Study on efficiency enhancement of fully mechanized mining equipment with mining height below 1.8 m in Shendong Mining Area

To address the low efficiency of fully mechanized mining equipment for medium-thin coal seams with mining heights below 1.8 meters in Shendong Mining Area, field tracking and data analysis were conducted at the 31109 fully mechanized mining working face of Cuncaota Coal Mine. The results indicated that the insufficient clearance between the shearer and the scraper conveyor is the primary constraint on mining efficiency. Three improvement measures were proposed: increasing the shearer body height, elevating the cutting motor position, and enhancing cutting depth and advancing step distance. Cost-benefit analysis of retrofitting and production capacity calculations shows that increasing cutting depth and advancing step distance are not recommended due to high retrofitting costs. However, moderately raising the shearer body height and cutting motor position could improve the mining efficiency of the working face by 22%, demonstrating viable retrofitting potential. This study provides valuable insights for the research on high-efficiency mining technologies for fully mechanized mining equipment in Shendong’s medium-thin coal seams.