A review on simulation technologies for scraper conveyors

This study reviews simulation model construction and validation to unveil the current research progress of simulation technologies for scraper conveyors. Simulation models were classified into four categories, namely, electro-mechanical coupling models, multi-body dynamics models, static analysis models and coal flow discrete element models, to elaborate their modeling approaches, application scenarios, respectively, and research progress in multi-model co-simulation. Two major model validation methods were then introduced, namely bench testing and small-scale prototype testing. This study also summarized existing challenges and future research opportunities. Results indicate that the four types of simulation models target at system dynamic characteristics, contact mechanics behavior, structural strength and coal flow impact respectively. Co-simulation could extend the functional boundaries of individual models, yet the degree of model integration remains limited and the operating condition settings are overly idealized. Bench testing mainly serves to validate the drive system, whereas small-scale prototype testing is employed for validating the overall macroscopic behavior of the machine, but a standardized validation framework covering the whole machine, its subsystems and components has yet to be established. This indicates that existing studies are limited in the construction of an efficient co-simulation framework, dynamic loads generation coupled with the coal mining process, and the building of a validation framework for hierarchical models, thus calling for future research.