Mining Contamination Cut with Longwall Filter

• Alabama's Oak Grove Mine reduces maintenance costs with new longwall contamination control filtration system from Schroeder Industries

Oak Grove Mine, in Adger, AL, implemented contamination control upgrades to its existing longwall system last year. Prior to using the LW60 filter system from Schroeder Industries, the mine was filtering the high pressure full flow pressure fluids to a 25-µm level using only a metal mesh backflush element. It became evident that the backflush filter employed wasn't capable of offering the protection required to ensure the shields' tight tolerance valves were operating correctly and efficiently. In addition, Oak Grove's operators quickly realized that shield filter elements set up to catch materials at the final stage of filtration were clogging extremely fast – and, in some cases, were so overloaded with contamination that the valves would cease to operate.

Upon installation of the new longwall system in-line and downstream from the backflush filter, mine operators quickly noticed a change in production and have since essentially eliminated previous problems and concerns.

“Our goal was to insure we achieved the proper level of filtration for the fluid coming from the pump car going to the shields,” says David Ingle, longwall coordinator at Oak Grove Mine. “Schroeder Industries listened to the needs of the mining community and has developed a full flow 300gpm/600psi pressure filter that cleans the pump car's full fluids stream to a 5-µm or a 10-µm cleanliness level – a level that actually protects the valves controlling the shields. We are very happy with the longwall system from Schroeder and look forward to a better performing system for years to come.”

The patent-pending LW60 consists of a single filter housing aligned horizontally with the fluid supply. By allowing straight-through flow, the design maximizes efficiency, minimizes pressure drop, and can easily clear any vertical restrictions commonly associated in mines. The filter is supplied with two-inch BSPP ports, easily adaptable to Super Stecko fittings commonly used underground.

Longwall mining system [SOURCE: www.eickhoff-bochum.de]

The steel housing of the 300-gpm unit includes a stainless steel bypass valve that ensures smooth integration with the 95/5 fluid utilized in longwall circuits. It also has a Dirt Alarm™ integrated into the housing's design, allowing miners to see when the element needs to be cleaned. Optional signal output indicators with MSHA approval configurations are available for almost any system.

This filter also features a new unique synthetic media designed specifically for the mining industry, ExcellementMD™, and is offered in Beta200 >3 µm, 5 µm, 10 µm, and 15 µm absolute efficiency options. This level of filtration is required to protect the valves at the shields and is not achievable using alternative wire mesh elements because of their lack of absolute ratings.

Schroeder Industries, of Leetsdale, PA, designs, manufactures and markets filtration products for the processing industry. Contact: 800-722-4810 or www.schroederindustries.com