The key working process carried out by roadheaders is rock mining. For this reason, the mathematical modelling of the mining process is underlying the prediction of a dynamic load on the main components of a roadheader, the prediction of power demand for rock cutting with given properties or the prediction of energy consumption of this process. The theoretical and experimental investigations conducted point out -especially in relation to the technical parameters of roadheaders used these days in underground mining and their operating conditions -that the mathematical models of the process employed to date have many limitations, and in many cases the results obtained using such models deviate largely from the reality. This is due to the fact that certain factors strongly influencing cutting process progress have not been considered at the modelling stage, or have been approached in an oversimplified fashion.The article presents a new model of a rock cutting process using conical picks of cutting heads of boom-type roadheaders. An important novelty with respect to the models applied to date is, firstly, that the actual shape of cuts has been modelled with such shape resulting from the geometry of the currently used conical picks, and, secondly, variations in the depth of cuts in the cutting path of individual picks have been considered with such variations resulting from the picks' kinematics during the advancement of transverse cutting heads parallel to the floor surface. The work presents examples of simulation results for mining with a roadheader's transverse head equipped with 80 conical picks and compares them with the outcomes obtained using the existing model. Keywords: roadheader, mining, cutting process modelling, computer simulation Urabianie skał jest zasadniczym procesem roboczym realizowanym przez kombajny górnicze. Modelowanie matematyczne tego procesu stanowi dlatego podstawę predykcji obciążenia dynamicznego głównych podzespołów kombajnu, prognozowania zapotrzebowania mocy do urabiania skał o określonych własnościach oraz jego energochłonności. Prowadzone badania teoretyczne i doświadczalne wskazują, w szczególności w odniesieniu do parametrów technicznych obecnie stosowanych w górnictwie podziemnym kombajnów chodnikowych oraz warunków ich eksploatacji, że wykorzystywane dotychczas

Initial chain tension in armoured face conveyors, in which operating conditions vary constantly, should be adjusted automatically to adapt it to the needs arising. The manufacturers of such conveyors are now offering a possibility of equipping a conveyor with a drive with a telescopic trough enabling stepless change of the scraper chain contour by shifting the drive frame. The work presents the outcomes of computer investigations performed using an own mathematical model of an armoured face conveyor with a main and auxiliary drive equipped with a telescopic trough and an automatic initial chain tension adjustment system with the ASTEN algorithm. The ASTEN algorithm is responding to changes in scraper chain elongation caused by changes to conveyor configuration and also by a varying mined coal load resulting from interworking with a mining machine.

The length of armoured face conveyors currently used in hard coal mines most often ranges between 200 m and 300 m. The machines are equipped with a main and auxiliary drive. Asynchronous motors mounted in conveyor drives feature the capacity of several hundreds of kilowatts.The non-uniform distribution of loads onto individual drives is observed in practice. The numerical value of loads distribution onto the individual armoured face conveyor drives is represented by a drive load distribution factor. It is defined as a ratio between the load of an electric motor installed in a given drive and the total conveyor load.The article presents a physical armoured face conveyor model intended for examining dynamic phenomena influencing the load non-uniformity of drives. Motion in this physical model is described with the system of (4 · j + 5) non-linear ordinary differential quotations of the second order. A mathematical model is obtained by adding functions describing the interwork of sprocket drums with chains and functions approximating the mechanical characteristics of asynchronous motors powered by means of frequency inverters. A large number of computer simulations was performed using this model enabling to study the impact on the load non-uniformity of drives of such parameters as motor slip, motor supply voltage drop, variations in supply voltage frequency, differences in the gear ratio of transmissions and differentiation in the pitch of scraper chain links along the chain contour.Keywords: armoured face conveyor, dynamic model, dynamic loads, non-uniformity of dynamic loads Długość przenośników zgrzebłowych ścianowych stosowanych obecnie w kopalniach węgla kamiennego najczęściej mieści się w przedziale od 200 m do 300 m. Maszyny te wyposażone są zawsze w napęd główny i pomocniczy, przy czym pierwszy z nich wyniesiony jest do chodnika podścianowego. Silniki napędowe o mocy kilkuset kilowatów napędzają bęben łańcuchowy przez sprzęgło i przekładnię zębatą. Z kolei bębny łańcuchowe poruszają łańcuch zgrzebłowy, który tworzą dwa środkowe łańcuchy ogniwowe ze zgrzebłami przymocowanymi do ogniw poziomych łańcuchów. Ze względu na znaczne wydłużenia sprężyste łańcucha zgrzebłowego obciążonego urobkiem węglowym, konieczne jest jego wstępne napinanie. W zależności od wartości napięcia wstępnego łańcucha zgrzebłowego, oporów ruchu

Scraper conveyors are one of the key machines forming part of mechanised longwall systems. They are currently the only means of transporting the mined rock from longwalls in hard coal mines. The hauling force caused by the drive is transmitted onto a link chain through drive wheels with their external shape corresponding to a geometric polygon. The number of teeth (seats) in such wheels ranges between 5 and 8. The horizontal links running on the drum are arranged in the drive wheel seats and are meshing with the teeth segments. The geometric relationships between the sprocket drum and the links are decisive for the position of the chain links in the seats. The abrasive wear of the chain parts and of the drive drum parts occurring due to conveyor operation is increasing the chain pitch and decreasing the wheel pitch. The position of a link in the seats changes as a result along with the load on the sprocket drum teeth and seats. Sprocket drums are the weakest element in longwall conveyors. It is, therefore, urgently necessary to determine the dynamic loads of such drums' teeth and seats. The article presents a physical model and a mathematical model of a longwall conveyor created for the purpose of determination of dynamic loads of the sprocket drum teeth and seats. The results of computer simulations are also presented (dynamic loads: in chains, dynamic loads of sprocket drums and dynamic loads of sprocket drums' teeth and seats) carried out using the created mathematical model for a 350 m long face conveyor.Keywords: scraper conveyor, sprocket drum, mathematical and physical model, dynamic loads, teeth, seats Koncentracja produkcji węgla kamiennego wymusza potrzebę prowadzenia intensywnych badań maszyn górniczych w aspekcie zwiększenia ich niezawodności i żywotności. Jedną z podstawowych maszyn wchodzących w skład ścianowych kompleksów zmechanizowanych są przenośniki zgrzebłowe. Przenośniki zgrzebłowe ścianowe są obecnie jedynymi środkami odstawy urobku z wyrobisk ścianowych w kopalniach węgla kamiennego. W czasie swojego rozwoju wyposażane były w różne typy łańcuchów pociągowych, z których najlepszym okazał się łańcuch ogniwowy. Przenośniki ścianowe mogą być wyposażone w jeden łańcuch, dwa łańcuchy skrajne, trzy łańcuchy lub dwa łańcuchy środkowe, przy czym ostatnie rozwiązanie stosowane jest najczęściej.

The present paper describes the problem and effects of water scarcity and the possibility of rational use of this resource in the idea of a Circular Economy (CE) and sustainable development. Rational water management requires innovation, due to the growing demand for this raw material. It seems that water is widely available, e.g., in Poland, there is no problem with drought. Unfortunately, Polish water resources are shrinking and modern solutions, as well as the construction of new and modernisation of old infrastructure, are some of the few solutions that can protect against a shortage of potable water. Water is also an essential resource for economic development. It is used in every sector of the economy. Limited water resources lead to an inevitable energy transformation because, in its present state, the Polish energy industry consumes huge amounts of water. Due to the above statements, the authors propose a solution in the form of an interactive shower panel that contributes to more rational water management (e.g., in households or hotels) based on the latest technological achievements. This device enables the creation of water consumption statistics based on accurate liquid flow measurements and the transfer of data to the user’s mobile device. This innovation aims to make the user aware of the amount of water used, which in turn can contribute to lower water consumption.