverton]

[TXnMA]

Caterpillar Marketing has snowed this naiive reporter. Hybrid drive earthmovers are not new. For many decades, the R.G. Letourneau "Tournapull" has used electric-drive wheels, powered by a diesel-driven generator...

[Andy from Beaverton]

(images source)

THAT TASTED GOOD!

[digger48]

BIG “oop-si-daisy”

[elkfersupper]

Every railroad locomotive is a "hybrid".

So is this thing.

I would love a diesel / electric hybrid 1-ton pickup.

Unfortunately, such a thing cannot be made (or can easliy be modified not) to abide by the speed limits.

Consequently, it will never happen.

[Disambiguator]

Those excavators are amazing. Plus, everything about them is politically incorrect. I mean, they’re STRIP MINING machines for gosh sakes. They mine for that nasty coal that iBama wants to ban.

[barb-tex]

RG also built the tourna train consisting a string of trailers with an electric motor in each wheel for snow, mud etc. Mercedes also builds diesel electric tractors, bushhogs having electric motors instead of power shafts. RG also put every thing on Rubber. after he sold the company to Westinghouse Air Brake, he developed land clearing machines that mowed down trees. He also had a machine that carried a one BR house made of concrete and set it on a foundation. Amazing man RG, self made, uneducated, a welder by trade. The Earthworm tractor company is searching for Obamadollars convincing the pols that they invented Hybrid earthmoving. BTW I got a letter from Obama Motors saying the Pres was going to take care of mei and offering a $2500 discount on a new Sub. I dont think so unless I bought it from a screwed over dealer
barbra ann