Method and apparatus for monitoring the thickness of a coal rib during rib formation
Abstract
Apparatus for monitoring the position of a mining machine cutting a new entry in a coal seam relative to an adjacent, previously cut entry to determine the distance between a near face of the adjacent previously cut entry and a new face adjacent thereto of a new entry being cut by the mining machine which together define the thickness of a coal rib being formed between the new entry and the adjacent previously cut entry during the new entry-cutting operation. The monitoring apparatus; includes a transmit antenna mounted on the mining machine and spaced inwardly from the new face of the coal rib for transmitting radio energy towards the coal rib so that one portion of the radio energy is reflected by the new face which is defined at an air-coal interface between the new entry and the coal rib and another portion of the radio energy is reflected by the near face of the coal rib which is defined at an air-coal interface between the coal rib and the adjacent previously cut entry. A receive antenna mounted on the mining machine and spaced inwardly of the new face of the coal rib receives the one portion of the radiomore »
- Inventors:
-
- Jefferson Boro, PA
- Pittsburgh, PA
- Dravosburg, PA
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), Pittsburgh, PA, Morgantown, WV (United States)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 870348
- Patent Number(s):
- 5500649
- Assignee:
- United States of America as represented by Secretary of (Washington, DC)
- Patent Classifications (CPCs):
-
E - FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS E21 - EARTH DRILLING E21C - MINING OR QUARRYING
G - PHYSICS G01 - MEASURING G01S - RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- method; apparatus; monitoring; thickness; coal; rib; formation; position; mining; machine; cutting; entry; seam; relative; adjacent; previously; cut; determine; distance; near; thereto; define; formed; entry-cutting; operation; transmit; antenna; mounted; spaced; inwardly; transmitting; radio; energy; towards; portion; reflected; defined; air-coal; interface; receive; receives; processor; determines; elapsed; time; period; equal; required; travel; thereafter; calculates; function; difference; periods; adjacent thereto; elapsed time; coal seam; monitoring apparatus; time required; time period; receive antenna; mining machine; energy reflected; time periods; transmit antenna; spaced inwardly; cutting operation; /342/
Citation Formats
Mowrey, Gary L, Ganoe, Carl W, and Monaghan, William D. Method and apparatus for monitoring the thickness of a coal rib during rib formation. United States: N. p., 1996.
Web.
Mowrey, Gary L, Ganoe, Carl W, & Monaghan, William D. Method and apparatus for monitoring the thickness of a coal rib during rib formation. United States.
Mowrey, Gary L, Ganoe, Carl W, and Monaghan, William D. Mon .
"Method and apparatus for monitoring the thickness of a coal rib during rib formation". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/870348.
@article{osti_870348,
title = {Method and apparatus for monitoring the thickness of a coal rib during rib formation},
author = {Mowrey, Gary L and Ganoe, Carl W and Monaghan, William D},
abstractNote = {Apparatus for monitoring the position of a mining machine cutting a new entry in a coal seam relative to an adjacent, previously cut entry to determine the distance between a near face of the adjacent previously cut entry and a new face adjacent thereto of a new entry being cut by the mining machine which together define the thickness of a coal rib being formed between the new entry and the adjacent previously cut entry during the new entry-cutting operation. The monitoring apparatus; includes a transmit antenna mounted on the mining machine and spaced inwardly from the new face of the coal rib for transmitting radio energy towards the coal rib so that one portion of the radio energy is reflected by the new face which is defined at an air-coal interface between the new entry and the coal rib and another portion of the radio energy is reflected by the near face of the coal rib which is defined at an air-coal interface between the coal rib and the adjacent previously cut entry. A receive antenna mounted on the mining machine and spaced inwardly of the new face of the coal rib receives the one portion of the radio energy reflected by the new face and also receives the another portion of the radio energy reflected by the near face. A processor determines a first elapsed time period equal to the time required for the one portion of the radio energy reflected by the new face to travel between the transmit antenna and the receive antenna and also determines a second elapsed time period equal to the time required for the another portion of the radio energy reflected by the near face to travel between the transmit antenna and the receive antenna and thereafter calculates the thickness of the coal rib being formed as a function of the difference between the first and second elapsed time periods.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {1996},
month = {1}
}