In order to reduce fire hazards caused by spontaneous combustion in longwall gob areas, a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) study is being conducted by National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) to simulate the spontaneous heating of coal in longwall gob areas. A CFD model was first developed to model the spontaneous heating process in a two longwall panel district using a b...

An unmanned mining technology for the fully mechanized longwall face automation production is proposed and studied. The essential technology will bring the longwall face production into visualization through the VR (Virtual Reality) and AR (Augmented Reality) combination. Based on the visual theoretical model of the longwall face, the combination of virtual and reality, the real-time interactiv...

As more easily mined deposits are depleted, the reserves are becoming more limited and less favorable. Deposits of coal or trona that are being longwall mined are deep and are getting deeper. Coal bursts and bumps frequently occur within development entries in longwall mining of deep mines due to high stresses. This paper presents a novel patented longwall mining layout “Longwall Mining with Sp...

This paper describes recent advances in the development of an integrated inertial guidance system for automation of the longwall coal mining process. Significant advances in longwall automation are being achieved through an industry sponsored project which targets productivity and safety benefits. High performance inertial navigation systems are being successfully employed to accurately measure...

Reduction in the recovery time required and improvements in safety during a longwall face move have compelled coal mine operators to examine and use predriven longwall recovery rooms. The recovery entry is developed at the longwall stop position and supported ahead of time so that the required combinations of standing and internal supports can be installed before the longwall face approaches. A...

This paper describes the adoption of the Ethernet/IP standard in the development of a specification for the interconnection of mining equipment as part of an industry-sponsored Landmark longwall automation project. Longwall mining is used extensively worldwide and accounts for the majority of underground coal production in Australia and the USA. Full automation of the longwall mining process is...

Longwall mining alters the fluid-flow-related reservoir properties of the rocks overlying and underlying an extracted panel due to fracturing and relaxation of the strata. These mining-related disturbances create new pressure depletion zones and new flow paths for gas migration and may cause unexpected or uncontrolled migration ofgas into the underground workplace. One common technique to contr...

Longwall coal mine operators in the U.S. are required to ventilate multipanel longwall districts, but may have little or no knowledge about what happens to the ventilation air between the inlet evaluation points (IEPs), bleeder evaluation points (BEPs) and bleeder fans. The effectiveness of bleeder performance can directly influence the ability of a ventilation system to remove and dilute coal ...

Longwall mining is the only technically proven and established method worldwide for coal extraction at greater depth. In this paper, 2D plane strain finite element models of longwall panels are developed and analyzed to understand the interaction of hydraulic powered support with surrounding rock strata. Based on Indian geomining conditions, finite element models are developed including the str...

Compared to opencut mining, underground coal mining is more common in Australia due to its lesser impact on the environment. Although there are several underground mining methods, such as the longwall, pillar, bord, and miniwall, longwall mining is the most commonly used method due to its high efficiency. However, longwall mining does lead to significant ground subsidence. Mining subsidence is ...