Maity, S.N. (1999) possible improvements in the design of a mechanised gateroad system which may allow the full automation of a longwall mining operation. Coal International, 247 (5). pp. 175-181. ISSN 1357-6941

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Abstract

It is only possible to make system fully automatic if the entire operation is machine dependant, with no human intervention. The parts of a long wall mining operation adjacent to the face, as practiced today have been highly mechanized. However those operations carried out outbye of the face, such as in the gateroads, are still largely dependent on manual operations. Activities such as supporting the gateroads; with drawing supports; shifting equipment including bridge- stageloader, power packs, and get-end boxes, etc.; dismantling rails, and shortening convery belts are all very cumbersome and are almost completely dependent on closely supervised manual labour. This presentation will make some suggestion as to how outbye operations might be machanised, thereby obtaining higher productivity from the entire longwall system, and in the long term, converting it to a fully – automatic process. The main concept is the replace the exiting unit supports in the gateroad with four legged rectangular chocks, up to a distance of 30m ahead of the face. This is the region in a retreating longwall face were the greatest degree of strata movement with in the gateroad occurs. Such an intigerated system will employ face support with a profile resembling a single square bracket ( [ ). Such supports can be operated as a batch, or individually. The chocks in the gateroads will take care of the front abutment pressure, having been positioned with a sufficiently high sitting load. Moreover, this approach will make working with a weak floor and roof condition easier. In the system suggested by the author, the bridge stage –loader will be eliminated and the side- discharging armoured face – conveyor (AFC) will feed coal directly to the gate belt-conveyor. The lump breaker may be installed over the discharge end of the the AFC. The belt conveyor take-in-end will be positioned over the roller structure with in the chocks, whilst the power pack assembly, along with the GE boxes, will be accommodated over the base frame, within the chocks. Thus, the rails which are currently required for the movement of the power pack and the other equipment can be eliminated from the main gateroad before the operation begins. With the new system the over all efficiently of a longwall operation can be improved, leading to more economic extraction, and a higher level of safety in the gateroads

Item Type:	Article
Subjects:	Longwall Mining
Divisions:	UNSPECIFIED
Depositing User:	Dr. Satyendra Kumar Singh
Date Deposited:	23 Dec 2011 12:58
Last Modified:	23 Dec 2011 12:58
URI:	http://cimfr.csircentral.net/id/eprint/468

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