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By Joseph M. Morrison

This paper offers a comprehensive solution to the problem of dust emissions at belt conveyor transfer points. It discusses details of enclosure design and presents a straightforward procedure for calculating required dust control exhaust volumes. Many design variables are taken into account which heretofore have been commonly ignored or inadequately considered. These include belt widths, belt speeds, enclosure openings, material flow rates, material bulk densities, material lump sizes, height of material fall, material temperature, and ambient air temperature. All of these quantities are handled by means of a "fill-in-the-blanks" type of calculation form which permits quick, reliable solutions by relative "non- experts".

Jan 1, 1970

By Thomas Novak, Sampurna Arya

Controlling dust generation and keeping it below permissible limits to meet federal dust standards at the working face of a roomand-pillar coal mine is a challenge for a mine operator. With the recent changes in federal dust regulations requiring lower worker exposure, maintaining compliance has become increasingly difficult. The current most effective practice of dust control at a continuous miner face in an underground mine is the use of a flooded-bed scrubber. A study carried out by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) indicated that a flooded-bed scrubber could achieve cleaning efficiencies between 58 and 90%. But, the operation of such a system is maintenance intensive. The flooded-bed scrubber screen becomes clogged with dust particles and requires frequent cleaning to maintain performance. However, the dust control issue is not solely a mining industry problem. Other industries face similar issues. The University of Kentucky collaborated with Toyota Motor Manufacturing on the development of a novel wet scrubber, called the vortecone scrubber, for capturing oversprayed paint particles in automotive paint booths. The vortecone scrubber achieved a cleaning efficiency of 99% and required minimal maintenance. This study aims to assess the ability of this vortecone scrubber to capture respirable dust in an underground coal mine. The paper presents the results of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling of this vortecone scrubber. It discusses the effects of air quantity and dust particle size on the performance of the scrubber.

By A. Oyler

The U.S. Bureau of Mines has compiled data on the major causes of fatal and nonfatal electrical accidents related to mining, and their associated costs, for the 1980-85 period. Specific electrical problem areas were identified, allowing future research to be focused on reducing the frequency of these occurrences. Recommendations for reducing the number of electrical accidents and injuries are provided. The four mining sectors for which data were gathered and compiled are (1) underground coal mines, (2) surface at underground coal mines, (3) underground metal-nonmetal mines, and (4) surface at underground metal-nonmetal mines. Nine categories of information pertaining to specific aspects of the accident are used in this report: activity engaged in when the accident occurred, source of injury, job title, mining method, location, machine, nature of injury, accident type, and part of body affected. The number of years of experience at the specific job the employee was performing when the accident occurred, time of accident, and in the case of nonfatal accidents, the total days lost per year, are also summarized.

Jan 1, 1990

By D. J. Rose

The San Miguel Mine is owned by San Miguel Electrical Cooperative, Inc. and operated by Atascosa Mining Company, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Morrison-Knudsen Company, Inc. This multiseam, single-zone lignite surface mine is located near Jourdanton, Texas, 110 kilometers (68 miles) south of San Antonio. Lignite extracted from four closely-spaced seams is used to fuel the 400-MW San Miguel Power Plant. Recovery depths range from 7 to 37 meters (25 to 120 feet). The mine began stripping operations in the spring of 1980 and now produces approximately 2.5 million tonnes (2.8 million tons) of lignite annually. Atascosa Mining Company is responsible for production, maintenance, engineering, and management services. Production responsibilities include topsoil removal, overburden removal, lignite mining, spoil pile regrading and topsoil replacement, as well as ash disposal and construction and maintenance of water retention and diversion facilities.

Jan 1, 1984

By R. M. Tyson

Sulfides present in the troctolitic and footwall rocks are placed into one of three major zones (hornfels, cloud, and basal) on the basis of their stratigraphic position and mineralogy. Hornfels sulfides, enriched in Fe, represent remobilized sedimentary sulfide. Sulfides from the Cloud Zone are probably magmatic and are enriched in PGE, Cu, Ni, and Ag. The basal sulfides, composing most of the ore, resulted from contamination of the magma by remobilized sedimentary sulfide. The basal sulfides exhibit a differentiation trend in their mineralogy and chemistry. PGE, Cu, and Ag are enriched with increasing differentiation which is attributed to fractionation within an immiscible sulfide liquid.

Jan 1, 1986

By Irving Hartmann, John Nagy, Donald Mitchell

"SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONThe test data indicate that water infusion of the Pittsburgh coal seam does not reduce the amount of fine dust produced during mining operations to the extent reported elsewhere. Wide variations in the amounts of dust collected in the air current were noted in duplicate samples and repetitive tests. Changes in depth and location of the infusion holes and amount of water injected and addition of a wetting agent to the water had little effect on the amount of dust liberated.Water was forced readily into the coal. Some water flowed out along the cleats, but an appreciable amount remained in the seam. Little or no water pene¬trated the coal seam above the upper infusion holes.The average dust concentration (with and without infusion) in the return air, 40 feet outby the working face, was 25 million particles per cubic foot during undercutting, 20 million during drilling, 75 million during shot firing, and 20 million during hand loading. At the working face the average concentration was 3 to 6 times higher. The concentrations were measured at an airflow of 1,600 cubic feet per minute (c.f.m.) at the face.On the basis of this short investigation, no final conclusions can be made on the effectiveness of water infusion in reducing the amount of fine dust liberated during mining in the Pittsburgh coal seam. However, the data indicate that dust reduction resulting from infusion would be small.INTRODUCTIONThe production of fine coal dust is an inherent part of nearly every phase of mining. The use of large, high-speed continuous-mining machines and other mechanical equipment has increased dust production. In addition, in coal seams that have been subjected to high pressures for a long period, and particularly in dry and friable seams, some very fine dust is in the seam before mining. Much effort has been devoted to allaying and collecting at its source the fine coal dust released during mining. One of the comparatively recent techniques that has been developed for this purpose is infusion of water or other liquids into the coal seam. This method consists of injecting water under pressure into a coal seam to neutralize the fine dust released during mining. The water generally is introduced through bore holes in the face before undercutting."

Jul 1, 1957

China's coal energy development, characteristics and relationships with atmospheric pollution are reported. Atmospheric pollution sources from coal combustion are analyzed. Some of the projects for clean coal combustion in the Shanghai area include use of industrial briquettes, investigation of coal combustion additives, and blending combustion of coal with industrial wastes. Coal is China's main energy source, and 80 percent of China's annual coal production is used in combustion devices. Coal-flue gases from the domestic stoves and industrial furnaces are the main atmospheric pollution source. China's atmospheric pollution is, in fact, the pollution of coal-flue gases. To 2000, in view of China's energy needs as a developing nation, the atmospheric pollution from coal combustion must receive our utmost attention.

Jan 1, 1994

By K. Miao, W. Mu, M. Sharma, A. Haas, N. Dogan

"The ever increasing demand for cleaner steels with low inclusion content has highlighted the limits of our current knowledge for controlling and predicting inclusion agglomeration and removal during liquid steel processing. Key knowledge gaps in this area result from the complex nature of the problems associated with measuring and visualizing the phenomena studied. Confocal scanning laser microscope (CSLM) allows for continuous in situ observation of micron-size samples in real time, at high resolution, under conditions relevant to the steelmaking process. This paper summarizes some of recent CSLM applications in our laboratory to illustrate the methods of analyzing transient behavior. The reaction between inclusions and slag is given as an example. The dissolution rate of calcium aluminate inclusions in CaO-SiO2-Al2O3 slags has been studied at elevated temperatures: 1500, 1550 and 1600°C as well as thermodynamic/kinetic analysis. It is found that total dissolution time decreased with increasing temperature. The rate limiting steps are discussed. It is shown that the diffusion through a product layer is responsible for dissolution at 1500°C. At higher temperature, dissolution is most likely controlled by both boundary layer diffusion and chemical reaction at the slag-inclusion interface. In this paper, the evidence for and against the theory will be critically examined and repercussions of the theory to steel refining processes will be discussed.INTRODUCTION Inclusion formation during liquid steel refining is an unavoidable consequence of current ladle steelmaking processes. The nature and quantity of the inclusions formed in steel is critical in steelmaking, as it affects both productivity through clogging, and downstream physical properties of the steel. It is therefore crucial to better understand and control the formation, agglomeration and dissolution behaviour of inclusions in a slag in order to improve the removability of inclusions from liquid steel. Most research (Sandhage & Yurek, 1988; Sandhage & Yurek, 1990a; Sandhuge & Yurek, 1990b; Sandhuge, 1991) relevant to the kinetics of inclusion removal has been obtained by using a technique where simulated inclusion material (ceramic rods) is dipped in slag and the dissolution rate is measured. While much has been learned using this approach, the difference in scale from bulk materials to inclusions is likely to have a significant bearing on the dissolution kinetics of inclusions in a slag and will certainly result in a very different influence of capillary effects. Further, the data obtained using an indirect (dip test) procedure relies on a comparison of the initial and final conditions of a sample rather than in-situ observation which can be achieved in a confocal microscope in real time."

Jan 1, 2017

By Truan-Sheng Lui, Li-Hui Chen, Hao-Wen Hsueh, Fei-Yi Hung

"Since Ag wires have similar hardness and bonding properties to Au wires, they can be applied in some pads. In the present study, the annealing effect (at 225°C~275°C for 30min) on the tensile mechanical properties of silver wires with f=23µm was investigated. In addition, the micro-structural characteristics and the mechanical properties before and after an electric flame-off (EFO) process were also studied. Experimental results indicate that with annealing temperatures of more than 250°C, the silver wires possessed a fully annealed structure, the tensile strength and the hardness decreased, and the elongation was raised significantly. Under the thermal effect of EFO, the necks of the Ag balls underwent recrystallization and grain growth was induced, and the annealed Ag wires had a shorter zone of HAZ (220µm). The bonding strength and the neck-strength of the Ag wires were more than 7gf and possessed excellent bonding properties.IntroductionThermosonic ball bonding is one of the preferred processes for electronic packaging to connect a semiconductor chip and a lead frame by a thin metal wire. At present, gold wire and copper wire are the preferred interconnect materials to bond with the aluminum metallized wafer pads [1, 2]. Since gold is expensive and the reliability of copper is poorer [3], the study of silver wire has attracted a lot of attention already. In addition, the inherent properties of high ductility and low hardness of silver as well as its workability effectiveness compared to gold, have made it a preferred alternative .[4, 5]"

Jan 1, 2012

By Manoj Khandelwal, Minghui Liu, Jian Zhou, Kun Du

The waste rock and tailings backfill into the mined-out areas are the most effective method for solving the environmental pollution and surface disasters for nonferrous metals mines. In practice, the success and availability of backfill operations are dependent on the slurry fluidity and the strength properties of cement backfill. The transport of the slurry through the pipeline to the designated backfilling area relies on its eximious flow properties, while the appropriate strength of the filling body ensures the safe operation of the stope. In this paper, the effects of cement and aggregate types on the slurry fluidity and strength characteristics of cemented backfill are studied in detail, which are often ignored in other pieces of literature. Diffusivity is used as an indicator to evaluate the slurry fluidity. Various slurries whose concentrations ranging from 70%, 73%, 75%, 78%, and 80% are made with different aggregate ratios and cement-sand ratios are tested. It has been shown that slurry fluidity is inversely related to its concentration, but 78% is the “stopping point” for the deterioration of fluidity. The addition of rod-milled sand improves or worsens the cemented backfill (CB) strength depending on the amount of rob-milled sand. The uniaxial compression experiment results on 216 CB specimens produced by different combinations of influencing variables showed that CB specimens made from cement with superior mechanical properties have a higher uniaxial compressive strength (σucs). It has been also found that the effect of aggregate ratio on the CB strength is not singular, but works in conjunction with the curing time and the cement-sand ratio. The longer the curing time and the higher the cement content, the higher the CB’s σucs. To avoid the time-consuming and costly problem of obtaining the strength of the CB from indoor experiments, an SVR model capable of predicting the uniaxial compression strength of CB specimens is proposed, which is optimized by genetic algorithm (GA) and particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm. The results of the three performance indexes (MAPE, MSE, and R2) show the superior performance of the GA-SVR and PSO-SVR models and the agreement of the predicted results with the experimental results, which indicate that these two models can accurately predict the σucs of CB.

Feb 3, 2022

By Edwin C. Reeder

This is one of a series of papers dealing with mining methods and costs prepared under the sponsorship of end in cooperation with the United States Bureau of Mines. The mining methods described in this paper are those used in one of the large mines producing fluorspar in the Kentucky-Illinois fluorspar field, located in southern Illinois and western Kentucky on the Ohio River. The occurrence of ore and the methods of wining are similar to those in other mines in the district; therefore information regarding methods and the results obtained should be of interest. Improvements in methods have been made as experience developed the need of them. The trine is situated at Rosiclare, Ill., on the Illinois Central Railroad, and shipments are also made b r barge on the Ohio River.

Jan 1, 1930

By J. R. Giegerich

Purpose It is the purpose of this paper to describe the application of underground conveyor systems to the transportation of ore in the Sullivan mine of The Consolidated Mining and Smelting Company of "Canada, Limited, at Kimberley, British Columbia. General Applications Conveying has been recognized as a means of underground transportation for a great number of years but only during the past fifteen to twenty years has there been any extended application of the method to underground metal-mine operations. Coal miners became conveyor conscious before metal miners. Probably one reason for this is the fact that there are more flat coal seams than flat orebodies. A second reason is that coal is light and is a less abrasive material than most metallic ores. The vast improvements made in belt construction during the past few years, together with improvements in mechanical conveyor equipment, have gone a long way in making this form of transportation attractive to the metal miner. In new mines being opened today, or in major extensions to older mines, the possibilities of conveyor transportation should receive serious consideration. There may not be any widespread application of the belt conveyor as a replacement for the conventional hoisting and locomotive haulage. Where there is an application, tl1e saving in cost can be appreciable and many operating ad-vantages gained because of ease in operation.

Jan 1, 1951

By Jankola W. A, Delong O. J

Historically, the silica content of zinc concentrates treated at Cominco's Trail Operations has been low. Silica in the roaster calcine seldom exceeded 1.5 per cent because of the low silica content of concentrate from Cominco's Pine Point mine. With the shutdown of Pine Point, alternate sources of concentrate were required and it was anticipated that calcines containing greater than two per cent silica (with excursions above three per cent) would have to be treated. Previous experience indicated that the existing leaching circuit could not tolerate such high levels. Therefore, a research program was undertaken to identify the key factors affecting silica precipitation; to compare different process alternatives; and to make recommendations for modifications to the existing plant. A project to modify and upgrade the leaching circuit has now been completed. Calcines with higher silica contents are successfully treated, but the upper limit of the circuit is unknown. The results of the research work will be discussed and the new leaching plant will be described. Recent operating results will also be presented.

Jan 1, 1993

By McGill Metals Processing Centre, S. Chang, L. Calzado, X. K. Cao, C. H. Hsin, M. Isac

"Due to the increasingly stringent cleanliness requirements for final steel products, there has been a growing interest in the possible use of micro-bubbles for the removal of inclusions with diameters smaller than ~50µm, present within the steel passing through a steelmaking tundish. However, several technological barriers have prevented the adoption of this technique in industry. These are related to a) the generation of micro-bubbles in liquid steel, b) the measurement of bubble size distributions, and c) the optimization of bubble injection conditions to create micro-bubbles. In the present study, a novel Aqueous Particle Sensor (APS) system was developed for the in-situ, on-line, detection of micro-bubbles in water, generated by a newly designed full-scale ladle shroud, located at McGill Metal Processing Centre (MMPC). Measurement results from the sensor were validated against bubble size data collected through a high speed camera and post-processed through the commercial software, Image J.Control variables and orthogonal experiments were designed to assess the dependence of average micro-bubble sizes and bubble size distributions on key experimental parameters. Those chosen were the air inlet flowrate, the distance of the gas injection port from the slide gate, and the number of injection ports used. The investigation demonstrated that the APS system can be successfully adapted to detect micro-bubbles up to ~800 micron diameters. Using this novel sensor, it was shown that multi-port injection using low air inlet flowrates, closer to the slide gate, were useful in forming small micro-bubbles within the flow through the ladle shroud. The results from the APS system were compared and validated against data resulting from an optical technique. INTRODUCTIONModern industry expects increasingly stringent cleanliness requirements for final cast products. Therefore, the numbers and sizes of inclusions need to be strictly controlled in steelmaking operations. Thus, the cleanliness of steel products depends on the amount, morphology and size distributions of nonmetallic inclusions in steel (Zhang L. & Thomas B., 2003). Since large, deep, tundishes provide longer nominal residence times for liquid steel passing through it to the exit SEN’s, this can provide the ideal place to separate inclusions, and bubbles can assist by removing help attach inclusions and float them to the top surface."

Jan 1, 2016

By F. R. Milliken

EXPERIMENTS, in what has come to be known as flash roasting began some ten years ago. The principle underlying the operation was not a new one, but the experimental work started at that time was the first that was carried through to a logical conclusion, followed by construction and operation of a pilot plant, and then full-scale production. For a short working definition, flash roasting may he considered the instantaneous and complete oxidation of finely ground sulphide particles, partially suspended in air or gas, the oxidation reaction evolving enough heat to make the reaction self-sustaining, or nearly so.

Jan 1, 1937

By H. R. Shell, Robert C. Johnson, Wilbur H. Warwick

Alpha silicon nitride fibers , Si3N4 , were successfully grown in graphite crucibles by a new method utilizing silicates and silicon ( S in equations below) as sources of silicon and using carbon , aluminum , and silicon as reducing agents (R in equations below ) . The basic reaction mechanism is believed to be generally as follows : 1,300 - 1,500 ° C S + R + N₂ SiO + RO + N₂ › 3Si0 + R + 2N₂ _1,300 - 1,500° C 3RO + Si¸N • ( 1 ) ( 2 ) A build - up of coatings on the solid raw- material particles hindered the evolution of silicon or silicon monoxide vapor and thereby slowed down further formation of silicon nitride fibers . Free oxygen in the crucible caused the formation of amorphous silicon dioxide ( SiO2 ) fibers . This problem was solved by passing , entering , and exiting gases through layers of lump graphite inside the reaction vessel . The silicon nitride fibers grew best around 1,400 ° C. Nitrogen flow rates from 4 to 6 liters per minute were adequate . The fiber widths were generally only a few microns whereas their lengths sometimes reached one - quarter inch or more . Chemical and X- ray analyses indicated that bulk fiber samples were usually 80 to 90 percent Si3N4 . The fibers had good oxidation resistance to about 1,260 ° C. Thermal shock resistance was excellent . Electrical resistance was determined .

Jan 1, 1964

By Moorrees C, Everson P

A detailed examination of carbonic acid leaching of crude iron-containing magnesia derived from Savage River magnesite shows that the rate and extent of magnesium and iron dissolution are affected by the slake time, leaching temperature, carbon dioxide pressure, pulp density and rate of agitation. In order to produce high-purity magnesia from the leachate by precipitation and calcination, the optimum leaching conditions, which are those that yield maximum magnesium and minimum iron dissolution, have to be a compromise in terms of the above parameters. For example, iron dissolution can be limited by leaching at an elevated temperature (-45°C), but because the maximum concentration of magnesium biearbonate decreases rapidly with an increase in temperature, it is necessary to use a low pulp density (-2 per cent solids) in order to achieve an acceptable degree of magnesium dissolution.Evidence is obtained that iron dissolution involves the formation of a soluble ferric bicarbonate complex that decomposes at elevated temperatures. The extent of iron dissolution is much higher than might be expected and it is probably because the original magnesite contains siderite in solid solution with the magnesite; on calcination, the hematite whieh is formed is in a very finely divided condition and hence more reactive.

Jan 1, 1983

By Gordon M. Pugh, David G. Rasmussen

INTRODUCTION The two unit operations in cut-and-fill stoping that would benefit most from increased mechanization are drilling blastholes and moving broken ore to the ore¬passes. Drilling in current practice is done with hand¬held jackleg and stoper drills. Broken ore is commonly moved from the face to the orepass by a small slusher. This type of equipment can be easily moved through the raises. Hand-held drills have a slow drilling rate and require one operator for each machine. Drilling can be done much faster by small jumbo-mounted machines as two or more drills can be operated by one miner. Load-haul-dump (LHD) units move broken ore from the face to one or more orepasses at a much faster rate with less loss and dilution than slushers. These units are mobile and may be used at more than one place during a shift. The problem which must be overcome in applying this higher degree of mechanization is the restricted means of access inherent in current practices. Cut-and¬fill methods are usually applied to mining veins that are narrow, irregular in dip and strike, or where ground con¬ditions require the support of sand fill. The mechanized equipment which is needed to accomplish high produc¬tion cannot be raised or lowered through raises without being disassembled. A jumbo which will give the desired performance would be mounted on a rubber-tired carriage with a diesel engine for propulsion. Twin hydraulic booms run by a small air motor would carry pneumatic drills. Over¬all dimensions of the unit would be about 8 m (26 ft) in length, 1.6 m (5'/z ft) in width, and 1.6 m (5'/z ft) in height. An LHD of the desired capacity would be rubber¬tired and either diesel or electric-powered. The overall dimensions of a 2.3-m (3-cu yd) unit will be about 8 m (26 ft) in length, 1.8 m (6 ft) in width, and 1.5 m (5 ft) in height. It will weigh about 12 700 kg (28,000 1b). It can readily be seen that conventional raises can¬not handle this size equipment. The most desirable means of access enables equipment to be driven into the stoping areas. Ramps can enter the stope by being driven upward in the vein walls or by being developed in the vein on top of the fill as the stope advances. This ramp system not only permits the use of rubber-tired equipment in multiple working places but also enables its removal for repairs without component breakdown. In the proposed method, as in conventional cut-and¬fill stoping, sand fill will replace the mined-out ore. By constructing an inclined timber floor at one end of the stope, a ramp can be maintained on top of the fill and advanced as the stope is advanced cut by cut (Fig. 1). The ramp is, therefore, developed during the stoping process and is only driven as a tunnel when rising over and around the sill and crown pillars. A stoping section consists of three blocks of different geometric shapes. The first and last blocks to be mined will be triangular in the plane of the vein, and the blocks between will have the shape of parallelograms (Fig. 1). The first block will develop the initial ramp by breast stoping and filling to the ramp floor (Fig. 2). The ramp will need to be completed through to the next level be¬fore stoping of the subsequent block can begin. The subsequent blocks are mined by back stoping with the next ramp being developed at the other end of that block (Fig. 3). The length of each subsequent block can be varied without changing the slope of the ramp. As the new ramp is developed, the previous ramp is filled along with the stope cut. Access up and down is maintained through the stope. The final block is again breast stoped as no new ramp will be developed at the end line for jumbo egress. Boreholes provide ventilation between levels as well as utility access. They can also provide a secondary escapeway for personnel during periods of development. These boreholes would be located about 3 to 4.5 m (10 to 15 ft) in the footwall and spaced about 183 m (600 ft) apart along the vein. The orepasses are spaced about 61 m (200 ft) apart in the vein. This spacing allows not only a short tram for the LHD unit but also provides surge capacity for the ore between haulage trains. These passes are raised from the haulage levels. As development progresses, the raises are driven through the sill pillar, and then car¬ried in the fill as stoping progresses. Ventilation and utilities can be maintained through an orepass when it is not needed for ore. The end line orepasses are intended for this purpose as well as for personnel emergency egress. Overall dimensions and criteria assumed to illustrate the ramp method of access in a highly mechanized cut¬and-fill stope are: haulage level spacing of 61 m (200 ft); ramp gradient of 17%; average dip of approximately 1.57 rad (90°); initial stope length of 358 m (1177 ft); subsequent stope length of 179 m (588 ft); average stoping width of 3 m (10 ft) ; sill pillar thickness of 3.6 m (12 ft); crown pillar thickness of 1.8 m (6 ft); bored raises of 1.5-m (5-ft) diam; and cribbed orepasses of 1.2 x 1.2 m (4 x 4 ft) through the sill pillar and 1.2 m (4 ft) square inside the cribbed portion. DEVELOPMENT The ramp access system lends itself well to conduct¬ing the several phases of development concurrently. Haulage Drifts and Raises The first development step will be to drive the 3 x 3-m (10 x 10-ft) haulage drifts above and below

Jan 1, 1982

By John R. Howell

"SUMMARYThe process of producing a new cast component requires significant design and development by both the design engineer and the foundry engineer. This effort strives to produce a high quality component at minimum cost. To assist in this development, an analysis system, consisting of several computer programs, has been developed to simulate the metal casting process. This system incorporates analytical geometric solid modeling, finite element analysis, results display, and an innovative technique to model the casting mold with surface boundary conditions.The simulation has produced excellent thermal results and work is in progress to develop techniques to enable use of this data in additional analyses to predict porosity and residual stress. Research is required to produce working parametric formulations of material properties. Software development is required to develop good fluid flow analyses for large. 3D models to simulate filling of and convection in molds.Integrating this system of programs is difficult due to proprietary database structures used by software developers. However, an acceptable means has been accomplished' to move data from one program to another. Further software development is required to facilitate this task. INTRODUCTIONThe process of producing a new cast component requires significant design and development by both the design and foundry engineer. This effort strives to produce a high quality, reliable component at minimum cost in a timely manner. The design engineer needs to know the physical and mechanical properites which can be expected in the actual part at critical areas. This will enable him to design a part with minimum material while fulfilling the performance required. The foundry engineer needs to produce a sound, quality casting with a minimal amount of material In risers, the feeding system and machining stock. This must be done with a minimum· investment in tooling and development time and maximum productivity of labor and capital employed. This task Is continually being made more difficult because of increased competition in the marketplace and the use of castings in more severe service. This has strongly influenced the need for high quality castings.The task of developing a new casting is difficult for both the design and foundry engineer. To assist in this development, Deere & Company has been engaged in the development of an analysis system to simulate material processes. A major portion of this program involves simulation of the metal casting process. This analysis system has evolved into a package of computer programs which simulates casting solidification and subsequent cooling through the finite element method"

Jan 1, 1986

By Weijie Wei, Jinwang Zhang, Shengli Yang

In longwall top-coal caving (LTCC) mining with an inclined seam, the recovery rate is low and equipment stability is poor due to the unbalanced top-coal drawing process. To address these problems, this paper proposes the dynamic group caving method (DGCM), whose basic premise is that when the drawn volume of top coal from a support reaches about half, the next support begins drawing top coal, and the drawing process between the two supports is half done. Using particle flow code (PFC), the caving mechanism of top coal under DGCM was investigated. The results are of significance to realize high efficiency and precise caving in LTCC mining with an inclined seam.