Vehicle for underground use and method of operating such a vehicle

Abstract

The vehicle (1) for underground use is provided with a powertrain comprising a piston engine (2), an electric generator (3) coupled to the piston engine (2) to be driven by said piston engine (2) to produce electricity, and at least one electric traction motor (4) electrically connected to the electric generator (3) and arranged in force transmission connection with one or more of the wheels (5) of the vehicle (1) for moving the vehicle (1) The vehicle (1) comprises a power take-off (6) configured to allow supply of electric power produced by said electric generator (3) to an external electrical power consumer (20).

Description

[0001] Vehicle for underground use and method of operating such a vehicle

[0002] Technical field of the invention

[0003] The invention concerns a vehicle for underground use, as defined in claim 1.

[0004] The invention also concerns a method of operating such a vehicle. of the invention

[0005] In underground work, such as mining and tunnelling, there is a need for various kinds of vehicles, machines, tools and equipment. Due to the conditions below the ground and also due to the characteristics of underground work, powering of the various vehicles and machines and other power consumers is challenging. Typical ways of powering underground equipment include the use of internal combustion engines and supply of electric power. Electric power can be supplied either from batteries or via a power grid. Each of the above-mentioned ways of powering underground equipment has both advantages and disadvantages. For instance, internal combustion engines typically provide long operating time and flexibility, as liquid fuels have a high energy density and the internal combustion engines are not dependent on power supply lines. On the other hand, the exhaust gases produced by the internal combustion engines need to be effectively ventilated from the mine or tunnel.

[0006] Battery-powered equipment does not produce harmful emissions, but the operating time is limited and high-capacity batteries are both heavy and expensive. Electricity supply via a power grid provides unlimited operating time, but limited flexibility. Often there is a need to operate various equipment in places where a power grid is not available.

[0007] Summary of the invention

[0008] The object of the invention is to solve at least some of the problems relating to the powering of various equipment in underground use by providing an improved vehicle for underground use and a method of operating such a vehicle.

[0009] The vehicle according to the invention for underground use is provided with a powertrain comprising a piston engine, an electric generator coupled to the piston engine to be driven by said piston engine to produce electricity, and at least one electric traction motor electrically connected to the electric generator and arranged in force transmission connection with one or more of the wheels of the vehicle for moving the vehicle. The vehicle comprises a power take-off configured to allow supply of electric power produced by said electric generator to an external electrical power consumer.

[0010] The vehicle according to the invention allows powering various equipment for example during mining and tunnelling work. As the electric generator is configured to power the traction motors of the vehicle, it can produce a high power. In particular when the vehicle is not driving, a high amount of energy is thus available via the power take-off to power various equipment. This allows even high-power electrical equipment to be supplied with electrical energy when a power grid is not available. The vehicle according to the invention can be used in particular in places where construction of a power grid is not feasible. Also, the vehicle can be used as a temporary solution before construction of a power grid or during failures of a power grid.

[0011] In the method according to the invention, electric power is supplied from the power take-off of the vehicle to an external electrical power consumer.

[0012] The vehicle according to the invention can be configured for tasks relating to mining and / or tunnelling. For instance, the vehicle could be a transport vehicle configured to transport concrete.

[0013] According to an embodiment of the invention, the powertrain is configured to allow power supply via the power take-off during driving of the vehicle. This allows, for instance, the use of the vehicle to transfer an electric vehicle when the electric vehicle cannot be powered by its own battery or an external power grid.

[0014] According to an embodiment of the invention, the powertrain is configured so that the power output of the piston engine and / or the electric generator can be controlled based on the power demand of the external electrical power consumer. The powertrain can allow the piston engine and the electric generator to be operated at the maximum power. When the vehicle is not driven, the full power of the piston engine can be utilized to drive the generator to produce electric power for the external electrical power consumer.

[0015] According to an embodiment of the invention, the powertrain is configured to limit the supply of electric power to the electric traction motor(s) when the combined power demand of the traction motor(s) and the external electrical power consumers connected to the power take-off exceeds the maximum power output of the piston engine and / or the electric generator to allow the external electrical power consumers to operate at the required power. The external electrical power consumers can thus be prioritized and the traction motors can be operated with limited power providing reduced maximum speed and acceleration. The external electrical power consumers can be any electrical power consumers connected to the power take-off. The external electrical power consumers can thus be devices located on-board the vehicle or towed by the vehicle.

[0016] While limiting the supply of electric power to the traction motors, the powertrain could be configured to ensure a certain minimum level of the power supplied to the traction motors. If the power demand of the external power consumers exceeds the maximum output power of the generator reduced by the minimum level guaranteed to the traction motors, even the power supply to the external power consumers could thus be limited.

[0017] According to an embodiment of the invention, the vehicle is configured to allow power take-off at least at two different voltage levels and / or frequencies of alternating current. The voltages and frequencies used in the power grids of mines can be different, for example depending on the geographical region. By allowing power supply with different voltages and frequencies, the same vehicle can be used for powering different electrical equipment used in mines.

[0018] According to an embodiment of the invention, the vehicle is configured to allow power take-off of AC and / or DC current.

[0019] According to an embodiment of the invention, the power take-off is connected to a DC / AC converter of said at least one traction motor. The electric generators of vehicles are often AC generators operated at variable speeds. To produce AC current with a constant frequency, the AC current produced by the generator is first converted to DC current and then converted back to AC current. By using the DC / AC converters of the traction motors, a separate DC / AC converter is not needed for the power take-off.

[0020] According to an embodiment of the invention, the vehicle is configured to allow simultaneous supply of electric and hydraulic power to one or more external power consumers. In addition to the power take-off for electric power, the vehicle can thus be provided with a hydraulic power take-off.

[0021] According to an embodiment of the invention, the powertrain is configured to allow regenerative braking by said at least one electric traction motor and supply of the regenerated power via the power take-off.

[0022] According to an embodiment of the invention, the vehicle comprises a battery for storing electric energy and the power take-off is connected to the battery to allow supply of electric power from the battery to the external electric powerconsumer. The power take-off could also be used for supplying electric power from an external power source, such as a generator, battery or power grid to the battery of the vehicle.

[0023] According to an embodiment of the invention, the powertrain is configured to be operable in a preloading mode prior to power supply to the external electrical consumer to increase the load responsiveness of the piston engine.

[0024] The piston engine of the power train may be provided with one or more turbochargers. When the engine power is low, for example when the vehicle is stationary and no external electrical power consumer is connected to the power take-off or the external electrical power consumers are not consuming power, the intake air pressure of the engine is low. If the load demand suddenly increases, the intake air pressure needs to be increased. The turbochargers respond to the increased demand of charge pressure with a certain delay. As a result, the power output of an idling engine cannot instantly jump to a very high level. In the preloading mode the powertrain is preloaded to increase the load of the piston engine and the rotation speed of the turbocharger. The preload can be switched off just before starting power supply to the external power consumer or simultaneously with the start of the power supply. The powertrain can thus immediately provide the required power without a turbo lag.

[0025] According to an embodiment of the invention, in the preloading mode electric power is supplied from the electric generator to a resistor, such as a brake resistor. The vehicle may be provided with a brake resistor to allow regenerative braking using the traction motors. In the preloading mode, the brake resistor can be connected to the electric generator for a few seconds to increase power demand of the piston engine and to prepare the powertrain for a connection to an external electrical power consumer. Instead of using a brake resistor or another resistor, the powertrain could be preloaded for example by charging a battery of the vehicle. The preloading could also be implemented utilizing a hydraulic system of the vehicle and / or an external hydraulic system. The hydraulic system(s) could thus be used to increase the load of the piston engine before supplying electric power to an external electrical power consumer.

[0026] According to an embodiment of the invention, the powertrain is configured to be operable in at least two different power take-off modes having different parameters for controlling the operation of the piston engine. The operation of the powertrain can thus be optimized for different external power consumers and for different uses.

[0027] According to an embodiment of the invention, the power take-off modes comprise at least an energy saving mode optimizing the fuel efficiency of the piston engine and a high-power mode maximizing the load responsiveness of the piston engine. Different operating modes can be selected according to the needs of the external electrical power consumers.

[0028] According to an embodiment of the invention, the powertrain is configured to be controllable by an external control system and the vehicle comprises communication means for communicating with said external control system. The communication means can be used to establish either wireless or wired connection to the external control system. The external control system can be a control system of the external electrical power consumer. Alternatively, the external control system could be an automation system of a mine. The powertrain can communicate with the external control system via the communication means and the operation of the piston engine and the electric generator can be controlled based on exchanged communication signals.

[0029] According to an embodiment of the invention, the electric power is supplied to a concrete spraying machine. This is advantageous especially if the vehicle is used for transporting concrete. The same vehicle can thus transport both the concrete and the energy needed to spray the concrete.

[0030] According to an embodiment of the invention, the vehicle is a transport vehicle configured to transport concrete and electric power is supplied to the concrete spraying machine simultaneously with unloading of the concrete transported by the vehicle.

[0031] According to an embodiment of the invention, the electric power is supplied to a battery electric vehicle for charging the battery of said battery electric vehicle. This is beneficial in particular when an external power grid is not available, as transferring of the battery electric vehicle to a charging station can be avoided.

[0032] According to an embodiment of the invention, the electric power is supplied to an electric vehicle for powering said electric vehicle simultaneously with driving of the power supplying vehicle. The electric vehicle can thus be transferred by supplying energy to it during a transfer drive.

[0033] According to an embodiment of the invention, the electric power is supplied to a pump, fan, electrically powered tool or other electrical installation. Said devices can be located in a mine or a tunnel construction site and they can be either stationary or mobile devices.

[0034] According to an embodiment of the invention, the electric power is supplied to a power grid of a mine or a tunnel construction site. This allows supplying power to various power consumers for example during a blackout. The power grid can form an electrical island that is disconnected from the power grid outside of the mine or the tunnel construction site and receives power only from the vehicle. Alternatively, the power grid of the mine or the tunnel construction site can be connected to a power grid outside of the mine or the tunnel construction site. The powertrain of the vehicle can thus be configured to generate electricity in parallel with other power suppliers of the grid to boost the grid so that the loads connected to the grid receive power both from the grid and from the vehicle.

[0035] According to an embodiment of the invention, the electric power is supplied to a rock drilling machine, to an electrically powered loader vehicle or to another underground vehicle that can be powered via a trailing electric cable.

[0036] Brief description of the drawings

[0037] Embodiments of the invention will be described below in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 shows as a block diagram parts of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the invention, and

[0038] Fig. 2 shows a vehicle according to an embodiment of the invention and another vehicle comprising equipment powered by the vehicle according to the invention.

[0039] Detailed description of the invention

[0040] Figure 1 shows as a block diagram parts of a vehicle 1 according to an embodiment of the invention. The vehicle 1 is configured for underground use, in particular for use in mines and tunnel construction sites. The vehicle 1 is provided with a powertrain that comprises a piston engine 2 and an electric generator 3. The piston engine 2 may be a turbocharged piston engine comprising one or more turbochargers. The electric generator 3 may be a permanent magnet generator. The electric generator 3 may be configured to produce AC current. The electric generator 3 is coupled to the piston engine 2 to be driven by the piston engine 2 to produce electricity. The powertrain further comprises one or more electric traction motors 4. The electric traction motors 4 may be AC motors. The powertrain may be provided with means for converting the AC current produced by the electric generator to DC current and with means for converting the DC current back to AC current. The means for DC / AC conversion may be configured to allow producing AC current with different voltage levels and / or frequencies.

[0041] Each traction motor 4 is arranged in force transmission connection with one or more of the wheels of the vehicle 1 (not shown in figure 1 ). By means of the traction motors 4, the vehicle 1 can be moved. The electric traction motors 4 are selected so that they can produce sufficient power for moving the vehicle 1 . The electric generator 3 is configured so that it can produce at least the maximum continuous power required by the traction motors 4 and other electrical power consumers of the vehicle 1 . The electric generator 3 can be configured so that it can generate the peak power required by the traction motors 4 and other electrical power consumers of the vehicle 1 . However, this is not necessary, but the powertrain can be provided with an energy buffer, such as a battery, which can be utilized in providing the required temporary peak power. The piston engine 2 is configured so that it can drive the electric generator 3 to produce at least the maximum continuous power required by the traction motors 4 and other electrical power consumers of the vehicle 1 . The maximum power of the piston engine 2 should thus be at least the same as the maximum continuous electric power consumed by the vehicle 1. In practice, due to the losses of the powertrain, the maximum power of the piston engine 2 needs to be slightly greater than the required electric power. The maximum power required from the piston engine 2 depends on the vehicle 1 but could be, for instance, at least 150 kW. The piston engine 2 can be a compression ignition engine. The piston engine 2 can be operable using diesel or other similar liquid fuel. The piston engine 2 could also be operable using hydrogen or some other gaseous fuel. The piston engine 2 can be coupled to the electric generator 3 directly or via suitable gear transmission.

[0042] In the embodiment of figure 1 , the powertrain comprises two traction motors 4. In case of two traction motors 4, each traction motor 4 can be arranged in force transmission connection with the wheels of one axle of the vehicle 1 . One of the traction motors 4 can thus be configured to drive the front wheels of a four- wheel vehicle 1 and one of the traction motors 4 can be configured to drive the rear wheels of the vehicle 1 . Alternatively, each traction motor 4 could be configured to drive one wheel of a certain axle of the vehicle 4. The powertrain could also comprise one traction motor 4 for each wheel of the vehicle 1. A four-wheel vehicle 1 could thus comprise four traction motors 4. If the vehicle 1 is provided with more than four wheels, the powertrain could comprise even more than four traction motors 4. However, the powertrain could also be provided with a single traction motor 4. It is also possible that the wheels of a certain axle of the vehicle 1 are driven by one traction motor 4, whereas each wheel of another axle is provided with an own traction motor 4.

[0043] Each traction motor 4 is electrically connected to the electric generator 3. The traction motors 4 are thus powered by the electric generator 3.

[0044] The powertrain of the vehicle 1 comprises various control devices for controlling the operation of the piston engine 2, generator 3 and traction motors 4. Each traction motor 4 is controlled by means of a traction motor drive 8, which controls the supply of electric power to the traction motor 4. The operation of the electric generator 3 is controlled by means of a generator drive 7. The operation of the piston engine 2 is controlled by means of an engine control unit 9. The vehicle 1 further comprises a powertrain control unit 10 for controlling the operation of the engine control unit 9, the generator drive 7 and traction motor drives 8. Functions of the various control devices of the powertrain could be integrated into a single control unit.

[0045] In the embodiment of figure 1 , the powertrain of the vehicle 1 comprises a battery 11 . The battery 11 can store electrical energy produced by the electric generator 3. Also, the traction motors 4 can function as generators during braking of the vehicle 1 , and the battery 11 can store the electrical energy generated by the traction motors 4. The powertrain can comprise further energy storages for storing electrical energy. For instance, the powertrain could comprise one or more capacitors for storing electrical energy produced by the electric generator 3 and / or the traction motors 4. The vehicle can comprise one or more brake resistors. The brake resistors can be used, for instance, for consuming electrical power produced by regenerative braking.

[0046] The vehicle 1 further comprises a power take-off 6 for supplying electric power to external electrical power consumers 20. The power produced by the electric generator 3 that powers the traction motors 4 can thus be used in any external device needing electric power. Electric power can be supplied from the electric generator 3 to the power take-off 6 either directly or indirectly. The electric power can thus be supplied to the power take-off 6 either directly from the electric generator or via the battery 11 or other energy storage. Electric power could be supplied to the power take-off 6 also from the traction motors 4 when the traction motors 4 are used as generators.

[0047] The vehicle 1 may further comprise a hydraulic power take-off for supplying power to an external power consumer.

[0048] The powertrain can be configured to control the power output of the piston engine 2 and the electric generator 3 based on the power demand of the external electrical power consumer 20. During power take-off, the electric generator 3 and the piston engine 2 can be controlled by the same control devices as during driving of the vehicle 1 . Based on the power demand of the external electrical power consumer 20, the generator drive 7 can control the operation of the electric generator 3. The generator drive 7 can further communicate with the powertrain control unit 10 and / or the engine control unit 9 to control the operation of the piston engine 2 so that piston engine 2 can drive the generator 3 so that the power demand of the external electrical power consumer 20 can be met.

[0049] The powertrain can be configured to allow the piston engine 2 to be operated at the maximum power also during power take-off.

[0050] If the combined power consumption of the traction motors 4 and the external power consumers exceeds the maximum output power of the piston engine 2 and / or the generator 3, different control strategies are possible. For instance, the external power consumers may be prioritized, and the power supply to the traction motors 4 may be limited. However, the powertrain may be configured to guarantee a certain power supply to the traction motors 4 and the power supply to the external power consumers may be limited to allow the traction motors 4 to receive the guaranteed power.

[0051] The powertrain may be configured to be operable in a preloading mode prior to power supply to the external electrical consumer to increase the load responsiveness of the piston engine 2. The preloading mode allows increasing the power output of the engine 2 and the rotation speed of the turbochargers to avoid turbo lag when an external load is connected to the power take-off 6. The preloading mode may utilize the brake resistors. The preloading mode can be activated automatically in certain situations, or an operator of the vehicle can activate the preloading mode prior to connecting an external electrical consumer to the power take-off 6.

[0052] The powertrain can be configured to be operable in two or more different power take-off modes. Different power take-off modes can have different control parameters for controlling the operation of the piston engine 2. For instance, the power take-off modes can comprise an energy saving mode that is configured to optimize the fuel efficiency of the piston engine 2. In the energy saving mode the piston engine 2 can be configured to be operated within an optimal rotation speed range. The power take-off modes can further comprise a high-power mode. In the high-power mode, the operation of the piston engine 2 can be optimized to maximize the load responsiveness of the piston engine 2. The powertrain can be configured to allow selection of a suitable power take-off mode based on the electrical power consumer 20 connected to the power takeoff. Also, the vehicle 1 can be configured to communicate either through wired connection or wirelessly with the external electrical power consumers 20 or with another control point to adjust the operation of the piston engine 2 and the electric generator 3 based on exchanged communication signals. In the embodiment of figure 1 , the vehicle comprises communication means 12 that are configured to communicate with an external control system. The communication means can comprise a wireless communication unit. The external control system can be a control system of an external electrical power consumer 20. The external control system could also be an automation system of a mine. In the embodiment of figure 1 , the communication means 12 are connected to the powertrain control unit 10, but the communication means 12 could also be connected to the generator drive 7.

[0053] The power take-off 6 can be configured to allow several external power consumers 20 to be simultaneously connected to the vehicle 1 for power supply.

[0054] Examples of devices that could be powered via the power take-off 6 include pumps, fans and different electrically powered tools used for mining and tunnelling. The power take-off 6 could also be used for supplying electric power to a rock drilling machine or to an electrically powered loader vehicle. The electrically powered loader vehicle could be a tethered LHD (load, haul, dump machine). The power take-off 6 could also be used for supplying electric power to some other underground vehicle that can be powered via a trailing electric cable. The devices can be either mobile devices or devices that are stationary installed in a mine or a tunnel construction site. Also, the electric power could be supplied to a power grid of a mine or a tunnel construction site. This could be utilized for example during a blackout to power several devices. The power supply could take place either in an island mode or in parallel with the grid. The power grid can form an electrical island that is disconnected from the power grid outside of the mine or the tunnel construction site and receives power only from the vehicle 1 . Alternatively, the power grid of the mine or the tunnel construction site can be connected to a power grid outside of the mine or the tunnel construction site. The powertrain of the vehicle 1 can thus be configured to generate electricity in parallel with other power suppliers of the grid to boost the grid so that the loads connected to the grid receive power both from the grid and from the vehicle 1 . The power take-off 6 could further be used for supplying electric power to a battery electric vehicle for charging the battery of the battery electric vehicle. This would be beneficial in particular when an external power grid is not available, as transferring of the battery electric vehicle to a charging station could be avoided.

[0055] The electric power could also be supplied to an electric vehicle for powering the electric vehicle simultaneously with driving of the power supplying vehicle 1 . This allows, for instance, the use of the vehicle 1 to transfer an electric vehicle when the electric vehicle cannot be powered by its own battery or an external power grid.

[0056] In the embodiment of figure 2, the vehicle 1 is a transport vehicle that is configured to transport concrete. The vehicle of figure 2 is a four-wheel vehicle 1 that is provided with a first traction motor 4 for driving the front wheels 5 of the vehicle 1 and with a second traction motor 4 for driving the rear wheels 5 of the vehicle 1. The vehicle 1 can be used for transporting concrete that is sprayed onto the walls and onto the roof of underground spaces, such as tunnels and mines. In the embodiment of figure 2, the power take-off 6 is used for supplying electric power from the vehicle 1 to a concrete spraying machine 20. The same vehicle 1 can thus transport both the concrete and the energy needed to spray the concrete. The concrete spraying machine 20 is connected to the power take-off 6 of the vehicle 1 by means of a cable 22. Electric power is supplied from the power take-off 6 to the concrete spraying machine 20 simultaneously with unloading of the concrete transported by the vehicle 1 . In the embodiment of figure 2, the concrete spraying machine 20 is integrated to a concrete spraying vehicle 21 .

Claims

Claims:

1. A vehicle (1 ) for underground use, the vehicle (1 ) being provided with a powertrain comprising a piston engine (2), an electric generator (3) coupled to the piston engine (2) to be driven by said piston engine (2) to produce electricity, and at least one electric traction motor (4) electrically connected to the electric generator (3) and arranged in force transmission connection with one or more of the wheels (5) of the vehicle (1 ) for moving the vehicle (1 ), characterized in that the vehicle (1 ) comprises a power take-off (6) configured to allow supply of electric power produced by said electric generator (3) to an external electrical power consumer (20).

2. The vehicle (1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the vehicle (1 ) is configured for tasks relating to mining and / or tunnelling.

3. The vehicle (1 ) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the vehicle (1 ) is a transport vehicle configured to transport concrete.

4. The vehicle (1 ) according to any of claims 1-3, wherein the powertrain is configured to allow power supply via the power take-off (6) during driving of the vehicle (1 ).

5. The vehicle (1 ) according to any of claims 1-4, wherein the powertrain is configured so that the power output of the piston engine (2) and / or the electric generator (3) can be controlled based on the power demand of the external electrical power consumer (20).

6. The vehicle (1 ) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the powertrain is configured to limit the supply of electric power to the electric traction motor(s) (4) when the combined power demand of the traction motor(s) (4) and the external electrical power consumers (20) connected to the power take-off (6) exceeds the maximum power output of the piston engine (2) and / or the electric generator (3) to allow the external electrical power consumers (20) to operate at the required power.

7. The vehicle (1 ) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the vehicle (1 ) is configured to allow power take-off at least at two different voltage levels and / or frequencies of alternating current.

8. The vehicle (1 ) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the vehicle (1 ) is configured to allow power take-off of AC and / or DC current.

9. The vehicle (1 ) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the power take-off (6) is connected to a DC / AC converter of said at least one traction motor (4).

10. The vehicle (1 ) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the vehicle (1 ) is configured to allow simultaneous supply of electric and hydraulic power to one or more external power consumers.

11. The vehicle (1 ) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the powertrain is configured to allow regenerative braking by said at least one electric traction motor (4) and supply of the regenerated power via the power take-off (6).

12. The vehicle (1 ) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the vehicle (1 ) comprises a battery (11 ) for storing electric energy and the power take-off (6) is connected to the battery (11 ) to allow supply of electric power from the battery to the external electrical power consumer (20).

13. The vehicle (1 ) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the powertrain is configured to be operable in a preloading mode prior to power supply to the external electrical power consumer (20) to increase the load responsiveness of the piston engine (2).

14. The vehicle (1 ) according to claim 13, wherein in the preloading mode electric power is supplied from the electric generator (3) to a resistor, such as a brake resistor.

15. The vehicle (1 ) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the powertrain is configured to be operable in at least two different power takeoff modes having different parameters for controlling the operation of the piston engine (2).

16. The vehicle (1 ) according to claim 15, wherein said power take-off modes comprise at least an energy saving mode optimizing the fuel efficiency of the piston engine (2) and a high-power mode maximizing the load responsiveness of the piston engine (2).

17. The vehicle (1 ) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the powertrain is configured to be controllable by an external control system and the vehicle (1 ) comprises communication means (12) for communicating with said external control system.

18. A method of operating a vehicle (1 ) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the method comprises the step of supplying electric power from the power take-off (6) of the vehicle (1 ) to an external electrical power consumer (20).

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the electric power is supplied to a concrete spraying machine.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the vehicle (1 ) is a transport vehicle configured to transport concrete and electric power is supplied to the concrete spraying machine simultaneously with unloading of the concrete transported by the vehicle (1 ).21 . The method of claim 18, wherein the electric power is supplied to a battery electric vehicle for charging the battery of said battery electric vehicle.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein the electric power is supplied to an electric vehicle for powering said electric vehicle simultaneously with driving of the power supplying vehicle (1 ).

23. The method of claim 18, wherein the electric power is supplied to a rock drilling machine, to an electrically powered loader vehicle or another underground vehicle that can be powered via a trailing electric cable, or to a pump, fan, electrically powered tool or other electrical installation.

24. The method of claim 18, wherein the electric power is supplied to a power grid of a mine or a tunnel construction site.

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