Thanks to the cooperation of the design team and a group of experienced miners of the Knurów Section, a modern structure was developed ensuring work safety and comfort. These are the first sections entirely designed and built by JZR employees.
- A team of 9 people, designers and technologists, worked on the project. In terms of the solutions employed, the JZR-14/38-POz (/S) WI; WII powered support sections differ from other designs. They are distinguished by a gauge of 1.75 meters and innovative solutions used in the roof canopy and shield supports. The side guards, which are hydraulically controlled from one side, can also be controlled from the other side, without having to rebuild the actuator. In addition, the sections are characterized by a compact structure and a high degree of ceiling coverage, and the passage of a minimum width of 600 mm between the conveyor spill plate and the powered support sections is designed to provide the greatest possible comfort for the crew working in the longwall - says Rafał Rychter, President of Jastrzębskie Zakłady Remontowe.
Each new powered support prepared by the JZR is designed on the basis of precisely specified requirements and needs of the mine and the mining and geological conditions of the longwall in which it is to operate.
- The sections were built in longwall 34, in seam 405/1, 900 meters underground. The longwall is 250 meters long and has a strike of 1,380 meters. We are going deeper and deeper with mining, so we need sections with better and better parameters and high capacity of the friction prop - says Robert Łazarczyk, head of the mining department, chief mining engineer of the Knurów Section.
- On average, we will extract approx. 3,500 tons of winnings from this longwall per day. This is an important investment, part of the strategy to increase the share of coking coal in the overall output of JSW's mines. Completion of mining in the launched longwall is scheduled for March 2024 - adds Jaroslaw Twardokęs, director of the Knurów-Szczygłowice mine.
In the case of the new powered support, JZR designers did not stop at engineering expertise. They invited practitioners, miners with years of experience, to join them.
- Jastrzębskie Zakłady Remontowe organized a demonstration of the prototype section. We were able to submit our comments and suggestions for solutions. We wanted the sections to be equipped with pull-out drawers. With this solution, the face of the longwall is protected at all times. The side plates have also been widened, preventing the sections from going underneath each other when they are moved - says Krzysztof Szylaj, a powered support operator with many years of experience.
