Pivoting Launch Deck for Highwall Mining Seam Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current highwall mining systems are inefficient and cumbersome when mining seams with steep slopes, as they struggle to maintain alignment and stability, leading to coal loss and increased risk of conveyor car flipping during operation and relocation.
Innovation Solution
A launch vehicle with a pivotally attached launch deck that can be tilted to match the entry angle of the seam, allowing conveyor cars to be added or removed horizontally, and featuring a deck lift assembly for controlled tilting and leveling, ensuring stable operation and coal transport.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the launch vehicle uses a fixed horizontal deck for adding conveyor cars, then the ease of operation is improved, but the adaptability to steep seam angles deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The launch deck is made dynamically adjustable through a tilt mechanism that can change its angle relative to the horizontal plane. The deck can be tilted to match the seam angle during mining operations while returning to horizontal for conveyor car addition, allowing the system to adapt to different operating conditions without sacrificing ease of operation or adaptability to steep seams
2Adaptability or versatility
If the launch vehicle tilts the entire structure to match seam angle, then the adaptability to steep seams is improved, but the stability during conveyor car addition deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The launch vehicle is segmented into a fixed horizontal base structure and a separately tiltable launch deck. This segmentation allows the deck to be tilted for mining while the base remains stable and horizontal for safe conveyor car addition, resolving the contradiction between adaptability to steep seams and stability during operations
3Device complexity
If conventional highwall mining systems are used for steep seams, then the device complexity is reduced, but the productivity deteriorates due to coal loss and operational inefficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The tiltable launch deck provides dynamic angle adjustment capability that allows the mining system to efficiently operate in steep seams while maintaining structural simplicity. The deck can match the seam angle to optimize mining productivity without requiring complete redesign of the entire mining system
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables efficient and practical highwall mining in steep seams by minimizing coal loss and reducing the risk of conveyor car flipping, while allowing for easier relocation of the mining system.
Implementation Method 1
a deck lift assembly configured to effect controlled lifting and lowering of the launch deck
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of this invention relate to highwall mining, and more particularly to a launch vehicle adapted for use in highwall mining of downward angled seams of mineable material, such as coal. More specifically, the provided launch vehicle includes a lower deck, an upper deck disposed above the lower deck, a launch deck pivotally attached to the upper deck, a first conveyor belt carried on the lower deck and a second conveyor belt carried on the launch deck. A conveyor car is positioned on the launch deck while the launch deck is in a substantially horizontal orientation, then the launch deck is tilted in a vertical place relative to the upper deck to substantially match a dip angle of the seam to be mined. The conveyor car is attached to a conveyor train extending into the seam as the rearmost car in the train. As the conveyor train advances into the seam, the launch deck is returned to a horizontal orientation, an additional conveyor car is added to the launch deck, and the launch deck is again tilted to substantially match the dip angle of the seam to add the additional conveyor car as the new rearmost car in the conveyor train.