Date of Graduation
1998
Document Type
Thesis
Abstract
Belt conveyor haulage systems are critical to keep an underground-coal mine running profitably. It is not easy to design a reliable and efficient system. The issues associated with designing the capacity for a belt conveyor and a bunker are addressed in this dissertation. Several design models have been discussed, and discrete-event simulation models are recommended as the most flexible and useful tools. Most of the simulation models require the use of a step-function model to describe the loading process at each loading point. Over the years, simulation practitioners have generally employed one of the three conventional models, the peak loading rate model (A), the average loading rate model (B), and the random loading rate model (C). The coal flow, described by these three models, departs from the real coal-flow pattern in varying degrees. An important issue is how do these three versions compare to each other in terms of simulated capacity requirements for a belt conveyor and a bunker. As for the belt conveyor capacity, they are also compared to the Peak Design Method. A more detailed loading process model was proposed in this dissertation, and compared to the conventional models. The three conventional models do result in different design for the belt capacity, but have little impact on the design for the bunker capacity. The more detailed model gives the same design as the model C. Establishing a detailed model has little change on the capacity design. Is this the optimum design for the reality, pending on a real system design by using this model and screening its performance.
Recommended Citation
Wang, Xueming, "Evaluation of the effect of temporal variations in flow patterns on capacity design for underground coal mine belt systems." (1998). Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports. 9983.
https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/etd/9983