Belt Conveyors Rollers Diagnostics Based on Acoustic Signal Collected Using Autonomous Legged Inspection Robot

Artur Skoczylas,Paweł Stefaniak,Sergii Anufriiev,Bartosz Jachnik

doi:10.3390/app11052299

Abstract

Growing demand for raw materials forces mining companies to reach deeper deposits. Difficult environmental conditions, especially high temperature and the presence of toxic/explosives gases, as well as high seismic activity in deeply located areas, pose serious threats to humans. In such conditions, running an exploration strategy of machinery parks becomes a difficult challenge, especially from the point of view of technical facilities inspections performed by mining staff. Therefore, there is a growing need for new, reliable, and autonomous inspection solutions for mining infrastructure, which will limit the role of people in these areas. In this article, a method for detection of conveyor rollers failure based on an acoustic signal is described. The data were collected using an ANYmal autonomous legged robot inspecting conveyors operating at the Polish Ore Enrichment Plant of KGHM Polska Miedź S.A., a global producer of copper and silver. As a part of an experiment, about 100 m of operating belt conveyor were inspected. The sound-based fault detection in the plant conditions is not a trivial task, given a considerable level of sonic disturbance produced by a plurality of sources. Additionally, some disturbances partially coincide with the studied phenomenon. Therefore, a suitable filtering method was proposed. Developed diagnostic algorithms, as well as ANYmal robot inspection functionalities and resistance to underground conditions, are developed as a part of the “THING–subTerranean Haptic INvestiGator” project.

Highlights

The key factor determining the continuous and effective production of a mining enterprise is maintaining the highest possible availability of the machinery park in each area of the technological line
We describe a robotic approach for deep mine infrastructure inspection tasks on the example of selected elements of a belt conveyor
The article presents a universal method of automatic detection of incorrect operation of roller sets, supporting the conveyor belt on which the material is transported

Summary

Introduction

The key factor determining the continuous and effective production of a mining enterprise is maintaining the highest possible availability of the machinery park in each area of the technological line. Mining devices are usually functionally connected, creating an extensive network of technical objects. Each object has an assigned function, and there is a certain hierarchy of these objects and rules of cooperation between them. Such systems of “connected vessels” are used, among other contexts, in belt conveyor transportation systems. Belt conveyors (Figure 1) are commonly used devices in continuous horizontal transport of bulk material. The repair of some failures may take a long time and requires a considerable engagement of mining staff in areas such as failure diagnosis, ensuring safety, first operational decisions, disassembly, transport of material, repair, and assembly

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Conclusion