Factors affecting thin coal seam shearer drum coal-loading performance by a model test method

Abstract

To solve the problem of a low coal-loading rate being exhibited by the drum shearer on Chinese thin coal seams, systematic tests and research were performed to study the pivotal factors’ influences on drum coal-loading rate using a model test method. The effects of the drum hub diameter, cutting depth, vane helix angle, drum rotation speed and hauling speed on drum coal-loading rate were determined under circumstances of coal-loading with drum ejection and pushing modes, and reasons for these phenomena were analyzed. The results indicate that the influence of the drum cutting depth on the drum coal-loading rate is the most significant. The parameters of hub diameter, drum rotation speed and hauling speed can influence the drum coal-loading rate by cutting the coals’ filling rate in the drum. The parameters of vane helix angle and drum rotation speed can influence drum coal-loading rates by influencing the ratio of cutting coals’ tangential and axial speed in the drum. The coal-loading rate with drum ejection is clearly higher than that observed with drum pushing. Research in this study can provide support to design the drum structure and select drum operational parameters for a thin coal seam shearer.

Keywords

thin coal seam / shearer / cutting / drum / coal-loading rate / model test

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