InfraStructures - February 2011 - “Clean & Green” Machine Sets the Pace at Armstrong Coal

“Clean & Green” Machine Sets the Pace at Armstrong Coal

In a few short years, Armstrong Coal has made great progress in its mission to supply clean coal for power generation. As its newest venture readied to start production, the Equality Mine on western Kentucky’s Green River, the coal producer set about commissioning a new dock facility 8 km downstream to serve its coal preparation facility at Centertown, Kentucky.

Now in full operation, the new Armstrong Dock has proved itself to be a showcase for clean, efficient productivity.

The centerpiece of the dock is one of the largest hydraulic material handlers in America: a 159 t SENNEBOGEN 880 R-HD. Swinging a 10,7 m3 clamshell and designed to outpace much larger rope cranes, the 880 R-HD is a model of purpose-built efficiency. For a machine of its size, it is also surprisingly quiet, economical and environmentally-friendly, owing to the all-electric drive supplied by SENNEBOGEN.

To build and operate the Armstrong Dock, the company turned to Wabash Marine, a specialist in river construction and contracting based in Henderson, Kentucky.

They mounted the material handler to a barge built to their specifications by Eagle Industries of St. Louis, Missouri, then brought the completed barge to the Armstrong Dock, 160 km upriver.

Wabash Marine continues to work on the Armstrong Dock maintaining the equipment and operating the material handler.
Armstrong Coal’s 880 R-HD features SENNEBOGEN’s hydraulically elevating cab. The operator can move the cab up and out, within a radius of about 6 m. This allows him to achieve the best vantage point for seeing the target area while loading as well as the area around the machine.

Source: SENNEBOGEN LLC