Experimental study of a technique for load measurement of powered supports

Despite the increasing popularity of mechanized coal mining, there are no convenient and accurate means available to measure the loads of powered supports. The measurement of such loads is important for monitoring mine pressure and ensuring production safety. The load-carrying features of a powered support were used to develop a method for load measurement using the magnetoelastic principle. A cross bridge-type magnetoelastic stress sensor was designed for the support structures to measure the different parts of the supports. Tests on single-body hydraulic cylinders and simulated linkages showed that an approximately linear relationship between the values of the sensor output signal and the loads home by the hydraulic cylinders or linkages. The results were used to analyze the load-carrying measurements of powered supports with the cross bridge-type magnetoelastic stress sensor.