Water-Jet-Assisted Mining Tools: What Type Assistance and What Type Mining Machine.

摘要

Water-jet-assisted mining tools have been discussed in the literature for many years, but virtually no discussion exists of the specific modes of assistance and the benefits to be derived from each. This paper will identify two modes of assistance and show the effects that each has on the specific energy related to rock cutting. The cutting mechanism of a mining tool without water jet assistance will be examined briefly and its effect on tool spacing on a mining machine developed. Next the effects of kerfing (cutting thin slots) on specific energy will be examined and a technique for the optimization of kerf spacing and kerf depth as a function of depth-of-tool-cut will be presented. A discussion of the stable crack-extension mode will be presented and its effectiveness shown. Finally, the requirements for a mining machine which could take maximum advantage of these assistance modes will be presented. 1 figure. (ERA citation 08:025404)