The value of decelerometer testing

"Decelerometer testing of a rigid guide system in a mine shaft pro vides usefuI information to operating and maintenance people. High acceleration/deceleration rates can lead to high maintenance costs to bath conveyances and shaft and can also present an operating risk . Possible disastrous results in the shaft have been avoided by restricting the maximum conveyance speed until the shaft and/ or conveyance problems have been solved.The test instrument is a valuable aid especially during commissioning or updating of a hoisting installation. High acceleration/deceleration rates also lead to reduced hoist rope life. During the past fourteen years, a total of 15,000,000 feet of testing was performed in 74 assorted shaft compartments.Based on this experience, it is possible to establish acceptable conveyance maximum speeds provided that all other conditions in the shaft compartment are normal. The body of the paper will present examples of several tests made under actual operating conditions.IntroductionMore and more mine operators are recognizing the real value in the use of the decelerometer for determining the state of shaft guide alignment in their shaft compartments , not only during the initial mine start-up periods, but also on a regular basis while the mine is in production.Decelerometer testing, is a technique in which an accelerometer , commonly known as a decelerometer, is used for measuring conveyance acceleration/deceleration in a lateral plane. lts purpose is to determine the severity of shock loads produced by misaligned shaft guides. Testing is performed by mounting the instrument on the conveyance and operating the conveyance (empty and loaded) at various speeds up to and including full speed . However, full speed may not be attained due to conditions indicated by the tests. These conditions may present an operating risk to the plant."