Evaluation of an E-field through-the-earth (TTE) communications system at an underground longwall mine in West Virginia

Mining Engineering , 2016, Vol. 68, No. 9, pp. 91-96

Jong, E.C.; Schafrik, S.C.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.19150/me.6758

A commercially available through-the-earth (TTE) communications system was evaluated at an active underground longwall mine in West Virginia. This TTE system uses electric-field (E-field) sensing to send text-based communications through two separate antenna arrays connected in parallel. Each antenna array is composed of interconnected, grounded metallic rods or other such structures. Two-way communication between subsurface locations was investigated in this study using various antenna configurations. This field study was conducted as a part of a larger multisite evaluation of available TTE systems in an effort to determine their operational sensitivities.