1. Armoured Face Conveyor (AFC) pans
changing in a working Longwall face
using Monorail system
-AN INNOVATIVE APPROACH
SINGARENI
COLLIERIES
COMPANY
LIMITED
3. PRESENTATION OUTLINE
• About GDK.10A Incline
• Details of Panel No.7
• Reasons for replacement of AFC
• Conventional methods
• Monorail transport system
• Sequence of Operations
• Safety & Advantages
• Conclusion
4. SALIENT FEATURES OF
GDK 10A INCLINE
Mine started on : 16-06-1985
Introduction of Longwall : FEB, 1994
No. of workable seams : 2 (No.1 & 2)
Present working seam : No.1 Seam
No of LW panels completed: 8
Total production : 54 LT
Balance reserves : 35.82 LT
Balance life : 3.5 Years
Project cost : Rs. 116.53 Crores
5. PRODUCTION PROFILE OF GDK-10A
(Coal production in LT)
Section 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07
(Achiev.) (Achiev.) (Achiev.) (Target)
HS 0.09 0.01 0 0
MM LW 4.00 3.48 4.16 5.00
RH 0.32 0.29 0.32 0.40
SDL 0.69 0.93 0.92 0.96
MM TOT. 5.01 4.70 5.40 6.36
TOTAL 5.12 4.71 5.40 6.36
8. PANEL NO 7
Face Length : 116 m
Panel Length : 940 m
No of chock supports : 80 Nos
Shearer : 2 X 375 KW
AFC : 2 X 150 KW
BSL : 1 X 150 KW
Lump Breaker : 1 X 90 KW
This panel was planned with uphill AFC transport to
eliminate water problem. After a retreat of about 400 m
it was decided to change the AFC pans as the condition
of AFC was severely deteriorated. Monorail system was
used for transport of AFC pans along the face.
9. Longwall
Panel No.7
MAIN GATE (46L)
400m
GOAF
TAIL GATE (49L) FACE STOP LINE
Uphill Transport is planned in this Panel
10. REASONS FOR
REPLACEMENT OF AFC PANS
The quality of AFC pans was very poor.
AFC components were supplied by 3 different
suppliers.
Percentage of AFC breakdowns was about
22.5% of available working time and
resulted in loss of output of 20,000 Tons per
month.
Slow face retreat caused strata control
problems during periodical weightings.
Taking into consideration of the time loss,
production loss and safety aspects, it was
decided to replace the total AFC with new pans.
11. CONVENTIONAL METHODS AVAILABLE
FOR AFC PANS CHANGING
The sequence of operations include:
1 - Extra cut in front of AFC
- Meshing of roof and face bolting
- Laying of track in front of AFC and
installation of compact hauler
- Dismantling of old pans, loading and
transport out bye and simultaneously
transporting new pans to face and
assembling.
This method requires extra time for giving extra
cut and meshing. Dismantling and removing of
old pans and assembling new pans may be done
from any end.
13. CONVENTIONAL METHODS AVAILABLE
FOR AFC PANS CHANGING
This method does not require an extra cut but the
sequence of operation include:
2 •
•
Dismantling of Tail gate (TG) drive
Installation of compact hauler
• Dismantling of old pans, loading and transport out bye
starting from the Top gate end
• Track extension in the place where old pans are
removed
• Removing all the old pans one after the other up to the
Bottom gate end and continuing track extension,
• Transport of new pans and unloading,
• Removing the track and assembling new pans starting
from the Bottom gate end.
• Assembling TG drive.
In this method the old AFC will have to be completely
removed before installing the new pans.
14. 2
CONVENTIONAL
METHODS
AVAILABLE
FOR AFC PANS
CHANGING
15. WHY MONO RAIL TRANSPORT
SYSTEM IS SELECTED
The conventional systems take around 15
to 20 days time for changing total AFC.
In conventional systems a clear space is
required for laying curved track in Tail gate
junction and also for accommodating Tail
drive.
The roof condition in Tail gate and also
along the face was not good.
16. BAR CHART OF ACTIVITIES
Total changing of AFC pans was completed
in 8 days.
S.NO. ACTIVITY DAY 1 DAY 2 DAY 3 DAY 4 DAY 5 DAY 6 DAY 7 DAY 8
1 FACE CLEANING & BAMBOO BOLTING
2 MONORAIL FIXING
3 OLD PANS REMOVING, TRANSPORT TO
TG AND LOADING
4 NEW PANS TRANSPORT TO TG, LIFTING
WITH MONO RAIL, TRANSPORT AND UN
LOADING IN FACE
5 PANS ASSEMBLING,TOP CHAIN
CONNECTION AND MONORAIL REMOVAL
8 TRIAL RUN
17. DESCRIPTION OF MONORAIL SYSTEM
Monorail transport system consists of the
following components:
1) Monorail
2) Bogie
3) Lifting arrangements
4) Winch or Hauler (Optional where the
gradient is more and require more effort
for pulling)
18. Plan showing the
Total Face layout
with Monorail system
PANEL NO.7
19. MONO RAIL
• The monorails are made of
rolled section of ISMB150mm x
75mm of 6 m length.
• They are anchored to the chock
canopies by chain links and
clamps.
• In gate roadway the monorail is
anchored by a clamp to the eye
bolt grouted in the roof.
• Monorail joints are clamped at
the top and welded at the
bottom for smooth travel.
20. BOGIE
• Monorail Bogie was made of 15mm
MS plates and rollers fitted with
bearings.
• It
has provision for fixing a ram or
chain block for lifting purpose.
• Bogie moves on monorail.
21. MONO RAIL BOGIE
3" X 6" RS JOIST
15mm MS PLATES BEARINGS
BOGIE
BOLT AND NUT
LIFTING HYDRAULIC CYLINDER
PARTS OF MONO RAIL BOGIE
240 mm
0 40 mm
FRONT VIEW SIDE VIEW 100 mm 255 mm
15 mm MS PLATE
LIFTING HYDRAULIC CYLINDER
3"X 6" RS JOIST
620 mm
0 100 mm
M36X160 STRUD
0 40mm AND M25 BOLT
BEARING
120 mm
22. LIFTING ARRANGEMENT
• Hydraulic ram or chain pulley block can be
used for lifting purpose.
• It is fitted to the monorail bogie. Because of
height constraint hydraulic ram is used.
• After lifting the AFC pans with the help of
ram pressure, it is retained by closing On-Off
valves fitted to the connecting hoses.
23. WINCH (or) HAULER
• For pulling effort a winch or hauler is used.
• If the winch or hauler is erected in bottom
gate road instead of top gate, rope has to be
passed through diversion pulley.
• 12mm or 16mm flexible rope is used with
the winch.
• Signaling arrangement provided all along the
face to ensure safety of operation.
24. Transport of pans by
pulling or pushing of
the bogie
Arrangement of
diversion pullies
25. FACE CONDITION
BEFORE CHANGING AFC
• There were total 70 pans in the face from
C7 to C76, excluding the pans of MG and TG
drives.
• Shearer was parked between C7 and C16.
• Dismantling of old pans was started from TG
end, Simultaneously monorail was laid up to
C17.
• After changing of pans up to C17, shearer
was taken down to C17-C26 and pans
required for the other side of shearer were
unloaded at C27 and pulled through the gap
between shearer and face.
26. AFC PANS CHANGING
– SEQUENCE OF OPERATIONS
• AFC pans were transported from surface to
Longwall face through tail gate and kept under
the monorail.
• Pans were lifted with monorail bogie in TG.
• Hauler rope was attached to the bogie and it was
pulled. Bogie moved on the monorail from tail
gate lifting point up to the unloading point in the
face.
• Stop blocks were used to prevent run away of
bogie.
27. Monorail
negotiating a curve
in tail gate junction
Arrangement of
monorail at face
curve
28. AFC PANS CHANGING
– SEQUENCE OF OPERATIONS
• New pan was unloaded at the site with the
help of the same hydraulic cylinder.
• Old pans were lifted in the face, transported
with the same bogie to tail gate and
unloaded in to the half tub.
• A loop line was given in tail gate for
shunting the old pans loaded half tubs from
where they were transported to surface.
29. AFC PANS CHANGING
– SEQUENCE OF OPERATIONS
• Total 70 old pans were replaced with new pans
starting from tail gate end.
• Replacement of one pan took about 45 to 60
minutes.
• An average of 15 pans were changed per day.
• After completion of AFC pans assembling, top
chain spreading and jointing was done and AFC
trial run taken. Mean while monorails were
dismantled and normal production resumed.
30. SAFETY FEATURES
Depending upon the load to be handled the
anchoring, steel sections, bogies, lifting device and
chains were designed, taking maximum factor of
safety into consideration.
Persons were not directly coming into contact with
the heavy materials while transportation.
Anchoring of the monorails was at every 1.5 m
interval increased the load bearing capacity.
Sprags were applied immediately behind the bogie
travel at the interval of 1.5 m to prevent the
running back towards down hill.
31. APPLICATIONS
Monorail system of transport can be widely used in
underground mining works for loading, unloading,
shifting of heavy machineries and equipment.
Monorail system can be used at Longwall salvage
and installation operations.
Winder house and haulage installations for
replacing of gearbox, motor, drum, shaft etc.
Pumping stations.
Shaft insets for loading and unloading of materials
into the cage.
32. ADVANTAGES
• More safety.
• Less manpower.
• Easy to handle.
• Faster system of transport / replacement of worn-
out items.
• The monorail system can be fabricated and
installed at mine level with the help of workshop.
• The cost is very less when compared to other
systems.
• The workmen are more interested to use this
system as less physical exertion is involved for
handling / transport of the material.
• The system can be further improvised by
providing motorised lifting device / bogie.
33. CONCLUSION
• The monorail system was found to be more
useful for changing the AFC in a working
Longwall panel.
• Total AFC pans were changed within 8 days
using 1200 man shifts against the normal
time of 20 days using 3000 man shifts, thus
saving about 1800 man shifts and 12 days
production costing around Rs. 2 Crores.
• This system is more safe, easy to fabricate,
install and operate.
