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A Virtual Reality Collaborative Planning Simulator and Its Method for Three Machines in a Fully Mechanized Coal Mining Face

  • Research Article - Mechanical Engineering
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Abstract

The existing automatic control program and its parameters for three machines in a fully mechanized Coal Mining face are static and simplex and are therefore inadequate for satisfying the complex and dynamic environment of underground coal mines. To overcome this problem, a collaborative mathematical model is established that includes the effects of a dynamic environment. A virtual reality collaborative planning simulator with methods for the three machines is also proposed based on a multi-agent system. According to the dynamic characteristics of the environment, equipment, and technologies, a fully mechanized Unity3D simulator (FMUnitySim) is designed in terms of multiple factors and multiple dimensions. The factors affecting the coordinated operation of the three machines are analyzed and modeled. The communication modes, coordination, and redundant sensing process among multiple agents, which include the shearer agent and the scraper conveyor agent, are also investigated in detail. Using this system, the key parameters of the three machines can be planned and adjusted online to design and distinctly observe the corresponding collaborative simulations of coordinated operation with multiple perspectives and in real time. Tests of different maximum shearer haulage speeds for regular or reverse transporting coal are designed; their key parameters, including the average shearer haulage speed, average follower distance, and average scraper conveyor load, are planned and simulated using FMUnitySim. The optimal parameter combination is obtained by analyzing and comparing the simulation results. The proposed FMUnitySim offers an effective means and theoretical basis for the rapid planning and safe automatic production of a fully mechanized Coal Mining face.

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Abbreviations

\(A_\mathrm{area}\) :

Maximum cross-sectional area to transport coal for the scraper conveyor

A(t):

Cross-sectional area to transport coal for the scraper conveyor at moment t

\(B_\mathrm{normal} \) :

Critical value of the roof broken degree

\(B_{zj} (i)\) :

Corresponding roof broken degree of hydraulic support No. i

\(D_\mathrm{drum}\) :

Drum diameter of the shearer

\(D_\mathrm{follow}\) :

Follower distance

\(D_\mathrm{zbc}\) :

Middle trough width of the scraper conveyor

\(f_{1}\) :

Running resistance coefficient of the scraper chain

\(f_{2}\) :

Running resistance coefficient of coal

\(f(S_r (t))\) :

Cutting height of the rear drum at the position of \(S_{r}(t)\)

\(H_{c}\) :

Machine height of the shearer

\(H_\mathrm{down}\) :

Length of the retracting columns

\(H_\mathrm{rise}\) :

Length of the rising columns

\(H_{u}(i)\) :

Corresponding mine height of middle trough No. i

\(H_{zj} (m)\) :

Height of hydraulic support No. m

\(I_\mathrm{motor}\) :

Virtual electric current of the virtual shearer

J :

Cutting depth of the shearer

\(K_{g}\) :

Capacity decline coefficient of the scarper conveyor due to poor operating conditions

L :

Length of the working face (m)

l :

Distance of the cutting position and unloading position

\(L_\mathrm{gbj}\) :

Running distance of the shearer from moment \(t_{1 }\) to moment \(t_{2}\)

\(L_\mathrm{JiTou}\) :

Distance from the front drum to the unloading point of the shearer

\(L_\mathrm{JiShen}\) :

Distance from the left drum hinge point to the right drum hinge point for the shearer

\(L_\mathrm{wan}\) :

Distance from the start point of the shearer to the coal seam

\(L_{y}\) :

Length of the shearer rocker arm

\(m_\mathrm{front} (t)\) :

Cutting amount of the front drum from the beginning to moment t

\(m_{\text{ Ins-front }} (t)\) :

Instantaneous coal cutting amount of the front drum at moment t

\(m_{\text{ Ins-rear }} (t)\) :

Instantaneous coal cutting amount of the rear drum at moment t

\(m_{\text { Ins-transport}} (t)\) :

Instantaneous amount of shipped coal

\(m_\mathrm{rear} (t)\) :

Coal cutting amount of the rear drum from the beginning to moment t

\(m_{\text {total-transport}} (t)\) :

Total cutting amount of the shearer from the beginning to moment t

\(m_\mathrm{sudd}\) :

Mutation load of the scraper conveyor caused by the collapse of the coal wall

N :

Serial number of the advancing hydraulic support

\(n_\mathrm{broken} \) :

Influence parameter of the broken roof

\(n_\mathrm{condition} \) :

Influence parameter of the equipment working condition

\(n_\mathrm{hy} \) :

Influence parameter of the action mode

\(n_\mathrm{press} \) :

Influence parameter of the mine pressure

\(N_\mathrm{motor}\) :

Motor load of the scraper conveyor

\(P_\mathrm{normal} \) :

Critical value of the roof pressure for the hydraulic support

\(P_{zj} (i)\) :

Corresponding roof pressure value of hydraulic support No. i

\(Q_\mathrm{permit} \) :

Maximum permitted power of transporting coal

\(q_{0}\) :

Scraper chain weight per meter (kg/m)

q(t):

Mine stream amount of the current middle trough per meter

Q(t):

Total load of the scraper conveyor from the beginning to moment t

\(Q_\mathrm{Ins} (t)\) :

Scraper conveyor load at moment t

S(t):

Shearer fuselage position at moment t

\(S_{f}(t)\) :

Front drum position at moment t

\(S_{r}(t)\) :

Rear drum position at moment t

\(S_{zj} (m)\) :

Position of hydraulic support No. m

\(S_\mathrm{tuiyi} (m)\) :

Elongation length of the advancing units for hydraulic support No. m

\(S_{r-l} \) :

Action area of the columns

\(S_{d-l} \) :

Action area of the advancing units

\(\mathrm{state}(m)\) :

State of hydraulic support No. m

\(t_{0}\) :

Running start moment of the shearer

\(t_{1}\) :

Moment when the front drum begins to cut coal

\(t_{2}\) :

Moment when the scraper conveyor begins to transport coal shipped out

\(t_{3}\) :

Moment when the rear drum begins to cut coal

\(t_{\text{ norm-move }} \) :

Action time of the hydraulic support

\(V_{o}\) :

Relative speed from \(V_{c }\) to \(V_{g}\)

\(V_{g}\) :

Scraper conveyor chain speed

\(V_{c}\) :

Shearer haulage speed

\(V_{y}\) :

Advancing speed of the hydraulic support

YiJiaFangShi:

Current advancing mode of the hydraulic support

X(i):

Corresponding X coordinate of middle trough No. i

\(\eta \) :

Transmission mechanism efficiency of the scraper conveyor

\(\beta \) :

Dip degree of the coal seam (degrees)

\(\alpha _{S(t)} \) :

Relative angle of the front drum to the fuselage at the position of S(t)

\(\alpha _{{r S(t)}} \) :

Relative angle of the rear drum to the fuselage at the position of S(t)

\(\rho _{\mathrm{soild}} \) :

Density of solid coal

\(\rho _{\mathrm{dispersion}} \) :

Density of bulk coal

\(\lambda \) :

Divisor of (Sr(t)- Sr(t3))/Dzbc

\(\sigma \) :

Remainder of (Sr(t)- Sr(t3)) %Dzbc

\(\phi (m)\) :

Flap angle of hydraulic support No. m

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Acknowledgements

This work is supported by Shanxi Postgraduate Education Innovation Project (No. 2017BY046), Shanxi Scholarship Council of China (No. 2016-043), Program for the Outstanding Innovative Teams of Higher Learning Institutions of Shanxi (No. 2014), Shanxi Province Scholars Scientific and Technological Activities Preferred Funding Project (No. 2016) and Applied Basic Research Project of Shanxi (No. 201601D011050).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Mechanical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Fully Mechanized Coal Mining Equipment, Taiyuan University of Technology, No.79 West Street Yingze, Taiyuan, Shanxi Province, People’s Republic of China

    Jiacheng Xie, Zhaojian Yang, Xuewen Wang, Juanli Li & Bo Li

  2. Department of Design, Manufacture and Engineering Management, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK

    Quanren Zeng

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  1. Jiacheng Xie
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  2. Zhaojian Yang
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  5. Juanli Li
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Correspondence to Zhaojian Yang.

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Xie, J., Yang, Z., Wang, X. et al. A Virtual Reality Collaborative Planning Simulator and Its Method for Three Machines in a Fully Mechanized Coal Mining Face. Arab J Sci Eng 43, 4835–4854 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13369-018-3164-8

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