Underground Construction - October 2021 - 47

NEWPRODUCTS LATEST INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENTS
Groundbreaking
Electro-Hydraulic System
Wins Volvo Technology Award
Breaking new grounds for hydraulic efficiency in
excavators, the Common Pressure Rail Hybrid system,
by Volvo Construction Equipment (Volvo CE),
is another innovation that improves performance
while reducing CO2
emissions, consistent with the
company's net zero value ambitions by 2040.
The innovation enables novel ways to reduce
energy losses in hydraulics. In the new system
architecture, all the machine's work functions
are connected to a hydraulic energy storage via
a common pressure rail, comprised by two or
more pressure lines. The energy storage enables
energy-efficient recovery of kinetic energy and
peak power supply. For cylinder-driven functions,
so-called " smart actuators " are used to achieve
energy-efficient conversion from hydraulic power
to a variable force and speed.
The system also allows energy recovery and performance
increase of the machine's rotating loads,
such as the swing function, through the introduction
of variable hydraulic machines. Thanks to greatly
reduced energy losses and the power contribution
from hydraulic accumulators, a smaller power
source can be used, reducing the need for cooling.
It has also earned the Volvo Technology Award
2021, which recognizes outstanding technical
advances that contribute to the enhancement of
the Volvo Group's high-tech competitiveness and
technological expertise. Winners of the award
include a Volvo CE team from Sweden and South
Korea that worked closely with Finnish company
Norrhydro, leveraging an idea initially born out of
academic collaborations.
Today, the innovation has matured into a
real-world solution, with ongoing customer trials
in the field, and is expected to accelerate the
introduction of e-mobility across Volvo CE's larger
excavator platform.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Volvo Construction Equipment,
(717) 532-9181, volvoce.com
Vermeer's VXT300 Vacuum Excavation Truck Designed for
Powerful, Efficient Digging
Vermeer upgrades its truck-mounted vacuum excavator line with the new VXT300 truck vac.
One of the lightest truck vacs in its class, it's designed with a low overall height of just 11.5 feet
(3.51 m), to efficiently transport spoils from the job site to the dumpsite.
VXT300 is also powerful. Outfitted with an 8-cubic-yard (6.1-m3
) spoil tank, 6-inch (15.2-cm)
dig tube and the ability to carry up to 800 gallons (3,028 L) of water, it allows crews to maximize
productivity on the job.
" It's a midsized PTO vacuum excavator for utility contractors working on projects where several
holes need to be dug and for drilling crews using large volumes of drilling fluid, " said Jake Jeffords,
director of sales, marketing and global accounts at Vermeer MV Solutions. " It is also a great fit for
municipalities and contractors working on sites that only allow for soft digging methods, such as
solar farms and data centers. "
VXT300 is built on a Kenworth T370 truck chassis with a 350-horsepower (261-kW) diesel engine and
6-speed, automatic 3,000 RDS Allison transmission. The truck's PTO drive powers its Roots 624 vacuum
blower with a maximum flow of 3,500 cfm (99 m3
/min) and maximum suction of 18 inHg (.6 bar).
With a water pump capable of producing 10 gallons per minute (37.9 L/min) at 3,000 psi (206.8
bar), VXT300 delivers productivity on large jobs, as well as when digging at deeper depths. In addition,
the PTO drive system allows the vac to keep running while repositioning the truck between holes,
rather than requiring full machine shutdown.
The control system enables VXT300 to be operated by one person using a durable full-function
belly-pack or handheld remote. The VXT300 also comes with a reverse flow option to assist with spoil
offloading and clearing hose clogs. *
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Vermeer, (641) 628-3141, vermeer.com
Volvo
volvoce.com
Volvo Construction Equipment reintroduced new,
high-performance engine filters that cut drain
intervals, and maintenance costs and planned
downtime, by up to 50 percent, without compromising
component performance or longevity.
Reducing the frequency of oil changes also impacts
employee safety, environmental and sustainability.
Maximum engine oil change interval is now
1,000 hours (or 12 months) when using Volvo's
UCONonline.com | OCTOBER 2021
47

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Underground Construction - October 2021

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