A flight bar conveyor dumbbell condition monitoring system and method

Abstract

The present application relates to the technical field of coal mining, in particular to a scraper conveyor dumbbell state monitoring system and method. The scraper conveyor dumbbell is a connecting part of the middle trough, and its quantity is large, and it is easy to be damaged or lost, which affects the normal operation of the scraper conveyor. Due to the application environment of the scraper conveyor and the installation position of the dumbbell, manual inspection of the dumbbell state is time-consuming and laborious. The present application is a scraper conveyor dumbbell state monitoring system and method, which automatically monitors the abnormal conditions such as dumbbell elongation, fracture and loss, and uploads the monitoring results to the crossheading controller through wireless transmission. The controller sends an alarm prompt message, and uploads the specific information of the dumbbell with fault and the alarm information to the underground centralized control center and the ground dispatching center, prompting the workers to handle in time, avoiding causing greater failure and affecting the safety production of coal mine.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the technical field of underground coal mining, specifically to a dumbbell status monitoring system and method for scraper conveyors. Background Technology

[0002] During coal seam mining in fully mechanized longwall faces, scraper conveyors transport raw coal out of the working face via scraper chains. As the longwall face advances, each section of the scraper conveyor's central trough moves forward sequentially according to the mining process requirements, propelled by the hydraulic support's pushing cylinders. The bendable angle between two central trough sections of the scraper conveyor in a fully mechanized longwall face is typically 3° vertically and 1° horizontally. Dumbbells are components that connect the two central trough sections, ensuring that the troughs do not misalign or separate due to changes in the working face or the movement of the hydraulic supports.

[0003] In actual coal mine production, scraper conveyor dumbbells frequently fail due to tensile deformation caused by external forces, or due to damage to the limit blocks causing the dumbbells to fall off freely. Because of the harsh environment of the longwall mining face, the dumbbell installation locations are often buried by broken coal. Traditional dumbbells lack monitoring functions, and manual inspection of their condition is labor-intensive, with inaccurate measurements of dumbbell elongation. This often leads to production stoppages due to dumbbell problems. Therefore, a scraper conveyor dumbbell status monitoring system was invented to monitor the status of all dumbbells on the scraper conveyor in real time, reducing production stoppages caused by dumbbell issues. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to develop a monitoring system for real-time monitoring of the dumbbell status of a scraper conveyor.

[0005] The technical solution adopted in this invention is: a dumbbell status monitoring system and method for a scraper conveyor, including a central trough 1, dumbbells 2, a wireless transmitter 3, a sensor 4, a dumbbell data acquisition unit 5, a wireless gateway 6, and a controller 7. Dumbbells 2 are components connecting two sections of the central trough 1. Sensor 4 measures the length of dumbbells 2. The dumbbell data acquisition unit 5 collects data changes from sensor 4. The wireless transmitter 3 transmits the data collected by the data acquisition unit 5 via a 433MHz or 2.4GHz wireless signal. The transmitted data packets contain dumbbell codes to distinguish the status of each dumbbell. The wireless signal is received by the wireless gateway 6 and uploaded to the controller 7 via wired transmission. The controller 7 analyzes whether the current status of dumbbells 2 is normal. When the dumbbell's extension length reaches a set warning value, the controller 7 will issue an audible and visual alarm, prompting the worker to replace the dumbbell, and will display the result and upload it to the centralized control system of the work surface.

[0006] The wireless transmitter 3 has a built-in battery to power the system; the data collector 5 collects the status signal of the dumbbell 2 in real time and stores the data; in order to reduce battery power consumption, the wireless transmitter 3 uploads the data stored in the data collector 5 at set intervals when the dumbbell is normal, and actively uploads abnormal data when the dumbbell is abnormal. It also supports the controller 7 to actively query data.

[0007] Beneficial effects: This invention is reasonably designed and uses sensing and wireless communication technologies to achieve real-time monitoring of the dumbbell status of the scraper conveyor, replacing manual inspection with technical means and improving efficiency and accuracy. Attached image description: Figure 1 This is a system diagram of the present invention.

[0008] The components include: 1. Central slot; 2. Dumbbell; 3. Wireless transmitter; 4. Sensor; 5. Dumbbell data acquisition unit; 6. Wireless gateway; 7. Controller.

[0009] Figure 2 This is a diagram of the dumbbell monitoring structure.

[0010] The system consists of 4 sensors, including 41 probes, 42 potentiometers, 43 gears, 44 racks, and 45 mounting brackets. End A is the dumbbell signal end, and end B is the dumbbell blind end. Detailed implementation method: The present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments: like Figure 1 As shown, a dumbbell status monitoring system for a scraper conveyor includes equipment such as a central trough 1, dumbbells 2, a wireless transmitter 3, a sensor 4, a dumbbell data acquisition unit 5, a wireless gateway 6, and a controller 7. Unlike conventional dumbbells, each dumbbell 2 has a ≤4mm through hole drilled in its center for mounting sensor probes 41 (e.g., ...). Figure 2 Tests showed that drilling a hole in the center of the dumbbell had little impact on its strength. After the sensor probe 41 passed through, it was fixed to the blind end of the dumbbell 2. The other parts of the sensor 4, the dumbbell data acquisition unit 5, and the wireless transmitter 3 were integrated into a housing and installed at the signal end of the dumbbell 2. The open side of the housing was made of non-metallic material to avoid affecting the wireless signal transmission.

[0011] Method for measuring the elongation of dumbbell 2: Sensor 4 consists of probe 41, potentiometer 42, gear 43, rack 44, and mounting bracket 45. Probe 41 is fixed to rack 44, gear 43 is fixed to potentiometer 42 by a knob, and gear 43 meshes with rack 44. When dumbbell 2 changes length or is damaged due to external force, probe 41, being a rigid material, will not elongate. Probe 41 will cause relative displacement between rack 44 and gear 43. The rotation of gear 43 causes a change in the resistance of potentiometer 42. Dumbbell data acquisition unit 5 calculates the change in dumbbell length based on the resistance value.

[0012] How to calculate the extension length of a dumbbell 2: At the initial installation of the equipment, a reference value for the sensor is set. During equipment operation, the dumbbell data acquisition unit 5 collects the resistance changes of the sensor 4 in real time. When the dumbbell 2 is stretched or damaged due to external force, the dumbbell data acquisition unit 5 calculates the elongation length of the dumbbell 2 based on the resistance change. ; —The length of the dumbbell's extension; —This represents the change in potentiometer resistance relative to the reference point. R — the resistance value of a single turn of the potentiometer; Z represents the number of teeth on the gear. x — rack tooth pitch; If the dumbbell falls off and is lost, the wireless gateway 6 will not receive the wireless signal, and the controller 7 can determine that the dumbbell is lost and issue an alarm signal.

Claims

1. A dumbbell status monitoring system for a scraper conveyor, characterized in that: The system includes a central slot (1), dumbbells (2), a wireless transmitter (3), a sensor (4), a dumbbell data acquisition unit (5), a wireless gateway (6), and a controller (7). The dumbbells (2) are components connecting two sections of the central slot (1). The sensor (4) measures the length of the dumbbells (2). The dumbbell data acquisition unit (5) collects data changes measured by the sensor (4). The wireless transmitter (3) transmits the data collected by the data acquisition unit (5) via a 433MHz or 2.4GHz wireless signal. The transmitted data packets contain dumbbell codes to distinguish the status of each dumbbell. The wireless signal is received by the wireless gateway (6) and uploaded to the controller (7) via wired transmission. The controller (7) analyzes whether the current status of the dumbbells (2) is normal. When the dumbbell's stretch length reaches a set warning value, the controller (7) will... An audible and visual alarm is issued to prompt the staff to replace the dumbbells, and the results are displayed and uploaded to the centralized control system of the work surface. The sensor (4) consists of a probe (41), a potentiometer (42), a gear (43), a rack (44), and a fixing frame (45). The probe (41) is fixed to the rack (44), the gear (43) is fixed to the potentiometer (42) knob, and the gear (43) meshes with the rack (44). Unlike conventional dumbbells, each dumbbell (2) has a ≤4mm through hole drilled in the center for the installation of the sensor probe (41). After the sensor probe (41) passes through, it is fixed to the blind end of the dumbbell (2). The other parts of the sensor (4), the dumbbell data acquisition unit (5), and the wireless transmitter (3) are integrated into a housing and installed on the signal end of the dumbbell (2). The open side of the housing is made of non-metallic material to avoid affecting the wireless signal transmission.

2. The dumbbell status monitoring system for a scraper conveyor according to claim 1, characterized in that: The wireless transmitter (3) has a built-in battery that is responsible for powering the system; the data collector (5) collects the status signal of the dumbbell (2) in real time and stores the data; in order to reduce battery power consumption, the wireless transmitter (3) uploads the data stored in the data collector (5) at set intervals when the dumbbell is normal, and actively uploads abnormal data when the dumbbell is abnormal, while also supporting the controller (7) to actively query data.

3. A method for detecting the state of dumbbells in a scraper conveyor, comprising using the dumbbell state monitoring system for a scraper conveyor as described in claim 1, characterized in that... Method for measuring the elongation of dumbbells (2): When an external force is applied to the dumbbell (2) and causes it to change length or be damaged, the probe (41) itself is a rigid material and will not elongate. The probe (41) will drive the rack (44) and gear (43) to move relative to each other. The rotation of the gear (43) causes the resistance of the potentiometer (42) to change. The dumbbell data acquisition unit (5) calculates the change in the length of the dumbbell based on the resistance value. At the beginning of equipment installation, the sensor reference value is set. During equipment operation, the dumbbell data acquisition device (5) collects the resistance change of the sensor (4) in real time. When the dumbbell (2) is stretched or damaged by external force, the dumbbell data acquisition device (5) calculates the elongation length of the dumbbell (2) based on the resistance change: —The length of the dumbbell's extension; —This represents the change in potentiometer resistance relative to the reference point resistance. R — the resistance value of a single turn of the potentiometer; Z represents the number of teeth on the gear. x — the rack pitch.

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