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.
GET THE LATEST STORIES AND TIPS FROM CATERPILLAR GLOBAL MINING:
SIGN UP FOR OUR E-NEWSLETTER
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.