A new method for roadheader pick arrangement based on meshing pick spatial position and rock cutting verification

Area of Science:

• Geotechnical Engineering
• Mechanical Engineering
• Mining Engineering

Background:

• Traditional cutting head design lacks optimization for pick-rock interaction.
• Understanding pick meshing is crucial for efficient rock excavation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an optimized cutting head design method based on spatial pick meshing.
• To evaluate the performance of different helix configurations for longitudinal cutting heads.
• To establish a predictive model for pick consumption in rock cutting.

Main Methods:

• Spatial meshing analysis using skewness, symmetry, and area ratio.
• Traversal algorithm to calculate meshing rate, pick rotation coefficient, and cutting load.
• Design and analysis of a 51-pick longitudinal cutting head (CH51).
• Development of a pick consumption prediction model incorporating various rock and operational parameters.
• Artificial rock wall cutting tests to validate performance and consumption predictions.

Main Results:

• The 3-helix longitudinal cutting head demonstrated superior performance.
• The CH51 cutting head was designed based on maximum theoretical meshing rate.
• Pick consumption was significantly reduced (0.037-0.054 picks/m³).
• High correlation found between predicted and actual pick consumption and specific energy.

Conclusions:

• The proposed pick arrangement design method effectively reduces pick consumption.
• Optimized cutting head design improves rock cutting performance and efficiency.
• The predictive model provides accurate estimations for pick wear in mining applications.