Independent and remote electric locomotive haulage control

This combined system is designed for organizing the rock unloading process without the involvement of underground personnel.

IRELHC represents a high-end robotization system. It consists of main and auxiliary systems and provides remote and independent control of the following equipment:

• electric locomotives
• chute gates of the loading stations
• unloading equipment
• railroad switches

   Special attention is given to reliability and safety of the control and monitoring system. Ring topology is used for this purpose, which includes network and controller equipment redundancy and quick changeover/recovery algorithms to be used in case of line breaking or equipment failures. 

Communication with informational subsystems that are not related to real-time digital control (video surveillance, positioning, weight control, adjacent system monitoring, etc.) is implemented as part of a separate redundant optical network.

Communication between main and auxiliary subsystems:

Main IRELHC subsystems:

1. Independent and remote electric locomotive control

Subsystem functions:

• Proper functionality control of electric locomotive equipment
• Monitoring the electric locomotive location  within the mine during automatic operation
• Debris detection on the road and computer vision

2. Automated and/or remote car loading control

Subsystem functions:

• Monitoring the availability of locomotives for loading
• Automatic/remote/manual loading control by the system operator and in manual mode
• Visual and instrumental monitoring of car loading and computer vision
• Informing the operator about the current operating condition of the subsystem

3. Automated and/or remote car unloading control

Subsystem functions:

• Monitoring the availability of locomotives for unloading
• Automatic/remote/manual unloading
  control by the system operator and in manual mode
• Visual and instrumental monitoring of car unloading and computer vision
• Hopper fill rate control
• Disabling of unloading when the hopper is being filled
• Generation of interlocks and “available for unloading” and “car unloading completed” statuses
• Informing the operator about the current operating condition of the subsystem

4. Weight control during the car loading

Subsystem functions:

• Monitoring of entering and exiting cars
• Automated control and recording of ore weight during the loading and unloading into/from the car based on instrumentation readings, and collecting reliable data from weighing scale
• Automated transmission of weight control data for every car to the higher level of the dispatching system
• Recording the number of entering and exiting locomotives during car loading/unloading periods, and uploading of the reports

5. Automated control of interlocks, railroad switches and warning lights

Subsystem functions:

• Arranging, controlling and monitoring the operation of railroad switches
• Ensuring safe railway traffic along the tramming route and warning light control
• Monitoring and preventing traffic incidents
• Railroad switch and traffic light switching control
• Non-contact detection of locomotives in close proximity to the railroad switch
• Identification of loading ore passes based on the readings of field devices
• Block section availability control
• Informing the dispatch operator about the existing interlocks

Auxiliary IRELHC subsystems:

1. Video surveillance

2. Dispatching control

3. Data transmission networks

4. Mining safety