Mining Machine Velocity Control for Brake Failure and Road Resistance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for controlling the velocity of mining machines do not adequately compensate for sensor failures or hardware failures in braking systems, leading to inefficient and potentially dangerous operation, especially on descending roads, and require extensive calibration and testing.
Innovation Solution
A control device estimates road resistance and calculates a velocity reference based on the braking system's capacity, adjusting gear selection and propulsion to maintain safe operation, compensating for failures and sudden changes in terrain.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual velocity regulation by the driver is used, then the mining machine can be operated with simple control systems, but the velocity control becomes unsafe and inefficient when sensor failures or braking system failures occur
Solution Approach 1:
The control system automatically monitors its own components (sensors, braking systems) and self-adjusts velocity references without requiring manual intervention. The system performs self-diagnosis and adapts to failures autonomously, eliminating the need for complex manual override mechanisms while maintaining safety.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors the actual velocity, sensor status, and braking system performance, then feeds this information back to dynamically adjust the velocity reference. This closed-loop feedback mechanism ensures safe operation even when components fail, without requiring complex pre-programmed control logic.
2Adaptability or versatility
If calibrated velocity references are used, then the braking capacity can be predetermined, but the system requires extensive testing and calibration before operation and lacks adaptability to sudden changes
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-establishes velocity references based on nominal braking capacities for different gear selections, but these are merely initial values. The real adaptation happens dynamically through continuous monitoring and adjustment, avoiding the need for extensive field calibration while maintaining adaptability to actual conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The velocity reference is not a fixed calibrated value but a dynamic parameter that automatically adjusts based on real-time sensor feedback, actual velocity, and detected failures. This dynamic adaptation eliminates the need for static calibration while responding instantly to terrain changes and system failures.
3Speed
If searching algorithms are used for velocity control, then the system can adapt to changes, but the algorithm fails to respond adequately to large and fast changes in situations
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-calculates velocity references for multiple gear selections based on braking capacities before operation begins. When sudden terrain changes or failures occur, the system can instantly switch between these pre-prepared velocity references rather than gradually searching for appropriate values, enabling immediate response to critical situations.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using gradual searching algorithms that slowly adjust velocity references, the system directly selects appropriate velocity references from pre-calculated options based on current conditions. This skipping approach bypasses the slow iterative process, enabling instant response to large and fast changes in terrain or system status.
4Force
If low gear selection is used to limit velocity, then the braking force is increased, but the velocity becomes unnecessarily low on descending roads and requires manual intervention to increase
Solution Approach 1:
The gear selection and velocity reference are dynamically adjusted based on real-time monitoring of actual velocity, road gradient, and braking system capacity. The system automatically selects the appropriate gear and velocity reference to provide sufficient braking force while maintaining optimal travel speed, eliminating the need for manual gear changes or velocity adjustments.
Solution Approach 2:
The control system continuously monitors actual velocity and compares it with the reference velocity, then automatically adjusts gear selection and braking force accordingly. This feedback mechanism ensures the mining machine travels at appropriate speeds on descending roads without manual intervention while maintaining sufficient braking capacity when needed.
5Productivity
If high velocity is allowed to increase productivity, then the mining machine can transport material faster, but the system becomes difficult to control and requires sharp braking that activates over-speed protection
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-calculates safe velocity references based on braking system capacity, road gradient, and load conditions before the mining machine reaches high speeds. By establishing appropriate velocity limits in advance rather than reacting to over-speed conditions, the system maintains high productivity while avoiding difficult control situations and sharp braking events.
Solution Approach 2:
The control system continuously monitors actual velocity against reference velocity and automatically adjusts braking force to maintain safe operating speeds. This real-time feedback prevents the mining machine from reaching velocities that would require sharp braking or activate over-speed protection, maintaining both productivity and ease of operation.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a method performed by a control device (100) for controlling the velocity of a mining machine (1). The mining machine (1) comprising at least one driving wheel (6) configured to transport the machine (1) on a driving surface (4), at least one propulsion device (8) connected to the at least one driving wheel (6), at least one braking device (16) connected to the at least one driving wheel (6), and the control device (100).The method comprising: estimating (s101) a road resistance for the mining machine (1), calculating (s102) a velocity reference for the mining machine (1), and controlling (s103) the velocity of the mining machine (1) to correspond to the calculated velocity reference for the mining machine (1). The invention also relates to a control device (100) and a mining machine.