Virtual commissioning of a mobile ore chute
This paper describes the virtual commissioning of a mobile ore chute for sequential loading of trucks from a conveyor system with a continuous material flow. The design and control were tested in simulation environment and improved prior to its installation in an underground mine in full production. The altered design met the performance goal and the amount of rock spill and wear on surrounding equipment could be reduced significantly. The simulations were based on a novel combination of discrete element and multibody simulation using a nonsmooth dynamics formulation, integrated in a 3D modeling software. This enable both fast simulation, based on original CAD drawings, and high flexibility in modifying the design and control.
Simulation of the mobile ore chute loading a haul truck from the conveyor.
Simulation of mobile ore chute for sequential loading of trucks from a conveyor system with a continuous material flow. The challenges is to find a design for filling ore trucks to the target capacity in short time without any rock spill around it, with minimal wear and tear on the equipment, and minimal risk of flow obstruction and catastrophic failures.
Filling a mining haul truck from a mobile ore chute - side view.
Filling a mining haul truck from a mobile ore chute - rear view.
A bad chute design or a too aggressive flow rate may cause rock debris spill around the truck. This poses a risk for humans in the area and cause need for extra maintenance and ground clearing.
Analysis of the granular flow through a transfer station with a mobile ore chute from inside the 3D modeling and simulation tool Algoryx Momentum Granular. The mobile transfer chute makes it possible to divert a continuous flow of material to sequential loading of trucks via a chute. The simulations were used to find a design and control with no zero rock spill around the truck, minimal wear and tear on the equipment, and minimal risk of flow obstruction and catastrophic failures.
Continuous flow through a transfer point with a mobile ore chute. The simulation test the robustness of the design for mass flow at 3000 ton/h.