| A proposed mining system consisting of an automatic extraction system type continuous miner, a surge bin, a shuttle car, a belt feeder, and a main haulage belt is postulated. The problem posed is to develop an adaptive control strategy that minimizes equipment delays while simultaneously maximizing the production of the proposed system. This problem is formulated and solved as a nonlinear optimization problem. An algorithm is developed to solve the optimization problem and is implemented within a computer model of the proposed mining system.;The optimization is formulated by specifying a nonlinear objective function with inequality constraints on the ranges of the controlled variables and a nonlinear equality constraint. A method of search that utilizes knowledge of the system and the form of the nonlinear constraint equation is developed.;A detailed sensitivity study of the developed control and the proposed mining system model is conducted. Additionally, the system model and control are reconfigured to operate in both nonoptimum and suboptimum modes. The results of the sensitivity study computer runs are presented and analyzed. In every instance, the adaptively controlled system operated more efficiently than either the nonoptimum or the suboptimum controlled systems. In most of the cases tested the adaptively controlled system transports as much if not more coal as the bang-bang controlled system.;A plan for the staged implementation of the adaptively controlled system in shortwall, longwall and room and pillar mining systems is presented. A three tiered hierarchy structure of control is proposed. |
