EP2381036A1 - Drill - Google Patents

Abstract

The drilling device has a rotary drilling bar (12) and a drilling arm (22,24) that is articulated at lower end section of the rotary drilling bar. A cutting head (26,28) is fixed at ends of the drilling arm. The cutting head is moved back and forth by positioning elements relative to a rotational axis (R) of the drilling bar. The positioning elements pivot the drilling arm. Independent claims are also included for the following: (1) a drilling method for a caisson; and (2) a caissons combination, which has a drilling device provided with drilling arm that is placed at open bases of the caissons.

Description

The present invention relates to a drilling device for a caisson with expanding cross-section. Such caissons, whose cross-section expands, for example, from 7 m to 13 m, are used in the country but also especially in the sea for the establishment of wind turbines and oil rigs for the oil and gas industry. The caissons used in this case with a cross section of about 8 to 15 m are often formed bottle-shaped, i. the upper end of the caisson has a small cross-section, whereas the lower end of the caisson, which is sunk in the ground, has a large cross-section, as it must provide a firm anchorage in the ground.

It is the object of the invention to provide a drilling device which is suitable for use in a caisson with widening cross section and can be drilled satisfactorily in the interior of the caisson in the extended cross-section.

The solution of this object is achieved by the features of claim 1 and in particular by the fact that a rotatable drill rod is provided, at whose lower end portion at least one drill arm is articulated, at the end of a cutting head is attached. According to the invention, the cutting head can be moved back and forth relative to a rotation axis of the boring bar with the aid of a control element which pivots the boring arm. In this way, when drilling arm applied to the drill rod, the entire drilling device can be introduced into a caisson through its reduced cross-section. After lowering the boring bar on the Drilling ground then the drill arm can be pivoted so that it covers the entire inner cross section of the caisson when the drill rod is rotated.

The drilling device according to the invention is thus suitable for caissons with expanding cross section. However, it can also be used in the same way with caissons with a constant cross section, so that the device can be used flexibly.

Advantageous embodiments of the invention are described in the description, the drawings and the subclaims.

According to a first advantageous embodiment, at least two centering arms can be articulated to the drill rod, wherein the centering can be pivoted by means of an actuating element relative to the axis of rotation of the drill rod. With such a centering device, which may in particular comprise three equally spaced centering arms, the drilling device, i. Center the drill pipe, drill arms and attached cutting head in the center of the caisson after the cutting head is in its working position. Due to the pivotable design of the actuating elements, these do not hinder the insertion of the drilling device into the caisson. At the same time an adaptation to different cross-sections of the caissons is possible by the pivotable design of the centering.

According to a further advantageous embodiment, the centering arms can be pivoted into a position in which they extend approximately at right angles to the boring bar. In this embodiment, the boring bar can be centered with a high force within the caisson.

According to a further advantageous embodiment, at least one cross member may be rigidly secured to the boring bar to transmit torque from the boring bar to the boring arm at a location intermediate the cutting head and the boring bar. With the help of such a cross member, the attachment of the drill arm to the drill rod stiffen, since the torque is then transmitted not only at the point of articulation of the drill arm but also between this point of articulation and the cutting head on the drill. In particular, the cross member may extend approximately at right angles to the boring bar and may, for example, be designed as a double guide, so that the boring bar is supported for each direction of rotation by the crossbeam. A particularly simple embodiment is two parallel and perpendicular to the boring bar extending rails between which the drill arm is arranged.

According to a further advantageous embodiment, a sensor device can be provided for monitoring and automation of the drilling process, which detects the pivot angle of the drill arm. In this way, it can be reliably determined in which pivot position the drill arm is located. According to an advantageous embodiment, the sensor device may be arranged on the cross member of the boring bar.

According to a further advantageous embodiment of the drill arm is pivotable so that the cross member defines the maximum outer contour of the insertable into the caisson part of the drilling device. In other words, the drill arm and the cross member is dimensioned and constructed so that when applied to the boring bar Bohrarm the largest clear width of the drilling device substantially through the cross member is determined. In this way the radial extent of the cross member is maximized and the torque transferable to the drill arm is optimized.

According to a further advantageous embodiment, the drill rod is mounted vertically adjustable on a base which can be placed on the caisson. As a result, a simple and reliable attachment of the drill rod is secured to the caisson. The vertical adjustment of the drill rod can be done for example by adjusting cylinder, with which the drill rod can perform a lifting movement to bring the cutting head under force in the bottom of the hole.

It may be advantageous according to a further embodiment of the invention, when the lower end of the drill rod is provided with a drill bit. As a result, a drilling operation can be carried out in the center of the caisson, even if this area can not be swept by the cutting head.

Furthermore, it may be advantageous if a lower end of the boring bar is provided with an outlet opening for rinsing liquid, since in this way the area not reachable by the cutting head can be supplied in a simple manner with rinsing liquid.

According to a further aspect of the invention, this relates to a drilling method using a device of the type described above, wherein the drill rod is rotated about the axis of rotation and is pivoted after rotation by at least 180 ° of the drill arm. This makes it easy to cover the almost complete inner cross section of the caisson. According to a first variant of the method, in this case, the boring bar can continuously in a direction of rotation about the Rotation axis are rotated while the drill arm is continuously pivoted radially in and out. Alternatively, it is possible to reverse the direction of rotation of the drill rod after a rotation of about 180 ° and in each case at a reversal of direction, ie before, during or after the direction reversal, the drill arm radially only slightly to pivot. In this embodiment, can be dispensed with the use of expensive rotary seals for the cutting heads and liquid lines, so that when performing this method, the drilling device can be made much cheaper.

When using a drilling device of the type mentioned above in connection with a caisson with widening cross-section, the drilling device can be dimensioned so that when swiveled Bohrarm the drilling device is lowered through the smallest cross section of the caisson in this, the drill arm after insertion of the drilling device in the extended cross-sectional area from this position into a further position is pivotable, in which the cutting head is in the region of the inner circumferential surface of the caisson. As a result, the entire inner cross-sectional area of the caisson can be painted over with the cutting head.

According to an advantageous embodiment of the drill arm can be pivoted at the open bottom of the caisson into a position in which the cutting head projects radially beyond the inner contour of the caisson, while the drill pipe is located centrally in the caisson. In other words, the cutting head can be pivoted so far radially outward that it is positioned below the wall of the caisson. As a result, the reason below the wall of the caisson can be removed without the need for additional funds must be provided.

Fig. 1

einen Querschnitt durch eine Bohrvorrichtung in einem Senkkasten mit sich erweiterndem Querschnitt;

Fig. 2

eine vergrößerte Darstellung einer weiteren Ausführungsform einer Bohrvorrichtung;

Fig. 3

den Bewegungsablauf des Schneidkopfs nach einer ersten Verfahrensvariante; und

Fig. 4

den Bewegungsablauf des Schneidkopfs nach einer zweiten Verfahrensvariante.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described purely by way of example with reference to an advantageous embodiment and with reference to the accompanying drawings. Show it:

Fig. 1

a cross section through a drilling device in a caisson with expanding cross section;

Fig. 2

an enlarged view of another embodiment of a drilling device;

Fig. 3

the movement of the cutting head according to a first method variant; and

Fig. 4

the movement of the cutting head according to a second variant of the method.

Fig. 1 shows a caisson 10 with a top-to-bottom flared cross section, wherein the caisson 10 has an upper cross-sectional area with a small cross section, a transition region with conically widening cross section and a lower end portion with a large cross section. The inner cross section of the upper portion may be about 6 to 7 m and the cross section of the lower portion may be about 12 to 13 m. As Fig. 1 shows, the wall of the caisson 10 may be tapered in its lower end, so that the caisson 10 can easily bring into the bottom G.

In the illustrated embodiment, the caisson 10 is rotationally symmetrical, ie its interior in the area with smaller and larger cross section is cylindrical.

In the interior of the in Fig. 1 illustrated caisson 10 is a drilling device introduced, comprising a boring bar 12 which is rotatable by means of a rotary table 14. The boring bar may be formed solid or as a hollow tube with a sufficiently high moment of resistance, wherein the boring bar can be composed of individual shots in both cases. The drilling table 14, which is provided with a rotary drive for the drill rod 12, not shown, is movable by means of adjusting cylinders 16 in the vertical direction by a setting stroke, so that the lower end of the drill rod can be adjusted in height. The actuating cylinder 16 are mounted on a base 18 which is placed on the upper opening of the caisson.

In the region of the lower end portion of the boring bar 12, at the lower end of a drill bit 20 is provided, in the illustrated embodiment, two 180 ° spaced apart drill arms 22, 24 articulated, wherein at the end of the respective Bohrarms 22, 24 each have a cutting head or Cutter head 26, 28 is attached. The two drill arms 22 and 24 are hinged to a sleeve 30 which is fixed to the drill rod 12.

Each drill arm 22 and 24 is reciprocable about its pivot point and relative to the axis of rotation R of the boring bar 12, ie, pivotable, for this purpose, in each case a hydraulic cylinder 32 and 34 is used. Each hydraulic cylinder 32 and 34 is attached with its one end at the lower end of the drill rod 12 in the region of the drill bit 20 and with its respective other end approximately in the center of the associated Bohrarms 22 and 24. By actuating the hydraulic cylinders 32 and 34, each drill arm can thus be pivoted independently of the respective other drill arm, so that at the end of the drill arm arranged cutting head relative to the rotation axis R reciprocated. The points of articulation of the hydraulic cylinders 32 and 34 on the boring bar are located approximately at the level of the cutting heads 26 and 28, so that in the in Fig. 1 illustrated position of the drill arms 22 and 24 of the hydraulic cylinders 32 and 34 and of the drill arms 22 and 24 a parallelogram is included. By completely retracting the hydraulic cylinders 32 and 34, the drill arms 22 and 24 can be applied to the drill rod 12 so that they extend approximately parallel or at only a very small acute angle to the central axis R of the drill rod 12. In this pivoted-in position, the radial spacing of the cutting heads 26 and 28 located at the outermost end of the drill arms 22 and 24 is smaller than the small internal cross section of the caisson 10, so that the drilling apparatus can be inserted and removed through the upper opening of the caisson.

To stabilize the drill arms 22 and 24, two cross members 36 are fixed to the drill rod 12, which extend at right angles to the axis of rotation R of the drill rod and parallel to each other. The cross member 36, of which only one can be seen, are spaced so that between these the drill arms 22 and 24 can be pivoted. In the illustrated embodiment, the cross member 36 are attached approximately at the height of the articulation points of the hydraulic cylinders 32 and 34 on the drill arms 22 and 24, so that even with completely outwardly pivoted drill arms 22 and 24 still a guide is ensured by the cross member 36.

In the region of the cross member 36, the drilling device has a sensor device with a plurality of position sensors 38, with which the pivot position of the drill arms 22 and 24 can be detected and forwarded to a control and monitoring control.

For centering the boring bar 12 within the caisson 10 at least two, in the illustrated embodiment, three centering arms 40 are articulated to the boring bar 12, wherein the centering arms 40 by means of adjusting cylinders 42 relative to the axis of rotation R of the boring bar 12 can be pivoted. The adjusting cylinders 42 are located axially above the centering and are articulated approximately in the middle of the centering of these. At the respective outer end of each centering arm 40, a roller 44 is arranged, whose axis of rotation runs parallel to the axis of rotation R of the boring bar 12. During a rotation of the boring bar 12, the roller 44 thus rolls on the inner circumference of the caisson 10.

From the in Fig. 1 illustrated centering position in which the centering arms 40 extend at right angles to the boring bar 12, these are pivotable by extending the actuating cylinder 42 and so far applied to the boring bar 12 that the drilling device can be switched on and executed by the tapered portion of the caisson 10. In the circumferential direction, the centering arms 40 and the drill arms 22 and 24 are offset from each other so that they do not interfere.

At the in Fig. 1 and 2 illustrated arrangement is located above the bottom G a body of water W, in which a floating pump 50 is provided with the help of a line 52 water can be pumped into the caisson 10. Alternatively or additionally, a closable opening 54 may be provided to admit water into the caisson. The water within the caisson serves as a supply for pumps 56 and 58, which are provided in the region of the cutting heads 26 and 28 and with their help cuttings, ie a mixture of soil constituents and water via hose lines 60 and 62, which are led out of the caisson 10 parallel to the drill rod, for example, is pumped into a gully on land. Furthermore, in a hollow drill rod 12 flushing fluid can be introduced into the interior of the drill rod under pressure, which flushing liquid can then exit at the lower end of the drill rod 12 via outlet nozzles 64.

If the reason G is as in the illustration in Fig. 1 made of relatively soft material, such as sand, the caisson can be evenly lowered into the ground by its own weight and by drilling the interior of the caisson. In many applications, however, the reason is stratified and has various moor, loam or clay layers. Fig. 2 shows a corresponding situation with a clay layer L, which is relatively hard, so that the caisson 10 does not lower by its own weight. In this embodiment of the drilling apparatus, in which the same reference numerals are used for the same parts, the drill arms are dimensioned so that they are pivotable at the open bottom of the caisson 10 in a position in which the cutting head (in Fig. 2 the cutting head 26) protrudes radially beyond the inner contour of the caisson 10, while the drill pipe 12 is located centrally in the caisson 10. As a result, the cutting head can be moved under the wall of the caisson 10, so that there removes the substrate and the lowering of the caisson can be ensured. As Fig. 2 shows, the cutting head 26 cuts in the illustrated position of the Bohrarms 22 below the wall of the overlying caisson 10, the cutting head 26 can be brought into this position alone by pivoting the Bohrarms 22. At the same time a stabilization by the cross member 36 is present in this position.

When the cutting heads in the in Fig. 2 shown position immediately below the wall of the caisson 10 and the caisson unexpectedly lowers, it could be exerted on the hydraulic cylinder 32, an extremely high peak pressure. In order to prevent damage here, a safety valve 33, 35 is provided, which is designed as a pressure relief valve.

To initiate the drilling or cutting process, the caisson 10 is deposited on the water bottom and the centering arms 40 and the drill arms 22 and 24 are applied to the boring bar 12. In this position, the drilling device can be inserted through the tapered portion of the caisson in this and lower to the bottom of the water. Subsequently, the actuating cylinder 42 can be actuated so that the centering arms 40 in the in Fig. 1 shown position to be moved, in which the boring bar 12 is centered in the center of the caisson 10. Thereafter, the drill rod 12 can be rotated and the hydraulic cylinders 32 and 34 can be activated alternately or simultaneously so that the cutting heads 26 and 28 sweep the inner cross section of the caisson, thereby removing or drilling the ground. By filling the interior of the caisson 10 with water, the resulting cuttings can be pumped off with the aid of the pumps 56 and 58. At the same time, flushing liquid leaving through the nozzles 64 can ensure that the central region of the inner cross section is also flushed out.

With the device according to the invention various drilling methods are possible. So how can in Fig. 3 illustrated, the boring bar 12 continuously in a rotational direction (in Fig. 3 clockwise) about the axis of rotation so that the cutting heads 26 and 28 rotate clockwise. Meanwhile, the drill arms 22 and 24 can be continuous be pivoted radially outwardly from the outside, so that they perform a spiral movement.

In an alternative procedure, which in Fig. 4 is shown, the direction of rotation of the drill rod 12 can be reversed after rotation through 180 °, with the direction of rotation, the drill arms 22 and 24 are slightly pivoted. Fig. 4 illustrates this procedure, with first the cutting heads 26 and 28 are pivoted radially outward completely. After a first half turn by 180 ° clockwise, the drill arms can then be pivoted slightly inwards, for example by 80 cm. If then the boring bar 12 is rotated in the reverse direction of rotation, a further inner ring of the inner cross section of the caisson 10 is painted over. After the entire inner contour has been drilled out, the boring bar 21 can be further lowered by means of the adjusting cylinder 16, wherein this can also take place during rotation of the boring bar 12. In this way, the ground within the caisson 10 can be easily bored out without the need for seals, cable couplings and the like which allow 360 ° rotation.

To monitor the drilling device described above, an automatic control can be provided with which the drilling progress and the respective position of the drilling arms 22 and 24 can be monitored by means of the sensor elements 38.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

10

caisson

12

drill rod

14

Drilling

16

actuating cylinder

18

Base

22, 24

drilling arm

26, 28

cutting head

30

cuff

32, 34

hydraulic cylinders

33

Pressure relief valve

36

crossbeam

38

sensors

40

centering

42

actuating cylinder

44

role

50

pump

52

management

54

lockable opening

56, 58

pump

60, 62

management

64

outlet opening

G

reason

L

layer of clay

R

Rotation axis of the drill rod

W

water

Claims (15)

Drilling device for a caisson (10) with an expanding cross-section, comprising a rotatable boring bar (12), at the lower end portion at least one drill arm (22, 24) is articulated, at the end of a cutting head (26, 28) is attached, said Cutting head (26, 28) relative to a rotation axis (R) of the drill rod (12) is movable back and forth with the aid of a control arm pivoting the drill arm. Device according to claim 1,
characterized in that
at least two centering arms (40) are articulated on the boring bar (12), which are pivotable relative to the axis of rotation (R) of the boring bar (12) by means of an adjusting element (42) pivoting the centering arms. Device according to claim 2,
characterized in that
the centering arms (40) are pivotable into a position in which they extend approximately at right angles to the drill rod (12). Apparatus according to claim 1, 2 or 3,
characterized in that
at least one cross member (36) is rigidly secured to the boring bar (12) for transmitting torque from the boring bar (12) to the boring arm (22, 24) at a location intermediate the cutting head (26, 28) and the Boring bar (12) is located, wherein the cross member (36) in particular extends approximately at right angles to the boring bar (12). Device according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that
a sensor device (38) is provided, which detects the pivoting angle of the drill arm (22, 24). Device according to claim 5,
characterized in that
the sensor device (38) is arranged on a transverse support (36) of the drill rod (12). Device according to claim 4 or 5,
characterized in that
the drill arm (22, 24) is pivotable so that the cross member (36) defines the maximum outer contour of the part of the drilling device which can be introduced into the caisson (10). Device according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that
the boring bar (12) is mounted vertically adjustable on a base (18) which can be placed on the caisson (10). Device according to at least one of the preceding claims,
characterized in that
a lower end of the drill rod (12) is provided with a drill bit (20). Device according to at least one of the preceding claims,
characterized in that
a lower end of the drill rod (12) is provided with a discharge opening for rinsing liquid. Drilling method using a device according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that
the boring bar (12) is rotated about the axis of rotation (R), and that after rotation by at least 180 ° the boring arm (22, 24) is pivoted. Drilling method according to claim 11,
characterized in that
the boring bar (12) is rotated continuously in a direction of rotation about the axis of rotation (R) and that the boring arm (22, 24) is continuously pivoted during this. Drilling method according to claim 11,
characterized in that
the direction of rotation of the drill rod (12) is reversed after a rotation through 180 °, and that when the direction of the direction of rotation of the drill arm (22, 24) is slightly pivoted. Combination of a caisson with an expanding cross section and a drilling apparatus according to at least one of claims 1 to 10,
characterized in that
the drill arm (22, 24) is pivotable into a position in which the drilling device can be inserted through the smallest cross section of the caisson (10), and that the drill arm (22, 24) after insertion of the drilling device in the extended cross-sectional area of this Position in another position is pivotable, in which the cutting head (26, 28) in the region of the inner circumferential surface of the caisson (10). Combination according to claim 14,
characterized in that
the drill arm (22, 24) is pivotable at the open bottom of the caisson (10) into a position in which the cutting head (26, 28) projects radially beyond the inner contour of the caisson (10), while the drill pipe (12) is centered in the caisson (10) is located.

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