Longwall automation: trends, challenges and opportunities

Ralston, Jonathon; Hargrave, Chad; Dunn, Mark

doi:10.1016/j.ijmst.2017.07.027

Cited by 68 publications

(36 citation statements)

References 5 publications

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“…For example, excess wear and tear on equipment may be undetected, cables may be broken or faulty, equipment may be unsuited to the task, each leading to major failure that can have severe consequences. Mining system automation provides a means to achieving a safer, more productive mine [13]. Being able to remotely 'see' or operate every asset within the mining space is becoming more possible.…”

Section: Understanding Digital Twins and Confirming Their Necessity Imentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Being able to remotely 'see' or operate every asset within the mining space is becoming more possible. Challenges include sensing for the location and state of equipment and mineralogy, architecture to improve communications safety and performance, automation connectivity between multiple machines, and integration of the human-experience with feedback mechanisms and immersive visualisation [13].…”

Section: Understanding Digital Twins and Confirming Their Necessity Imentioning

confidence: 99%

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Cousins, Siblings and Twins: A Review of the Geological Model’s Place in the Digital Mine

Hodgkinson

Elmouttie

2020

Resources

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Digital mining is a broad term describing the enhancement of the physical mining method through the use of digital models, simulations, analytics, controls and associated feedbacks. Mining optimisation will be improved through increased digitisation and real-time interactions via a “digital twin”, however digitisation of the rock mass component of this system remains problematic. While engineered systems can be digitally twinned, natural systems containing inherent uncertainties present challenges, especially where human-intensive procedures are required. This is further complicated, since the mining system is designed not only to interact with, but to substantially and continually alter its surrounding environment. Considering digital twin requirements and geological modelling capabilities, we assess the potential for a mine’s synchronised digital twin to encompass the complex, uncertain, geological domain within which it interacts. We find that current geological (and indeed hydro-geological) models and simulations would support digitisation that could be considered to provide, at best, a digitised ‘cousin’. Based on this assessment, the digital twin’s value for medium term forecasting of mining operations may be limited and we discuss technological advancements that can mitigate this.

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Section: Understanding Digital Twins and Confirming Their Necessity Imentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Understanding Digital Twins and Confirming Their Necessity Imentioning

confidence: 99%

Cousins, Siblings and Twins: A Review of the Geological Model’s Place in the Digital Mine

Hodgkinson

Elmouttie

2020

Resources

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“…Update K ( ) ,̂( ) and P ( ) / −1 : 10: (5,10,5,30,30) in the MSTKF method, (1) is diag (1,10,1,30,30), and (2) is diag (10,1,1,30,30) in the MSTSKF method. The simulation lasts about 600 s and the alignment results of KF, MSTKF, and MSTSKF are discussed and comprehensively evaluated.…”

Section: Performance Evaluationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Coal is the most widely distributed and abundant energy resources in the world, and it has become one dominant energy in the world energy architecture [1]. However, the complexity of working environment in coal mines has brought great difficulties for the mining of coal mine and the safety problems of coal mines have received growing considerable attention in recent years.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

An Improved Strong Tracking Kalman Filter Algorithm for the Initial Alignment of the Shearer

et al. 2019

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The strap-down inertial navigation system (SINS) is a commonly used sensor for autonomous underground navigation, which can be used for shearer positioning under a coal mine. During the process of initial alignment, inaccurate or time-varying noise covariance matrices will significantly degrade the accuracy of the initial alignment of the shearer. To overcome the performance degradation of the existing initial alignment algorithm under complex underground environment, a novel adaptive filtering algorithm is proposed by the integration of the strong tracking Kalman filter and the sequential filter for the initial alignment of the shearer with complex underground environment. Compared with the traditional multiple fading factor strong tracking Kalman filter (MSTKF) method, the proposed MSTSKF algorithm integrates the advantage of strong tracking Kalman filter and sequential filter, and multiple fading factor and forgetting factor for east and north velocity measurement are designed in the algorithm, respectively, which can effectively weaken the coupling relationship between the different states and increase strong robustness against process uncertainties. The simulation and experiment results show that the proposed MSTSKF method has better initial alignment accuracy and robustness than existing strong tracking Kalman filter algorithm.

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“…With the advent of Industry 4.0 and Internet Plus, new concepts such as smart mine and digital mine have been continuously proposed. Cloud computing, mixed reality, big data, Internet of Things, and information physics systems have gradually merged with modern industries [1]. Consequently, coal-mining equipment has been continuously transformed into automated, intelligent, and unmanned equipment [2].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cutting Path Planning Technology of Shearer Based on Virtual Reality

Liu

Xie

et al. 2020

Applied Sciences

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With regards to the low degree of digitization, lack of real geological terrain, and low degree of automation in the cutting process of the traditional virtual fully mechanized mining face, we studied the key technologies of virtual operation and cutting path planning of the shearer on the three-dimensional (3D) roof and floor based on the virtual reality engine (Unity3D). Firstly, the virtual 3D coal seam was constructed through the 3D geological coordinate data of the mine. On this basis, the shape function of the scraper conveyor with the adaptive configuration on the floor was constructed to obtain the combined operation of the virtual shearer and the scraper conveyor. The movement of the shearer’s walking and height-adjustment was then, analyzed. A strategy for automatic height-adjustment based on the adjustment of the direction of the drum movement is hence, proposed to control the cutting path of the shearer. Finally, different experimental schemes were simulated in the developed prototype system after which each of the schemes was evaluated using the fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method. The results show that the proposed strategy for trajectory control can improve the accuracy and stability of the shearer’s motion trajectory. In Unity3D, the pre-selected schemes and digital and visual planning of coal production are previewed ahead of time, the whole production process can be mapped synchronously in the production process. It is also obtained that the virtual preview and evaluation of the production process can provide some guidance for actual production.

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Longwall automation: trends, challenges and opportunities

Cited by 68 publications

References 5 publications

Cousins, Siblings and Twins: A Review of the Geological Model’s Place in the Digital Mine

Cousins, Siblings and Twins: A Review of the Geological Model’s Place in the Digital Mine

An Improved Strong Tracking Kalman Filter Algorithm for the Initial Alignment of the Shearer

Cutting Path Planning Technology of Shearer Based on Virtual Reality

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