GERMAN TECHNOLOGY
network with a wide range of generator sets that support critical applications as hospitals, airports, data centres, telecommunication networks as well as residential properties and factories.
The product portfolio of Eickhoff fits well into the low and standard seams mined in India and the Eickhoff CM2H-37 and CM2H-45 range of Continuous Miners suitable for those seams have a proven track record in South Africa, where Eickhoff ´ s biggest fleet of R & P equipment is operating.
Lately, Eickhoff introduced a new product into the Continuous Miner range- with the heavy CM2H-36 type, a machine developed and introduced especially for the demands of high production sections operating in the hard cutting conditions of South African mines.“ Eickhoff and TIPL strongly believe that customers investing in top-of the line equipment offered by both companies will enable them to run the safest, highest producing room and pillar sections with the lowest equipment running costs in the country.”
GHH on new tech and automation
GHH Fahrzeuge develops and manufactures LHDs and articulated underground trucks as well as scalers and mixers for mining and tunnelling. It also provides tailor-made vehicles that are manufactured by customer’ s specifications for different requirements, whether it is for soft or hard rock, using suppliers well established in the mining industry. One of the main focus of product development is the easy maintenance design of the machines to minimise downtime.
GHH’ s new LF-21H has a payload of 21 t and a hydrostatic drive,“ which sets new standards in terms of productivity and efficiency in hard and soft rock applications. A powerful machine that is state-of-the-art in technology and ergonomics while offering the well-known rugged design of GHH, the newly developed LF-21H is the most powerful and efficient LHD in its class. Driven by the latest generation of the mining-optimised Efficient Drive System( EDS), it achieves significant increases in efficiency and productivity over traditional hydrodynamic drives.”
The environmentally friendly engine complies with the EU Stage IV or EPA Tier 4 Final emissions standard, thus minimising the need for underground ventilation and delivering up to 390 kW. The stepless hydrostatic drive makes it possible to operate the combustion engine in a reduced speed range. As a result, the load on the engine is significantly reduced, in addition, the fuel consumption can be reduced by the operation of the engine in areas of lower specific consumption. The vehicle is specified for permanent use at ambient temperatures of 52 ° C. Designed in a modular way, the machine is available with different canopy and kinematic versions in order to adapt to the specific applications.
GHH has also successfully tested a newly developed low-cost multibrand automation system for LHDs and dump trucks in Chile that is especially designed for small to medium sized operations. This joint development with the AMTC of the Universidad de Chile facilitates autonomous navigation on a mine map without teach-in of the machine including creation of the map itself. The reactive navigation allows autonomous operation also in complex mine workings such as in room and pillar. Fully autonomous loading and dumping will be available soon.
Furthermore, GHH is working with its partner indurad on new radar sensor technology for super low profile or dusty applications where current laser scanners may not be used.
The system also comprises an operator assist functionality for manual and teleremote operation that corrects the machine movements automatically to avoid collisions eg with side walls.
“ LHDs and underground dumpers are an important part of a logistical transport chain in which the failure of one machine results in the stoppage of further machines, which leads to high cost for the customer even in the case of minor damage. Reliability and availability of the machines are thus important parameters which directly and decisively influence the planning reliability of underground mining processes. On the basis of the existing sensor infrastructure, GHH Fahrzeuge GmbH is developing an innovative system for condition monitoring. On the basis of physically justified rules, long-term data analyses and load cycle evaluations, the condition and thus the reliability of components are analysed and evaluated locally on the machines. Based on the results, recommendations are given to the operator and the service personnel in order to avoid unplanned failures. This information can be directly integrated into the maintenance planning to implement approaches to predictive maintenance.”
Becker Mining’ s global underground transport solutions
July 2017 marked an important milestone in Becker Mining China’ s transportation system development as it successfully sold the first toothed monorails in the Chinese market for its parent company in Germany, Becker Mining Systems Group.“ In this way, we managed to get ahead of a couple of competitors. The agreement with Shanxi Tiandi Wangpo Coal Mining Co Ltd is the reward for two years of diligent and
Autonomous GHH LF-11H in copper mine in Chile
dedicated work done by the Becker Mining China transportation team. The contract carries a significant meaning not only for us, as we introduce a reliable manufacturing process that keeps up with German standards, but it also leads the direction in which we see the underground transportation market is headed.”
Becker believes that suspended monorails solely driven by rack-and-pinion will become more important to Chinese production sites, as they allow maximised loads under the harshest conditions. In the meantime, this transition period will create more opportunities for Becker Mining China in transportation development.
Elsewhere, Becker Mining Systems RUS last year delivered a KPCS-95 suspended diesel hydraulic locomotive to the Sherlovskaya- Naklonnaya mine of Donugol Coal Company. The locomotive was improved by Becker specialists for the required mine conditions with the possibility of power reduction to 36 kW added. The locomotive was put into operation and is successfully being used by miners in their everyday work. The suspended diesel hydraulic locomotive KPCS-95 is intended for transportation of people and materials in mine workings, which are gas and dust hazardous, along suspended monorails with an inclination angle of the road up to ± 30 °. The force generated by one drive is 20 kN for the friction version and 30 kN for the rack-and-pinion version. There are six pulling hydraulic drive units.
“ When developing this locomotive, special attention was paid to maintaining of functions. A new software version was implemented in the haulage, which provides power reduction to 36 kW. New software provides steering of the locomotive with the use of full power( 95 kW) or, after switching in the driver’ s cabin with the button on the control panel, with reduced power to 36 kW. After switching of the locomotive to steering with 36 kW power, the locomotive’ s speed is limited proportionally to the power difference. The locomotive moves similarly to the motion in the mode of usual( unlimited) power.
10 International Mining | MARCH 2018