Programmable Electronic Mining Systems: Best Practice Recommendations (In Nine Parts) - Part 6: 5.1 System Safety Guidance

This report (System Safety Guidance 5.1) is the sixth in a nine-part series of recommendations and guidance addressing the functional safety of processor-controlled mining equipment. It is part of a risk-based system safety process encompassing hardware, software, humans, and the operating environment for the equipment s life cycle. Figure 1 shows a safety framework containing these recommendations. The reports in this series address the various lifecycle stages of inception, design, approval and certification, commissioning, operation, maintenance, and decommissioning. These recommendations were developed as a joint project between the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health and the Mine Safety and Health Administration. They are intended for use by mining companies, original equipment manufacturers, and aftermarket suppliers to these mining companies. Users of these reports are expected to consider the set in total during the design cycle. 1.0 Safety Introduction (Part 1). This is an introductory report for the general mining industry. It provides basic system/software safety concepts, discusses the need for mining to address the functional safety of programmable electronics (PE), and includes the benefits of implementing system/software safety program. 2.1 System Safety (Part 2) and 2.2 Software Safety (Part 3). These reports draw heavily from International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) standard IEC 61508 [IEC 1998a,b,c,d,e,f,g]and other standards. The scope is surface and underground safety-related mining systems employing embedded, networked, and nonnetworked programmable electronics. System safety seeks to design safety into all phases of the entire system. Software is a subsystem; thus, software safety is a part of the system s safety. 3.0 Safety File (Part 4). This report contains the documentation that demonstrates the level of safety built into the system and identifies limitations for the system s use and operation. In essence, it is a proof of safety that the system and its operation meet the appropriate level of safety for the intended application. It starts from the beginning of the design, is maintained during the full life cycle of the system, and provides administrative support for the safety program of the full system. 4.0 Safety Assessment (Part 5). The independent assessment of the safety file is addressed. It establishes consistent methods to determine the completeness and suitability of safety evidence and justifications. This assessment could be conducted by an independent third party. Safety Framework Guidance. It is intended to supplement the safety framework reports with guidance providing users with additional information. The purpose is to assist users in applying the concepts presented. In other words, the safety framework is what needs to be done and the guidance is how it can be done. The guidance information reinforces the concepts, describes various methodologies that can be used, and gives examples and references. It also gives information on the benefits and drawbacks of various methodologies. The guidance reports are not intended to promote a single methodology or to be an exhaustive treatment of the subject material. They provide information and references so that the user can more intelligently choose and implement the appropriate methodologies given the user s application and capabilities. The guidance reports comprise parts 6 through 9 of the series and are listed below: [< 5.1 System Safety Guidance (Part 6). This guidance supplements 2.1 System Safety. < 5.2 Software Safety Guidance (Part 7). This guidance supplements 2.2 Software Safety. < 6.0 Safety File Guidance (Part 8). This guidance supplements 3.0 Safety File. < 7.0 Independent Functional Safety Assessment Guidance (Part 9). This guidance supplements 4.0 Independent Functional Safety Assessment.] [

Automation of the longwall mining system

Cost effective, safe, and technologically sound applications of automation technology to underground coal mining were identified. The longwall analysis commenced with a general search for government and industry experience of mining automation technology. A brief industry survey was conducted to identify longwall operational, safety, and design problems. The prime automation candidates resulting from the industry experience and survey were: (1) the shearer operation, (2) shield and conveyor pan line advance, (3) a management information system to allow improved mine logistics support, and (4) component fault isolation and diagnostics to reduce untimely maintenance delays. A system network analysis indicated that a 40% improvement in productivity was feasible if system delays associated with all of the above four areas were removed. A technology assessment and conceptual system design of each of the four automation candidate areas showed that state of the art digital computer, servomechanism, and actuator technologies could be applied to automate the longwall system

A Management System to Develop Occupational Health & Safety in Ground Control Operations of Underground Mines

Falls of ground have historically been the main cause for fatalities in underground mines. Although recent advances in technology have reduced the number of such accidents, when failures occur they usually result in severe consequences. Risks of rock falls, use of heavy machinery and electrical apparatus, entry to confined spaces, working in noisy and dusty environments, and working on unstable platforms are some of the hazards in ground control operations. Managing these risks requires a management regime involving strict adherence to operational codes of practice and an enshrined culture of safety. These should be subsequently reinforced through active participation of management, systematic training, and stringent internal and third party auditing. Accident reports show that the major contributing factor in most rock fall accidents is the failure to adequately manage known risks due to the lack of a systematic process. OHSAS 18001 (Occupational Health and Safety Assessment Series) is an international occupational health and safety management standard specification to develop occupational health and safety at the workplace. This standard is intended to help mine operators control occupational health and safety risks. Addressing the requirements of OHSAS 18001 can be a complex and demanding task. A comprehensive guide for efficient and accurate implementation of this standard is provided in this paper. The discipline can be used to establish an accountable management system foreground control activities in underground coal mines. The paper also provides guidelines for preparing necessary documents, devising safety policies, procedures, performing risk assessment, and handling instructions. Finally, the paper concludes by providing a sound analytical basis in terms of the creation of a robust safety management system foreground control operations in underground mines. Full benefits of implementing an effective and systematic operational health and safety management system are illustrated. The procedure adopted and prescribed in this paper can be used in all underground coal mines where lack of appropriate ground control practices can create deficiencies in both safety and productivity

An Assessment of PIER Electric Grid Research 2003-2014 White Paper

This white paper describes the circumstances in California around the turn of the 21st century that led the California Energy Commission (CEC) to direct additional Public Interest Energy Research funds to address critical electric grid issues, especially those arising from integrating high penetrations of variable renewable generation with the electric grid. It contains an assessment of the beneficial science and technology advances of the resultant portfolio of electric grid research projects administered under the direction of the CEC by a competitively selected contractor, the University of California’s California Institute for Energy and the Environment, from 2003-2014

ACTIVE CURRENT INJECTION METHOD FOR LIMITING GROUND FAULT CURRENT HARMONICS IN UNDERGROUND COAL MINES

Current practice in U.S. underground coal mine high-voltage distribution systems is to attempt to limit ground fault current to 25 Amperes and de-energize the circuit at 10 Amperes. However, the significant amount of system capacitance due to the use of shielded cables can cause ground fault current to be two or three times the intended ground fault limit. Consequently, this practice can cause several issues such as ground fault currents significantly exceeding the neutral grounding resistor current limit, loss of relay selectivity in the distribution system, and transient overvoltages in certain ground fault situations. These issues are solved to some extent by using a resonance grounded system, currently used in some other countries. However, a shortcoming of traditional resonance grounded systems is the inability to deal with the harmonic components existing in ground fault current. With the increasing use of nonlinear sources such as variable frequency drives, the proportion of harmonic components in ground fault current can be significant. Consequently, although the fundamental component can be almost fully compensated in a traditional resonance grounded system, the harmonic components can still be large enough to maintain arcing and cause personal injury and equipment damage. In this dissertation, a novel method is developed to perform real-time prediction of the harmonics in ground fault currents. Methods for neutralizing the ground fault current harmonics and identifying ground fault location are also developed. Results indicate that the combination of traditional high-resistance grounding and active current injection to neutralize harmonics in the ground fault has the potential to significantly reduce the total ground fault current and reduce arc and flash hazards during ground faults in high voltage distribution systems

Factors that affect the reliability of traction substations in the South African railway environment

Abstract: This study was initiated with the primary purpose of determining factors that affect the reliability of traction substations at the South African Railways. The South African Railways is one of the operating divisions of the South African Transport Services. The South African Transport Services annual results revealed that the South African Railways has been struggling to achieve its volume targets. The top risks that are in the South African Transport Services annual results are volume growth, human resources, operational, productivity, and efficiency. The identification of these risks triggered the evaluation of traction substations performance to determine their contribution towards the identified risks. All traction substations are under the control of Rail Network which is one of the South African Railways subdivisions which focuses on optimizing maintenance, infrastructure development through capitalized projects. The weekly substation availability report showed that some of these traction substations are failing. ..M.Phil. (Engineering Management

Diagnostic Applications for Micro-Synchrophasor Measurements

This report articulates and justifies the preliminary selection of diagnostic applications for data from micro-synchrophasors (µPMUs) in electric power distribution systems that will be further studied and developed within the scope of the three-year ARPA-e award titled Micro-synchrophasors for Distribution Systems

Optimised design of isolated industrial power systems and system harmonics

This work has focused on understanding the nature and impact of non-linear loads on isolated industrial power systems. The work was carried out over a period of 8 years on various industrial power systems: off-shore oil and gas facilities including an FPSO, a wellhead platform, gas production platforms, a mineral processing plant and an LNG plant. The observations regarding non-linear loads and electrical engineering work carried out on these facilities were incorporated into the report.A significant literature describing non-linear loads and system harmonics on industrial power systems was collected and reviewed. The literature was classified into five categories: industrial plants and system harmonics, non-linear loads as the source of current harmonics, practical issues with system harmonics, harmonic mitigation strategies and harmonic measurements.Off-shore oil and gas production facilities consist of a small compact power system. The power system incorporates either its own power generation or is supplied via subsea cable from a remote node. Voltage selection analysis and voltage drop calculation using commercially available power system analysis software are appropriate tools to analyse these systems. Non-linear loads comprise DC rectifiers, variable speed drives, UPS systems and thyristor controlled process heaters. All nonlinear loads produce characteristic and non-characteristic harmonics, while thyristor controlled process heaters generate inter-harmonics. Due to remote location, harmonic survey is not a common design practice. Harmonic current measurements during factory acceptance tests do not provide reliable information for accurate power system analysis.A typical mineral processing plant, located in a remote area includes its own power station. The power generation capacity of those systems is an order of magnitude higher than the power generation of a typical off-shore production facility. Those systems comprise large non-linear loads generating current and voltage interharmonics. Harmonic measurements and harmonic survey will provide a full picture of system harmonics on mineral processing plants which is the only practical way to determine system harmonics. Harmonic measurements on gearless mill drive at the factory are not possible as the GMD is assembled for the first time on site.LNG plants comprise large non-linear loads driving gas compressor, however those loads produce integer harmonics. Design by analysis process is an alternative to the current design process based on load lists. Harmonic measurements and harmonic survey provide a reliable method for determining power system harmonics in an industrial power system