CREG Mining Hard Rock TBM Completes Factory Acceptance
Recently, the new open-type mining hard rock Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) named “Yimei Yiluo”, developed by China Railway Engineering Equipment Group Co., Ltd. (CREG), successfully passed factory acceptance in Zhengzhou.
Developed by CREG to meet the demands of mining engineering, this new-generation mining hard rock TBM features excellent mobility and high adaptability. It effectively addresses long-standing industry bottlenecks associated with conventional mining tunneling machinery, including excessive overall length, limited turning capability, poor adaptability to gradients, and low support efficiency.
The “Yimei Yiluo” TBM will be deployed for rock roadway development works at the No. 32 Mining Area of Yiluo Coal Mine in Yiyang. The total tunneling length is approximately 6.5 km. The alignment includes two steep-gradient sections and one tunneling section with an ultra-small turning radius. The longitudinal gradient ranges from -19° to +15°, and the minimum turning radius is 80 m. The machine will traverse strata consisting primarily of Cambrian Gushan Formation limestone.
To cope with these complex working conditions, CREG’s R&D team adopted an ultra-short integrated machine design tailored to the practical requirements of deep mining at Yiluo Coal Mine, achieving an extreme lightweight and compact configuration. The TBM features an excavation diameter of 5.5 m and an overall length of just 50 m. By integrating multiple functions including probe drilling, parallel excavation and support operations, and continuous mucking, the equipment has undergone comprehensive upgrades in rock breaking capacity, mucking performance on steep gradients, and adaptability to sharp gradient transitions. It is fully capable of tackling challenges related to high rock strength, steep gradients and tight-radius tunneling.
As a flagship example of high-end mining tunneling equipment, this TBM will drive the coordinated advancement of the upstream and downstream industrial chains covering high-end coal machinery manufacturing, intelligent tunneling technologies and mine engineering services. It will facilitate the green, intelligent and high-end transformation of the traditional energy industry, provide replicable and scalable solutions for rapid rock roadway tunneling in coal mines under complex geological conditions, strengthen national energy security, and contribute advanced equipment and technical expertise to the green and low-carbon transition of the coal industry and the delivery of the “Dual Carbon” objectives.
