Surrounding rock control theory and longwall mining technology innovation

To accommodate surrounding rock structure stability control problem in underground mining, we study the coupling effect principle between hydraulic support and surrounding rock, and develop a series of longwall mining technology and equipment, which solves four common technical problems that significantly undermine coal mining safety, efficiency, and high recovery and extraction rates. Based on the coupling characteristic between mining-induced stress field and supporting stress field of hydraulic support, we identify six controllable factors in the application of hydraulic support to surrounding rock, and further reveal the relationship between hydraulic support and surrounding rock in terms of the strength, the stiffness, and the stability coupling. Our findings provide a plausible solution to the longwall mining technical problem with 6–8 m mining height. By analyzing the dynamic disequilibrium characteristics between hydraulic support and surrounding rock, we propose the intelligent top coal caving control method and the high-coal-recovery-rate technology for fully mechanized caving faces. With the invention of this technology, China is likely to lead the world in terms of the fully mechanized top coal caving mining technology. We are also the first to employ the intelligent coupling technology between hydraulic support and surrounding rock, and automated mining mode, and supporting system cooperative control with automatic organization. We develop the comprehensive multi-index intelligence adjusting height decision-making mechanism and three-dimensional navigation automatic adjusting straightness technology based on shearer cutting height memory association, cutting power parameters, vibration, and video information, leading to the first set of intelligent longwall mining technology and equipment for thin seam. Our innovation makes a solid contribution to the revolution of intelligence mining technology. With the innovative use of three-dimensional coupling control principle for surrounding rock, we successfully resolve the technological difficulties of longwall mining equipment and surrounding rock control for steep dipping seam, making a breakthrough of longwall mining technology with steep dipping seam.