First. Introduction

As a basic industry, the mining industry has an extremely important supporting role for global economic development. In the process of mining operation, the normal operation of all kinds of electrical equipment is the key factor to ensure the production efficiency, personnel safety and effective exploitation of resources. Fuses, as a simple but critical protection element in the electrical system, play an indispensable role in the electrical circuit of the mining industry.

Second, the working environment of the mining industry

The working environment of the mining industry is extremely harsh, characterized by high humidity, dust, strong vibration and the possible presence of flammable and explosive gases. For example, in coal mining, coal dust is diffused in the air, once the electrical sparks generated with the electrical equipment meet, it may trigger an explosion. At the same time, mining equipment is often powerful and needs to withstand high-intensity workloads, and its electrical system is exposed to frequent starts, stops and overload shocks. These special circumstances on the safety and reliability of the electrical system puts forward very high requirements, the fuse must be able to effectively play its protective function in such complex and harsh conditions.

Third, the application of fuses in the mining industry

(A) in the mining equipment power circuit applications

Motor protection
The mining industry uses a large number of various motors, such as hoist motors, ventilator motors, mining machine motors and so on. These motors will generate a large inrush current during startup, and may also be overloaded during normal operation due to load changes, mechanical failures and other reasons. Fuses are connected to the motor’s power supply circuit, and when the current exceeds its rated value, the fuse will blow quickly to cut off the circuit, thus protecting the motor from damage caused by excessive current. For example, in the hoist motor circuit, if the motor is overloaded due to skip jamming and other reasons, the fuse can act in time to prevent the motor from burning out due to prolonged overloading, which ensures the safe operation of the hoisting system, and prevents stagnation of mine production or even casualties due to hoisting equipment failure.

Transformer protection
Mining sites are usually equipped with a transformer, which is used to convert the grid voltage to a voltage level suitable for mining equipment. During operation, a transformer can cause a sharp rise in current if there is an internal short circuit, external load short circuit or overload. Fuses are installed in the primary or secondary circuits of the transformer to disconnect the circuit in time when a fault current is generated, preventing the fault from expanding and causing serious damage to the transformer. This not only protects the transformer, which is an expensive equipment asset, but also prevents a transformer failure from causing a power outage in the entire mining area, which would affect normal production operations.

(B) Application in mining lighting and control circuits

Lighting circuit protection
The lighting system under the mine is crucial for ensuring the safety and operational efficiency of miners. Due to the special characteristics of the mine environment, the lighting circuit may be affected by mechanical damage, moisture erosion and other factors and short circuit failure. Fuses in the lighting circuit can effectively monitor the current abnormality, once a short circuit occurs, quickly cut off the circuit to prevent electrical fires or personnel electrocution hazards caused by lighting line failure. At the same time, in some temporary lighting facilities in the circuit, such as mining face mobile lighting equipment, fuses can also provide reliable current overload protection, to ensure the stable operation of lighting equipment in the complex and changing working environment.

Control Circuit Protection
The control circuit of mining equipment is responsible for the transmission and execution of operating commands such as starting, stopping, speed regulation and steering of the equipment. The electronic components, relays, contactors, etc. in the control circuit require high stability of the current. Fuses in the control circuit can prevent damage to the control circuit caused by excessive current due to control component failure, misoperation or external interference. For example, in the control circuit of the mining machine, if the current increases instantly due to the failure of the operating handle, the fuse can cut off the circuit in time to avoid the chip, relay and other components in the control circuit from being burned to ensure that the control function of the mining machine is normal and to maintain the continuity of the mining operation.