Methods and systems of monitoring and controlling a longwall mining system. One system includes a shearer including a cutter drum and a sensor mounted to the shearer. The system also includes an electronic controller including a processor and a memory, the electronic controller communicatively coupled to the sensor. The electronic controller is configured to receive vibration data from the sensor and determine a current vibration level experienced by a cutter drum of the shearer based on the vibration data. The electronic controller is also configured to compare the current vibration level to a vibration threshold. The electronic controller is also configured to detect an impact event associated with the cutter drum of the shearer based on the comparison and generate an impact event indication associated with the impact event.

Systems, devices, and methods for a microwave energy applicator. The applicator may define an internal channel having one or more longitudinal ridges inside the channel configured to focus energy. The ridges may be moveable. A reflector may be located near an exit of the applicator. In some embodiments, the applicator may define a channel having a decrease in cross-sectional area with a dielectric filler therein, acting to transition from a lower to a higher permittivity material. The various embodiments of the applicator may be attached to a waveguide, which may be an articulable robotic arm having rotatable waveguide segments attached with a microwave generator. The applicator may alter an energy level of microwaves travelling therethrough, for example, to concentrate the energy for application at a rock face in a mine site.

A system for excavating a rock face using microwaves. The system may include a microwave generator, an articulable robotic arm with a plurality of rotatably connected rigid waveguide segments, an applicator attached to a distal end of the robotic arm, and a robotic control system. The system produces microwaves with the microwave generator and moves the robotic arm such that the applicator moves along the rock face as the microwaves exit the applicator to precondition the rock face for excavation. Various patterns of microwave treatment, and controls based on sensor feedback, may be implemented.

Articulated waveguide systems, devices, and methods. Adjacent rigid waveguide segments are connected at an articulating joint. An internal antenna at the joint allows for three hundred sixty degree rotational capability at the joints. Multiple such joints may connect multiple pairs of adjacent waveguide segments to form a robotic waveguide arm. The arm can be articulated to place an energy applicator at the end of the arm in multiple positions and orientations at various speeds and directions of movement. Six degrees of freedom are provided for orienting the applicator using the robotic waveguide arm to transmit energy from a generator to an object, such as rock. The articulate waveguide may be used in a microwave-based system for mining rock having a microwave generator, the articulated robotic waveguide arm, and the applicator.

Methods and systems of monitoring and controlling a longwall mining system. One system includes a shearer including a cutter drum and a sensor mounted to the shearer. The system also includes an electronic controller including a processor and a memory, the electronic controller communicatively coupled to the sensor. The electronic controller is configured to receive vibration data from the sensor and determine a current vibration level experienced by a cutter drum of the shearer based on the vibration data. The electronic controller is also configured to compare the current vibration level to a vibration threshold. The electronic controller is also configured to detect an impact event associated with the cutter drum of the shearer based on the comparison and generate an impact event indication associated with the impact event.

A system and method for remotely locating a communication error support for hydraulic supports. The system includes a control panel, a support controller, a data converter, and two support drivers of the same type. Each support driver has two bus interfaces. The control panel transmits a control command to the data converter in a form of a WiFi signal. The data converter converts the WiFi signal into a message signal and transmits the message signal to the support controller. The support controller transmits the control command to the two support drivers, respectively. The support drivers transmit the command through CANH twisted pairs and CANL twisted pairs. When a bus for transmitting the command of a certain node has an error, the support controller calculates the fault node according to a formula $n=\frac{pt}{8m},$
and feeds back the fault node onto the control panel.

A method for implementing a centralized control platform of a hydraulic support on a fully mechanized mining working face in underground coal mines, which is used for safety production in the underground coal mines. A Siemens PLC S7-300, a C8051F020 single chip microcomputer, a PowerBuilder tool, an SQLServer database and a multi-protocol communication platform are selected to form the centralized control platform, wherein the PowerBuilder tool is used as a front-end development platform; the Siemens PLC S7-300 and the C8051F020 single chip microcomputer are used as a real-time control platform; the PLC is connected to an electro-hydraulic control system, and a communication protocol thereof is a TCP/IP MODBUS protocol; the PLC acts as a client; the electro-hydraulic control system acts as a server end; an infrared transmission apparatus is mounted on a coal mining machine; a receiving apparatus is embedded into a support controller of the electro-hydraulic control system; and after receiving infrared information, the support controller transmits the information to an explosion-proof computer of the electro-hydraulic control system. The method may satisfy control functions required by an unattended or nearly unattended working face; can reliably complete various control functions based on operation of an adjacent support; can remotely transmit various pieces of information to a ground monitoring center in real time; and can monitor various failures in coal mining process in real time.

Disclosed is a detection device for a working surface. The detection device (100) comprises: a plurality of hydraulic supports (101), a laser ranging set (102), a displacement sensor (103), a hydroelectric signal conversion module (104), and a support controller (105) which are disposed on a working surface. The laser ranging set (102) is disposed below a top beam of a first target hydraulic support among the plurality of hydraulic supports and parallel to a post of the first target hydraulic support, and is configured to determine error length and send the error length to the hydroelectric signal conversion module (104). The displacement sensor (103) is configured to at least obtain the degrees of inclination of the hydraulic supports (101) and send the degrees of inclination to the hydroelectric signal conversion module (104). The hydroelectric signal conversion module (104) is configured to convert the error length and the degrees of inclination into electrical signals and send the electrical signals to a support controller (105) of the first target hydraulic support. The support controller (105) is configured to determine working parameters of the plurality of hydraulic supports on the basis of the electrical signals, so as to adjust the postures of the plurality of hydraulic supports on the basis of the working parameters. Further disclosed is using a detection method for a working surface, a terminal that performs the detection method, and a storage medium.

The invention relates to the longwall face support of an underground mine having supports (plates 1-18), which longwall face support comprises camera housings (35) each having two cameras (36), which record a monitoring area of the face having a plurality of plates in the longitudinal direction of the gallery and the most complete registration possible of the cross section of the gallery. The cameras in a monitoring area are assigned to a common power supply unit (48) for the power supply and are equipped with intrinsically safe electronics. The electronics have a radio device for high-frequency data transfer (transmission and reception) together with antenna 39 (W-LAN antenna) for the wire-free connection to the local camera network (Wireless Local Area Network). Each camera and each camera housing is assigned a camera code and an address code, which is added to the identification data. Each radio device is configured such that data marked with an extrinsic camera code and data and signals marked with an extrinsic address code is emitted to be transmitted following reception.

A method for implementing a centralized control platform of a hydraulic support on a fully mechanized mining working face in underground coal mines, which is used for safety production in the underground coal mines. A Siemens PLC S7-300, a C8051F020 single chip microcomputer, a PowerBuilder tool, an SQLServer database and a multi-protocol communication platform are selected to form the centralized control platform, wherein the PowerBuilder tool is used as a front-end development platform; the Siemens PLC S7-300 and the C8051F020 single chip microcomputer are used as a real-time control platform; the PLC is connected to an electro-hydraulic control system, and a communication protocol thereof is a TCP/IP MODBUS protocol; the PLC acts as a client; the electro-hydraulic control system acts as a server end; an infrared transmission apparatus is mounted on a coal mining machine; a receiving apparatus is embedded into a support controller of the electro-hydraulic control system; and after receiving infrared information, the support controller transmits the information to an explosion-proof computer of the electro-hydraulic control system. The method may satisfy control functions required by an unattended or nearly unattended working face; can reliably complete various control functions based on operation of an adjacent support; can remotely transmit various pieces of information to a ground monitoring center in real time; and can monitor various failures in coal mining process in real time.