DEVELOPMENT OF A MECHANICAL INDICATOR-BASED HYDROMECHANICAL PROTECTION DEVICE FOR REDUCING EMERGENCY FLUID LOSSES IN HYDRAULIC SYSTEMS OF MINING MACHINES

Abstract

Hydraulic systems are widely used in modern mining machinery due to their high-power density, reliability, and operational flexibility. However, failures of high-pressure hoses and hydraulic pipelines often result in emergency leakage of working fluid, causing environmental contamination, equipment downtime, and significant economic losses. Existing hydromechanical protection devices are capable of stopping the hydraulic flow during emergency conditions but do not provide information about the actual position of the protection element or the occurrence of a failure. This paper presents a novel hydromechanical protection device equipped with a mechanical indicator rod mechanically connected to the plunger. The proposed solution allows simultaneous flow shutdown and visual detection of emergency conditions. A mathematical model describing the dynamic interaction between the plunger and the indicator rod was developed. Numerical simulations were performed to evaluate the operating characteristics of the proposed device. The results demonstrate improved diagnostic capabilities, reduced fluid losses, and enhanced operational reliability of hydraulic systems used in mining machinery.