Effect of rate of sumping on fragmentation process in laboratory rotary cutting simulator

This study was done to examine the fragmentation process and to improve sumping. Research has demonstrated that specific energy and specific respirable dust must be kept minimum to produce the optimum parameters of the rock/coal breakage process and to attain maximum sumping. There are three major elements affecting the efficiency of the cutting head namely: (1) Geometry and size of the cutting tool, (2) Geometry of the drum and lacing and arrangements of the tools on the drum and (3) Effect of rate of advance/dynamic impacts. The emphasis is made on the rate of advance utilizing a miniature rotary cutting simulator. Experiments were repeated with different bit spacing to depth of cut ratio\u27s in order to maximum sumping and the results were analyzed with special reference to specific respirable dust and specific energy. Experiments were also repeated with a newly designed bit and the results were compared with the conventional bit used in the experiments