RU2462551C1 - Method to reduce dynamic exposure of environment to volcano as it erupts - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: environment protection.

SUBSTANCE: loosening area and a channel of magma discharge are created by a method of direct blasting. A wind channel is erected near a volcano crater from a polymer film with hoops as stiffening ribs. A filtration plant comprising electrified grids and nets from coal plastic is arranged inside the pipe. The wind channel, using polymer ropes laid along its walls, is lifted to the required height with the help of balloons or aerostats.

EFFECT: lower effect from discharge of stones and ash in process of volcano eruption to environment, confinement or elimination of pyroclastic flows.

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Description

The invention relates to the field of environmental protection, in particular to environmental safety, and can be used in the construction of cities and engineering facilities, as well as in the development of minerals near active volcanoes.

The relevance of the invention.

Last year, a volcano exploded in Iceland. A cloud of ash for a week interrupted all flights of the aircraft, which caused losses of $ 4 billion and a lot of trouble for people. With all the fantastic equipment of the 21st century, no effects on the ash cloud were made to clean the airspace of Europe.

Scientists accurately predicted the time of the eruption and notified the population. But no recommendations were made to eliminate the ash cloud.

We have many active volcanoes in Kamchatka and airspace pollution occurs more often than in Iceland.

Typically, a volcanic eruption is accompanied by an earthquake, a spread of stones and boulders, the outflow of magma and the release of dust and gas to a height of 2-3 km with the formation of a dust cloud. It is the dispersed particles of this dust cloud that stay in the atmosphere for a long time, clog and stop aircraft engines.

But sometimes the eruption is accompanied by a more terrible phenomenon.

A hot, more than 100 degrees, hurricane of ash, dust with an admixture of hydrogen sulfide, the so-called pyroclassical stream, spreads across the earth. It spreads over long distances in several waves. It is from the asphyxiation of this stream that masses of people die, in particular, the population of Pompeii and its environs died - there is nothing to breathe.

Thus, the creation of a method of reducing the dynamic effects of the volcano on the environment, in particular for cleaning the air from ash clouds and pyroclassical flows, is an urgent task.

There is a method of reducing the dynamic effects of a volcano on the environment during its eruption, which includes a full range of studies, according to which the possible hypocenter of the earthquake and the probable period of volcanic eruption, the depth and intensity of the block system of the reference belt, the depth of the zone of accumulation of magma and the zone of its possible melting , based on the data obtained, a loosened zone is created in the slope of the volcano under the crater plug, while depending on the terrain and the depth of the accumulation zone magmas, as well as the depths of the reference belt, drill wells from the surface or from the adit conducted for this purpose to the center of the volcano, moreover, boreholes are used to pre-weaken the rock mass at the first stage by hydraulic fracturing, and leaching is used in the second stage to weaken the rock, after creating the loosened zone creates a channel for magma removal by the method of directional explosion [1].

This method will to some extent reduce the shocking effect of the eruption on the Earth's surface, which, together with an increase in the earthquake resistance of buildings, will preserve nearby cities. The outpouring of magma is also brought into a controlled channel. However, the volcanic eruption is also accompanied by a spread of stones and ash over large areas, as well as pyroclassical flows. But the question of reducing the influence of these factors is neither considered in this method, nor in others [2, 3].

There is a method of reducing the dynamic effects of a volcano on the environment during its eruption [4], including the creation of a loosened zone in the slope of the volcano under the crater plug and the magma removal channel by the directional explosion method, characterized in that a filtration unit consisting of a powerful grating with shock absorbers is mounted above the volcanic vent mounted on reinforced concrete risers with the possibility of vertical compliance with a strong impact. The second difference is that polymer chambers filled with water or a heat-absorbing liquid are placed on the grate. And the third difference is that a reinforced concrete arch with a hatch in the center is mounted on the risers from above, from which a pipeline with a pump for pumping a mixture of gas and ash from under the dome into the water pool is laid.

With a weak eruption, the proposed design will fulfill its purpose, and with a powerful eruption followed by an earthquake, it is unlikely that this relatively rigid structure, built near the volcano, will not collapse.

The aim of the invention is to provide a way to reduce the impact of stones and ash during the volcanic eruption on the environment, especially dispersed particles of ash, which are spread over considerable distances and, when in the atmosphere, interfere with air traffic, as well as the localization or elimination of such phenomena as pyroclassical streams . This goal is achieved by creating around the crater of the volcano a wind tunnel made of a polymer film with filter elements inside it, which rises to the proper height using balloons or stratostats. With a pipe length of several hundred meters, a strong air stream will be created inside the pipe due to the pressure drop, which should capture pyroclassic streams spreading on the ground and blow them high into the atmosphere, while passing through a system of electrostatic precipitators, they will be cleaned of harmful components.

Of all the variety of polymers under extreme conditions of volcanic eruption, carbon plastics are the most acceptable. Filler in these polymer composites are carbon fibers, which are obtained from synthetic and natural fibers based on cellulose, copolymers of acrylonitrile, oil and coal tar pitch, etc.

On the basis of carbon fibers and a carbon matrix, composite carbon-graphite materials are created that can withstand temperatures up to 3000 degrees in inert or reducing environments for a long time. CFRPs are very light and at the same time durable materials [5]. For example, a polymer of this class, called “Hypol”, has the following parameters: operating temperature up to 2000 degrees, chemical inertness to oxidizing environments, does not burn, 1.5 times lighter than aluminum (htt: //highpol.com/). Of interest is the latest development of Russian scientists - polymer carafe, which has special and exotic properties (htt: //newchemistry.ru/). For this development, Russian scientists received the Nobel Prize in 2010.

Carbon thin films obtained from these polymers can be used as walls of a wind tunnel.

The stiffening ribs of the pipe in the form of hoops, as well as the gratings and mesh of the filtration unit, can be made of the same materials.

Because Since all carbon plastics conduct current well, electrified filtration elements can coagulate and absorb suspended dust particles well. At the same time, powerful gratings will prevent the spread of stones over long distances, and many grids will filter small and dispersive particles of pyroclassical flows.

The material for balloons is usually elastomers, i.e. natural or synthetic rubbers. Rubber has the ability to stretch reversibly up to 900%. Cables laid along the walls of the wind tunnel, with which the structure is attached to balloons, can also be made from the same materials. At different levels of the wind tunnel, scientific equipment, sensors, video cameras, transmitters of video and telemetric information, a source of electrification of the grid and power of scientific equipment (wind turbine) are fixed. The electricity supply must be duplicated from the ground via wires attached to the tension cables.

The carrying capacity of the balls is practically unlimited.

Figure 1 shows a vertical section of the rock mass, as well as a side view of the wind tunnel, figure 2 shows a top view of the structure (section through the filtration unit).

where 1 - crater, 2 - vent, 3 - cork, 4 - accumulation of magma and gas, 5 - outlet channel of magma, 6 - reference belt, 7 - city, 8 - zone of possible melting, 9 - zone of loose rocks, 10 - filtration installation, 11 - polymer pipe with stiffeners in the form of hoops 15.

The filtration unit consists of a safety grill 12, a system of filtration nets 13. A polymer apron 14 with stiffening ribs 15 in the form of hoops is attached to it below. Ropes 16 are laid along the walls of the entire structure, fixed at one end on the ground by automatic tensioning devices 17, and the other end on balloons 18. From below, the hardware compartment 19 is suspended from the balls with an air surveillance camera 23 and a power source (wind turbine) 24, which records and processes information from the scientific and instrumental belt with sensors 20.

A ground observation station with a satellite repeater 21 is installed on the ground at the proper distance. The filtration unit has a safety valve 25 (in case of a complete filling of the nets).

From the moment the volcano awakens, they begin preparations for the implementation of a pre-designed environmental protection project, part of which is the implementation of the objectives of this invention: they determine the possible hypocenter of the earthquake and the probable period of volcanic eruption, the depth and intensity of the block system of the reference belt, the depth of the accumulation zone of magma and the zone possible melting of magma. Based on scientific data, measures are being taken to create a loosened zone in order to facilitate the exit of magma to the surface in the right direction, a bypass channel is being built, and measures are being taken at other points of the project.

At the same time, on a flat meadow near the volcano, the design of the filtration unit is assembled and the wind tunnel is “welded” from rolls of polymer film. Ropes are laid along the walls of the pipe, which are fixed at one end on machines or tractors, and at the other on balloons. When filling the balls with gas, the structure rises from the ground and is transported to the vent of the volcano. There, the ropes are secured using automatic tensioning devices.

Along the slope and around the mouth of the volcano, a pipeline with nozzles for foaming or heat-absorbing liquid is laid.

At a safe distance in the shelters around the crater, video cameras are installed.

Data from sensors, video cameras and equipment are automatically sent to a ground-based observation point and transmitted by a satellite antenna to the control center and to all interested scientific centers around the world.

As the volcano awakens, the influx of gas and steam increases. Depending on their pressure and temperature, the marquees of the tent construction can automatically or at the command of the operator rise or fall (be pulled by tensioning devices).

By means of video cameras, the rise of the balls will be monitored, and remotely controlled tensioners will center the wind tunnel relative to the vent of the volcano.

Filtration nets can be electrified from batteries or a windmill installed in the equipment compartment, as well as from electricity from the earth supplied through a cable laid along the tension ropes.

When ejecting stones and ash from the mouth of a volcano, a robust polymer structure will protect the terrain from scattering. The more rapid the ejection of stones and ash, the higher the balls with the structure will rise, while the rise height is algorithmically associated with pressure and temperature sensors.

The powerful air flow created in the wind tunnel from the pressure difference between the earth and at its end at high altitude will entrain pyroclassical dust streams into it.

Creating a loosened zone in the rock mass is a high-cost event with a probabilistic positive outcome. The creation of the proposed design from a polymer wind tunnel with filter elements is simpler, more real and less expensive. This method will significantly reduce airline losses from ash clouds, save lives by protecting them from pyroclassical dust flows with hydrogen sulfide.

The eruption of only one volcano can bring a lot of trouble and costs. And there are many of them on Earth, and there are in Russia.

Information sources

1. RU 2351964 C2, G01V 9/00, 2006.

2. RU 2231092 C2, G01V 9/00, 2003.

3. RU 2098850 C1, 1997.

4. RU 2408906 C1, 2011.

5. Konkin A.A. Carbon and other heat-resistant fibrous materials. M .: Higher school, 2004.

6. RU 2343508 C1, 2009.

Claims (1)

A method of reducing the dynamic effects of a volcano on the environment during its eruption, including the creation of a loosening zone, a filtration unit and a magma removal channel using a directed explosion method, characterized in that a wind tunnel is made of a polymer film around the crater with hoops as stiffeners, which are polymer ropes, laid along its walls, rises to the proper height using balloons or balloons, and inside the wind tunnel there is a filtration unit a wok consisting of electrified gratings and carbon fiber nets.

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