In 2022, a heavy-load transportation project at a state-owned coal mine in Inner Mongolia, China, was successfully executed.
This mine is a large-scale modern facility, primarily extracting Jurassic coal seams. The mining roadways feature a maximum gradient of 15°, categorizing it as a steep-slope operation. The mine also needed to transport heavy equipment, such as hydraulic supports weighing 46 tons. Traditional transport methods were inadequate for these heavy-load, high-gradient requirements, suffering from unreliable braking systems and significant safety risks, making an upgrade to the auxiliary transport system a critical necessity.
Addressing the mine’s core demands of steep slopes and heavy loads, we customized a 12-drive explosion-proof lithium-ion battery monorail locomotive, paired with a high-strength lifting beam. The system delivers a maximum traction force of 150 kN, enabling the complete transportation of heavy hydraulic supports. The braking system was optimized with multiple safety features to ensure stable operation and reliable braking in steep roadways, adapting to the confined space with a minimum roadway height of 3.8 meters. Furthermore, the system incorporates AI-powered intelligent dispatching, capable of recognizing obstacles within 20 meters with 97% accuracy, and supports remote control and autonomous driving modes, significantly enhancing transportation safety and intelligence.
Since its deployment, the project has set an efficiency record, transporting three hydraulic supports per shift and nine per day. All fully mechanized mining equipment installation and transportation tasks were completed within 30 days, delivered 10 days ahead of schedule. Transportation efficiency increased by 80% compared to traditional methods, and equipment failure rates dropped by 45%. This not only solved the challenge of steep-slope heavy-load transportation but also achieved the goals of “efficiency improvement with reduced manpower, and enhanced safety through fewer personnel on-site,” contributing to the establishment of a model intelligent transportation working face. Consequently, all subsequent mining areas in this coal mine have adopted our monorail products.
