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Selected projects
2018 was a year of dynamic development in nine research areas, the effects of which will play a key role in modernising the mining and coking sectors and enhancing occupational safety. These research areas concern exploitation of deposits, modern management models, heterogeneous telecommunications systems in excavations, ICT, mine ventilation and air conditioning, occupational health and safety, environmental protection, rehabilitation of post-mining land as well as disruptive technologies.
JSW Group's flagship innovative and R+D projects
Intelligent mine
The project aims to develop and implement solutions for an innovative mine in line with the Industry 4.0 concept in order to reduce mining threats, increase exploitation efficiency and the quality of mined minerals, maximise deposit exploitation and minimise the generation of extractive waste.
The Intelligent Mine is a set of integrated processes, tools and ICT solutions that are key to improving safety, optimising the costs of production processes and increasing exploitation efficiency and quality in mines. The Intelligent Mine will be implemented by using fully automated mining machines and transport systems with lower energy intensity. The Intelligent Mine is also a combination of a production plant and an ICT network, making it possible to report on and monitor extractive process and manage them in real time.
Autonomous bolt support structures
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The project aims to develop technology for conducting mining operations using bolting in a continuous extracting and support structure system, appropriate to the conditions of autonomous bolt support structures in methane coking coal mines under the conditions found in Poland, including technology for loading and hauling the excavated material, creating appropriate equipment and documentation for this and ensuring worker safety, optimal use of equipment and materials and optimal organisation of work.
VR MINE Explorer
The project is intended to increase the levels of safety and efficiency in mines. The project aims to create a training platform based on VR technology, dedicated to future and current miners. VR Mine Explorer consists of two layers: hardware and software, which when combined make it possible to play out nearly all situations in a mine – from standard procedures to the most hazardous situations, such as a methane explosion. Realistic 3D environments in various training scenarios will be created thanks to the project’s high technological level. The latest and best VR technologies will be deployed in these simulators, adapting the hardware infrastructure to the human body, resulting in all interactions with virtual objects and in training scenarios being maximally close to real-life conditions.
Deposit modelling and production planning at JSW
The Group is implementing this innovative project together with JSW IT Systems (Advicom), a technical adviser, external suppliers and a business integrator. The project is being implemented in stages: pre-deployment analysis for all mines, deployment of deposit data management system at a selected mine – pilot, development of interfaces for existing IT systems, deployment of system at other mines, implementation of database for design and scheduling system, alongside integration with existing systems.
IMR-AR/ MASK
The IMR-AR project, i.e. Innovative Rescue Mask, aims to develop a modern rescue mask using augmented reality technologies that allows rescuers to work in zero-visibility conditions. A set of cameras with different spectral ranges will make observations possible and will provide data to a computing system, which following a data merge will display an image via transparent glasses inside the rescue mask. The mask (rescue apparatus) will also be equipped with a communication system and gas concentration measurement system. The user will be able to see in the dark and in dust without having to use a flash-light. The project will involve obtaining an intrinsic safety certificate, allowing the mask, equipped with a battery and electronic system, to be used in environments featuring methane explosion risk.
Optimisation of support systems for headings at JSW
This research and development project is being implemented as part of the „Efficiency” program. It is intended to evaluate the capacity for reducing operational costs by reducing costs related to drilling and maintaining headings as well as a pilot implementation of the recommended solutions. The project is expected to focus on selecting potential excavations where it is possible to deploy the technological solutions, selecting optimal supports and constructing excavations, along with subsequent monitoring.
Development of technology to produce carbon adsorbents and technology to remove mercury from exhaust gases created in combustion processes for the construction of production facility for active coke and coal
The planned investment costs of changing the production profile for coking plant Koksownia Dębieńsko and is ideally aligned with global trends concerning the rationalisation of raw material management and systematic introduction of stricter emission standards. Changing the coking plant Koksownia Dębieńsko’s production profile should considerably improve the negative social attitudes towards the old facility, which will be transformed into a modern enterprise producing high-quality products for environmental protection purposes. Carbon sorbents produced at the new plant in Dębieńsko will be applied in water treatment and flue gas treatment processes (especially to remove mercury and its compounds). JSW Group’s raw materials (type 34.2 hard coal and coke dust) will mainly be used in the production of useful carbon adsorbents.
RCM implementation - stage i, efficiency improvements for monitoring of parameters
This innovative project will be implemented as part of JSW Group’s IT/OT Strategy and the EFFICIENCY program. Machine availability is expected to increase as a result of the project. The project concerns: supplementing machines and equipment, expanding optic fibre network and software performing the monitoring of work parameters for machines and equipment, implementing a master monitoring system, creating a new organisational cell for maintaining the operation of monitoring systems.
Mechanised roadway complex for drilling roadway excavations in deep coal and mineral mines
The project’s main objective is to develop and verify on a demo scale and in underground conditions a mechanised prototype for a roadway complex for drilling roadway excavations in deep hard coal mines. Implementing the solution created in this project should mainly lead to an increase in the efficiency of drilling underground roadway excavations, increase in production capacities, increase in the profitability of underground work and elimination of limitations in drilling excavations by a roadheader.
Project concerning pilot installation for production of carbon nanostructures
This is a project being implemented with a foreign partner – AGT Management & Engineering AG (AGT), which has know-how in the area of Low Temperature Conversion (LTC) technology and Catalytical Chemical Vapour Deposition (CCVD) technology for the manufacture of carbon nanostructures – carbon nanotubes (CNT).
- The project’s first stage is intended to clarify the technological parameters and verify methods for obtaining high-quality CNT.
- The project’s second stage involves the formation of an SPV. The SPV’s task will be to launch a pilot installation for the production of CNT. The pilot installation, located on post-industrial land at the former coking plant Koksownia Dębieńsko, will be built on the basis of LTC/CCVD technology.
- The project’s third stage is aimed at building additional production lines within the SPV.
Separation of high-purity hydrogen from coke oven gas available at group's coking plants
The Group holds significant quantities of hydrogen from coke oven gas produced at its coking plants. Hydrogen is a promising fuel used to power fuel cells that generate electric and thermal energy, emitting water vapour only.
JSW Innowacje has undertaken activities intended to procure technology for separating hydrogen from coke oven gas from foreign markets (Germany, China, Japan). At the same time, JSW Innowacje has begun to work with a domestic provider of hydrogen separation technology to prepare assumptions for the construction of a pilot installation. This is intended to develop technology for separating hydrogen from coke oven gas and obtaining own, domestic know-how for this technology.
JSW Innowacje S.A. has also established cooperation with suppliers of hydrogen-powered fuel cells (Ballard, Hydrogenics) in order to develop assumptions for the project.