Mining
Automated Measurement and Control Systems
|
Campbell Scientific stand-alone data acquisition systems are versatile, rugged, and powerful factors that make them ideal for mining applications. Campbell Scientific has provided instrumentation to surface and underground mining operations worldwide.
Applications include:
Coal and soft rock mining
We have battery-powered, stand-alone measurement systems that can be used where intrinsic safety is not required. Due to a lack of available parts, our MSHA-approved CR10QM and 21XQM systems are no longer available.
Mine ventilation
To help you maintain your ventilation system, our weather stations can continuously monitor barometric pressure, air temperature, relative humidity, and air velocity.
Slope stability
Common parameters measured by our systems include displacement, water level, tilt, soil moisture, and precipitation.
Convergence
Our systems can measure distance, strain, load, in-situ or hydraulic pressure.
Equipment performance
To help you keep your equipment at peak performance, our systems can monitor temperature, pressure, RPM, velocity, power, acceleration, position, torque, and strain.
Water resources
Our data acquisition systems are compatible with many water level and flow sensors. Our systems can also monitor many water quality parameters including discharge, pH, conductivity, temperature, turbidity, and dissolved oxygen.
Mine weather and air quality
Meteorological and air quality parameters measured by our systems include wind speed and direction, air temperature, precipitation, snowfall, barometric pressure, relative humidity, solar, gases, particulates, and atmospheric stability class.
System Benefits
- Systems measure most commercially available sensors analog, resistive bridge, vibrating wire, 4-20 mA, SDI-12, etc.
- Geotechnical and mining applications that our systems support include: slope stability, roof control, methane monitoring, air and water quality, and equipment monitoring/ performance.
- Systems not only measure but control external devices, based on time or measurements.
- Wireless and hardwire communication options provide real-time reporting.
- Low unit costs and networking capability allow placement wherever measurements are needed.
- PC software supports data retrieval, data display, data logger programming, and override control capability.
- Low current drain allows operation from batteries and solar panels.
Data Acquisition
The versatility of our systems allows them to be customised for each application. We offer a range of data loggers from the most basic system with just a few channels, to expandable systems that measure hundreds of channels. Scan rates can be programmed from a few hours to 100,000 times per second, depending on the data logger model. Measurement types, processing algorithms, and recording intervals are also programmable.
Our systems have powerful on-board instruction sets—simply choose sensor type, scan rate, measurement channel, etc. On-board mathematical and statistical processing allows data reduction in the field and allows measurements to be viewed in the desired units, whether that be microstrain, centimeters per second, revolutions per minute, meters, Amperes, or inches.
Their versatility extends to control as well. Our systems can monitor and control external devices based on time or measured conditions, allowing savings in time and equipment, and possibly preventing, or warning, of dangerous conditions. They are rugged enough to be in use in geotechnical studies and mines world wide.
Our systems are stand-alone. Once programmed and powered, no human or computer interaction is required, although data are typically downloaded to a PC for further analysis. A telecommunications or hardwire link allows data to be monitored and graphed in your office rather than in the field. Data from a number of stations and from a number of applications can be monitored from a single laptop or desktop computer.
The low power drain typically allows our data acquisition systems to be powered by solar panels and batteries. If 110/220 ac power, vehicle power, or external 12 Vdc batteries are available, you can use those as well. Non-volatile data storage and battery-backed clock ensure data capture and integrity.
Sensors
The versatility of our systems begins with sensor compatibility. Our systems can measure virtually every commercially available sensor, allowing them to be used in a variety of ways for a variety of measurements. For example, the CR10X can be used in slope stability, water quality, or equipment performance applications. Typical sensors that can be used include:
- Carlson strain meters
- vibrating wire strain gauges
- foil strain gauges (in quarter, half, or full bridge strain configurations)
- inclinometers
- crack and joint sensors
- tilt sensors
- piezoresistive accelerometers
- piezoelectric accelerometers
- capacitive accelerometers
- borehole accelerometers
- servo force balance accelerometers
Because our data loggers have many channel types and programmable inputs, all of these sensor types can be measured by one data logger. Channel types include analog (single-ended and differential), pulse counters, switched excitation, continuous analog output, digital I/O, and anti-aliasing filter. Using switched or continuous excitation channels, our data loggers provide excitation for ratiometric bridge measurements.
Water Quality Samplers
We offer both portable and stationary automatic water samplers for storm water, waste water, or other water quality applications. These water sampling systems use external vacuum pumps to draw water through intake tubing, instead of the traditional peristaltic pumps that induce flow by squeezing flexible tubing. Advantages of the vacuum pump method include faster water sampling rates, better vertical lifts, longer sampling distances, and less maintenance. Because the vacuum method disturbs the water samples less, they better represent the original water solution, especially if the solution has high concentrations of suspended solids.
Communications
The availability of multiple communications options for retrieving, storing, and displaying data allows systems to be customised to meet exact needs. On-site communication options include direct connection to a PC or laptop, PC cards, storage modules, and data logger keyboard/display. Telecommunication options include short-haul, telephone (including voice-synthesized and cellular), radio frequency, multidrop, and satellite.
