Optimising Design Parameters of Continuous Mining Transport Systems Using Discrete Event Simulation

Abstract

The ground articulating pipeline (GAP) system was developed to transport oil sand using a continuous transport system. This paper proposes a simulation-based optimisation approach to improve the efficiency of oil sand continuous transport systems at the operational level. Based on the analysis of shovel capacity, the authors recommend that this GAP transfer system should operate with a 70-ton capacity shovel. They also recommend that a surge hopper should be introduced on the mobile slurry system to maximise productivity of the GAP system. This simulation approach can be applied to crushers and conveyor belt systems.

Department(s)

Mining Engineering

Keywords and Phrases

Belt conveyors; Oil sands; Optimization; Pipelines; Shovels; Transportation; Continuous minings; Conveyor belt system; Ground articulating pipeline; Operational level; Optimisations; Simulation approach; Simulation based optimisation; Transport systems; Discrete event simulation; Computer simulation; Design; Discrete element method; Mining; Oil sand; Optimization; Pipeline; Slurry; Continuous transport system; Ground articulating pipeline(GAP)

International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)

1748-0930; 1748-0949

Document Type

Article - Journal

Document Version

Citation

File Type

text

Language(s)

English

Rights

© 2016 Taylor & Francis, All rights reserved.

Publication Date

01 Jan 2016

Share

 
COinS