Industrial machine including a fluid sensor and method of operating the same

An industrial machine including a sensor and a controller. The sensor is configured to sense a characteristic of a fluid of the industrial machine. Wherein the characteristic is indicative of a contaminant level. The controller has an electronic processor and a memory. The controller is configured to receive a signal from the sensor indicative of the contaminant level, compare the contaminant level to a threshold, and upon the contaminant level crossing the threshold perform at least one selected from a group consisting of output an alert, and commence a shutdown procedure of the industrial machine.

FIELD

Embodiments relate to industrial machines, such as but not limited to, mining machines including longwall shearers.

SUMMARY

Industrial machines, such as mining machines including, but not limited to, haul trucks, load-haul-dump vehicles, continuous miners, miner/bolters, entry drivers, shearers (for example, longwall shearers), road-headers, blast hole drills, front end loaders, and battery haulers, use a variety of fluids (for example, oil, hydraulic fluid, diesel exhaust fluid (DEF), brake fluid, fuel, transmission fluid, washer fluid, power steering fluid, refrigerant, etc.). Contaminated fluids (for example, fluids containing excess water, aluminum, silica, etc.) within the industrial machine may drastically decrease the life of the industrial machine.

For example, some industrial machines may use a spraying device to spray water on a material to be mined. The water is sprayed proximate the industrial machine, which may result in water ingress into oil (for example, lubrication oil within a gear box of the industrial machine). When oil within the industrial machine becomes contaminated with water, the life of gears and bearings (for example, gears and bearings of the gear box), which may be lubricated by the oil, are dramatically reduced. Oil of the industrial machines may be regularly changed and sampled (for example, sampled off site) to prevent such contamination. However, such regular changing and sampling may require shutting down the industrial machine and therefore halting mining operations for extended periods of time. Additionally, sampling of the fluid may take extended periods of time (for example, five or more days). During such a period of time, the industrial machine may be shut down, or may be operating with contaminated fluid.

Thus, one embodiment provides an industrial machine including a sensor and a controller. The sensor is configured to sense a characteristic of a fluid of the industrial machine, wherein the characteristic is indicative of a contaminant level. The controller has an electronic processor and a memory. The controller is configured to receive a signal from the sensor indicative of the contaminant level, compare the contaminant level to a threshold, and upon the contaminant level crossing the threshold perform at least one selected from a group consisting of output an alert, and commence a shutdown procedure of the industrial machine.

Another embodiment provides a method of controlling an industrial machine. The method includes sensing, via a sensor, a contaminant level of the industrial machine, and comparing, via a controller, the contaminant level to a threshold. The method further including, upon the contaminant level crossing the threshold, performing at least one selected from a group consisting of outputting, via a user-interface, an alert, and commencing, via the controller, a shutdown procedure of the industrial machine.

Other aspects of the application will become apparent by consideration of the detailed description and accompanying drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1illustrates an industrial machine100, such as a longwall shearer, according to some embodiments. Although illustrated as a longwall shearer, in other embodiments (not shown), the industrial machine100may include a haul truck, a load-haul-dump vehicle, a continuous miner, a miner/bolter, an entry driver, a different shearer, a road-header, a blast hole drill, a front end loader, a battery hauler, a feeder-breaker, a conveyor assembly, a rope shovel, a hybrid mining shovel, a dragline excavator, or another industrial machine.

The industrial machine100includes a frame102supporting a cutter system105, which includes a rotating drum110with teeth115that, essentially, cut material (for example, coal) from a surface to be mined. The cutter system105is rotationally driven by one or more motors120(seeFIGS. 2-4) via a gear box125(FIGS. 2 and 3). That is, the gear box125receives the rotational output of the motor(s) and, in turn, drives the drum110.

FIGS. 2 and 3illustrate the cutter system105according to some embodiments. The cutter system105includes at least one motor120, the gear box125, a gear case cooling device130, a water manifold135, and a sprayer140. The one or more motors120may be any actuator, such as but not limited to, an alternating-current (AC) motor (e.g., a synchronous motor, an AC induction motor, etc.), a direct-current motor (e.g., a commutator direct-current motor, a permanent-magnet direct-current motor, a wound field direct-current motor, etc.), and a switch reluctance motor or other type of reluctance motor. In other embodiments, the one or more motors120may be hydraulic motors, such as but not limited to, a linear hydraulic motor (i.e., hydraulic cylinders) or a radial piston hydraulic motor. In some embodiments, the one or more motors120may be a combination of AC motors, DC motors, and hydraulic motors.

The gear box125includes one or more gears132configured to transfer rotational movement from the one or more motors120to the drum110. During operation, the one or more gears132may generate thermal energy. Thus, a gear case cooling device130may be used to cool, as well as lubricate, the gears132. In some embodiments, the gear case cooling device130may provide oil to each gear132(for example, within each gear132and proximate each gear132) of the gear box125.

The water manifold135is configured to receive and distribute water to one or more water lines. For example, the water manifold135is configured to distribute water to a water inlet145of the sprayer140. The sprayer140is configured to spray the water, via the water outlet150, onto the material to be cut.

During operation, one or more components of the industrial machine100may require various fluids (for example, oil, hydraulic fluid, diesel exhaust fluid (DEF), brake fluid, fuel, transmission fluid, washer fluid, power steering fluid, refrigerant, etc.). As discussed above, one example includes oil used to cool and/or lubricate gears132of the gear box125. The various fluids may become contaminated by one or more contaminants (for example water, excess water (for example, within fluids which contain water), aluminum, and silica). For example, water from sprayer140may contaminate the oil used to cool and/or lubricate gears132. In such an example, water may ingress into the gear box125via a worn water seal (for example, a worn rotary water seal). As another example, water from sprayer140may ingress into a heat exchanger of the cutter system105, thereby contaminating oil within an oil chamber of the heat exchanger.

FIG. 4is a block diagram of a control system200of the industrial machine100according to some embodiments. The control system200includes, among other things, a controller205having combinations of hardware and software that are operable to, among other things, control the operation of the industrial machine100and operation of the control system200. The controller205is electrically and/or communicatively connected to a variety of modules or components of the industrial machine100, such as but not limited to, the one or more motors120, the gear case cooling device130, the sprayer140, a power supply210, an input/output (I/O) interface215, and one or more sensors220.

In some embodiments, the controller205includes a plurality of electrical and electronic components that provide power, operational control, and protection to the components and modules within the controller205and/or industrial machine100. For example, the controller205includes, among other things, an electronic processor225(e.g., a microprocessor, a microcontroller, or another suitable programmable device) and the memory230. The electronic processor225and the memory230, as well as the various modules connected to the controller205are connected by one or more control and/or data buses. In some embodiments, the controller205is implemented partially or entirely on a semiconductor (e.g., a field-programmable gate array [“FPGA”] semiconductor) chip, such as a chip developed through a register transfer level (“RTL”) design process.

The memory230includes, for example, a program storage area and a data storage area. The program storage area and the data storage area can include combinations of different types of memory, such as read-only memory (“ROM”), random access memory (“RAM”) (e.g., dynamic RAM [“DRAM”], synchronous DRAM [“SDRAM”], etc.), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (“EEPROM”), flash memory, a hard disk, an SD card, or other suitable magnetic, optical, physical, or electronic memory devices. The electronic processor225is connected to the memory230and executes software instructions that are capable of being stored in a RAM of the memory230(e.g., during execution), a ROM of the memory230(e.g., on a generally permanent basis), or another non-transitory computer readable medium such as another memory or a disc. Software included in the implementation of the industrial machine100can be stored in the memory230of the controller205. The software includes, for example, firmware, one or more applications, program data, filters, rules, one or more program modules, and other executable instructions. The controller205is configured to retrieve from memory230and execute, among other things, instructions related to the control processes and methods described herein. In other constructions, the controller205includes additional, fewer, or different components.

Power supply210supplies power to the industrial machine100. In some embodiments, the power supply210supplies power having approximately 900 volts alternating-current (VAC) to approximately 4200 VAC (for example, approximately 1000 VAC, approximately 2300 VAC, approximately 3300 VAC, approximately 4160 VAC, etc.). In some embodiment, the power supplied by the power supply210may be rectified to a direct-current (DC) and/or be reduced to a nominal voltage. In such an embodiment, the nominal voltage may be used to power components and/or modules within the industrial machine100(for example, controller205).

The I/O interface215may be configured to input and output data from the control system200to an external device235, for example, through a network240. The network240may be, for example, a wide area network (“WAN”) (e.g., a TCP/IP based network, a cellular network, such as, for example, a Global System for Mobile Communications [“GSM”] network, a General Packet Radio Service [“GPRS”] network, a Code Division Multiple Access [“CDMA”] network, an Evolution-Data Optimized [“EV-DO”] network, an Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution [“EDGE”] network, a 3GSM network, a 4GSM network, a Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications [“DECT”] network, a Digital AMPS [“IS-136/TDMA”] network, or an Integrated Digital Enhanced Network [“iDEN”] network, etc.). In other embodiments, the network is, for example, a local area network (“LAN”), a neighborhood area network (“NAN”), a home area network (“HAN”), or personal area network (“PAN”) employing any of a variety of communications protocols, such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, ZigBee, etc. In some embodiments, the I/O interface215may be configured to communicate with an external device235via radio-frequency identification (RFID).

The external device235may be any remotely located device. In some embodiments, the external device235is a remote server. In such an embodiment, the remote server may store and analyze various characteristics of various mining machines. In other embodiments, the external device235may be a smartphone and/or tablet used by an operator of the industrial machine100.

In some embodiments, the I/O interface215is configured to input/output data from the control system200to a user-interface245. The user-interface245may be used to control or monitor the industrial machine100and includes a combination of digital and analog input or output devices used to achieve a desired level of control and/or monitoring of the industrial machine100.

The one or more sensors220are configured to sensor one or more characteristics of the industrial machine100. In some embodiments, the one or more sensors220are configured to sense one or more electrical characteristics (for example, a temperature, a current, a voltage, and/or a power) of one or more components of the industrial machine100(for example, motors120, gears132, etc.).

In some embodiments, the one or more sensors220include one or more fluid sensors250. The one or more fluid sensors250are configured to sense contaminants with a fluid of the industrial machine100. In some embodiments, the fluid sensors250are electrical (for example, resistivity, conductivity, etc.) sensors. In other embodiments, the fluid sensors250include one or more transducers (for example, piezoelectric transducers). In some embodiments, the fluid sensors250may sense contamination by measuring a characteristic (for example, a moisture level, a water activity level, a temperature, a water content level, a density, a specific gravity, viscosity, particle quantification, etc.) of the a fluid of the industrial machine100.

For example, fluid sensor250may be an oil sensor configured to sense the presence of water (for example, water from the sprayer140) in the oil used to cool and/or lubricate the gears132of the gear box125. In some embodiments, the water activity level provides a relative measure for moisture in the oil. The water activity level may represent a ratio between the actual amount of dissolved water and the possible amount of dissolved water in the oil at a certain temperature. In some embodiments, the water activity level may illustrate the how close to saturation the oil is at a certain temperature. In some embodiments, the water content level is an absolute measure approximately equivalent to the amount of water in the oil. The water content level may be measure in parts per million (ppm) and may be independent of the temperature of the oil. In some embodiments, the fluid sensors250are electrical (for example, resistivity, conductivity, etc.) sensors. In other embodiments, the fluid sensors250include one or more transducers (for example, piezoelectric transducers).

In general operation, the control system200receives information from the one or more sensors220and/or the user-interface245. The control system200may then control the motor(s)120, cooling device130, and sprayer140based on the received information. The control system200may further output information concerning the industrial machine100via the I/O interface215.

In one embodiment of operation, the controller205receives one or more signals, from a fluid sensor250, indicative of a contaminant level (for example, a moisture level of the oil, a water activity level of the oil, a temperature of the oil, and/or a water content level of the oil). The controller205compares the contaminant level to one or more thresholds. If the contaminant level crosses the one or more thresholds, the controller205may output an alarm and/or commence a shutdown procedure of the industrial machine100.

In one embodiment of operation, the controller205receives one or more signals, from a fluid sensor250, indicative of a contaminant level and outputs, via the I/O interface215, the contaminant level to the external device235(for example, a server). The external device235may then store the contaminant level. The external device235may further analyze the contaminant level of the industrial machine100, over time, in order to determine potential future issues with the industrial machine100. In some embodiments, external device235may monitors a plurality of mining machines and analyze their respective contaminant levels.

In some embodiments, the external device235may determine trends based on the contaminant levels of one or more mining machines100. In such an embodiment, the external device235may determine the seriousness of one or more contaminant levels to determine the best course of action (for example, halting operations of the mining machine100, decreasing operations of the mining machine100, etc.).

FIG. 5is a flow chart illustrating a process300of the industrial machine100according to some embodiments. It should be understood that the order of the steps disclosed in process300could vary. Furthermore, additional steps may be added to the sequence and not all of the steps may be required. At block305, the one or more fluid sensors250sense a characteristic indicative of a contaminant level. A signal indicative of the contaminant level is then output to the controller205and/or the external device235(block310). The controller205and/or the external device235determine if the contaminant level crosses a threshold (block315). If the contaminant level does not cross the threshold, process300cycles back to block305. If the contaminant level crosses the threshold, the controller205and/or the external device235commences an alert and/or shutdown procedure (block320).

In some embodiments, when the contaminant level crosses a first threshold, an alert (for example, via the user-interface245and/or the external device) is generated. In such an embodiment, when the contaminant level crosses a second threshold, the industrial machine100is shutdown.

FIG. 6illustrates the network240according to some embodiments. As illustrated, the network240may provide communication between a main computer, or server,405and one or more industrial machines100(for example, industrial machines100a-100c). In some embodiments, the main computer405is remotely located from the industrial machines100.

In operation, the main computer405may receive, via network240, operational and/or status information of one or more industrial machines100. For example, information related to a contaminant level of the one or more industrial machines100. In some embodiments, the contaminant level of each industrial machine100may be accessed by the main computer405via the network240. In some embodiments, when the contaminant level crosses the threshold (for example, as illustrated in block320ofFIG. 5), the alert may be output to the main computer405via the network240.

Thus, embodiments provide, among other things, a system and method for determining an amount of water in oil for a mining machine. Various features and advantages of the application are set forth in the following claims.