Heavy Load Motor-Generator (Dynamotor) Questions

[TRBob]

Hi, I’m currently working on a project as part of an engineering degree that requires a motor-generator that is capable of raising a load of around 300 tonnes through a winch system.

Is this technically possible? How much do you estimate one would cost? What would be the device’s efficiency?

[wizofid]

if you have done any research, you would know that so far, about 200 tons is the limit for the as built cranes. I certainly could be wrong, but that has been the limit of what I have seen.

As a purely theoretical project - one could just go through the exercise of building a machine - on paper - and build up your device, using todays Gen-sets and see how much you power you do need.

[Farmhand]

Yes it's possible, one of these Dragline's will do what you want, some of them can lift over 300 tonnes, and I think they generate when the bucket is lowered and soforth.

‪P&H Dragline Bucket‬‏ - YouTube

‪"Earth Eater" bucket used at Freedom Mine‬‏ - YouTube

I think they would be very expensive and probably not very efficient unless very well maintained which would also cost a lot of money.

300 tonnes is a lot to lift. What will you suspend it from ? Even the chains or cable will be very substantial.

Cheers

[TRBob]

Thanks Farmhand, I used incorrect wording in my original post regarding the winch system, the motor-generator will be used to pull a load up a mountain side/steep incline on a rail system, it does not have to be 300 tonnes, it can be much lighter, its for a gravitational potential energy storage system

[Farmhand]

Oh yes I see, excelent project. So you want to winch the load up a track then as it is lowered generate electricity ? That should work. If a gearing system is used an lot of weight could be lifted in a long time with a small power input, then when lowered it generates from gravity. I hope some others add to this thread for you I don't know enough to comment further, I've worked on mining equipment but only in a structural maintainance capacity, so I thought I would comment about the draglines, I've had first hand experience with what it takes to move mining equipment and other large things around when they don't move themselves, it's not easy and very dangerous, people can quite easily be cut in two by these things of course.

Cheers