Cat® Longwall System Helps Russian Coal Mine Set Record

Mine owner SUEK is one of world's 10 largest coal companies

The Russian Yalevskogo mine operated by the Siberian Coal Energy Company (SUEK) recently surpassed the national monthly coal production record. The mine produced 1,407.30 metric tonnes of raw coal from one single longwall face (seam No. 50) in May 2017 to set an all-time record, exceeding the national record of 1,050,452 tonnes that it set in August 2016.

The mine is located in the Kuzbass region, the source of much of Russia’s coal exports. In 2016 the Yalevskogo mine had an annual production of more than 4.5 million tonnes of steam coal.

The record performance was obtained without any lost time injuries on the face with full compliance to the national safety laws.

RECORD-BREAKING LONGWALL EQUIPMENT

The longwall face at Yalevskogo mine is equipped with customized two-leg Cat roof supports, each with a width of 1.75 meters (5.75 feet) and support capacity of 725 tonnes (800 tons). With an operating range of 2.2 to 4.8 meters (7.2 to 15.7 ft), the supports are used in a seam that is typically about 4 meters (13 ft.) thick. The plating of the hydraulic legs is applied to meet the corrosive environment at the mine.

The longwall system includes a Cat AFCPF6 armored face conveyor (pan width 1142 mm) as well as a Cat BSLPF6 beam stage loader (entry conveyor) – both armed with Cat controlled start transmission CST drives. The beam stage loader includes a SK114 crusher with 400 kW installed power. Pan width is 1.342 mm.

The longwall is fully automated with Cat face automation including Cat programmable mining controls and condition monitoring software, facilitating full automation, monitoring and remote diagnostics for all face equipment. All information can be transferred to the surface in real time to allow maximization of longwall performance.

MEETING THE REQUIREMENTS OF A FACE EXTENSION

In April 2016 SUEK ordered Cat equipment for a face extension from 300 to 410 meters. For this extension the installed power of the face conveyor was upgraded to 3 x 1.000 kW with new Cat CST65 drives which were commissioned in April 2017.

To produce a record amount like 1,407.300 metric tonnes of raw coal from one single face in only one month, a mine requires a customized longwall system which is designed for high availability and efficiency in operation. With face and entry conveyers especially designed for high performance longwalls – and this is exactly what Caterpillar offered to its Russian customer.

 

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Strong Dealer Support Crucial

The availability of a longwall system is vital to meeting production targets. Cat dealer technicians help deliver that critical uptime by providing expert maintenance and repair services, or technical assistance and training for sites that choose to do their own. Another important factor is the way Cat products are distributed and supported. When it comes to service and support, the global Cat dealer network is unparalleled.

In this case, the Russian Cat dealer Vostochnaya Technica (VT) delivered expert service, integrated solutions, after-sales support, fast and efficient parts fulfillment, world-class remanufactu- ring capabilities and more. For the installation and operation at the Yalevskogo mine, VT worked very closely with SUEK to help them improve operations, maximize machine productivity and minimize costs. VT service technicians supported the record production underground around the clock.

Read the in-depth details by downloading the Longwall Mining Success Story.

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The Right Drive Concept: The Cat® CST 65

The Cat® CST65 is a key to success at the Yalevskogo mine. The Cat drive is a planetary gearbox with an integrated infinitely variable multi-disc CST clutch. With no-load motor startup, AFC soft start and synchronized heavy-load startup, it allows accurate load sharing between up to three drive motors with excellent, extremely fast overload protection.

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Innovative Conveyor Line Pan Design

With its patented trough concept and durable pan design, the Cat AFC face conveyor is particularly suited for applications in longwalls with extended face length like at the Yalevskogo mine and for panels with coal reserves of 10 million tonnes or more.

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Roof Supports & Full Face Automation

For the longwall system at the Yalevskogo mine, SUEK combined Cat roof supports from other longwall faces. In total three different types of Cat roof supports were combined – with varying closed and extended heights. And since the longwall system at Yalevskogo mine is fully automated, all three types of roof supports were upgraded with a Cat PMC-R roof support control unit.

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Underground Mining

Our underground mining team relies on close collaboration with our customers to develop equipment and support solutions that are customized for your application.

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