EP2520726B1 - Device and method for removing material deposits from the reservoir of a hydrotechnical structure - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a system and a method for the removal of material deposits from waters, in particular from the storage space of a hydrotechnical structure.

STATE OF THE ART

Dams and dams serve the damming of water, which then z. B. turbines for the production of electric power is supplied or just serves to reduce flood peaks or as a water reservoir. However, the reservoirs formed behind the dams or dams are filled up over the years by the sediment carried along with the tributaries, with the result that the accumulation volume increasingly diminishes. A reduced storage volume and the resulting reduced storage capacity, however, affect z. B. disadvantageous to the energy production and ultimately lead to economic losses during operation of the system. In the worst case, the device sands completely and can no longer perform their original function.

Furthermore, z. B. in the dam floor drains and emergency drains, which also threaten to clog by the registered attachment. However, these bottom outlets or emergency drains must be kept open, since they not only serve to supply water to the turbines, but also on the whole are necessary for regulating the water retained by the dam.

If they are clogged, on the one hand no more water flows to the turbines, on the other hand would also threaten an overflow of the reservoir.

For these reasons, it is desirable to periodically free the storage space of the deposited deposits, such as bedding and sediments, to restore the full storage capacity. Moreover, for the reasons mentioned above, the area in front of the main and emergency drains must also be periodically cleaned.

In the art it is known to liberate reservoirs by a so-called flushing of such deposits. For this purpose, the reservoir is usually drained via a drain, such as bottom outlet. The resulting strong currents sediment and sediment are entrained from the storage space and registered in an underlying watercourse and transported away with this. However, this method has significant disadvantages. Thus, the water drained during flushing can not be converted into electricity, so that the energy content of the drained water remains unused. Furthermore, the emptying of the reservoir leads to a production interruption until it has reached a minimum storage height again.

Moreover, such rinses are highly questionable from an ecological point of view. The massively deported masses of water thus destroy or impair the ecosystem in and along the affected watercourse. Furthermore, the rinses also lead to a sludge of the watercourse, especially in the vicinity of the water drainage. In addition, the dangers that humans and animals that are on the affected watercourse, threaten by the suddenly swelling masses of water, should not go unmentioned.

In addition to the described flushing, it is also known, in particular to clean the bottom drains by means of suction pipes. With such suction pipes mud, dirt and other impurities are sucked to the surface. Problematic here, that a suction of stones, larger pieces of wood, roots or even compacted mud is not possible. Over time, however, it comes to a clogging of the indulgences and thus to the above-mentioned undesirable side effects. Moreover, in a suction process, a large amount of water must be added to the sludge, so that the transport volume and thus the energy requirement, substantially increased. Accordingly, large settling tanks for draining the water-containing material are necessary.

Furthermore, it is also known to excavate lakes using crawler excavators. However, such crawler excavators have a limited range in depth.

Many reservoirs are also located in badly accessible mountain valleys. These reservoirs are z. B. are used as storage lakes for the production of peak power and are often part of a pumped storage power plant. The subject of the siltation of such reservoirs is particularly relevant here, because on the one hand, particularly in mountainous regions, the sediment input due to the high gradients and the heavy rainfall is particularly high and, secondly, the productivity of such power plants is highly dependent on the storage capacity of the reservoir. Especially here, however, it is often impossible to bring larger equipment to the reservoir on the narrow, winding, and often lined with narrow tunnels and steep access roads. For example, due to their oversize, it is virtually impossible to transport crawler excavators to such reservoirs.

The EP 2 113 612 describes a method for cleaning a reservoir upstream of a dam in the area of a bottom outlet. The impurities are brought by a lifting element from the bottom of the surface and further treated there on a float.

The JP 2007 063934 describes a work vessel, which via a transport line from a barge earth and sand, which is carried by the barge, pumped.

The WO 01/71106 describes a system and method for removing contaminated sediment during dredging of a lake. The bucket is surrounded by a water-retaining housing.

The FR 1 095 540 describes a dredger for dredging a body of water. The dredger contains a suction device for sucking the dredged material.

The EP 0 297 281 describes a two-cylinder slurry pump with a pre-pressing device, which is flanged to a feed container.

PRESENTATION OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is therefore to propose a system and a method for the removal of material deposits from waters, and in particular from the storage space of a hydrotechnical structure. The system should be mobile, flexible in application and easy to assemble and disassemble. Furthermore, the plant should enable efficient removal and safe, reliable removal of material deposits from the water. In addition, the system should also be easy to use. The degraded material deposits are especially sediments or registered bedding. The deposits consist mainly of fine sediments but z. As well as gravel, boulders, boulders, organic matter such as tree trunks, roots, branches, or civilization waste include.

• einen Schwimmkörper;
• einen auf dem Schwimmkörper angeordneten Seilbagger mit einer Hebeeinrichtung;
• eine siebtechnische Abscheideinrichtung zur Abscheidung von Grobstoffen
• eine Mischeinrichtung mit Mischschnecken zur Homogenisierung des geförderten Materials;
• eine geschlossene Schwimmleitung zur Förderung von abgebautem Material vom Schwimmkörper an einen, vom Schwimmkörper entfernten Ort;
• eine auf dem Schwimmkörper angeordnete Feststoffpumpe, mittels welcher abgebautes Material durch die Schwimmleitung pumpbar ist.

The object is achieved by a system as defined in claim 1, which contains the following devices:

• a float;
• a dragline mounted on the float with a lifting device;
• a screen-technical separator for the separation of coarse materials
• a mixing device with mixing screws for homogenizing the conveyed material;
• a closed swim line for conveying mined material from the float to a location remote from the float;
• a solids pump disposed on the float, by means of which degraded material is pumpable through the float line.

The float is preferably a modular pontoon that is capable of floating on the surface of the water with its installations and equipment mounted thereon. Single or all modules of the float are as buoyancy elements, z. B. with air-filled hollow chambers, formed which together form a buoyancy unit. The individual modules are connected to each other to a float or buoyancy unit, that the floating body is repeatedly assembled and disassembled. The modules can z. B. on releasable form and / or frictional connections be connected to each other. The compounds may be connectors, which z. B. are secured by securing bolts.

The dimensions, i. the dimensions of the individual modules and / or their weight are preferably chosen so that they are with appropriate means of transport on roads, especially on narrow and winding mountain roads, z. B. in the alpine area, or in the air by aircraft, such as helicopters, transport.

Above the buoyancy unit, a workstation shape is preferably set up as part of the floating body, on which various devices, such as solids pump, mixing device, crawler crane and electrical installations, are arranged. The float can be anchored via tethers on the shore or on technical facilities of the power plant.

The floating body preferably has a partially or completely surrounded by this or from the working platform cable excavator opening through which the excavator unit of the cable excavator can be lowered from the float into the water. The cable excavator opening can z. B. be arranged centrally on the float.

The Crawler Excavator is a device for removing deposits from the bottom of the water and for gripping and lifting the same from the bottom to the float. The crawler for this purpose contains a hanging on one or more ropes, and on this lowerable and liftable excavator unit. The lowering and raising of the excavator unit is thus done via a lifting device with a corresponding drive and winch and wire ropes. In this respect, the Crawler Excavator is distinguished from other machines in the category of excavators in particular by the rope-mechanical lowering and lifting mechanism.

The excavator unit contains an excavator tool. The opening and closing movements can be effected hydraulically or mechanically. Hydraulically operated excavator tools, which correspond to the preferred embodiment, hang z. B. only on two hoisting ropes. For mechanically operated excavator tools, two additional locking cables are required, so that here the gripper hangs, for example, on a total of four cables.

However, a hydraulically operated excavator unit (eg a hydraulic gripper) preferably contains a hydraulic unit for actuating (opening, closing) the excavator tool independently of the lifting device. The excavator tool preferably comprises a gripper or bucket tool, such as clamshell buckets, wherein the associated gripper or blade parts are movable by means of the hydraulic unit relative to each other in an open and closed position. That is, the hydraulic gripper or blade tool is preferably driven by the hydraulic drive independently of the cable system. The excavator tool with hydraulic drive can z. B. be a motor hydraulic gripper. The hydraulic unit preferably comprises an electric drive unit and is supplied with power via an entrained electric cable. A hydraulically operated excavator unit is particularly advantageous for large depths, because here the closing force of the gripper is independent of the lowering depth of the excavator unit.

The hydraulic unit can, for. B. a force, for. As closing force of up to 300 bar produce. Drops the excavator tool, for example, in a muddy ground, so high tensile forces are sometimes necessary due to a vacuum effect to pull out the excavator tool to solve this from the ground. Such tensile forces may not be applied by the lifting device alone. If the excavator tool is also actuated by means of closing and opening cables, the closing and opening process can also be due to the high forces to be applied and / or due to an unfavorable inclined position the excavator tool or due to pinched closing and opening cables be impossible.

When using a hydraulically operated excavating tool, as described above, however, the hydraulic unit is independent of the position of the excavator tool capable of applying sufficient force to operate the excavator tool in such a situation (opening and closing). By opening and closing the underground excavator tool, this can be exposed, reduce the vacuum effect, and lift with unequal lesser force on the traction cables and pull out of the ground. Such subsidence into the ground may occur, for example, when the excavator tool is lowered at a (too) high speed and placed on the ground.

The lifting device of the cable excavator preferably comprises a drive unit for moving and guiding the cables via the winches or a rope hoist. The excavator unit is preferably guided and carried over a portal frame or construction spanning the work area. Under gantry or construction fall here also yoke or Bockgerüste. The construction is expediently a steel construction and moreover has a guide rail with a traveling trolley along which the excavating unit is suspended by the cable guide. The trolley may have a winch and / or pulleys for the cables for raising and lowering the excavator unit. Such facilities are also known under the name Katzanlagen. However, the excavator unit may also be carried and guided via a boom scaffold or construction.

The crawler crane is preferably designed so that it can also promote larger coarse material such as tree trunks, roots, large stones or boulders to the surface. The described cable excavator allows z. B. a dredging depth of up to 200 m below the water level, which generally allows a widespread depletion of deposits in the waters. The drives of the cable excavator, such. B. the lifting device and the hydraulic unit for operating the excavator tool are preferably electrically operated. The crawler may further comprise means for recovering electrical energy when lowering the excavator unit to the bottom of the water. These agents can z. B. be designed as Rekuperationsbremse. Thus, the winch motors can run when lowering the excavator tool as a generator.

The screen-type deposition device preferably comprises a separation screen on which coarse materials with a diameter corresponding to the mesh size can be deposited, while small-grained material such as sand, gravel or clay can fall through the separation screen. The sieve mesh size is chosen so that coarse materials, which can not be transported by means of the solids pump due to their size, are retained. For example, coarse materials with a diameter of greater than 80% of the diameter of the transport line can no longer be conveyed by means of the solids pump. If "sieve" is mentioned below, then a grate, grill or rake should also be covered by this name. The separation screen can z. B. have a grid with parallel juxtaposed rods. The separation screen can be a vibration separation screen or a vibrating screen, which is driven by a vibration or vibration device. The separating screen is preferably inclined, so that the deposited coarse material in the direction of the inclination from the separating screen, z. B. by vibration or vibration and gravity support, can be carried away. The separation screen can z. B. roof-shaped inclined. The vibrating or vibrating device can be hydraulically driven. The associated hydraulic unit or another drive device for carrying out the vibration or vibration movement is preferably operated electrically.

The crawler crane and the separation device can be designed and arranged on the floating body so that the excavator tool can unload the highly conveyed material directly above the separation screen of the separation device or a collecting funnel arranged above it. On the floating body, however, an unloading device such as tilting device can be provided with Abladefläche on which the excavator tool can settle the highly subsidized material, and which then forwards the deposited material to the separator. The material can then be conveyed onto the separation screen via a tilting movement of the unloading surface. The tilting device may comprise a hydraulic unit for executing the tilting movement, which, like any other conceivable drive device, is likewise preferably electrically operated for this purpose. The unloading device can also be a, z. B. ramp-shaped, task chute or chute, which is preferably horizontally movable and / or hydraulically tiltable. The unloader is z. B. a pendulum task chute whose Abladefläche with the horizontal position of the excavator tool is horizontally mitverschiebbar. Thanks to such an unloading device, which is simple in construction, even a shifting unit, such as a trolley, can be dispensed with for the cable excavator. In any case, the position of the separator in this case no longer has to be adjusted to the range of the excavator unit and the conveying path of the cable excavator can be shortened moreover.

To promote the removal of the precipitated on the separation screen coarse materials, a routing device is preferably provided. In particular, the removal device can be designed to transport the coarse materials from the separation screen directly onto a cargo watercraft which is placed next to the float. The Wegführeinrichtung z. As a conveyor chute, also called chute, containing, by means of which the swept away from the separation screen coarse with gravity support and / or by means of a separate conveyor drive to the Wegführeinrichtung be shipped directly to the cargo watercraft. The cargo watercraft can be equipped with own or without own drive. The cargo watercraft is preferably a cargo ship such. B. a barge.

Under the separation screen of the separator, i. directly below or laterally offset, a mixing device is provided with a mixing container, in which the guided with gravity support through the separating screen and optionally through a subsequent subsequent collecting funnel fine material falls after the screening process. The collecting funnel may be part of a high silo, which z. B. is combined with a crane bridge.

The mixing device contains means for mixing and homogenizing the supplied fine material. These agents are preferably one or more mixing screws, in particular two or more counter-rotating mixing screws. The mixing screws are preferably driven by a hydraulic motor or electric motor. The term "fine material" is explained in more detail below.

Furthermore, the mixing device preferably comprises a receiving hopper, to which the homogenised fine material is fed after the mixing process. To improve the sliding and thus pumpability of the homogenized fine material, means for supplying lubricant, such as water, may be provided in the mixing container. The supplied fine material is namely due to the water pressure at the bottom of the water often extremely compact and has a relatively low water content. In this consistency it is not suitable for pumping. Therefore, the puncture resistant material is mixed in the mixing device and optionally supplemented with a lubricant and processed into a pumpable mixture. The mixture may, for. B. present as pasty porridge.

The pumpable fine material supplied to the receiving hopper can be pressed under high pressure into the closed line body of the floating line via the solids pump arranged on the floating body. It finds consequently a hydraulic transport takes place. The solids pump is for pump delivery pressures of z. B. 70 to 130 bar designed. In the case of particularly long delivery lines, one or more relay pumps may additionally be provided along the transport line. The relay pump may be located on land or on an additional float on the water.

The solids pump is a valveless piston pump and allows the conveyance of solid material with comparatively low liquid content. That is, the solid pump does not require a liquid carrier medium. The addition of a liquid component such as water is required at most to convert the material to be pumped into a pumpable consistency.

The solids pump is a hydraulic, in particular oil-hydraulic, two-cylinder thick matter pump whose cylinders can be connected in operation via a diverter valve with a subsequent, closed pipe (transport line). The two alternately operating delivery cylinder open via frontal openings in a material feed container. The material feed container, which z. B. is a hopper or funnel, includes an inlet opening through which the pumpable fine material is supplied from the mixing device. Such solids pumps, which operate on the same, above-mentioned basic principle are, for example, in the publications EP-A-0 297 281 and EP-A-0 849 469 whose contents are hereby explicitly referred to.

Within the material feed container, a diverter valve, which can be connected alternately to the openings of the delivery cylinders and opens the respective other opening and is arranged on the exit side with a delivery line, is arranged. The diverter thus connects each of the delivery cylinder with the delivery line. In each of the two cylinders, a hydraulic piston is guided. On its return stroke sucks this pumpable material from the material feed tank, which then on its forward stroke on the switched diverter valve is pressed into the conveyor line. The pistons operate alternately in the two cylinders, so that in a uniform cycle material is pressed by the changing between the two cylinder openings pipe switch into the delivery line. That is, while the material is pressed from the one cylinder via the diverter valve in the delivery line by the piston stroke, material is sucked in the other cylinder by the backward stroke of the piston.

In the conveying direction, a shut-off device is preferably arranged behind the pipe switch. The obturator in the pressure tube allows working against a high pressure without the risk of material backflow during switching of the diverter valve and the passage of a compression stroke before the actual delivery. Furthermore, for the purpose of supplying or injecting a lubricant such. As water, one or more annular nozzle may be provided in the line body in the line body of the transport line. About the annular nozzle, a lubricant is discharged into the line body, which forms a sliding film between the inner line wall and the conveyed. Since the sliding film can be absorbed by the conveyed material along the conveying path over time, a plurality of annular nozzles arranged at specific intervals relative to each other for supplying a lubricant and renewing the lubricant film are preferably provided in the conveying line. The annular nozzle thus serves primarily to form a lubricating film and not necessarily to influence the lubricant content in the conveyed material. The number of ring nozzles also depends in particular on the length of the delivery line. By forming such a lubricant film in the delivery line, the discharge pressure can be lowered. This is z. B. at long delivery lines advantage.

As a pipe switch z. B. an S-shaped bent pivot tube into consideration. Such solid-state pumps are known per se and are used, for example, as concrete pumps.

The solid pump described allows a quasi-continuous promotion with free flow of fluid passage and in particular without any valve technology. Foreign objects in the conveyed material can thus be conveyed up to a particle size of 50%, in particular 80%, of the diameter of the transport line. The solids pump is therefore particularly suitable for conveying highly viscous sludges and conveying materials with a high coarse fraction.

The solids pump is preferably driven by an electro-hydraulic drive. The solids pump is characterized by the fact that the mined material can be conveyed without a carrier medium, whereby a high energy saving is achieved. In this case, no separate settling tanks are necessary in which the pumped material must be drained. Furthermore, no carrier medium is to be disposed of as wastewater.

Does the promoted material on a high water content and the material z. B. deposited on a landfill, so drainage, such as sludge dewatering, for thickening of the material may well be necessary.

The swim line, through which the fine material is pumped, is on floating elements or buoyancy elements, such. B. swimming buoys, stored or guided. The swim line can be guided by the buoyancy effect of the buoyancy elements above, on or below, in particular directly below the water surface. The floating elements may be continuous along the line course and / or formed as separate floating islands. The line is designed as a high pressure line. The actual line body is preferably made of pressure-resistant, interconnected pipes. The tubes can z. B. made of steel or plastic. The pipe diameter is z. B. greater than 50 mm, preferably greater than 100 mm and in particular greater than or equal to 150 mm. Furthermore, the pipe diameter z. B. less than 400 mm, preferably smaller 350 mm and in particular less than or equal to 300 mm. The tube diameter is particularly preferably between 250 mm and 350 mm.

The swim line can be several 10 or 100 meters long. The delivery lines can reach lengths of over 2000 m. The maximum possible length of the line depends in particular on the consistency of the material to be pumped and on the cable routing. Moreover, the delivery line routed via the water can be continued up to a delivery point on land. The pumped fine material is deposited, for example, in a permanent or temporary landfill or loaded directly into a means of transport, such as dump trucks, for transport.

About the swim line or via their buoyancy elements and an electric cable for the power supply to the float can be performed. However, the electric cable can also, as explained below, separately and independently of the delivery line out on the water and be held on their own buoyancy elements on, on or immediately below the water surface.

The system further preferably includes a position detection device for position and preferably also position determination of the floating body or parts thereof on the water. These parts may e.g. Gripper unit or sensor means, as explained below, be on the float.

Furthermore, the system preferably also contains a positioning device for position and preferably also position control of the floating body or of the cable excavator.

The position of the floating body means the location of the floating body or of a reference point representing the floating body in a coordinate system. The position of the floating body means the orientation of the floating body around a rotation axis in the coordinate system.

The position detection device preferably comprises a satellite positioning system for position and preferably also position determination and navigation on the water by receiving the signals from navigation satellites. The satellite positioning system can, for. For example, the GPS (Global Positioning System) location system.

The position detection device further includes means for data processing. These funds include, inter alia, data processing software and a computer.

The position detection device comprises one, two or more receivers, which receive signals from navigation satellites, from which each position can then be determined. Since the system can also rotate in addition to a linear displacement, at least two receivers spaced laterally from one another are necessary for determining the position of the system and for determining its orientation or lye on the water. This is particularly important when interacting with a sensor device for detecting the topography and / or the condition of the riverbed, as described below.

The position detection device may further comprise means which allow to detect and process correction data by means of which any system-related inaccuracies in the position determination can be corrected. This system works together with at least one fixed receiver, a so-called reference station, whose position is exactly determined and by means of which any position determination errors can be determined and corrected. Thus, the receivers of the position detection device are particularly preferably designed as DGPS receivers (Differential Global Positioning System - global position system (with) differential (signal)).

However, the position detection device may also include one or more tachymeters or theodolites for determining the position and optionally position of the float, which z. B. are used when no satellite reception is possible for topographical reasons. Tachymetric measurements can be made by means of the devices mentioned. The devices can be equipped, for example, for (fully) automatic operation. With the help of the position detection device, the locations for the float or crawler crane, sensor means and / or for measuring points (see below) can be determined.

The system can now be navigated on the basis of the positions detected by the position detection device on the positioning device on the water.

For this purpose, the positioning device preferably also includes means for position control of the float. These means preferably comprise a winch system with one or more mooring winches. The mooring winches mounted on the float allow the hauling, i. moving the float over a certain distance without its own drive, such. B. engine. For this purpose, the floating body is moved by means of connecting lines assigned to the mooring winches, which are fastened to remote fixed points, such as the dam wall, rock wall, shore section, etc. The mooring winches are also preferably powered by electric drives. Preferably, the Verholwindensystem contains four mooring winches for exact positioning of the float.

Furthermore, sensor means for detecting the topography and / or condition of the river bed before, during and / or after dismantling may be provided on the system. The sensor means serve z. B. the previous detection of the topography / nature of the entire water body or a section thereof, the degradation control and / or the follow-up. The sensor means can on the system, ie on the float, arranged and / or attached to the excavator unit.

The sensor means for determining the condition of the riverbed can z. B. be designed so that can be determined with the data obtained, the topography of the grown terrain and the current topography with the deposits and, accordingly, the thickness and possibly the nature of the deposits, such as stones, mud, gravel.

For this purpose, the sensor means may be designed to detect certain physical properties of lying on the bottom of the water underground, which provides information about the nature of the substrate, such. B. give the density or the water content of the deposits or the grown terrain.

The determination of the thickness of the deposits and, if appropriate, the type of deposits allows a reliable planning of the temporal degradation process as well as of the degradation agents to be used for this process.

With the above sensor means in particular larger boulders can be detected, which z. B. can not be lifted with the excavator unit. Furthermore, in addition to boulders, other objects can be located on the bottom of the water in this way, which z. B. could disrupt the mining business or damage equipment.

The sensor means may, for. B. echo sounder with corresponding evaluation means, by means of which z. B. the depth of the body of water below the water level and the thickness of the sediment deposited by sediment and be removed sediment can be determined. This also makes it possible to determine the depth of the underlying naturally grown ground.

The system can z. B. one, two, three or more laterally spaced apart arranged sensor means, in particular echosounders, containing the topography / nature (Grown reason, thickness of the deposits, type of deposits, etc.) of the ground below and in the immediate vicinity of the plant or of the float.

On the determination of the position and position of the system by the position detection device can also assign the sensor data or the evaluation data regarding the topography and / or the nature of the water body and the associated location coordinates. In this way, the data relating to the topography and / or condition of the river bottom can be assigned to a coordinate system.

The abovementioned devices and sensor means make it possible to control the system or the floating body on the basis of previously acquired data on the topography and / or condition of the river bed, whereby only changes in the topography and / or nature are still present on the floating body by means of the sensor means of the river bottom due to material removal as well as regions not yet covered.

The system preferably also contains means for processing the sensor data and in particular for data visualization on a display device, such as screen. These funds include, inter alia, data processing software and a computer.

Thus, the determined sensor data by means of appropriate software applications computationally processed to a virtual basic topography (3-D model) and be visualized. By means of the visualization, the excavator operator or a plant control can control or regulate the material degradation.

In this way, the measurement data on the topography and the nature of the riverbed z. B. the excavator operator or the control or regulating device show whether he still abatement sediments, approaching the naturally grown reason or already abolishes this. The excavator operator can z. B. via a display device, a virtual image of the topography of the body of water over which he is currently located, are provided. However, the degradation process can also be fully automated.

Furthermore, the sensor means may also include angle and position sensors, cameras or ultrasonic sensors which z. B. are mounted on the float and / or on the excavator unit.

The system also preferably comprises a control or regulating device for automatically positioning the float based on the determined satellite signals, in particular GPS signals and / or sensor data from the gripper unit. This can be part of the positioning device. Furthermore, the control or regulating device can also be used for horizontal and / or vertical positioning of the gripper unit of the rope gripper.

• die Erfassung und Auswertung des Ausgangszustandes des Gewässergrundes;
• den Vergleich der erfassten Topographie mit einer Soll-Topographie nach Abschluss des Abbaus;
• die Positionierung des Schwimmkörpers auf dem Gewässer, bzw. der Baggereinheit am Gewässergrund;
• die Steuerung des Abbaus mittels visualisierter Topographie vom Gewässergrund;
• die Steuerung des Abbaus aufgrund des Vergleichs zwischen aktueller Topographie und der Soll-Topographie;
• die Aufzeichnung des Abbaufortschrittes;
• die Erfassung des Endzustandes des Gewässergrundes nach Abschluss des Abbaus.

The above facilities allow in particular:

• the recording and evaluation of the initial state of the riverbed;
• the comparison of the recorded topography with a target topography after completion of the degradation;
• the positioning of the float on the water, or the excavator unit at the bottom of the water;
• the control of the degradation by visualized topography of the riverbed;
• the control of the degradation due to the comparison between current topography and the target topography;
• the record of the mining progress;
• the determination of the final state of the watercourse after completion of the dismantling.

In addition to or in addition to the above-described devices and sensor means, the topography and / or nature of the body of water can also be detected by a mobile, independently of the system movable measuring unit. The above-mentioned sensor means, in particular one or more echosound sensors, one or more of the above-mentioned receivers of a satellite positioning system for position and optionally position determination as well as data acquisition and ev. Processing means may be housed on a separate float. The float preferably contains its own drive. The float can be operated remotely. He can also be manned. The float is preferably designed as a boat.

With the mobile measuring unit, the topography and / or condition of the riverbed can now be recorded and digitized in advance. The acquired data regarding topography and / or condition can now be taken over by the system. The plant can then control the mining using the data obtained without the plant having to first collect and process that data before the mining process begins.

In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the drive means for operating the solids pump, the cable excavator, the mixing device and optionally the separator or the vibrating screen and the mooring winches are operated with electrical energy. That is, the corresponding devices, in particular the hydraulic units, are driven by electric motors. The electrical energy can be obtained from a high voltage source be, which z. B. is provided by the power plant operators on site. If on site no electrical energy from the power plant operator or from a network can be obtained, it is also possible that z. B. on land or on the dam one or more, z. B. fuel-powered power generating units are provided which generate the required electrical energy.

The system preferably comprises an electrical device arranged on the floating body with at least one transformer for converting the electrical voltage and / or the frequency, so that the electric drives can be operated on the floating body with electric current of the necessary voltage and frequency. The electric current is passed as a low voltage or preferably as a high voltage to the float. The electric current is suitably guided via an electrical line to the float. This line can be guided on its own buoyancy elements and independently of the delivery line above, on or (just) below the water surface. It is also possible for the electrical line to be guided in parallel to the delivery line and via the buoyancy elements of the delivery line.

By high voltage is meant in this context a voltage from 1 kV (kilovolts). Low voltage is understood to mean a voltage in the range below 1 kV. Typical voltages, such as those provided in distribution or transport networks in the high voltage range and which can be used to supply the floating body, are 3 kV, 6 kV, 10 kV, 15 kV, 20 kV, 30 kV, 60 kV or 110 kV. This area is also called medium voltage. The system is preferably supplied via the swim line with a voltage of 1 to 110 kV, in particular from 1 to 30 kV.

OPERATION OF THE PLANT

Below, the operation of the system will now be explained in more detail. By means of the rope excavator, the deposit are released from the bottom of the lake, taken, brought to the surface and fed to the float of the further treatment. The detachment and gripping of the deposits takes place via gripper tools, which are driven by hydraulic motors. The hydraulic motors are connected via an electrical line, which z. B. is guided in addition to the hoisting ropes, supplied from the float with electrical energy.

The highly-promoted material, which may be very inhomogeneous, is subsequently supplied to the separation device by the gripper, optionally via an unloading device. Here, the coarse materials are separated from the fine material by sieving. Under fine material is here to understand that material which is smaller than the mesh size of the screen and therefore is not discarded as coarse material on the separation screen. This contains z. As gravel, sand and clay shares. When fine material can be such. B. act to mud, which has solidified from a certain depth below the water body due to the high water pressure and has a relatively low water content.

The separation of the coarse material from the fine material can be supported by shaking movements or vibration of the separation screen. The retained on the separation screen coarse materials, such as larger stones, boulders, tree trunks, roots and the like., Are transported away from the separation screen, z. B. by the shaking movement, led away via a corresponding Wegführeinrichtung and loaded onto a cargo watercraft, especially a barge. The coarse materials are then carried away by means of the cargo watercraft separated from the fine material. The coarse materials z. B. transferred to land or transported to another point in the lake and there deposited or tilted.

The fine material falls through the separation screen into a, arranged under this receptacle of a mixing device, which z. B. may be formed as a trough or tub. In the receptacle, the material, for. B. by means of two counter-rotating screws, further loosened, mixed and homogenized. The screws can also be driven electro-hydraulically. To make the material pumpable, i. slippery to make, the fine material in the receptacle, z. B. via nozzles, a lubricant, such as water, are supplied. Ideally, the fine material is helped by the mixing process and optionally by supplying a lubricant to a pasty consistency. The amount of lubricant supplied and thus the desired lubricant content in the conveyed depends inter alia on the nature of the transported material.

From the mixing device, the pumpable mixture is fed to the material feed tank of the solids pump and pressed from there by reciprocating piston in the transport line and pumped under high pressure through the transport line on the water on land. Subsequently, the material is landfilled or discharged on site.

The inventive system and the associated method find z. B. Application on waters such as lakes, rivers, canals or in coastal areas. The plant according to the invention and the associated method find particular application for the removal of material deposits in the water or storage area of a hydrotechnical structure. Hydrotechnical structures include z. B. facilities for shipping, such as shipping channels and port facilities (docks). Furthermore, the hydro-technical structures also include facilities such as reservoirs or dams, and generally hydropower buildings with behind it storage areas. Such structures can the generation of electrical energy from hydropower, the recovery of industrial water, z. B. for agricultural irrigation or drinking water, or flood protection. The inventive system is used in particular the elimination of material deposits from a reservoir, especially in front of a dam, z. B. in the area of a water drain, such as bottom outlet. The plant is due to their inventive design particularly preferred application in hydraulic engineering structures, which are in poorly accessible areas, such as mountains.

Thanks to the device according to the invention and the associated method, sediment and debris can be removed from the retaining space of the power plant independently of the operation of the power plant. This system can be operated in particular during ongoing power production and at maximum water level of the reservoir. The system and especially the float are adaptable to a fluctuating water level. The environment is not burdened by an unnatural drainage, as is the case with a flush.

The system is universally applicable, simple in its construction, robust as well as reliable and safe in its operation. Furthermore, the system is easy to use, so that after such training z. B. also operable by power plant personnel. When transported in closed delivery lines, there are no odor emissions, such as those caused by rotting sludge. The modular design allows the system to be transported to remote and poorly developed areas on narrow streets or over the air.

The system is also very mobile, in the application flexible and easy as well as repeatedly assembled and disassembled and transportable in individual parts. Furthermore, the system ensures efficient removal and the safe, reliable removal of material deposits from the water. Furthermore, the system is easy to use.

Thanks to the majority or exclusively electrical operation of the plant, no replenishment of large quantities of fuel on the water is necessary.

As a result, accidents with leaking fuel in environmentally sensitive areas are excluded both in replenishment and during operation on the float. In addition, the provision of fuel would involve a lot of time and effort along with many risks.

WAYS FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

In the following, the subject invention with reference to preferred embodiments, which in the accompanying FIGS. 1 and 2 are illustrated, explained in more detail. The reference numerals used in the figures and their meaning are listed in the list of reference numerals. Basically, the same parts are provided with the same reference numerals in the figures.

The inventive Appendix 1 according to FIG. 1 is used for high conveying and removal of deposits from the bottom 3 of a dam 2 dammed up by a dam. The plant 1 comprises a floating on the water surface 4, modular pontoon 6, which forms a working platform. On the pontoon 6 a crawler 7 is arranged, which contains a lowerable on a hoist rope 13 excavator unit 9. The hoist rope 13 is guided via a winch 14 carried on a trolley 12. The winch 14 is driven by an electric motor 15. The trolley 12 is guided along a rail guide attached to a portal structure 8. The over the hoist rope 13 vertically movable excavator unit 9 comprises a gripper tool 10 with its own hydraulic drive 11 for moving the gripper parts. The hydraulic drive success via an electric drive unit and is supplied via a, along the hoisting cable 13 entrained electric cable with electrical energy.

On the pontoon 6, a tilting device 16 is further provided, on which the highly promoted by the rope excavator 7 material is unloaded, and on which the unloaded material is fed via a tilting mechanism with gravity support a likewise arranged on the pontoon 6 separator 17. The separation device 17 contains a vibrating screen 27, on which coarse matter is precipitated and transported via a chute 19, also with gravity support, onto a barge 5. The fine material is passed through the Rüttelsieb 27 and falls, also by gravity support, in the mixing trough 25 of a arranged under the separator 17 mixing device 18. Two counter-rotating mixing 26 homogenize the fine material. Water is supplied via a lubricant metering device 23 in order to give the fine material which is dry per se a pasty, pumpable consistency.

The homogenized material is fed, preferably also by means of gravity support, to a material feed container arranged directly or obliquely below the mixing trough 25, to a solids pump 22 arranged on the pontoon 6. By means of the solids pump 22, the fine material is conveyed via a high-pressure transport line 21 to a delivery point on land. The solids pump 22 is operated by means of a, arranged on the pontoon 6 hydraulic unit 24, in which z. B. already a cabinet is integrated. The hydraulic unit 24 is driven by an electric drive 28. The high-pressure transport line 21 leads from the pontoon 6 via the water surface to a delivery point on land. The high-pressure transport line 21 is formed above the water surface 4 corresponding as a swim line. On the pontoon are also a control and electrical equipment 20, such. As a transformer provided.

The position position of the pontoon 6 is controlled by a Verholwindensystem 29. At the respective corners of the pontoon 6 a total of four mooring winches 31 are provided with respective Verholleinen 32. The Verholleinen 32 are at one distant fixed point, fixed like rock face. The mooring winches 31 are driven by an electric drive 30.

The FIG. 2 shows the energy supply concept of another embodiment of a built on a reservoir of a hydrotechnical structure with dam wall 52, inventive system 51. This includes a float 56 or pontoon with a work platform arranged thereon. The float 56 receives a crawler 57 with boom frame 58. The crawler 57 also comprises an excavator unit 59 guided on a hoisting cable 63 with a gripper tool 60 and a hydraulic drive 61 for operating the gripper tool 60. The crawler 57 further comprises a lifting drive 65 for lifting and lowering the excavator unit 59.

The devices for supplying the system with electrical energy and the energy supply concept described below FIG. 2 are also according to the inventive system according to FIG. 1 combinable and vice versa.

Since the inventive system according FIG. 2 is preferably used in connection with hydro-technical plants for power generation, is usually directly in the vicinity of a power supply device 70 available. This power supply device 70 is z. B. a high voltage source, which supplies via a supply line 71 electrical energy to a transformer 72. The transformer 72 provides electrical power in the high voltage range, e.g. B. in the range 10 to 20 kV, available. The output voltage to be transformed can z. B. 50 kV. The power supply device 70 and the transformer 72 need not be physically separate.

The device designated by the reference numeral 70 may also be a fuel-powered power supply unit which is on land (eg Shore or on the dam wall). According to this embodiment, a transformer 72 may or may not be provided.

The system 51 draws its electrical current from the connection device or transformer 72 as a high voltage. This high voltage is z. B. 10 to 20 kV. One with buoyancy elements 74, z. As swimming buoys, in operative connection electrical line (eg., A cable) is passed over the water to the float 56 and supplies the devices on the float with electric current. The electrical line is preferably designed to be flexible. The electrical line can z. B. be designed for a peak load of 1,600 kVA. This occurs when at the same time the crawler 57 pulls the excavator unit 59 under maximum load and the solids pump and the vibrating screen and possibly a Verholwinde are in operation.

On the floating body 56 is a take-up reel 75 or cable drum on which the guided over the water electrical cable 73 depending on the required length depending on the position of the float 56 on the waters up or unwound. However, the take-up roll 75, which thus provides a cable reserve, is not a mandatory feature.

On the float 56, an electrical device 76 is provided, which contains one or more transformers for converting the supplied electrical energy of a uniform voltage, preferably a high voltage, in one or more consumer voltages. These consumer voltages are z. B. high or low voltages.

So z. B. the solid pump 62 and the hydraulic unit are driven by a high voltage motor 77 of about 5 to 10 kV. This can have a capacity of approx. 400 kW. Such an electric drive is characterized by its excellent energy efficiency.

For the cable-operated drive or lifting drive 65, a speed-controlled drive is expediently provided for procedural reasons. Under certain circumstances, this necessitates the use of a frequency converter 78 in the high-voltage region, which supplies the cable-cultivator drive 65 with electrical current via an electrical line 79. The crawler drive can z. B. include an asynchronous motor, which can also be operated as a generator for energy recovery.

When lowering the excavator unit 59, electrical energy can be fed back into the high-voltage network by means of recuperation with a four-quadrant frequency converter.

Of course, the electrical device and its operation and the consumers connected to it must meet the safety requirements, especially for operation on and in the water. A supply of facilities on the float by means of diesel generators deleted completely or at least majority.

In addition, the system 51 also includes a position detection device whose data are used for position and preferably position determination and for navigation of the float 56 on the water. The position detection device preferably comprises a satellite positioning system with receivers and evaluation means, by means of which signals from navigation satellites can be received and evaluated. In the present embodiment 56 two laterally spaced DGPS receiver 81 are provided on the floating body.

In addition, the system 51 includes a total of three arranged on the float 56 sensor means 80 in the form of echo sounders for detecting the topography and optionally the nature of the body of water below and in the immediate vicinity of the float 56.

The position detection device shown and the sensor means according to the embodiment according to FIG. 2 however, are considered optional. You can in this way also in the embodiment according to FIG. 1 to be used.

Claims (11)

1. A facility (1) for the removal of material sedimentation from bodies of water, wherein the facility (1) comprises the following devices:

   - a floating body (6);

   - a cable dredger (7) with a lifting device (14), said cable dredger being arranged on the floating body (6);

   - a screening separating device (17) which is arranged on the floating body (6), for separating coarse substances;

   - a mixing device (18) which is arranged on the floating body (6), for the through-mixing and homogenisation of the removed material;

   characterised by

   - a closed floating conduit (21) for the transport of removed material from the floating body (6) over the body of water to a location which is remote from the floating body (6);

   - a hydraulic two-cylinder sludge pump (22) which is arranged on the floating body (6) and whose cylinders interact with a pipe junction, by way of which pump removed material can be pumped though the floating conduit (21) under pressure subjection.
2. A facility according to claim 1, characterised in that the floating body (6) is constructed in a modular as well as assemblable and disassemblable manner and comprises buoyancy elements which are releasably connected to one another.
3. A facility according to one of the claims 1 to 2, characterised in that the drives for operating the sludge pump, the cable dredger and the mixing device are operated by way of electric motors and, for this, an electrical lead is led on buoyancy elements on the water surface to the floating body (6).
4. A facility according to one of the claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the facility (1) comprises a leading-away device (19), by way of which the coarse substances which are separated at the separating device (17) can be transported onto a transport vessel (5) which is to be moored next to the floating body (6).
5. A facility according to one of the claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the cable dredger (7) comprises an dredging unit (9) which is led on one or more cables (13) and is lowerable on these, said dredging unit having an dredging tool (10) and a hydraulic drive (11) for moving the dredging tool for the purpose of receiving material sedimentation from the bed of the body of water.
6. A facility according to one of the claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the facility (1) comprises a lubricant feed device (23) for the feed of a lubricant such as water into the mixing device (18) and/or into sludge pump (22), for the purpose of improving the lubricity of the pump mixture.
7. A facility according to one of the claims 1 to 6, characterised in that an unloading device (16) with an unloading surface is provided on the floating body (6), said unloading device being able to transfer the material which is brought up by the cable dredger (7) and by way of which unloading device the material can be transported to the separating device (17).
8. A facility according to one of the claims 1 to 7, characterised in that the facility (51), in particular the floating body (56) comprises a position detection device (81) for detecting the position and preferably also the orientation of the floating body (56), as well as preferably also a positioning device for the positional control of the floating body (56) or of the cable dredger.
9. A facility according to one of the claims 1 to 8, characterised in that the facility (1) comprises a mooring winch system which interacts with the floating body (6) and is with one or more mooring winches for positioning and displacing the floating body (6) on the water.
10. A facility according to one of the claims 1 to 9, characterised in that the facility (51), in particular the floating body (56) comprises sensor means (80), in particular one or more sonars, for detecting the topography and/or nature of the bed of the water body, in particular for excavation control or post-control.
11. A method for the removal of material sedimentation from bodies of water amid the application of a facility according to one of the claims 1 to 10, with the following steps:

    - detaching and capturing material sedimentation from the bed (3) of the body of water and bringing up the material to the floating body (6) by way of a cable dredger (7);

    - transfer of the material onto the separating device (17) and separating the coarse substances;

    - transfer of the coarse substances onto a transport vessel (5) for the transport away to a location which is remote from the floating body (6);

    - feed of the fine material which is separated from the coarse substances by way of screening, to a mixing device (18);

    - through-mixing of the fine material and the processing of a pumpable mixture in the mixing device (18);

    characterised by the following steps:

    - delivering the fine material which is processed by the mixing device (18), by way of a hydraulic two-cylinder sludge pump (22), whose cylinders interact with a pipe junction, via a closed floating conduit (21) to a location which is remote from the floating body (6).

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