RU2814972C1 - Device for detecting objects lifted by dredger during dredging operations - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: hydroacoustics.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to hydroacoustics and can be used to detect objects lifted by a dredger during dredging. Essence: device comprises ultrasonic receiver (1), two shock absorbers (2, 10), amplifier (3), ultrasonic generator (9) and ultrasonic emitter (11), located in the area of the dredger working member, as well as rectifier (4), filter (5), threshold device (6), ship alarm (7) and power supply (8), placed on board the dredger in the surface part. Ultrasonic emitter (11) and receiver (1) are arranged on shock absorbers (2, 10) in holes of dredger pulp line pipe on diametrically opposite sides of the pipe near the dredger working member. Amplifier (3), ultrasonic emitter (11), receiver (1), and generator (9) are made watertight and fixed on the pulp line pipe.

EFFECT: detection of foreign objects in soil extracted by dredger under water at depths of several tens of meters.

1 cl, 1 dwg

Description

The invention relates to the field of hydromechanization and is intended for monitoring and controlling the technological equipment of suction dredgers during dredging or mining operations. When foreign objects, such as explosive ones, are detected, the device provides an alarm, including an alarm.

There are known devices that can be used to detect foreign objects in excavated soil by measuring pulp density, for example, radioisotope density meters (RF Patent No. 23105, IPC G01N 23/02, publ. 05.20.2002), which measure pulp density by the degree of absorption by the pulp X-rays. The advantage of the method is the direct measurement of the mass of the substance that absorbs the rays as they propagate. The disadvantage is the need to use a radiation-emitting X-ray source.

A device is known for determining pulp density during dredging or mining operations on dredgers, operating using acoustic signals (RF patent No. 2694448, IPC G01N 9/24, publ. 07/15/2019). The device is based on measuring pulp density through the wall of a slurry pipeline in a straight section and is a density meter consisting of a probing pulse generator, an electroacoustic transducer installed on the outer wall of the pipe with pulp, a limiting amplifier, an analog-to-digital converter and a digital signal processing unit. The digital signal processing board provides bandpass filtering, Hilbert transform, calculation of the amplitude of the received signal, logarithm of the amplitude, approximation of a part of the graph of the logarithm of the amplitude of a straight line, calculation of the slope angle, and the pulp density is calculated from the slope angle.

The advantage of the device is the direct measurement of pulp density. The disadvantage is the complexity of installation, the need for expensive maintenance and replacement.

Among the known analogues, the closest in technical essence to the claimed invention (prototype) is the device described in Pat. RF No. 2104494, IPC G01D 1/18, publ. 07/15/2019. The device contains an ultrasonic emitter and a receiver connected in series, the output of which is connected to the input of an amplifier, connected in series to a filter, the output of which, in turn, is connected to the input of a threshold device. The prototype device is designed to determine the state of a volume filled with an elastic medium, and when it changes, it sends a signal, including an alarm, to the security alarm panel.

The disadvantage of the prototype is the impossibility of its use under water in the dredging area. Such work can be carried out at depths of up to several tens of meters.

The technical result of the proposed invention is the possibility of using a device for detecting underwater at depths of several tens of meters, foreign objects in the soil extracted by a dredger.

To achieve this result, the following set of essential features is used: a device for detecting objects lifted by a dredger during dredging (which also contains, like the prototype: an ultrasonic emitter, an ultrasonic receiver, the output of which is connected to the input of an amplifier, the output of which, in turn, is connected with a filter input, an output connected to the input of a threshold device, ) unlike the prototype, additionally contains an ultrasonic generator, a power source, as well as first and second shock absorbers, while the ultrasonic emitter and receiver are placed on shock absorbers in the holes of the dredger slurry pipe on diametrically opposite sides of the specified pipes near the working body of the dredger, and the amplifier, as well as the ultrasonic emitter, receiver and generator are made in a waterproof design and mounted on the slurry pipe, in turn, the output of the power source is connected to the ultrasonic generator, amplifier and threshold device, the output of which is connected to the corresponding input of the ship emergency warning system.

A comparison of the proposed device and the prototype shows that the task at hand - the ability to use the device to detect underwater at depths of several tens of meters, foreign objects in the soil excavated by a dredger - is solved as a result of a new set of features, which proves the compliance of the proposed invention with the patentability criterion of "novelty" .

In turn, an information search in the field of hydromechanization did not reveal solutions containing individual distinctive features of the claimed invention, which allows us to conclude that the invention complies with the “inventive step” criterion.

The essence of the claimed invention is illustrated by graphic materials where: Fig. 1 shows a schematic image of the device, divided into two parts, one of which, designated “In the area of the working body”, together with the working body of the dredger, during dredging, is lowered under water, to a depth of several meters or tens of meters - depending on the design of this working body, as well as the depths where the dredger operates. The design element of the working body of the dredger is a slurry pipeline pipe, through which pulp is supplied from the bottom to the side of the dredger. An ultrasonic emitter and an ultrasonic receiver are fixed in the pipe using the first and second rubber shock absorbers. In the other right part, designated as “Above-water part (on board the dredger)”, there are those components of the proposed technical solution that are on board while the dredger is performing underwater work.

In fig. 1 are marked: 1 - ultrasonic receiver, UZ-P, since it is designed to work under water, its shell must comply with IP 68 standards (See GOST 14254 - 2015.); 2 - first shock absorber; 3 - amplifier, U, is also designed for operation under water, therefore its shell must be made according to IP 68 standards; 4 - rectifier, B; 5 - filter, F; 6 - threshold device, PU; 7 - ship emergency warning system, APS; 8 - power supply, IP; 9 - ultrasonic generator, G, since it is intended for operation under water, it must be manufactured according to IP 68 standards; 10 - second shock absorber; 11 - ultrasonic emitter, UZ-I, is also designed to work under water, therefore it must be manufactured according to IP 68 standards.

As mentioned above, the ultrasonic receiver UZ-P (1) with the help of the first shock absorber (2) is fixed in the immediate vicinity of the working body of the dredger in the pipe through which the pulp is supplied. The ultrasonic emitter UZ-I (11) is fixed in the same pipe opposite the ultrasonic receiver UZ-P (1) using a second shock absorber (10). In the proposed design, the first (2) and second (10) shock absorbers are necessary to reduce the influence of ultrasonic vibrations from the ultrasonic emitter UZ-I (11) on the ultrasonic receiver UZ-P (1) along the walls of the pipe in which they are located.

The output of the power supply IP (8) is connected to the amplifier U (3), the threshold device PU (6) and the ultrasonic generator G (9). The output of the latter is connected to the corresponding input of the ship's alarm system APS (7).

The proposed device works as follows.

After turning on the power source IP (8), the ultrasonic generator G (9) will start working, and the ultrasonic emitter US-I (11) will start. When the working body of the dredger is lowered under water and begins dredging, a stationary field of ultrasonic vibrations is formed in the pulp moving through the pipe between the ultrasonic emitter UZ-I (11) and the ultrasonic receiver UZ-P (1) some time after they begin.

The signal from the ultrasonic receiver UZ-P (1) in the amplifier U (3) will be increased in amplitude, converted into a pulsating signal by rectifier B (4) and smoothed by filter F (5). The threshold device PU (6) is adjusted to prevent false signals from entering the ship's emergency warning system APS (7).

If any foreign object, including an explosive one, gets into the controlled space between the ultrasonic receiver UZ-P (1) and the ultrasonic emitter UZ-I (11), the stationarity of ultrasonic vibrations will be disrupted. Along the chain “ultrasonic receiver UZ-P (1) → rectifier B (4) → filter F (5)” this will lead to a change in the signal at the input of the threshold device PU (6), which in turn will trigger the ship’s emergency warning alarm APS (7).

Upon receipt of this signal from the ship's emergency warning system APS (7), the dredger crew must begin to act in accordance with the provisions of the procedure applicable for such a case.

Due to the newly introduced elements and connections, the proposed device provides the ability to detect foreign objects in the pulp under water at depths reaching several meters or tens of meters.

This will allow the crew of the dredger carrying out dredging work to respond in a timely manner to the appearance of foreign objects, including explosive objects, which will protect people from possible injury or death, and the dredger from damage.

The proposed invention was created at the Department of Fundamentals of Marine Electrical Power Engineering of the Federal State Budgetary Educational Institution of Higher Education “State University of Maritime and River Fleet named after Admiral S.O. Makarov" as part of a research project. Experimental studies and calculations were carried out that showed the possibility of using the proposed device when carrying out dredging or mining operations.

The foregoing allows us to conclude that the invention meets the “industrial applicability” criterion.

Claims (1)

A device for detecting objects lifted by a dredger during dredging operations, containing an ultrasonic emitter, an ultrasonic receiver, the output of which is connected to the input of an amplifier, the output of which is connected to the input of a rectifier, the output of which, in turn, is connected to the input of a filter, the output of which is connected to the threshold input device, characterized in that it additionally contains an ultrasonic generator, a power source, as well as first and second shock absorbers, while the ultrasonic emitter and receiver are placed on shock absorbers in the holes of the dredger slurry pipeline pipe from diametrically opposite sides of the pipe near the working body of the dredger, and the amplifier, as well as The ultrasonic emitter, receiver and generator are made in a waterproof design and fixed to the slurry pipeline, in turn, the output of the power source is connected to the ultrasonic generator, amplifier and threshold device, the output of which is connected to the corresponding input of the ship's emergency warning alarm.