Operation-oriented numerical analysis of dynamic loads occurring in drive units of armoured face conveyors with an innovative highly flexible coupling

Mariusz Kuczaj; Eryk Remiorz; Krzysztof Filipowicz; Andrzej N. Wieczorek; Rafał Burdzik; Arkadiusz Pawlikowski

doi:10.30657/pea.2026.32.24

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Operation-oriented numerical analysis of dynamic loads occurring in drive units of armoured face conveyors with an innovative highly flexible coupling

Production Engineering Archives

Volume 32 (2026): Issue 2 (June 2026)

By: Mariusz Kuczaj , Eryk Remiorz , Krzysztof Filipowicz , Andrzej N. Wieczorek , Rafał Burdzik and Arkadiusz Pawlikowski

Open Access

|May 2026

Abstract

For many years, the hard coal mining industry has been searching for engineering solutions ensuring greater reliability of the machines operating in difficult underground conditions. The foregoing applies in particular to the scraper conveyors used in longwall systems, started up very frequently and exposed to variable dynamic loads, leading to accelerated wear of powertrain components. The authors of this study have developed a longwall scraper conveyor equipped with a torsionally flexible metal clutch of novel design. The article provides a description of a mathematical model of a conveyor featuring two centrally arranged chains along with a main (discharge) and auxiliary (return) drive, as well as results of the computer simulations performed for two variants of the drive system setup analysed: one with a typical flexible clutch and the other with the innovative torsionally flexible clutch. Analysis of these results has revealed that the solution proposed significantly reduces the amplitude of dynamic loads, which contributes to increased durability and reliability of conveyors under mining conditions.

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.30657/pea.2026.32.24 | Journal eISSN: 2353-7779 | Journal ISSN: 2353-5156

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Language: English

Page range: 302 - 315

Submitted on: Feb 1, 2026

Accepted on: Apr 15, 2026

Published on: May 8, 2026

Published by: Quality and Production Managers Association

In partnership with: Paradigm Publishing Services

Publication frequency: 4 issues per year

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Business and economics,

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Engineering,

Mechanical engineering,

Production technology,

Process engineering and industrial engineering,

Materials sciences,

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© 2026 Mariusz Kuczaj, Eryk Remiorz, Krzysztof Filipowicz, Andrzej N. Wieczorek, Rafał Burdzik, Arkadiusz Pawlikowski, published by Quality and Production Managers Association
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Volume 32 (2026): Issue 2 (June 2026)