📋 Case Study

Coal Mine Thermal Lagging Failure on High-Temperature Conveyor

Rubber lagging delamination on 120°C discharge conveyor due to thermal cycling (80–120°C), causing slippage and fire risk

🏗️ Project Overview

Underground longwall operation in Queensland, Australia

🎯 Challenge

Rubber lagging delamination on 120°C discharge conveyor due to thermal cycling (80–120°C), causing slippage and fire risk

🔧 Design Approach

Accelerated thermal aging testing → selected EPDM-HNBR hybrid compound → modified adhesive system → IR thermography-based condition monitoring protocol

📐 Design Diagram

_g+ΔT)Solution:E_a = 82 kJ/mol(Arrhenius)Monitoring:Real-time IRTemp mappingFire riskSlippage ↓Early detection

AI-generated project design illustration

📐 Key Calculations

Arrhenius Activation Energy (Ea)

Ea = −R × slope(ln(k) vs 1/T)

Result: 82 kJ/mol

Predicted 3.2× service life vs standard neoprene

Delamination Onset Temp

T_delam = T_g + ΔT_offset

Result: 112°C

Defined safe upper operating limit

📊 Results

Zero lagging failures in 26 months; energy loss from slippage reduced by 68%; eliminated Class A fire hazard classification

💡 Lessons Learned

•Glass transition temperature (Tg) alone is insufficient—thermal aging kinetics must be modeled
•IR thermography must capture lagging-substrate interface, not just surface

✅ Key Takeaways

1Glass transition temperature (Tg) alone is insufficient—thermal aging kinetics must be modeled
2IR thermography must capture lagging-substrate interface, not just surface