Performance augmentation of continuous miner based system in India - a reliability based approach

Abstract

A Continuous Miner (CM) is a globally competitive machine, capable of boosting the production of underground mines, which is imperative for future production growth. However, the geological factors and other mining parameters of all underground mines do not always support the best performance from the equipment. In this article, the effects of mining parameters like pillar size, gradient, number of headings and equipment fleet on CM-based production system have been observed and a forecast regarding trend analysis has been done. Furthermore, this study enlightens the effects of breakdowns of CM and its allied equipment, the breakdown times for CM and its related equipment are quantified collectively. The percentages regarding the reliability and probability of these types of failures have been considered within the scope of this paper. Corresponding study shows that conveyor breakdown affects the system productivity the most and other failures affecting the production significantly are electrical failure, shuttle car breakdown, hydraulic breakdown, gathering problems, cutter breakdown and traction breakdown. The reliability analysis of each group of components will function as a forecast of the maintenance schedule and inspection frequency of different components in order to decrease failures and increase available time.