A Critical Case Study on Draglines Operating in Vertical Tandem in a Coal Mine

摘要

The tandem operation of draglines is understood to enhance the production and productivity related aspects in a surface mine. Keeping the importance of popularly used vertical tandem operation of draglines, the present study has been undertaken in a large Indian opencast coalmine in order to critically investigate the vertical tandem operation of draglines on a moderately hard and high (about 42 m) sandstone bench overlying 15 m thick coal seam. The study has revealed that although preparation of balancing diagram for planning of dragline operations is the first and the most important process, the actual implementation of the productivity parameters, as stipulated by the balancing diagram, need to be rigorously monitored in the field. The chief productivity parameters to be closely monitored, and, which, significantly affect the performance of dragline operations have been identified as actual efficiency of draglines operation, cycle time, availability, utilisation, linear advance rate and the rehandling percentage.