David Reid - CSIRO

Overview | |Challenges Enabling Technologies | Solution | Looking to the Future

Longwall 2014 – Hunter Valley, October 2014

Dr David C. Reid

CSIRO Principal Research Engineer

CSIRO ENERGY FLAGSHIP

Longwall and Continuous Miner automation

LASC – longwall automation technology


Longwall automation milestones

First u/g

measurement

First u/g

measurementFirst non-Aus

LASC longwall

First non-Aus

LASC longwall

Project complete.

TLA Launch

Project complete.

TLA Launch

LASC Commercialisation

Thermal I/R trials

Real time profiles

Thermal I/R trials

Real time profiles

Landmark project


20092003 2005 2007 201320112001

First profiles.

Cross face wi-fi.

First profiles.

Cross face wi-fi.

½ Aus Longwalls

LASC

½ Aus Longwalls

LASC

LN270

technology used

LN270

technology usedFirst OEM TLA First OEM TLA

LASC Commercialisation

2015

LASC 1.5

technologies

LASC 1.5

technologies

10 LN270’s in

Australia

10 LN270’s in

Australia

LASC 2.0

technologies

LASC 2.0

technologies

Presentation Overview

• Overview of LASC 1.0

• Technology status

• What’s worked & what hasn’t

• Overview of LASC 1.5 and 2.0

• Where are we heading


• Where are we heading

• Future R&D plans and technologies

• Continuous Miner guidance project

• Update on R&D and upcoming underground trials

V-axis:Straightening

Most current

LASC 1.0 – what has worked well


H-axis: Support 1 to 153

V-axis:

Shear

sequence

Straightening

cut

LASC 1.0 – what has worked well

• Shearer Position Measurement System (SPMS)

hardware – high-performance inertial navigation

• Face alignment – broad uptake with significant

impact.


• High-quality onboard shearer attitude/horizon

information available to the OEM shearer controller

• Has delivered a process control approach to shearer

automation which of itself has produced benefits

LASC 1.0 – where are the main gaps

• Creep/retreat – an old chestnut that still needs some

cracking

• Horizon control that has general applicability. LASC 1.0

has provided a solid platform but not the full solution


• Need for active seam tracking for improved horizon

control

• LASC software/system configuration and management

tools too complicated

LASC 1.5 – what have we been working on

• Major rewrite of LASC server software • Simplified installation, commissioning and configuration

• Consolidate and reduce the number of software modules to reduce

complexity

• Support for a range of databases (not just MySQL) via ODBC interface

• Improved operator screens including database interface .


• ITAR-free Inertial Navigation System• LASC support for non-ITAR inertial navigation hardware

• Non-ITAR INS has been successfully trialled in Australia. This INS can be

exported to ITAR-restricted countries.

• Made available to the industry via the LASC longwall OEMs

LASC 2.0 – where to next

• The Mining Technology Research Group continues to undertake

strategic research into new LASC-related technologies

• We are actively seeking feedback from those in the industry

with LASC experience to chart a course for next generation

LASC developments

• Learnings from LASC1.0 experience


• Learnings from LASC1.0 experience

• Review and input into the CSIRO 2, 5 & 10 year technology

development roadmap

LASC 2.0 – technology roadmap


LASC 2.0 – technology roadmap


LASC 2.0 – some specific technologies

• Active seam tracking• Optical and thermal marker band

• CSIRO interest is in image/data processing and LASC integration

• System simplification• Onboard shearer (SPMS) data processing

• Remove surface database and services from control loop

• Simplify installation, commissioning and configuration


• Simplify installation, commissioning and configuration

• Real time FA and HC data• Reduce LASC response cycle times (presently up to 3 shear cycles)

• Creep/retreat (and more)• New scanning laser technology

• CSIRO-developed transparent panoramic flameproof enclosure (current

ACARP project - provisional patent)

• Laser/enclosure has broader applicability

3D scanning laser – panoramic flameproof enclosureFor longwall creep/retreat measurement and more


CM Guidance project update

• Current ACARP project

• Began in 2009

• Performance has been verified in extensive above

ground testing

• Using field-realistic experimental set up


• Underground guidance equipment package audit

complete

• Single package in standard enclosure

• Guidance package ready for installation on CM

• Scheduled for installation in November.

• Sandvik machine in NSW

Solution: Test Platform – The Phoenix


Ebenezer Experimental Test Site


CM Guidance performance

• Performance

• 30cm maximum cross track error over 2.7km, 2.5hr “two heading

roadway” mission – repeated experiments at Ebenezer test site

• Communications

• An open-system data communications specification has been developed

to ensure interoperability across multi-vendor mining equipment


Approved equipment arrangement

Compact equipment rack to suit ATF950 enclosure


Approved equipment arrangement

Compact equipment rack to suit ATF950 enclosure


On-machine guidance display


CM Guidance project update

• Current underground testing will proceed with

guidance system in “monitoring only” mode • Instantaneous pointing and tilt information can be made available

via on-machine graphical display

• Logged data will be compared mine survey information over an

expended period to establish confidence and performance measure


• Subsequently data can be made available to the

miner controller for steering control

• Required OEM development and cooperation

• Final stage to close the control loop on full navigation • Automated roadway alignment (and cut-throughs etc)

Thank you


Thank youDr David C. Reid

Principal Research Engineer

Mining Technology Research Group

t +61 7 3327 4437e [email protected]

Engineering

David Reid - CSIRO