The Jin Cheng Coal Group, one of the biggest coal groups in China, found a way to avoid unexpected downtimes of the AFCs (Armored Face Conveyor) and to raise the productivity of the Chang Ping Coal Mine. In the past, the underground mine was facing a lot of problems because of their AFC drives equipped with two two-speed motors. The Head of the Jin Cheng Coal Group decided to replace the two-speed motors with Voith Fluid Couplings (type 562 DTPKWL2) in order to prevent chain breaks as well as gearbox and motor break downs in the future.

The couplings provide a lot of benefits for AFC drives.“Based on the hydrodynamic principle, the fluid couplings protect the whole drive train from overload situations, which often happen at Chang Ping Coal Mine”, says Mao Weihong, head of the mechanical and electrical department of Chang Ping Coal Mine. The 562 DTPKWL2-1000 couplings are so powerful that they can easily handle blockages of the AFC without downtime or damage of the equipment.

Mao is very satisfied with the exchange of the equipment. Furthermore, he compliments the reliability of the couplings and especially their soft start function. “For upcoming mining projects, we will also rely on Voith Fluid Couplings to raise our productivity," adds Weihong.Since the installation of the couplings in 2009, the AFC experienced no chain breaks. This also means significantly reduced maintenance efforts. Nowadays, the coal panels produce a yearly output of 3 million tons in the Chang Ping Coal Mine. The situation of the coal mine has improved.