Longwall guidance and control development. Final report, 1974 - 1982

Technical Report · Fri Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1982

OSTI ID:6515272

The longwall guidance and control (G C) system was evaluated to determine which systems and subsystems lent themselves to automatic control in the mining of coal. The upper coal/shale interface was identified as the reference for a vertical G C system, with two sensors (the natural backgound and the sensitized pick) being used to locate and track this boundary. In order to insure a relatively smooth recession surface (roof and floor of the excavated seam), a last and present cut measuring instrument (acoustic sensor) was used. Potentiometers were used to measure elevations of the shearer arms. The intergration of these components comprised the vertical control system (pitch control). Yaw and roll control were incorporated into a face alignment system which was designed to keep the coal face normal to its external boundaries. Numerous tests, in the laboratory and in the field, have confirmed the feasibility of automatic horizon control, as well as determining the face alignment.

• Research Organization: National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Huntsville, AL (USA). George C. Marshall Space Flight Center
• OSTI ID: 6515272
• Report Number(s): NASA-TM-82455
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
012000* -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Mining
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
COAL
CONTROL
CONTROL EQUIPMENT
DIRECTIONAL DRILLING
DRILLING
ELECTRIC MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT
ENERGY SOURCES
EQUIPMENT
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
INCLINATION
LONGWALL MINING
MATERIALS
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
MINING
POTENTIOMETERS
UNDERGROUND MINING