Research into optimization model for balancing the technological flows at mining enterprises

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to develop new approaches for optimizing the technological flows at coal mines. Based on analysis, the area of the presented approaches application has been outlined for decision-making in mining. The concept is to use graph theory methods and network models for balancing the flows incoming to the mine in the form of resources and the output flows in the form of coal, rock, gas, and water. This improves the overall efficiency of functioning the mining enterprise. A new model is proposed that describes the production activity of the underground mining complex for the delivery of three production components to the surface. These components from the viewpoint of rational resource and environmental management can be considered as factors that may have a negative impact on the level of technological scheme in terms of investing advisability, as well as on the environment. These components are coal, rock, methane gas and mine water. Given their stochastic nature, it is accepted for the mathematical description of the movement processes of coal (С), rock (R), methane gas (G) and water (W) to represent them in the form of flows within some technological system of converters, and including the diversification of mining production. The presented approach can be applied not only at the stage of designing, but also to assess the existing state of the coal mines. Special attention is focused on the development of software for decision-making.