Using adaptive artificial intelligence to read data from remote sensing stations in underground coal mines.

1. Objectives Solution Benefits Quick Facts
Synfluent Technical Brief
Sentri System for Underground Mining
Adaptive Artificial
Intelligence for
Underground Coal
Mining
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2. Objectives Solution Benefits Quick Facts
Adaptive Artificial Intelligence for
Underground Coal Mining
Increasing understanding and
safety in your mine is our
objective. Complexity in underground coal mines is steadily increasing. The scope of regulatory
compliance has broadened to affect more of the daily operations of the mine.
Understanding the state of ventilation, roof control, haulage and production systems
is critical to insuring safe operations. Sentri™ Systems are designed to provide a new
vista of information and control for your mining operations.
Today's underground coal mines are managing Synfluent is offering it's Sentri™ System as a
larger non-producing areas than ever before. technical solution which can:
These areas which once could be sealed after • collect data from remote sensors
mining now require continuous support for
safety, regulatory compliance and operational • apply adaptive artificial intelligence for early
detection of potential problems
efficiencies.
Some potential remote data sources are:
Equipment installed in remote bleeder areas
drainage pumps; ventilation data; roof
must be reliable and accessible to support
mechanics and gas components, to name a few.
ventilation and drainage control programs.
Increased understanding and safety in your mine
Understanding the status of remote equipment
is our objective.
has been limited to regularly scheduled physical
inspection.
Your safety is our objective.
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3. Objectives Solution Benefits Quick Facts
Adaptive Artificial Intelligence for
Underground Coal Mining
Adaptive Artificial Intelligence for
Underground Coal Mining The mechanization of underground mining which The Sentri™ solution is a two phase approach to
Predicting Unusual Conditions from
began over one hundred years ago shows no remote sensing.
Remote Sensor Data sign of slowing down.
First, we create remote sensing stations
Figure: Sentri Searches for New technologies allow us to increase the throughout the mine by integrating our sensor
Anomalies scope of longwall panels to sizes that were hardware into SmartCribs™ built using the
hardly imaginable a generation ago. proprietary Williamstown Mining Services
Figure: Sentri SmartCrib Block PolyBlock™ crib components.
Mine design has evolved to accommodate
ventilation and gas management from Second, the data from the remote sensing
Figure: Sentri SmartCrib Station increasingly large gob areas, some of which are stations is processed using proprietary adaptive
remote from active mining locations. Information artificial intelligence software which learns to
Figure: Sentri Data Integration in about these areas has not always been readily identify normal signature data from anomalies.
Mining
available. These alerts may indicate an impending failure
Figure: Sentri Roof Monitoring in
To increase the level of information from remote of an electric motor, pump, drive or even a
Underground Coal Mining
equipment, some mines have installed sensors compromised roof condition.
which can be monitored above ground. This Detecting anomalies early gives the mine time to
data is available from existing comms networks. address potential failure in a measured manner
which should reduce the impact on production.
Increased awareness = increased safety
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4. Objectives Solution Benefits Quick Facts
Predicting Unusual Conditions from
Remote Sensor Data
Adaptive Artificial Intelligence for
Underground Coal Mining The machines which do our work speak to us in This variability, or operational drift, can trigger
Predicting Unusual Conditions
many ways but we may not always understand unnecessary alarms for one feature while failing
from Remote Sensor Data the information being given us. to detect other out of limits conditions entirely.
Figure: Sentri Searches for Devices such as drives and electric motors have Sentri™ technology processes device features
Anomalies identifiable operational features which we can and learns to separate the normal drift, the
read: load, current, voltage, rpm, acoustics, signature, of the device from unusual signals
Figure: Sentri SmartCrib Block temperature, to name a few. When operating, and data. The anomalies found usually indicate
these features combine to create a signature the possible failure of the device in the near
Figure: Sentri SmartCrib Station
which is unique to that device. future.
To help us recover when our devices fail, we Early awareness of impending failures allows for
Figure: Sentri Data Integration in usually install sensors which can notify us of the the graceful exit from a potential event. Non-
Mining
condition of the device at any given moment. scheduled maintenance becomes scheduled
Figure: Sentri Roof Monitoring in Unfortunately, the lead time we are given for a maintenance and operational integrity is
Underground Coal Mining potential failure from sensors is quite short and maintained.
we are left with an uncontrolled exit from the
Operational reliability is increased with graceful
event. Systems go down. Production is halted.
exit from failure events and safety in the total
During normal operation, sensor data from our system is enhanced.
devices will vary and this can complicate our
alarm systems which are designed around upper
and lower limits of operational acceptability.
Graceful Exits
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5. Objectives Solution Benefits Quick Facts
TM
Figure: Sentri Searches for Anomalies
Adaptive Artificial Intelligence for
Underground Coal Mining
Predicting Unusual Conditions from
Remote Sensor Data
Figure: Sentri Searches for
Anomalies
Figure: Sentri SmartCrib Block
Figure: Sentri SmartCrib Station
Conventional Display Sentri™ Display Anomaly Detected
Figure: Sentri Data Integration in
Mining This display illustrates power Sentri™ reads the digital data Sentri™ has located an
Figure: Sentri Roof Monitoring in loads from 6 conveyor drives from each of 6 conveyors unusual cluster, or pattern, for
Underground Coal Mining which are tracked over time. looking for anomalies which conveyor No. 3 which may
An upper load limit setpoint may indicate an impending call for inspection.
shown in green. failure.
Signals can be • electrical loads • acoustics
processed from a wide • amperage • velocities
range of sources: • voltage • temperature
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6. Objectives Solution Benefits Quick Facts
TM
Figure: Sentri SmartCrib Block
TM
Adaptive Artificial Intelligence for
Underground Coal Mining
Acoustic Sensor
Predicting Unusual Conditions from
Remote Sensor Data
Figure: Sentri Searches for
Anomalies Load Sensor
Figure: Sentri SmartCrib Block
Figure: Sentri SmartCrib Station
Figure: Sentri Data Integration in Communications
Mining Unit
Figure: Sentri Roof Monitoring in WMS PolyBlock™ Gas/Ventilation
Underground Coal Mining
Sentri™ SmartCrib Block
Schematic diagram of a typical Sentri™ reporting station integrated
into a proprietary Williamstown Mining PolyBlock™ unit.
Blocks can be configured to collect acoustic, roof load or ventilation
data. Hardware units are for conceptual purposes only.
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7. Objectives Solution Benefits Quick Facts
TM TM
Figure: Sentri SmartCrib Station
Adaptive Artificial Intelligence for
Underground Coal Mining
Predicting Unusual Conditions from
Remote Sensor Data
Figure: Sentri Searches for
Anomalies
Sentri™ SmartCrib™ Block
Figure: Sentri SmartCrib Block Sentri™ can be designed into
foam crib blocks as a functional
Figure: Sentri SmartCrib Station member of a crib stack.
This example uses the proprietary
Figure: Sentri Data Integration in
Mining Williamstown Mining PolyBlock™
as an installation base.
Figure: Sentri Roof Monitoring in
Underground Coal Mining
CK130202A
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Synfluent
Corp,
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8. Objectives Solution Benefits Quick Facts
TM
Figure: Sentri Data Integration in Mining
Adaptive Artificial Intelligence for
Underground Coal Mining
Predicting Unusual Conditions from
Remote Sensor Data
Figure: Sentri Searches for
Anomalies
Figure: Sentri SmartCrib Block
Figure: Sentri SmartCrib Station
Figure: Sentri Data Integration in
Mining
Figure: Sentri Roof Monitoring in
Underground Coal Mining
Sentri™ Data Integration
Remote data stations are
integrated into a single
hardware unit for information
processing.
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Synfluent
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9. Objectives Solution Benefits Quick Facts
TM
Figure: Sentri Roof Monitoring in
Underground Coal Mining
Adaptive Artificial Intelligence for
Underground Coal Mining
Predicting Unusual Conditions from
Remote Sensor Data
Figure: Sentri Searches for
Anomalies
Figure: Sentri SmartCrib Block
Figure: Sentri SmartCrib Station
Figure: Sentri Data Integration in
Mining
Figure: Sentri Roof Monitoring in
Underground Coal Mining
Sentri™ Roof Control Monitoring
Sentri™ gathers roof load data from
numerous sensors and SmartCrib™
stations across the mine and reports
an anomaly in red.
Green designates are non-unusual
areas grey designates non-reporting
gob and un-mined areas.
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10. Objectives Solution Benefits Quick Facts
Benefits of the Sentri™ Solution
Graceful Exit Means Increased
Productivity and Safety The primary benefits of using the Sentri™ solution are:
• Increased understanding of your mining environment
• Integration of information about remote equipment
units
• Prediction of potential failure scenarios
• Turning unscheduled maintenace into schedule
maintenance events
Managing the increasing complexity of underground
mining insures safety and productivity.
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11. www.synfluent.net
Objectives Solution Benefits Quick Facts
Summary Solution
The machines which do our work speak to us • Sentri™ Remote Sensing
in ways we may not readily understand. • Sentri™ Adaptive Artificial Intelligence
Adaptive artificial intelligence is a tool which • SmartCrib™ Remote Sensor Stations
can extend our abilities to make meaning from
sensor data and increase our understanding of
our mining environment.
Objectives Benefits
• collect data from remote sensors • Increased understanding of your mining
environment
• apply adaptive artificial intelligence for
early detection of potential problems • Integration of information about remote
equipment units
• Prediction of potential failure scenarios
• Turning unscheduled maintenace into
schedule maintenance events
Learn More
To find out more call Synfluent at 215-285-4748
or go to www.synfluent.net
CK130202A
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Synfluent
Corp,
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