1. 0
Vehicle and Personnel Collision
Warning Systems for Open Pit
and Underground 17 April 2008
Steven Niven
Anglo Coal Regional Engineering Services
2. 1
Profile
Steven Niven
Control and Instrumentation Engineer
Anglo Coal Regional Engineering Services
Qualified as An Electrical Technician
British Steel Corporation 1978
South Wales
Emigrated to South Africa 1983 and
worked at Highveld Steel
Joined Anglo Coal 1985 Goedehoop
Colliery
Transferred to Anglo Coal Regional
Engineering Services 2006
Presenter
3. 2
Content
• Introduction
• Accident Statistics
• Collision Avoidance Road Map
• Collision Avoidance Working Group
• Underground Collision Warning
Current Technologies
• Surface Collision Warning
• Types of Collisions and Scenarios
Current Technologies
– Slow Speed Close Proximity
– High Speed Long Range
– Technology Comparison
• Anglo Coal Underground Development Path
• Anglo Coal Open Pit Development Path
• Development Path
Presentation Content
4. 3
I would like to share with you today, some of the technologies available,
developments, progress, and the learning points with regards to collision
warning, for both Underground and Open Pit operations within Anglo Coal.
Introduction
Introduction
This presentation is not to endorse any one product or company but to give an
overview of the various technologies, what is available and currently in use.
5. 4
Accident Statistics
Anglo Coal
Vehicle Accident Statistics
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2
4
6
8
10
12
2006 2007 2008
Anglo Coal Accidents -Pe ople injure d 2006-2008 YTD
Fatal LTI MTC FAC
2006 - 2008
In 2006 8 people were fatally injured involving heavy surface mining equipment
within Anglo American.
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2
4
6
8
10
12
14
Sur face Underground
Anglo Coal V ehicle Accidents 2006-2008 YTD
2006
2007
2008
6. 5
Mandate
The purpose of the working group was to:
• Investigate and determine what technologies were currently available to
assist in preventing collisions between vehicles and vehicle and vehicle to
personnel.
• What system were in use and their application.
• Were any system in development.
• To produce a report with a summary of the various technologies and
recommendations.
Colliosion Avoidance Working Group
8. 7
Types of Collisions
• Close Proximity Slow Speed.
Within 20 meters at less than 15km/h
• Long Range High speed
At speeds from 15 to 60km/h
Open Pit Operations
10. 9
These systems work on the principal of detecting potential threats (light
vehicles or other haul trucks) in the direction of travel and provide sufficient
warning time to allow the operator to take evasive action, either by applying
brakes or slowing down to a controllable safe speed before swerving to avoid
the vehicle.
Types of Collision Warning Systems
Slow Speed Close Proximity
High Speed Long Range
Typically these systems are designed to assist the operator at start-up (before
moving the machine) or whilst reversing.
15. 14
Cameras
Cameras ( Blind Spot)
Advantages
• Low Cost
• Off the shelf
• Can be integrated into other systems
Disadvantages
• Cannot work in all weather conditions
• Cameras must be kept clean
FLIR ( Forward Looking Infra Red) Pathfinder, Delphi
LEFT
FRONT
RIGHT
Slow Speed Close Proximity
17. 16
Advantages
• Relatively Low Cost
• Works in all weather conditions
• Self Contained
• Can be integrated into other systems
Disadvantages
• Nuisance alarms
Radar ( Radio Detection and Ranging) Evaluation of radar alarms by Ruff(2000)
Recommended layout of a five radar unit from
Detection ranges for Preco radar as measured by NIOSH.
Slow Speed Close Proximity
18. 17
Low Frequency (RFID)
Typically < 500kHz
Range 0 – 20 meters depending on power output
Hasardavert ( Fredrick Mining)
Nautilus Buddy Haul Truck System
Booyco Electronics
Becker Electronics
Slow Speed Close Proximity
Hasardavert
Detection Field around Vehicle
19. 18
To summarise all these systems can be used to prevent slow speed
collisions, but in some way they all have their limitations
• RFID requires everything to be tagged
• Cameras do not work so well in bad weather and require regular cleaning
• Radar if not set correctly can cause nuisance alarms.
But a combination of technologies can provide a good solution.
Summary
Slow Speed Close Proximity
21. 20
High Speed Long Range
Long Range Radar
Range 0 – 150 meters
Advantages
•Works in all weather conditions
•Self Contained
•Intelligent system
•Can be integrated into other systems
Disadvantages
•Nuisance alarms
22. 21
High Speed Long Range
High Frequency (RFID)
Typically > 500kHz
Range 0 – 150 meters
AMT (Australia)
Becker Electronics
Advantages
• Proven technology
• Positive identification
Disadvantages
• All vehicle require tagging
• Range fluctuations
• Multiple alarms
80 – 100 Mtrs
20 - 30 Mtrs
30 - 50 Mtrs
AMT CAS/CAM
B
E
C
K
E
R
C
A
S
3
0
0
CAS Controller
DPOD Recei ver
Vehicle
Transponder
(TAG)
AMT CAS / CAM
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Range 0 - 200 meters
Advantages
• Low Cost
• Self Contained
Disadvantages
• Effectiveness reduced in heavy rain
or snow
High Speed Long range
LIDAR ( Laser Detection and Ranging)
24. 23
Many auto mobile manufacturers already offer adaptive cruise control ( ACC )
Collision Warning with Auto Braking (CWAB) or Lane Departure Warning (LDW)
as an option on their vehicles.
These adaptive cruise control (ACC) systems, use either laser beams or radar to
measure the distance from the vehicle they are in, to the car ahead and its
speed relative to theirs.
If a car crosses into the lane ahead, and the distance is now less than the preset
minimum (typically a 1 – 2 second interval of separation), the system applies the
brakes, slowing the car with a maximum deceleration of 3.5 m/s2 until it is
following at the desired distance.
If the leading car speeds up or moves out of the lane, the system opens the throttle
until the trailing car has returned to the cruise control speed set by the driver
Note that to avoid liability claims in the event of collisions between cars equipped
with adaptive cruise control systems, manufacturers of these systems and the
automotive companies that use them are careful not to refer to them as SAFETY
DEVICES. Instead, they are being marketed as DRIVER AIDS, mere conveniences
made possible by new technologies.
Lidar / Radar / Vision Systems
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High Speed Long Range
GPS Systems
Acumine, FLARM
• Range 0 – 500 meters typically restricted by RF range
• Accuracy 3 - 5 metres
• Highly selective 3D track prediction minimizes "nuisance warnings"
• Simple driver cabin installation, not requiring specialists
• No radio network infrastructure needed, works anywhere with GPS
• Well proven technology outside of mining
• Recalculation and retransmission every second
• Usable in all vehicle types (Haul trucks, light vehicles, graders, etc)
configurable vehicle size, type and characteristic
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Other Technologies
Wireless Mesh Networks
A system is still in development between Freeport (Phelps Dodge) and
Motorola
Vision Systems
Mobileye
Delphi
These systems are already in use in many on road vehicles for lane departure,
object detection and adaptive cruise control.
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Comparison of CAS Technologies
SPEED Speed Distance
Reaction of
operator time
Safe swerv ing
speed
Safe
Swerv ing
speed
Distance
trav elled before
brakes applied
Ti me to
bring truck
to a
complete
stop
Total distance neede d
to bring ha ul truck to a
stop (incl uding
reaction time)
Short
Range
Radar
Low
Freq.
RFID
Mesh
Networ
k
High
Freq.
RFID GPS
Long
distance
radar
km/h m/s m sec km/h m/s m sec m Preco Hazard 3DP PDCASCAM Accumine Vorad
5 1.4 0.92 0 5 1.4 0.0 1.3 0.9 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
10 2.8 1.58 1 10 2.8 2.8 4.6 6.5 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
15 4.2 6.17 1 15 4.2 4.2 6.0 12.4 No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
20 5.6 14.7 1 20 5.6 5.6 5.3 20.3 No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
25 6.9 23 1 20 5.6 6.9 8.6 36.9 No No No Yes Yes Yes
30 8.3 33 1 20 5.6 8.3 9.9 49.7 No No No Yes Yes Yes
35 9.7 45 1 20 5.6 9.7 11.3 64.4 No No No Yes Yes Yes
40 11.1 58.8 1 20 5.6 11.1 12.6 81.0 No No No Yes Yes Yes
45 12.5 74.4 1 20 5.6 12.5 13.9 99.4 No No No No Yes Yes
50 13.9 91.3 1 20 5.6 13.9 15.1 119.1 No No No No Yes Yes
55 15.3 111.2 1 20 5.6 15.3 16.6 141.8 No No No No Yes Yes
Will the Collision Avoidance Technology be able to warn the
operator in time to allow him to bring his machine to a full stop
to allow him to avoid a potential collision?
Summary of Technologies
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Anglo Coal
Camera System
• June 2007 installation of a 3 camera Orlarco system at Klienkopjies
to evaluate
• June 2007 testing of Path Finder Forward looking Infrared cameras
(FLIR) at Kriel and Klienkopjies
• September 2007 installation of (Brigade) cameras and
FLIR cameras on 5 Haul trucks at Kriel colliery
• September 2007 commenced installation of combined Becker RFID
and camera collision avoidance system at
Landau. (decision made to keep camera systems separate)
• March 2008 Contract awarded for the installation of
cameras including FLIR for haul trucks and various vehicles.
• March to September 2008 Rollout of Cameras to all operations
Mafube, Kriel, Isibonello, Landau, Klienkopjies and New Vaal
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RFID Systems
• May 2007 order placed for trial of RFID system at Landau
• September 2007 commenced installation of Becker RFID and
camera collision avoidance system at Landau to evaluate.
Vehicles equipped: 4 Haul trucks, 2 Dump trucks,( 4 Antenna
Systems) Grader, FEL, ADT, Shovel, Dozer and 16 bakies
• November 2007 training of operators and engineering personnel
• December/ January 2007 testing of system
• January 2008 operator feedback survey (positive)
• March 2008 Contract awarded for the group installation of Cameras
and RFID
• April to December 2008 Rollout to all operations Landau,Mafube,
Kriel, Isibonello, Klienkopjies and New Vaal
Anglo Coal
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Project Successes and Challenges
• Regular meeting with supplier during project
• Buy in from operators and honest feedback
• Involvement and co operation from mine personnel
• Sharing of information and learning's with ACA Drayton and their
experiences on the testing of the AMT RFID system
• Delays in equipment delivery
• The RFID antennas were modified to incorporate the Dpods and
antennas into one unit not two separate pieces of equipment new
electronic boards had to be designed, manufactured and tested
• Incorporated vehicle tags into antenna electronics for simplification of
system on larger vehicles new circuit boards designed and
manufactured
• CAS unit software rewritten to accommodate changes to tags
amplifiers and introduce a second triggering level for LDV’s
Collision Warning Open Pit Operations
33. 32
Fredrick Mining
Tram Guard
Collision Warning Underground Operations
Typically < 500kHz
Range 6 – 20 meters depending on power output limitations
Booyco Electronics
Tram Guard ( Fredrick Mining)
Becker Electronics
Nautilus
Advantages
• Stable field
• Multiple detection zones
• Ability to penetrate stick sides
Disadvantages
• Cost
Low Frequency (RFID)
Field Generators
PAD worn by the miner
Vehicle Unit
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• March 2006 Booyco/VAK CWS 500 system introduced to
Greenside Mapula section for testing.
• May 2007 Modification to introduce two zone detection and driver
warning (CWS 800).
• October 2007 Final testing of CWS 800
• November 2007 CPC approval for project approval to roll out to all
operations.
• January 2008 commencement of roll out project to Greenside,
Goedehoop, Kriel, New Denmark
• October 2008 completion of project
Collision Warning Underground Operations
Anglo Coal Road Map
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Antennas installed on drivers side
Antennas installed diagonally
opposite
Plotting of fields around Vehicle
Antennas installed on opposite side
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The development of a Last Line of Support (LLOS) warning device had
been undertaken in November 2006, as there was no commercially
available equipment.
Several different technologies were initially tested with some success
but there were limitation for these technologies in the underground
environment. (Infrared, Ultrasonic)
A decision was made to adapt the Underground Personnel Warning
System technology (Low Frequecy RFID) to suit this application.
The prototype has been completed and will be sent to Kriel in April
2008 for testing and evaluation.
Challenges for this device are, to limit the power consumption so that
the device can be powered from standard cap lamp batteries, with a
four day life before being changed, ExIa certification, and to produce a
narrow detection field .
2nd Last Line of Support Warning Device
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•2nd last line proximity warning
device – one unit built at Booyco,
will be installed at Kriel by end
March for testing
•Will use the same technology as
the personnel warning system
2nd Last Line of Support warning Device
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References
CDC RI 9672 Ruff, T. (2007). Recommendations for Evaluating & Implementing Proximity Warning
Systems on Surface Mining Equipment.
AAC April 2007 Collision Avoidance Systems Technical Report
Ruff, T. and Holden, T. (2003). Preventing collisions involving surface mining
Acknowledgments
To the Anglo American Collision working Group
H. Faul (ATD); D. Janicijevic (Anglo Platinum); O. Munoz (Anglo Base); A. Naidoo (Anglo Ferrous); V.
Nhlapo (Anglo Platinum) ; S. Niven (Anglo Coal); E. Riffo (Anglo Base); M Ruplal (ATD)
Acknowledgements and References