Coal Mine Predictive Maintenance Case: Real-Time Oil Monitoring in Emulsion Pump Tanks Delivers Significant Results
In high-load, continuous coal mine operations, the emulsion pump system plays a critical role in supplying hydraulic fluid to the roof-support units. The reliability of this system directly affects both safety and production efficiency at the working face. When the emulsion pump tank experiences oil contamination, water ingress, abnormal viscosity, or accelerated wear, risks escalate quickly, potentially causing pump failures, seal damage, pressure fluctuations, and unexpected downtime. As intelligent mining advances and predictive maintenance becomes a core operational strategy, real-time oil condition monitoring technologies are emerging as essential tools for ensuring equipment health.
This case study presents how a coal mine deployed an intrinsically safe oil monitoring sensor to track the health of its emulsion pump tank. The results demonstrate the clear value of predictive maintenance within modern coal mine operations.
Background: Manual sampling is no longer sufficient for intelligent maintenance
The emulsion pump tank operates in a harsh environment where oil parameters are affected by temperature variations, moisture intrusion, particle contamination, and mechanical wear. Traditional manual oil sampling provides low-frequency, delayed results and fails to detect early-stage abnormalities or sudden failure events. For mines adopting intelligent operations, these limitations make manual testing inadequate.
To address this challenge, the mine introduced an intrinsically safe, real-time oil monitoring solution to achieve continuous, data-driven oversight of lubricant condition and equipment health.
Installed Equipment
Device: GYD12A Intrinsically Safe Oil Condition Monitoring Sensor
Oil type: ISO VG 320 gear oil
Monitoring parameters include:
• Viscosity
• Temperature
• Trace water content (ppm)
• Oil saturation
• Particle contamination level
• Dielectric constant
• Wear particle trends
• Vibration
• Flow rate
Oil sample point: Filter port to ensure accurate and representative monitoring.
Key Value Delivered Through Real-Time Monitoring
Early identification of abnormal trends
The GYD12A sensor continuously captured live oil condition data. The system detected a subtle rise in temperature, a slight drop in viscosity, and fluctuations in trace water content. Although the equipment showed no visible signs of failure, the monitoring platform triggered an early warning related to potential water ingress. During scheduled maintenance, technicians confirmed micro-leakage at the filter seal, which had allowed moisture to enter. Early intervention prevented oil degradation and avoided accelerated wear of the pump components.
1. Reduced oil contamination and extended filter life
Following installation, contamination levels stabilized at significantly lower ranges. By using real-time data to optimize filter replacement intervals, the mine successfully extended filter life by more than 20 percent and reduced unnecessary maintenance activities.
2. Enhanced operational stability
Wear particle data and vibration trends remained steady, confirming that the emulsion pump operated in a healthy and stable condition. Trend visualization enabled the maintenance team to shift from experience-based decision-making to data-driven maintenance planning.
3. Predictive maintenance made visible
The monitoring system provided visual dashboards covering oil condition, equipment health, alarms, and historical trends. This allowed supervisors to plan maintenance actions proactively, reduce unplanned downtime, and improve operational efficiency across the pumping system.
Summary of Results
• Early detection of potential water ingress and viscosity abnormalities
• Optimized filter replacement cycles and reduced maintenance cost
• Improved reliability and stability of the emulsion pump system
• Transition from reactive maintenance to predictive, data-driven operations
As intelligent mining evolves, real-time oil condition monitoring is becoming a foundational element of predictive maintenance strategies. This case clearly demonstrates the operational value of INZOC’s intrinsically safe oil monitoring technologies: enabling equipment to communicate its own health status and empowering maintenance teams to identify risks before they escalate. The solution provides reliable support for safe, efficient, and cost-effective coal mine operations.
If you need:Oil monitoring equipment，Please contact us. INZOC, well-known domestic oil monitoring system provider!