Citation: Duan, M.; Huang, Q.; Xu,
R.; Wang, C.; Xu, J. Optimization of
Shearer Drum Based on
Multi-Objective Bat Algorithm with
Grid (MOBA/G). Machines 2022, 10,
733. https://doi.org/10.3390/
machines10090733
Academic Editors: Kelvin K.L. Wong,
Dhanjoo N. Ghista, Andrew W.H. Ip
and Wenjun (Chris) Zhang
Received: 20 July 2022
Accepted: 23 August 2022
Published: 26 August 2022
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Article
Optimization of Shearer Drum Based on Multi-Objective Bat
Algorithm with Grid (MOBA/G)
Mingyu Duan
1,2
, Qibai Huang
1
, Ren Xu
1,
*, Chenlin Wang
1
and Jing Xu
3
1
State Key Laboratory of Digital Manufacturing Equipment and Technology, Huazhong University of Science
and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
2
Henan Dayou Energy Co., Ltd., Yima 472300, China
3
Marine Equipment and Technology Institute, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, No. 2 Mengxi
Road, Zhenjiang 212008, China
* Correspondence: m202170403@hust.edu.cn
Abstract:
The shearer drum undertakes the main function of coal falling and loading, and picks
distributed on it have a great impact on the performance of the drum. However, few studies have
optimized the pick and drum at the same time. In this paper, parameters of pick and drum are
considered as design variables, and the response functions of design variables are established based
on the central composite experiment method. The optimal structural and working parameters
of the pick and the drum of MG500/1130-WD shearer are obtained by using the multi-objective
bat algorithm and multi-objective bat algorithm with grid, respectively. Comparing results of the
two algorithms, the multi-objective bat algorithm with grid is more effective in improving the
comprehensive performance of the drum. According to the optimized design variables, a coal
mining test is carried out to verify the optimization effect of the algorithm. The result provides
some theoretical references for the design and production of the drum and has some engineering
application value.
Keywords:
comprehensive performance; pick; drum; multi-objective optimization; multi-objective
bat algorithm with grid
1. Introduction
A shearer is one of the major equipment pieces of fully mechanized mining equipment,
which is a large complex system integrating machinery, electricity, and hydraulics [
1
].
Mechanized operation with a shearer can reduce manual labor, improve staff working
conditions in a harsh environment, and produce coal mining with lower power consump-
tion and higher efficiency. The drum is the main working part of the shearer, which is in
charge of excavation and conveying coal. When the drum rotates, picks distributed on
the drum collide with the coal periodically to realize the cutting of coal, then the coal will
be thrown onto the scraper conveyor and transported out. The shearer travels according
to the set traction speed, so that the coal cutting and loading processes can be carried
out continuously.
The comprehensive performance of the drum has a significant impact on production
efficiency, cutting energy consumption, and machine service life [
2
,
3
]. Therefore, many
researchers have carried out some theoretical, experimental, and simulation works in
these areas. Li [
4
] conducted a series of full-scale shearer drum cutting tests and built
a reliable shearer drum cutting predictive models by comparing numerical simulation
with the empirical results. Zhao [
5
] established the coupling model of the drum using
the discrete element method (DEM), and focused on the impact of drum rotation speed,
traction speed, and spiral angle on pick and blade wear depth. Liu [
6
] investigated the
relationship between the drum rotation speed, traction speed, rock firmness coefficient,
cutting depth, and spiral angle, and drum wear based on the single factor method, which
Machines 2022, 10, 733. https://doi.org/10.3390/machines10090733 https://www.mdpi.com/journal/machines
