Mining Vehicle Research Articles

Numerical Study on Multiple Parameters of Sinkage Simulation between the Track Plate of the Deep-Sea Mining Vehicle and the Seafloor Soil

The seafloor soil is characterized by high water content, strong compressibility, and low shear strength. Deep-sea mining vehicles (DSMV) are prone to sinking when walking on the surface of the soil, which will cause significant reduction in traction performance. Therefore, it is necessary to study the sinkage performance. The track is usually considered the travelling mechanism of the DSMV, and the track plate is an important part of the movement system. The study of the interaction between the track plate and the soil is of great significance to the study of the DSMV’s sinkage performance. In this study, firstly, based on the in situ seafloor soil samples of 1000 m in a region of the South China Sea collected by a box sampler, the physical and mechanical parameters of soil were measured by indoor geotechnical instruments. Secondly, an elastoplastic soil numerical model similar to that of in situ soil was established. Based on coupled Eulerian-Lagrangian (CEL) method, a numerical model of the interaction between the track plate and soil was established. Considering the dynamic process, the structure of the track plate and the physical and mechanical properties of the soil, the numerical simulation were carried out under different conditions, such as different dynamic loading, the plate structural parameters and the soil physical and mechanical properties. It is found that the plate-sinkage curve were significantly influenced by these factors. The findings are as follows, firstly, with the increase in the pressure loading rate, the soil sinkage decreasing at the same pressure. On the other hand, with the increase in velocity, soil flow was accelerated, and the nonlinear relationship between resistance and velocity became more obvious; the L/B ratio of different track plates affects the variation law of the curve, and the maximum sinkage gradually decreases as the ratio of L/B increases; with the increase in the grouser height, the maximum sinkage gradually decreases, and the pressure-sinkage curve changes obviously with the grouser type; and different soil physical and mechanical properties affect the variation of pressure-sinkage curve. Innovatively, the heterogeneous soil stress distribution mode was obtained through the fitting function and Python secondary development. This study can provide a reference for studying the sinkage performance of the DSMV.

Research on braking energy recovery technology of electric vehicle in underground coal mine based on road condition recognition technology

Electric explosion-proof trackless rubber-wheeled vehicles in coal mines usually use braking energy recovery technology to improve cruising range. In order to improve the efficiency of vehicle braking energy recovery and improve vehicle braking safety performance, this paper proposes a braking energy recovery control strategy for electric vehicles in coal mines based on road condition recognition. This strategy is based on the coal mine underground positioning technology, and adopts different braking energy recovery control strategies for different road conditions, while improving the braking energy recovery ratio of the vehicle, it ensures a good feeling of the brake pedal and ensures the safety performance of the vehicle braking. Finally, the feasibility of the control strategy is verified by simulation.

Analysis of diffusion behavior of harmful emissions from trackless rubber-wheel diesel vehicles in underground coal mines

To define the diffusion behavior of harmful exhaust substances from diesel vehicles and support safety risk assessments of underground coal mines, we performed a multi-species coupling calculation of the emission and diffusion of harmful substances from a trackless rubber-wheel diesel vehicle. A computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model of the diffusion of harmful emissions was hence established and verified. From the perspective of risk analysis, the diffusion behavior and distribution of hazardous substances emitted by the diesel vehicle were studied under 4 different conditions; moreover, we identified areas characterized by hazardous levels of emissions. When the vehicle idled upwind in the roadway, high-risk areas formed behind and to the right of the vehicle: particularly high concentrations of pollutants were measured near the rear floor of the vehicle and within 5 m behind the vehicle. When the vehicle idled downwind, high-risk areas formed in front of it: particularly high concentrations of pollutants were measured near the floor and within 5 m from the front of the vehicle. In the above cases, the driver would not breathe highly polluted air and would be relatively safe. When the vehicle idled into the chamber, however, high-risk areas formed on both sides of the vehicle and near the upper roof. Forward entry of the vehicle caused a greater increase in the concentration of pollutants in the chamber and in the driver’s breathing zone compared with reverse entry.

Numerical study on shear interaction between the track plate of deep-sea mining vehicle and the seafloor sediment based on CEL method

Deep-sea mining vehicles can easily slip when walking on the surface of thin and soft sediments, so it is necessary to study the shear interaction between vehicles and sediments. The track plate is an important part of the travelling mechanism, thus, the study of the interaction characteristics of track plates and sediments can improve the traction force and the travelling performance of mining vehicles. In this study, the effects of various parameters on the shear interaction between the track plate and the seafloor sediment were studied. Firstly, a quasi-static equation of the single track plate–sediment interaction was established based on elastoplastic mechanics. Then, a numerical model of the track plate–sediment interaction was established by using the CEL method. Based on the model, the simulation results under different track plate structures were studied, and a comparison to the quasi-static equation was obtained. It is found that the calculated difference between the two methods is small, but the numerical simulation has wider applicability. Thus, the influence of different parameters which consisted of different velocities, numbers of grousers, and sediment layers was evaluated through CEL method, and the sediment thrust, stress change, disturbance were obtained.

Concept and Architecture for Applying Continuous Machine Learning in Multi-Access Routing at Underground Mining Vehicles

Autonomous moving vehicles facilitate mining of ore in underground mines. The vehicles are usually equipped with many sensor-based devices (e.g., Lidar, video camera, proximity sensor, etc.), which enable environmental monitoring, and remote control of the vehicles at the control center. Transfer of sensor-based data from the vehicles towards the control center is challenging due to limited connectivity enabled by the multi-access technologies of the communication infrastructure (e.g., 5G, Wi-Fi) within the underground mine, and the mobility of the vehicles. This paper presents design, development, and evaluation of a concept and architecture enabling continuous machine learning (ML) for optimizing route selection of real-time streaming data in a real and emulated underground mining environment. Continuous ML refers to training and inference based on the most recently available data. Experiments in the emulator indicated that utilization of a ML-based model (based on the RandomForestRegressor) in decision making achieved ~5–13% lower one-way delay in streaming data transfers, when compared to a simpler heuristic model.

Error-state Kalman filter-based localization algorithm with velocity estimation for deep-sea mining vehicle

The deep-sea mining vehicle is one of the critical equipment of the deep-sea mining system, which is used to collect manganese nodules on the seafloor. When the deep-sea mining vehicles operates, a reliable localization system is essential. This study developed and validated a localization algorithm, named ‘ESKF-slip’, for deep-sea mining vehicles. The algorithm uses error-state Kalman filtering and incorporates velocity estimation using angle encoders, considering the effects of slip and sinkage. A localization system was established for a newly designed deep-sea mining vehicle named “Pioneer 1” based on the proposed localization algorithm. The hardware included an inertial measurement unit, an ultrashort baseline, a compass, and angle encoders of tracks, and the software framework was coded based on the Robot Operating System. Sea trials were performed in the South China Sea to validate the localization algorithm. The results show that the deep-sea mining vehicle could obtain accurate localization results in various complex navigations, demonstrating the feasibility and applicability of the proposed algorithm.

Development of a Sensor-connected Smartphone Application for Information Sharing Between Haulage Vehicles in Mines

Development of a Sensor-connected Smartphone Application for Information Sharing Between Haulage Vehicles in Mines

Lithium-Iron-Phosphate Battery Performance Controlled by an Active BMS Based on the Battery-to-Cell Method

The article discusses the results of research on the efficiency of a battery assembled with lithium-iron-phosphate (LiFeP04) cells when managed by an active Battery Management System (BMS) using the “battery-to-cell” energy transfer. This arrangement was especially developed by the authors and is intended for use in a selected suspended mining vehicle. The main emphasis was placed on variation of the two most important factors limiting in practice the effective use of a selected battery: a battery heating during operation and its voltage (power) fade over time. The advantage of the active BMS developed using the “battery-to-cell” energy transfer was compared both with the active BMS based on the cell-to-battery method and with the passive BMS as well. Particular attention was paid to the performance of the BMS balancing effect during the simulated unequal discharging of randomly selected cells (from 12 % to about 40 % of all cells number in the battery). The results obtained allowed for the formulation of appropriate conclusions and practical recommendations.

Blockchain-Guided Dynamic Best-Relay Selection for Trustworthy Vehicular Communication

Considering the highly dynamic nature of the vehicular environment and the delay-sensitive wireless medium, enabling secure and reliable vehicle-to-vehicle communication becomes a very challenging task. In this paper, we propose a novel system design that uses blockchain technology to establish a high-level trust-management successful trustworthy cooperative vehicular wireless communication. The proposed system is a cross-layer approach that optimizes the best-relay selection process allowing only trustworthy relays to participate in data transmission. In this work, blockchain stores real-time information about relaying, transmitting, and receiving vehicles. The information includes channel characteristics and participation quality. The information is vetted and verified by mining vehicles. The result guides the relay selection process to block untrustworthy vehicles from participation. The entire system is comprehensively modeled and mathematically analyzed. Simulations using throughput and Bit Error Rate (BER) as evaluation metrics demonstrated the effectiveness and efficacy of the presented approach in enabling reliable wireless communication in presence of maliciously behaving vehicles. On average, the overall system throughput rate increased by <inline-formula xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$3bps$ </tex-math></inline-formula> , the BER was reduced by almost by <inline-formula xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$2dB$ </tex-math></inline-formula> , and the percentage of false messages decreased by 90% considering high Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR).

Research on Automatic Driving Path Tracking Control of Open-Pit Mine Transportation Vehicles with Delay Compensation

The transportation environment of the open-pit mine is complex, the steering actuator of the mine vehicle has a large delay and poor response accuracy, and there are a lot of bumpy roads, large undulating ramps, and narrow-area curves in the mining area. These road sections seriously reduce the tracking accuracy of the mine vehicle path. Tracking control presents great challenges. Therefore, this study first conducts a simulation comparison study on commonly used path tracking methods such as pure pursuit control, Stanley control, and model predictive control (MPC), and then designs a path tracking control strategy for automatic driving of open-pit mine transportation vehicles based on the MPC algorithm. Finally, the proposed control strategy was verified through actual mining vehicle tests. The results showed that the maximum lateral deviation obtained by the MPC-based path tracking control strategy was reduced from 0.55 m to 0.08 m under the C-shaped reference path compared with the traditional method. Under the S-shaped reference path, the lateral deviation is reduced from 0.4 m to 0.16 m.

Research on contact model of track-soft sediment and traction performance of four-tracked seabed mining vehicle

In response to the global demand for commercial mining of deep-sea manganese nodules, the four-tracked mining vehicle (FTMV) with excellent tractive and travelling performance is crucial for constructing the entire commercial system. In order to better evaluate the tractive and travelling performance of the FTMV, the dynamic sinkage phenomenon concerning soft seabed and front-rear track effect are proposed. Meanwhile, the pressure-sinkage and traction force-slip rate mathematical models are established based on terramechanics theory. The quantitative calculation was carried out based on the model and found that the grouser's parameters affect the sinkage depth of the FTMV. In the range of 10 ~ 20 cm, the height of the rectangular grouser increases by 1 cm, which will lead to a 0.15 cm of sinkage depth decreased. When the ratio of rectangular grouser thickness to track shoe length is between 0.1 and 0.3, every 1% increase in this ratio will decrease a 0.13 cm of sinkage depth. The maximum traction force obtained by the FTMV from the soft seabed sediment was 54.5 kN, which occurred when the slip rate of the track was 16%. Moreover, due to the front-rear track effect, the traction force of the front and rear tracks showed a significant difference, the front track contributed 32.4 kN, and the rear track contributed 22.1 kN when the traction force reached the peak. Furthermore, the optimization directions for track parameters were suggested according to the relationship surface of the track dimensional parameters-slip-traction. It was found that each track was 4.2 ~ 6 m long, with a length-width ratio of 3.2, which was conducive to the reduction of track slip and got relatively much traction force from soft seabed sediment. The simulation results confirm dynamic sinkage and front-rear track effect and verify the accuracy of the new traction force-slip rate model, providing a valuable reference for the development of commercial deep-sea mining vehicles.

Study on the Pressure–Sinkage Process and Constitutive Model of Deep-Sea Sediment

The driving performance of subsea mining vehicles is greatly affected by the pressure–sinkage characteristics of deep-sea sediment. Therefore, it is of great importance to analyze the microscopic properties of deep-sea sediment and establish the corresponding pressure–sinkage model for the safe operation of subsea mining vehicles. Hence, the present paper focuses on the physical properties of deep-sea sediment to provide a preliminary understanding of its pressure–sinkage process and evolution according to the solid–liquid two-phase flow characteristics and particle flow mechanism. In addition, the stress loading time and the rheological theory are applied in order to introduce a four-element model that describes the various pressure–sinkage stages that correspond to each stage of deep-sea sediment evolution. On this basis, the parameters of the pressure–sinkage constitutive model are determined by a specific calculation method. Moreover, a new pressure–sinkage constitutive model of deep-sea sediment that considers the time-variable mechanical properties is established in order to describe the full sinkage process. Finally, research results from the existing literature and experimental data are used to verify the rationality and correctness of the model. The results show that the proposed pressure–sinkage constitutive model is in good agreement with experimental data and is effective in describing the evolution of the mechanical properties and the trend in the sinkage rate of deep-sea sediment at various stages. A comparison with the Kelvin model indicates that the proposed pressure–sinkage constitutive model provides superior accuracy with the use of fewer parameters. Consequently, this study can provide a theoretical basis and technical support for the design of subsea mining vehicles.

Development of intelligent and expert system for automation of processes of mining and transport works on the basis of satellite navigation

The object of research relates to the field of control systems for mining and transport machines in the development of deposits of solid minerals in an open way. The problem of reducing the cost of transporting 1 ton of rock mass and increasing the efficiency of these machines is being solved. The article develops an expert system for dispatching mining vehicles with a subsystem for selecting their innovative appearance with the ability to control their operational parameters, taking into account the stochastic conditions of the developed sections of the rock mass. The mathematical model for constructing the prospective appearance of a mining and transport machine, based on its functional and economic assessment, is reduced to solving the problem of optimizing the generalized criterion of the required efficiency. As an example of private indicators of their effectiveness in operation, there is an expert analysis of the evaluation of solution options, for example, structural-kinematic and operational parameters of these machines, etc. Innovative designs of a skip body of any size of its carrying capacity of single-rope and multi-rope steeply inclined skip hoists for highly profitable mining in quarries are substantiated. unlimited values of their depth and annual productivity. In the proposed study, the values of the forces of resistance to the destruction of a section of a rock mass, obtained by analytical and experimental methods, are refined by finding the optimal Kalman coefficient, which increases the efficiency of using mining and transport machines. The proposed methods provide the creation of innovative mining and transport machines with the ability to control their operational parameters, taking into account the stochastic conditions of the developed section of the rock mass

Research on mine vehicle tracking and detection technology based on YOLOv5

Vehicle tracking detection, recognition and counting is an important part of vehicle analysis. Designing such a model with excellent performance is difficult. The traditional target detection algorithm based on artificial features has poor generalization ability and robustness. In order to take use the deep learning method for vehicle tracking detection, recognition and counting, this paper proposes a vehicle detection method based on yolov5. This method uses the deep learning technology, takes the running vehicles video as the research object, analysis the target detection algorithm, proposes a vehicle detection framework and platform. The relevant detection algorithm of the platform designed in this paper has great adaptability, when displayed under various conditions, such as heavy traffic, night environment, multiple vehicles overlap with each other, partial loss of vehicles, etc. it has good performance. The experimental results show that the algorithm can accurately segment and identify vehicles according to the edge contour of vehicles. It can take use the materials includes pictures, videos, and real-time monitoring, and has a high recognition rate in real-time performance.

Smoke stratification in a mine drift with a burning mining vehicle

ABSTRACT A fire in a mine will pose risks to mining personnel, where the smoke spread will be one of the risks. The smoke spread will be largely determined by the stratification. This paper studies the smoke stratification in a mine with a burning vehicle, for varying surface roughness, surface material, and impact of the vehicle. Datawas provided from full-scale experiments in an underground mine. The proposed fire gas temperature correlations successfully captured the smoke stratification in the mine and the influencing turbulence. A numerical model predicted thatnon-stratified conditions can be expected at shorter distances in a mine compared with a tunnel. Longer distances to non-stratified conditions can be expected for materials with low volumetric heat capacity. A long-lasting fire will result in longer distances to non-stratified conditions. With decreasing fire gas temperatures, the heated surface may slow down the decrease or even maintain the distances to non-stratified conditions.

On the Influence and Correction of Water Content on pXRF Analysis of Lateritic Nickel Ore Deposits in the Context of Open Pit Mines of New-Caledonia

In a number of applications, the use of portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF) instruments offers a time and cost-saving alternative to standard laboratory instruments. This is particularly true in a mining context where decisions must be taken quickly in the field. However, pXRF is a technique known to be efficient, provided that samples are well prepared, i.e., dried and finely ground. On the mine face, little-to-no sample preparation is conceivable as mining vehicles must be able to operate continuously. Therefore, solutions have to be found even for raw materials and one of the most critical problems is the sample water content, in particular in the context of open pit mines in a tropical area. A large number of analysis shows that knowledge of humidity enables the measured concentration to be effectively corrected for the three instruments used (Niton, X-met, Titan). It is possible to overcome the difficulty of measuring water content in the field by fixing it to its maximum value (saturation). The results show that the saturation method is reliable, or at least, promising.

Evaluation of vertical and multi-axial suspension seats for reducing vertical-dominant and multi-axial whole body vibration and associated neck and low back joint torque and muscle activity

The primary aim of this laboratory-based human subject study was to evaluate the biomechanical loading associated with mining vehicles’ multi-axial whole body vibration (WBV) by comparing joint torque and muscle activity in the neck and low back during three vibration conditions: mining vehicles’ multi-axial, on-road vehicles’ vertical-dominant, and no vibration. Moreover, the secondary aim was to determine the efficacy of a vertical passive air suspension and a prototype multi-axial active suspension seat in reducing WBV exposures and associated biomechanical loading measures. The peak joint torque and muscle activity in the neck and low back were higher when exposed to multi-axial vibration compared to the vertical-dominant or no vibration condition. When comparing the two suspension seats, there were limited differences in WBV, joint torque, and muscle activity. These results indicate that there is a need to develop more effective engineering controls to lower exposures to multi-axial WBV and related biomechanical loading. Practitioner Summary: This study found that mining vehicles’ multi-axial WBV can increase biomechanical loading in the neck and back more so than on-road vehicles’ vertical-dominant WBV. While a newly-developed multi-axial active suspension seat slightly reduced the overall WBV exposures, the results indicate that more effective engineering controls should be developed. Abbreviation: APDF: amplitude probability density function; Aw: weighted average vibration; BMI: body mass index; C7: The 7th cervical vertebra; EMG: electromyography; ES: erector spinae; IRB: institutional review board; ISO: International Organization for Standardization; L5/S1: the fifth lumbar vertebra (L5)/the first sacral vertebra(S1); MSDs: musculoskeletal disorders; MVC: maximum voluntary contraction; PSD: power spectral density; RVC: reference voluntary contraction; SCM: sternocleidomastoid; SD: standard deviation; SPL: splenius capitis; TRAP: trapezius; VDV: vibration dose value; WBV: whole body vibration

Assessing plume impacts caused by polymetallic nodule mining vehicles

Deep-sea mining may be just a few years away and yet society is struggling to assess the positive aspects, such as increasing the supply of metals for battery production to fuel the green revolution, versus the potentially large environmental impacts. Mining of polymetallic (manganese) nodules from the deep ocean is likely to be the first mineral resource targeted and will involve direct impacts to hundreds of km2 of seabed per mine per year. However, the mining activity will also cause the generation of large sediment plumes that will spread away from the mine site and have both immediate and long-term effects over much wider areas. We discuss what the impacts of plumes generated near the seabed by mining vehicles may be and how they might be measured in such challenging environments. Several different mining vehicles are under development around the world and depending on their design some may create larger plumes than others. We discuss how these vehicles could be compared so that better engineering designs could be selected and to encourage innovation in dealing with plume generation and spread. These considerations will aid the International Seabed Authority (ISA) that has the task of regulating mining activities in much of the deep sea in its commitment to promote the Best Available Technology (BAT) and Best Environmental Practice (BEP).

Application of computer modeling software for mining vehicle fleet telemetry monitoring

Application of computer modeling software for mining vehicle fleet telemetry monitoring

The Flame Characteristics of a Tyre Fire on a Mining Vehicle

With vehicles frequently found in underground mines and tyres being a major fuel item, the risk of tyre fires will be severe underground. This study presents an in-depth analysis of tyre fires on mining vehicles to increase the knowledge of the risk, applying data from full-scale fire experiments and CFD simulations. It was found that the wheelhouse of the loader caused an increase in the flame tilt angle of approximately 10%, decreasing the flame impingement and heat flux downstream. The flame temperature of the drilling rig tyre was found to be approximately 7% higher than the loader tyre, increasing the risk of igniting adjacent fuel items. The construction of the wheelhouse/mudguard will contribute to a longer flame length by creating a fuel-rich environment. The CFD simulations predicted higher flame tilt angles for the drilling rig case for higher flow velocities, indicating the influence of a varying wheelhouse/mudguard construction and tyre geometry on the flame tilt angle. The construction of the loader resulted in a flow behaviour, where the short distance to the front mudguard/tyre and the separation of flow directly downstream of the protruding construction led to fire gases being steered past the front mudguard/tyre. In the drilling rig case, the longer distance to the front mudguard/tyre led to fire gases being directed towards the body of the vehicle after passing the area with flow separation. An increased knowledge of the tyre fire risk on mining vehicles and mitigating measures would improve the fire safety in underground mines.