Increase of mines efficiency and health protection through the innovative transport system based on BUSDUCT

ended

The transport routes in mines are becoming longer in a result of need to reach the coal seams, which are more and more distant from the shaft, thus efficient transport system is very important for the effective functioning of mines. Widely used transport systems based on suspended locomotives, powered by diesel engines, provides a speed up to 2m/s. Furthermore diesel locomotives are onerous due to exhaust gases and heat emission in confined space. Limited speed extends the exposure time of miners to exhaust gases and results in a significant shortening of their effective worktime. Development of innovative mine transportation system based on three-phase busduct, integrated with the suspended monorail track, for powering the suspended locomotives, is the project objective. Possibility of using the busduct system in the coal mining industry in workings of “a”, “b” or “c” degree of methane explosion hazard and in workings of “A” or “B” class of coal dust explosion hazard is the main innovation. Current collectors which contacts with busduct at speed over 4 m/s, has to be isolated from the mine atmosphere. For that purpose inerting of the power collector working zone within the busduct by inert gas is planned, preventing against ingress of explosive atmosphere. Special nitrogen agregate subassebly of the suspended locomotive, is planned to be developed for this purpose. Operation of the current collectors of the suspended locomotive will be controlled by a series of sensors. It is planned to apply several levels of safety of current collectors operation, eliminating the possibility of explosion ignition. The following factors guarantee stable market demand for the new product: • necessity of using the effective transportation systems in mines, • disadvantages of present systems due to emission of exhaust gases and heat, • advantages of the new transport system, especially health protection, higher transportation speed and lower energy consumption.