AU2020286327A1 - System for estimating distance, inclination and drilling speed of a mining machine and method to improve the drilling process of mining tunnels - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a data acquisition system that allows estimating: a drilled distance, an inclination or angle of the drill rods and a drilling speed in a drilling machine during the drilling process 5 in mining tunnels. The system comprises means that generate signals, preferably electronic devices that generate data, distributed throughout the structure of a mining drilling machine, and that, at the moment that said machine begins to carry out the drilling exercise, said signals are sent and compiled by an embedded computer and then processed to 10 obtain the estimates of distance, inclination and drilling speed of said machine. The system comprises: at least one reference node, at least one mobile node, and at least one sensor that performs a measurement or generates data between nodes and at least one reading means of the measurements or data generated by the sensor between nodes, preferably 15 an analog reader that measures electricity consumption. Measurements or data are processed to obtain estimates of drilling distance, inclination (angle), drilling speed and number of shots that are made in mining tunnels. 20 25 2/3 N '.0) aa 8U-

Description

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SYSTEM FOR ESTIMATING DISTANCE, INCLINATION AND DRILLING SPEED OF A MINING MACHINE AND METHOD TO IMPROVE THE DRILLING PROCESS OF MINING TUNNELS

The present invention is related to a depth estimation system with

the mining field, particularly, it is related to the activities associated with

mining drilling, and even more particularly it is related to a data

acquisition system that allows estimating: a drilled distance, an inclination

or angle of the drill rods and a drilling speed on a drilling machine during

the drilling process in mining tunnels.

Background of the Invention

In the field of mining, drilling is one of the most common and

important activities for mine development. Currently, the engineers in

charge of construction generate a shot record that is given to the operator

of the drilling machine, who must make the holes indicated there, with a

specific depth and inclination. At present, in mines, it is complex to

correctly measure the advance of the drilling of a drilling machine, due to

the difficulty of obtaining precision from the data needed by current

systems. These systems also require high maintenance, which can lead

to production losses due to underestimation or overestimation of worker

performance. Consequently, a system is required that allows: estimating

the drilling distance,

Currently, to make estimates and minimize errors, the state of the

art is to use a distance sensor based on a cable reel, which consists of a

simple mounting system. To mount it, it is necessary to fix the distance

sensor to the reference surface and anchor the end of the cable to the mobile surface, in this case the structure of the drill arm that moves with the operation, this movement causes the measurement cable to is extracted and generates an output signal change, proportional to the distance traveled by the cable. The approximate measurement range of these sensors is between 50 mm and 60.000 mm, with different types of output: analog and digital.

Another existing solution is a laser sensor system, this sensor

strategically mounted on the drilling machine allows the drilling progress

to be measured by emitting a beam of light and calculating the time it

takes to return, in this way it is possible to estimate the distance wearing

piercing.

Another method of measurement is by artificial vision, in this a

camera is located in a strategic place of the drilling machine with a direct

view of a tube with marks, which are identified by an image processing

algorithm, while these advance in front of the camera, in this way it is

possible to estimate the drilling distance.

Patent Document WO/2013082498 shows a drilling system that

comprises a drilling parameter sensor, where said drilling parameter

sensor can measure: distance, vibrations, acceleration, RPM, pressure,

temperature, among others. In addition, such a parameter sensor can be

mounted in the most convenient position according to the parameter it is

monitoring. Additionally, the document presents a sensor application in

communication with said drilling parameter sensor and operable to

generate processed data from raw data received from said drilling

parameter sensor, a process application in communication with said

application of the sensor and operable to generate an instruction based

on the data processed by said sensor application, a priority controller in

communication with said process application and operable to evaluate the release instructions, and an equipment controller in communication with said priority controller and operable to issue the instruction to one or more drilling components when the instruction is released by said priority controller. Unlike this system, the claimed one does not attempt to make an automated instruction system, but rather gives the machine operator the information so that he can generate the corresponding instructions.

Document WO/2014187473 disclose a rock drilling rig comprising a

mobile carrier, a drilling boom, a drilling unit arranged on the drilling arm,

wherein said drilling unit comprises a feed beam and a rock drilling

machine supported on said feed beam, at least one first camera that

allows video monitoring of drilling, first control means to control said

drilling boom, second control means to control said drilling unit, said

control unit to control drilling of according to the control data received

from said control means, wherein said control unit comprises a display

device arranged to display video monitoring data in response to data

received from the first camera, and wherein various operational objects

are predefined to said control unit. The claimed system, in contrast to

WO/2014187473, is independent of the drilling rig.

Patent Documents WO/2019066930 provides a method and

software product for designing a perforation pattern. The method

comprises creating a perforation pattern in a computer-aided manner,

using a perforation pattern design program. Wherein the aided design

comprises determining a master hole for a group of holes in the drilling

pattern; determining a dominant property for said master hole;

determining, based on said dominant property, a property of another drill

hole; and the use of a post-editable master hole, whose dominant

properties are changeable. The software product is configured to create

the drill pattern interactively with a designer and determine for the drill pattern the locations and direction angles of the holes in the drill pattern coordinate system for drilling a round in the rock. Additionally, the invention comprises a rock drilling rig comprising a mobile support, a drilling arm, a drilling unit in said drilling arm, wherein said drilling unit comprises a feed beam and a rock drilling machine, arranged to move on bliss feed beam through feed means and a control unit comprising a computer, wherein said software product is executable in said control unit to design the drilling pattern. This patent describes a software for designing a drilling pattern as a drilling rig that performs the perforations according to the previously determined pattern; This invention has a different objective than the system claimed in the present patent, in addition to the fact that the data is not obtained with the same procedure and it has a high cost of maintenance and implementation.

Document CN 204492678 discloses an identifiable petroleum shell

comprising a body, a shell RFID (radio frequency identification) status

chip write coil, a shell RFID status chip, and shell RFID status chip read

coils. The shell RFID status chip write coil is used to write current depth

information of the oil shell to the shell RFID status chip, and is mounted

on the outer wall of the inner body; the shell RFID status chip is used to

store the current depth information of the oil shell, and is connected to

the shell RFID status chip write coil and the RFID status chip read coils

of the casing; the case's RFID status chip read coils are mounted on the

inner wall of the body and used to combine with RFID readers, so that the

RFID readers can read the information stored in the case's RFID status

chip. An RFID system is used in this patent, but its procedure and scope

as a specialty are not in the same field of application.

Brief Description of Figures

Figure 1: it is a diagram of the complete system, where all the

communicated devices are seen, it is observed: a reference position of at

least a first sensor or first reference node (2), a mobile position of at least

a second sensor or first node mobile (1), a sensor and reader means (4),

an interface means for the display of information (5) and all these

connected to at least one embedded computer (3).

Figure 2: It is an example diagram, which exemplifies the

distribution of devices in a drilling machine (6) with its respective drilling

means (7), in its initial state (before drilling). A mobile node (1) is also

observed at an initial distance from the reference node (2).

Figure 3: It is an example diagram, which exemplifies the

distribution of devices in a drilling machine (6), with its respective drilling

means (7), in its maximum state of drilling depth, a mobile node (1) is

observed at a closer distance from the reference node (2) unlike what is

observed in Figure 2.

Detailed Description of the Invention

The proposed invention refers to a system for estimating the

distance, inclination and drilling speed of a mining drilling machine,

comprising a plurality of electronic devices that collect / collect reading

data from at least one measurement and are distributed along said mining

drilling machine, for use in mining tunnels.

The present system is connected to a wireless communication

network or electrical wiring, which allows the data collected by said

plurality of electronic devices to be transmitted to an embedded computer

where the data is processed with an algorithm that estimates the distance

from the data received, inclination, and speed of drilling of said drilling

machine, and further, indication of whether or not said drilling machine is in operation. Data can be collected and read directly in real time from an interface medium for the display of information, which is connected to the embedded computer, and they can be downloaded or sent as needed.

In a first embodiment, the drilling machine comprises a structure

which in turn comprises a drilling means, preferably an arm with a drill,

and which, in operating mode, slides back and forth, to drill into the rock.

On this machine, at least one sensor is located in a fixed part (reference

sensor) that does not move with the movement of the drilling means, and

at least one sensor in a moving part (mobile sensor) that moves with the

movement of the drilling medium. The sensors are designated as

reference node (2) and mobile node (1). To determine drilling distance,

inclination and speed, preferably, the data generated by said drilling

means is used when advancing the requested shot in the rock,

The aforementioned sensors emit signals of the radio frequency

(RF) type, which allows the mobile node (1) and reference node (2) to

establish communication. With this, the mobile node (1) estimates the

distance with respect to the reference node (2) that is in a fixed position

and sends this data to the embedded computer (3).

The sensor means and reader (analog or digital) (4) allows, by

means of electrical data, to define if the machine is off or on, and to

establish the electrical effort of said drilling machine, which allows to

additionally verify if the operator is only moving the drill or if you are

drilling into the rock itself. This data allows to improve the estimates of

the distance of the perforation.

The distance determined between the mobile node (1) and the

reference node (2) together with the data provided by the sensor and

reader means (4) allow to determine if the operator is performing tests

before starting to drill, and once the operation has started, allows to know the drilled distance of the system.

The Integrated Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) combines data from

an accelerometer sensor and a gyroscope sensor to deliver the inclination

of the reference node (2) with respect to the ground and thus it is possible

to estimate the inclination (angle) of the borehole.

All information is received by the embedded computer (3) and it is

analyzed under an algorithm that allows the processing of all the data

obtained during the use of said drilling machine, to estimate: distance

drilled, speed and inclination of the drilling. Subsequently, the information

can be displayed in an interface means for the display of information (5),

with which the operator of said drilling machine is informed of the state of

the drilling and thus can make the decisions corresponding to the

operation.

The algorithm used to process and analyze the information

collected by the mobile nodes (2), reference (1) and the sensor and reader

means (4), determines the start and end of the drilling, with this estimates

the distance drilled by the drilling medium (7).

The signal acquired by the sensor and reader means (4) is

processed in the frequency domain, by means of low-pass filters and

band-pass filters, with which the beginning of the perforation and the end

of it are determined. On the other hand, the distance signal is processed

using mathematical models to estimate the depth of the drilling. Since the

drilling is carried out by means of a determined number of bars, which are

introduced one after another to drill a distance, the algorithm accumulates

each of these distances until the end of the drilling is determined, thus

adding all the distances, the drilled distance is obtained.

The present system is simple to install and reliable, with the same

or better estimate of drilled distance than known systems, and low maintenance.

Invention Application Example

In order to illustrate the present invention and based on the

aforementioned figures, an embodiment of the system and method to

perform measurements of drilled distance and drilling speed and

inclination can be seen, in a drilling machine for mining drilling equipment,

it comprises :

a) fixing means for at least a first sensor, to a fixed structure

of a drilling machine, at a fixed location or reference node

(2);

b) fixing means for at least one second sensor, to a mobile

structure of a drilling means of a drilling machine, in a

mobile 6/sliding position or mobile node (1);

wherein said first sensor sends its location data to said second

sensor, and said second sensor sends both location data, from the

reference node (2) and mobile node (1), to an embedded computer

(3), and;

parallel and separately, the sensor and data reader means (4)

sends the collected data, preferably electricity consumption data,

from the drilling machine, turned on, in use and off, to an embedded

computer (3),

where all the data sent to the embedded computer They are

processed through an algorithm, obtaining as a result, an estimate of: the

drilling distance and drilling speed of the drilling machine.

The estimation of the drilling distance and its speed allows the

operator to correctly use said drilling machine, and have information that

is displayed in real time in an interface means for the display of information (5) located, preferably in the operator's cab.

As soon as the machine is turned on, all the devices start to

synchronize and communicate with each other. Each sensor sends data

at all times, and the algorithm identifies the data that is not significant to

determine distance and speed of a perforation, but significant to establish

that the operator can be conducting tests without performing any

perforation, for example, the operator of the machine Drill is testing by

moving the drilling medium along the arm, but without drilling. As there is

no electrical stress measurement, these data are considered as

referential, that is, without material drilling. In the same way, the

inclination and angle of the drilling medium are determined before starting

to drill.

At the moment the operator begins to use the drilling means (7),

the sensor (4) detects a variation in the measurement, in particular, if the

sensor is an electrical sensor, a current variation is detected, and this is

considered as the beginning of effective drilling.

The sensor of the mobile node (1) receives the data delivered by

the sensor of the reference node (2), that is, distance, inclination and

speed. The distance is obtained directly by the variation that originates

when the drilling medium (7) advances, the mobile node (1) joined to it,

in relation to the reference node (2), fixed on the machine. drill. The

Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) located at its own node, calculates the

speed and inclination of the drilling medium in operation.

The embedded computer (3) on board in the operator's cabin on the

drilling machinery it processes, through an algorithm, the data delivered

by the sensors and displays the information obtained through an interface

means for the display of information (5) that is also preferably located in

the operator's cabin.

System for estimating distance, inclination and drilling speed of a

mining machine and method to improve the drilling process of mining

tunnels.

Claims (8)

1.- A system for estimating depth, inclination and drilled speed of a

mining machine in the process of drilling in mining tunnels,

CHARACTERIZED because it comprises:

a) one or more reference nodes (2) located in a fixed position

of a drilling machine (6), configured so that one or more

mobile nodes (1), located in a position attached to at least

one drilling means (7), can estimate the distance between

nodes, through radio frequency wireless communication; the

mobile node (s) (1) configured to receive data from the

reference node (s) (2) and transmit it to a embedded

computer (3) an interface means (5);

b) a sensor means and reader (4) configured to transmit data

to the embedded computer(3); this embedded computer (3)

configured to receive data delivered by the mentioned nodes

and using integrated software to analyze the data and

estimate the depth drilled.

2.- The drilled depth estimation system according to claim 1,

CHARACTERIZED in that the interface means for the display of

information (5), connected to the embedded computer (3); where the data

obtained can be projected in the interface means for the display of

information (5).

3.- The drilled depth estimation system according to claim 1,

CHARACTERIZED in that the mobile nodes (1) are located in the drilling

means (s) of the drilling machine, to achieve adaptability according to

circumstances and obtain reliable data from distance between both nodes:

reference (2) and mobile (1).

4. The drilled depth estimation system according to claims 1 and 3,

CHARACTERIZED in that the nodes use the time of flight (TOF) method

to determine distance between said devices.

5.- The drilled depth estimation system according to claim 1,

CHARACTERIZED in that the reference nodes (2) and the mobile nodes

(1) contain an integrated inertial measurement unit (IMU), which allows

estimating the inclination and speed of drilling done.

6.- The drilling depth estimation system according to claim 1,

CHARACTERIZED in that the sensor and reader means (4) allows

obtaining data on the electrical consumption of the drilling machine, which

helps to verify if said machine is: in operation, drilling the rock, performing

air tests or tests required by the operator.

7.- The perforated depth estimation system according to claim 1,

CHARACTERIZED in that the embedded computer (3), preferably aboard

the cockpit, allows the data obtained in the process to be analyzed using

software created for that purpose and the corresponding results delivered

in real time.

8.- The drilled depth estimation system according to claims 1 and

2, CHARACTERIZED in that the embedded computer (3), allows analyzing

the data obtained in the process by means of software created for this

purpose and deliver the corresponding results in real time through the

interface for the display of information (5).