At the 2009 Bluefield Coal Show on September 16 -18 at the Brushfork Armory Civic Centre, Bluefield, West Virginia, Bucyrus, a manufacture of high productivity mining equipment, will exhibit advanced room and pillar equipment and innovative belt systems products including a 25M2 continuous miner, a 488D Un-A-Trac scoop, idler rolls, scraper systems, a combination drive and a belt buddy.
The 25M2 is a mid seam-seam drum miner that cuts material from the solid face with chainless cutting drums. The 25M2 sumps at the top of the seam and shears downward to the mine floor. A centrifugal loading arm (CLA) gathering head (three or six finger CLA with replaceable tips) loads the mined material onto the conveyor.
The 25M2 has a powerful variable frequency VFD traction system with wide crawlers for maximum tractive effort and low ground pressure. It is powered by a 373 kW proven cutter head, with total installed power of 662 kW. The 25M2 has a load rate of up to 23 t/minute and a traction speed of up to 25.9 m/minute.
Optional radio remote/machine control with graphic display is available, as is dust suppression in the form of a wet-bed scrubber with either a side- or top-mounted inlet, depending on the model.
Bucyrus will also give information on the new upcoming 25C continuous miner at the show. This miner provides high cutter power (2 x 205 kW) and has chassis and pivot point designs that are, according to Bucyrus, the largest of this class. The 25C is equipped with VFD traction control. The machine is suitable for low to mid seams within a range of 1.092 – 3.048 m operating height with hard cutting conditions such as rock inclusions.
The Un-A-Trac 488D scoop offers an alternative to battery-powered low-seam utility vehicles for tough environments. It features a 116 kW turbocharged, aftercooled engine fixed to a heavy-duty, four-speed, Dana powershift transmission. The power train is housed in a robust frame that is 953 mm high when equipped with urethane-filled 35×15-15 tyres. Dual 12 V batteries featuring 24 V start and 12 V system voltage provide complete flexibility in regard to function and maintainability of the electrical system. The Bucyrus diesel power pack can be provided in a fully permissible MSHA approved version. It has a lift capacity of 14.5 t and the Bucyrus Quick Attach System allows connection of a versatile range of attachments.
Bucyrus will also display several innovative belt system products. This includes two categories of idler rolls from its complete range of carry and return idlers for underground and surface applications: steel rolls and EXALON® rolls.
The steel roll features a new ‘patent-pending’ grease retention method called Positive Automatic Lubrication or ‘Idler PAL’, designed to ensure that the bearing is lubricated at all times. An element called a Compensator Disk moves to allow expansion of the grease when the roll is in motion and applies pressure to keep bearings tightly packed when motion stops.
EXALON offers extended life, decreased belt damage, reduced material accumulation, low noise and weight, and is cost effective. The rolls are friction resistant, allowing the belt to slide over frozen rolls without damage. Also, EXALON rolls do not expose steel edges that could tear or damage the conveyor belt.
Another patent-pending development is the RETRO-LOC. This device allows rapid retrofitting of rolls to competitors’ frames. It is a unique, easy-to-use adapter that can be retrofitted to virtually any competitive frame.
Mounted on the face of the discharge pulley, Bucyrus scraper blades are used as the primary or secondary cleaner on conveyors. A lateral sight gauge allows precise scraper tensioning, which is achieved by grease, air or hydraulic means. Bucyrus scraper blades are available in different hardnesses for a variety of conditions and conveyor belt speeds. The wide range of models is designed to meet the specific requirements of each customer.
The Bucyrus Combo Drive consists of a drive unit and a take-up within one base. It is precision engineered to meet each customer’s specific requirements. This unique configuration allows for driving panels up to 457 m and is ideal for small- to mid-sized mining environments. Available as a stock model, the Bucyrus Combo Drive comes standard in 1.06 m and 1.21 m belt widths.
The Bucyrus Belt Buddy is designed to facilitate the quick and efficient removal or replacement of both top and return Idlers. Made of aluminium alloy, the Belt Buddy is very light. It is available in any belt width making changing rolls and idlers on the belt conveyor a quick, easy and safe task.