Abstract
Within the INESI-project (Increasing Efficiency and Safety Improvement in Underground Mining Transportation Routes) long-wavelength infrared (LWIR) cameras are used for detecting persons on underground belt conveyors or within hazardous areas e.g. in front of crusher or skip vessels by the project partners KOMAG and the Institute for Advanced Mining Technologies (AMT). The test case for evaluating the performance of thermal imaging regarding these applications is the Polish Sobieski underground coal mine operated by Tauron mining company. By the development of thermal image processing algorithms, an automated detection of persons and classification of different objects was achieved. This may allow implementing smart services for person detection on underground belt conveyors as well as material characterization between coal, rock and disturbing objects on belt conveyors.
Highlights
Underground Coal Mining is a very challenging environment regarding the safety of the miners, dealing with heavy machinery in complex situations and harsh conditions
Because of that absorptions occurring in the underground mine atmosphere, cameras which can operate in the long-wavelength infrared (LWIR) spectrum from 8 μm to 15 μm wavelength fulfil the requirements for a reliable person detection (Fig. 1)
To examine the usability of the thermal imaging camera in in-situ underground mining conditions some measurements were conducted in the Sobieski underground coal mine, operated by the Tauron mining company in 2018
Summary
Underground Coal Mining is a very challenging environment regarding the safety of the miners, dealing with heavy machinery in complex situations and harsh conditions. Various research and development projects as well as the INESI-project started in July deal with digitization and automation of the different processes within mining operations to increase resource efficiency, productivity and safety in underground mining. The KOMAG Institute of Mining Technology and the Institute for Advanced Mining Technologies (AMT) of the RWTH Aachen University validate thermal imaging as a method for person detection in underground mining transportation processes. For this purpose, measurements in laboratory and in situ underground coal mining conditions are taken. The measurements will enable to such validate and include the overall differentiation among persons in different positions, different materials such as rock or coal and in the case of an empty belt conveyor
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