Simulation of the Time Response of the ERc 1400-30/7 Bucket Wheel Excavator’s Boom during the Excavation Process

Abstract

The sustainability of lignite production requires, among other factors, cost reduction, high efficiency, as well as the increase of the production capacity. In order to rationalize and increase the efficiency of lignite mines, the optimization of the production process is necessary. In this respect, equipment revitalization and modernization is a key issue. This paper deals with the analysis of the time response of the boom structure of a bucket wheel excavator (BWE) during operation. For this, we propose a virtual model of the boom, on which a variable-in-time force generated by the bucket wheel acts. The kinematic drive chain of the bucket wheel and the conveyor belt, which are also vibration generators, were simulated only by the static load produced on the excavator’s boom. Thus, it is possible to highlight the time response of the load-bearing structure (the boom) of the bucket wheel to the action of forces resulting from the cutting of the face under pretensioning conditions. The forces generated by the excavation process have high values and a slow variation over time, depending on the bucket wheel’s rotation speed and the number of buckets installed on the wheel. The dynamic time response simulation was performed considering the global damping variation as dependent on frequency. The simulation was done for both the excavation of a homogeneous material and for the case of the sudden appearance of a hard material inclusion (boulder) during homogenous material cutting.