Any time we can develop something to prevent a costly incident or increase safety in underground mining, we jump to get involved. So, when a client recently came to us with a challenge to identify frictional ignition hazards on the Longwall AFC, NAUTITECH® software engineers got to work on developing the Redbolt System, which was recently demonstrated at the 2023 Longwall Conference.
While risk mitigation measures such as adequate ventilation, water spraying and methane pre-drainage are already in place on longwall mines, the possibility of frictional ignition hazards can’t be overlooked.
The NAUTITECH® Redbolt System uses the ExTREMECAM Thermal Camera with ONVIF to capture and stream detailed images to the Hawkeye Quad 7” Smart Display which can be programmed with a specific temperature threshold to assess heat signatures. If the Hawkeye® Quad identifies a “hot” object that exceeds the temperature threshold – which may include roof bolts, rib dowels, shearer picks and even timber – it triggers an alarm.
The Redbolt System is not confined to longwall and can be configured and applied to any areas of mining where frictional ignition or other heat sources may pose a danger to workers or affect the productivity of a mine.
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