Deep cutting continuous miner. (effect of drum rotational speed and depth of cut on airborne respirable dust and specific energy). Final report, January 1972--December 1976
A special deep cutting continuous miner was built to study the effects of rotational speed and depth of cut on airborne respirable dust. After preliminary tests indicated and later verified that deep cutting - low rotational speed reduces airborne respirable dust, a series of underground tests were performed (9 combinations of rotational speed and depth of cut at 45 degrees bit angle and 4 inch bit spacing). Additional data was obtained on specific energy, coal sizing and noise. The conclusions reached from the tests results were: (a) deep cutting reduces airborne respirable dust generated and specific energy needed to cut coal, (b) the greater majority of the decrease occurs in going from 1 inch to 2 inch depth of cut, (c) lowering rotational speed has a particularly sizable effect of reducing the amount of dust at the operator's location, (d) no significant relationship was found for either noise level or coal sizing to rotational speed or depth of cut. Recommendations include: (a) use of specific energy as an indicator of the change in dust level correlating to changes in cutting parameters, (b) mine operators should acquire new deep cutting machines, since retrofitting would be selective.
- Research Organization:
- Ingersoll-Rand Research, Inc., Princeton, N.J. (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- H0122039
- OSTI ID:
- 6991614
- Report Number(s):
- PB-274345
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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