Improving the efficiency of excavators at low temperatures

Abstract

In the paper the analysis is carried out for using polymer antiadhesive sheets in order to reduce adhesion of wet cohesive soil to working bodies of excavation machines when operating under sub-zero temperatures. When extracting thawed mine rock under subzero air temperature, intensive freezing of cohesive ground to contacting bucket surfaces, pickup apparatus elements, conveyor belts, treating facilities and links takes place. Freezing intensity depends on humidity, grain size composition, physical properties and temperature of mined rock. Material properties of working bodies which contact mined ground also have significant impact on adhesion of freezing of mined rock. Clay rocks are the most prone to freezing on. An experiment was held using PPL-EI (ППЛ-ЭИ) and PPL-UI (ППЛ-УИ) polymer coatings on adhesion of cohesive overburden rocks to mine excavator buckets under subzero temperatures. After mathematic analysis of experimental results regression equations were obtained, which were applied to engineering solution of excavator bucket.