Experimental study of high-recovery auger heads. Phase I: design review and redesign
To increase net coal recovery from auger mining operations, the US Bureau of Mines started development of a series of high recovery auger heads. Their work, under the HIREAM program, resulted in three prototype high recovery heads; two which are intended to produce nearly square holes and one which will backream the forward hole to a larger diameter upon withdrawal. With these heads, total coal recovery can go from 30 to 40% to 70% or higher. Furthermore, if surface augering techniques using high recovery technology can be extended to underground mining, production rates can be increased by a factor of 2 to 3 and the cost per ton may be able to be reduced by a similar amount. The two main uses in underground mining would be: to mine out prepared panels of coal at low cost and high recovery rates; and to mine or rob pillars in seams which have been developed by room-and-pillar methods, thereby substantially increasing total coal recovery. The HIREAM program was transferred to the US Department of Energy and a contract was let to complete the design and fabrication of the high recovery heads and to determine, by extensive laboratory and field testing, their technical feasibility and performance characteristics. The program to accomplish this work was divided into four phases: Design Review and Redesign, Equipment Fabrication, Laboratory Testing, and Field Testing and Final Report. This report summarizes the Phase I work effort. Each high recovery auger head is discussed, results from model coal flow experiments are examined, designs for laboratory test equipment are presented, and a preliminary Phase III laboratory testing program is given.
- Research Organization:
- Southwest Research Inst., San Antonio, TX (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC01-78ET10041
- OSTI ID:
- 5934450
- Report Number(s):
- DOE/ET/10041-T1; ON: DE82002573
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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