Water truck delivers integrated solution for haul roads

Properly watered haul roads directly impact fleet cycle times and the ability to meet production targets. As haul road dust takes a toll on safety and productivity at mines and quarries, the water truck is one of the most important pieces of support equipment at the site.

The new Cat® 777 (05) Water Solutions Truck provides an integrated solution to help reduce haul road dust by solving overwatering and underwatering issues.

The new 777 (05) is built on the Cat 777E truck platform, proven at mine, quarry and construction sites globally. An innovative truck that uses less water for controlling haul road dust, the design integrates the truck, tank, and water delivery system, connected with technology.

Its Cat Water Delivery System (WDS) combines with Cat MineStar Edge™ connectivity to help operations manage the site more safely and productively with flexible levels of technology to meet site needs.

Boasting a 75 700-l (20,000-gal) Cat-branded water tank, the 777 (05) comes complete with spray system, splash guards, fill chute and rock ejectors. It is powered by the 765 kW (1,026 hp) Cat C32B engine that meets China Nonroad Stage III emission standards, equivalent to U.S. EPA Tier 2.

The new water truck’s exclusive Cat WDS features a self-contained hydraulic system that controls spray patterns independent of engine RPM for consistent watering.

Variable water flow, based on the truck’s speed, automatically starts and stops when the truck slows or comes to a halt, preventing overwatering and subsequent poor traction at road intersections. The pump features soft startups and automatically shuts off when the tank is empty to prevent system damage.

WDS components include a water cannon, oil cooler, variable displacement pump, hydraulic oil tank, electronic control boxes and hydraulic motor/water pump. Covering up to a 24-m (80-ft) wide road in a single pass, the system sprays at rates reaching 0.8 l/m2 (0.2 gal/ft2) at speeds from 4 to 40 kph (3 to 25 mph). With its maximum 61-m (200-ft) spray distance, the truck’s water cannon offers a maximum flow rate reaching 4732 l/min (1,250 gal/min).

Factory-installed, ergonomic water controls are integrated into the truck’s design for convenient system operation. Its innovative automated water delivery feature enables the operator to remain focused on driving and site traffic to enhance safety.

Complete with auto shut-off to prevent overfilling, the water tank is filled remotely, allowing the operator to remain inside the cab during the cycle to reduce potential operator slips and falls.

Flexible levels of the cloud based MineStar Edge technology are integrated with the Cat WDS to collect and communicate machine data, allowing site supervisors to monitor the water truck to know where and when it’s spraying water.

Asset management options include productivity, water usage, fuel and water tank levels, when and where to apply water, geofencing, asset location, and remote management of water distribution.

Providing tracking capabilities without the need for infrastructure investment, Edge Equipment Tracking delivers basic connectivity without interfering with existing fleet management systems. Helping to achieve a lower total cost of ownership, Equipment Tracking provides insights to help mines better manage their assets.

It features service meter readings, fueling and recording data, location accuracy and replay, time utilization tracking with downtime and operator tracking, automatic stoppage measurement, and health event recording.

Paired with Equipment Tracking, MineStar Edge Production Recording delivers premium connectivity with an accurate and automated near-real-time measurement solution that reports on every aspect of the watering cycle without requiring operator input.

Giving visibility to the entire operation, it helps to discover opportunities for improving productivity. This premium package also includes water usage by truck/fill station, volume and rate of water put down over time and area covered, water delivery system setting by location, truck, and conditions, activity breakdown with time and distance – watering, not watering, stopped, etc.

This integrated system with Cat-branded tank options is fully supported by the Cat dealer and parts network. Covered by the Caterpillar factory standard warranty, the water truck, including tank and components, is eligible for Cat equipment protection plans (EPP) and customer value agreements (CVAs).

Cat dealer installation of the integrated system is available and retrofit kits for existing Cat 777E truck platforms in the field have planned availability in the future.