Pillar Innovations is once again returning to Bluefield, this year to promote its entire line of products as well as those items for which it is a named distributor.

A single source for fiber optics, atmospheric monitoring, intelligent power supplies, MINER Act-compliant communications and tracking systems, belt monitoring, and belt fire suppression products, Pillar also specializes in project management, engineering, programmable logic controller programming, software design, network integration, interoperability solutions and wireless systems.

“Whether it is a full mine-wide monitoring system or a simple fiber-optic cable splice, Pillar is able to help. There’s no job too big or too small,” company sales and marketing director Adam Brenneman said.

Recently, Pillar was named nationwide distributor of Conspec Controls gas sensors, Becker/SMC communication and tracking systems and Kutta Technologies digital radios for underground miners.

“We’re excited to be working with these companies,” Brenneman said.

“They share our vision for seamless underground networks and their products help us to achieve those goals.”

Pillar also has 24/7 service for customers and boasts certified miners and MSHA electricians among its technical staff.

“Top-quality service is always our main focus,” Brenneman said.

“We know the mines are busy so we do our best to be a resource they can rely on.”

Pillar Innovations provides sales and service from five offices across the country. It is headquartered in Grantsville, Maryland, with offices in Morgantown, West Virginia; Evansville, Indiana; Grand Junction, Colorado; and Farmington, New Mexico.

Schroeder Industries

Schroeder Industries will present its recently-released longwall application-specific filter, the LW60 featuring the new Excellement-MD synthetic media, at the Bluefield Coal Show.

The filter was developed to overcome obstacles caused by higher pump flows and to extend the pilot element’s service life. It is applicable to the largest of longwall systems.

The patent-pending LW60 consists of single filter housing aligned horizontally with the fluid supply. The design maximizes efficiency, minimizes pressure drop, and can clear vertical restrictions by straight-through flow.

The filter is supplied with 2-inch BSPP ports and is easily adaptable to Super Stecko fittings.

The steel housing of the 300 gallon per minute LW60 includes a stainless steel bypass valve that ensures integration with the 95/5 fluid utilized in longwall circuits. The LW60 has an indicator integrated into the housing’s design, allowing miners to see when the element needs to be cleaned.

The filter features a new synthetic media, Excellement-MD, designed specifically for the mining industry, and is offered in Beta200 greater than 3mm, 5mm, 10mm, and 25mm absolute efficiency options. The level of filtration is required to protect the valves at the shields and cannot be achieved using alternative wire mesh elements because of their lack of absolute ratings.