Tauger V. M., Kazakov Iu. M., Volkov E. B., Kozhevnikov a. o. – The Ural State Mining University, Ekaterinburg, the Russian Federation. E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Today the most perspective type of minerals transportation to the surface is a skip pipeline pneumatic elevator, where
containers in the shape of cylindrical capsules move along the smooth pipes at high speed. On the capacity equal to
the cable ways, pneumatic elevator possesses lower prime cost and allows significantly reducing costs for shaft sinking,
construction of pithead buildings and structures. In two-pipe installation one pipeline is designed to ascent, the other – to
descent skips. Mathematical model including the equations of loaded and unloaded containers kinematics is required to
design the systems of skip pneumatic elevator. Special interest is attracted by the functions of speed and acceleration
of the container which descends down the pipeline under its own weight. A body moving in gaseous medium creates a
zone of increased pressure, the value of which depends on the speed of the body and the speed of pulse propagation
in the medium. Based on the assumptions of continuum mechanics, theoretical dependences are acquired for speed,
acceleration, and displacement of a skip in the period of its sinking in descending pipeline. It has been stated that
kinematics of unloaded skip differs significantly from free fall. Estimative calculations have been fulfilled towards
the particular values of the mass of the container and the diameter of the pipeline. The formula has been worked out
for the value towards which the speed of the container asymptotically verges. Curves have been built, which illustrate
behavior in time of acceleration, speed, and displacement of “falling” skip.

Key words: shaft; skip; main ascent; pneumatic elevator; pipeline; kinematics; aerodynamics.

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