WO2015124728A2

WO2015124728A2 - Shaft installation system with a multi-purpose service column

Info

Publication number: WO2015124728A2
Application number: PCT/EP2015/053625
Authority: WO
Inventors: Niko Kleuters
Original assignee: China Railway Engineering Equipment Group Co., Ltd (Creg); Nk Trading And Engineering Gmbh
Priority date: 2014-02-21
Filing date: 2015-02-20
Publication date: 2015-08-27
Also published as: WO2015124728A3

Abstract

The invention relates to a shaft installation system (10) comprising a down a down-the-shaft assembly (30) being arranged in the shaft, a surface installation (20) being arranged at least partly above an surface opening of the shaft and a service column (50) being mounted in a hanging manner to the surface installation (20) and being segmented and/or configured in a telescopic manner to advance the service column (50) into the shaft. The service column (50) is provided to hold at least parts of the down-the shaft assembly (30).

Description

Shaft installation system with a multi-purpose service column

There are lot of known proven methods for boring and sinking large-size and deep shafts full face. The systems basically comprise the following equipment units:

-a surface frame installation with main rotational drive and/or lifting/releasing and retaining facilities,

-the bottom-hole-assembly with cutter-head, weight units and stabilizers,

-extendable umbilicals connecting surface and bottom-hole assembly,

-conventional handling of personnel, muck and materials.

All systems being employed suffer from significant handicaps in terms of advance speed being reduced by the speed in which muck can be removed from the shaft bottom and materials and personnel can be handled. As the shaft-boring/shaft-sinking advances the shaft wall has to be stabilized by further operations like installation of preliminary and/or final shaft-wall lining. Thus, there is a need of muck removal, ventilation, personnel handling and to supply necessary fluids, air, gas, oil and water as well as shaft-wall support materials etc. down the shaft nearly simultaneously with advance of the bore unit or drilling unit, for instance of the cutter-head/drilling equipment, and thereby being as little invasive as possible. Key factors are safety, adequate working environment down the shaft in combination with high shaft- boring/shaft-sinking speed. Final objective is safe operation at reduced cost.

One aspect is to provide maximum space down the shaft for any operation, like for installation of shaft wall support, anchor-drilling, wire-mesh installation, shot-creting, ring-beam installation and/or in situ concreting with form-works and so on. Additionally, being confronted with hard rocks and / or big depth excavation of shafts is performed with a combination of boring and blasting which constitutes a danger for potential damage to the bottom-hole- assembly that is supposed to be avoided but at least minimized.

The claimed shaft installation system meets these requirements and provides a solution with high performances by changing the handling of the bottom-hole-assembly, also called down- the-shaft assembly. Also, there is a significant increase in shaft construction speed in a more protected working environment. Further aspects and advantageous embodiments are disclosed by the dependent claims, in the description and in the figures.

According to the invention, the shaft installation system comprises basically a combination of three equipment units. A down-the-shaft assembly, a surface installation, being arranged at least partly above the surface opening, with the surface opening being defined by the so- called shaft collar, and a service column being mounted in a hanging manner to the surface installation. Furthermore the service column is segmented and/or configured in a telescopic manner to advance the service column into the shaft and the service column is provided to hold at least parts of the down-the-shaft assembly, which renders the service column a multipurpose service column.

Due to the segmented and/or telescopic configuration, the service column can be selectively prolonged from the surface opening. Thus the service column can be advanced into the shaft, or retraced from the shaft by being shortened. Preferably the service column and the surface installation are designed to carry all weight of the down-the-shaft assembly including platforms, which are attached to the service column. Furthermore, the segmented configuration allows for up and down movement of the service column and the attached down the shaft assembly.

Also, the service column may be used as a carrier for power-cables and other umbilicals like control-signal cables, fresh water line, waste-water line, etc., from the surface down the shaft, for example down to the platforms and other parts of the down-the-shaft assembly. The power cables and other umbilicals attached to the service column can be continuously extended from the surface-installation as the shaft-sinking operation advances. Basically no cables, waterlines, ventilation-ducts, tubes et cetera need to be attached to the shaft-wall, resulting in a significant operational advantage and increased safety down the shaft.

According to the invention the claimed shaft installation system may be combined with any known surface installation and the down-the-shaft assembly may include any equipment, which is located down the shaft. Thus, it may for example, but not limited to, comprise the following: drilling unit(s), drill- and blast-unit(s), bore unit, an operator cabin, a power pack, control elements, a shaft-ventilation system, a muck removal system, preliminary shaft wall support-system, permanent shaft-wall support-systems, material handling system, working platform(s) storage and hoisting facilities for muck removal, personnel handling facilities, means to protect sensitive equipment etc..

In a preferred embodiment, the shaft installation system is provided with means for transportation or hoisting of at least parts of the down-the-shaft assembly along the service column. Thus, equipment of the down-the-shaft assembly that is not actually needed and/or needs to be serviced on surface can be retraced along the service column to provide more space down the shaft. Also in case of emergency down the shaft, e.g. in case of water inrush, per- sonnel and equipment can be safely and rapidly removed from the shaft bottom. In an embodiment the shaft installation system provides multiple hoisting systems for the down-the- shaft assembly for example a muck removal system with muck-hoppers, and man or material cages. Movement of the down-the-shaft assembly along or inside the service column may take place by means of rope-winches on the surface or by means of drive-pulleys, which use the service column as support anchor. The hoisting systems contain for example guide rails on the outer surface of the service column, allowing for safe high-speed muck-removal from the shaft-bottom to surface, especially for construction of deep shafts with the respective long hoisting distances. As additional significant safety-feature the hoisting systems can be equipped with mechanical emergency safety-braking-system which can directly be supported by the guide rails of the service column.

The muck removal system comprises muck-loading equipment which is installed and supported at the service column, or at a platform, for the removal of muck and rocks from the bottom of the shaft. In an embodiment, the muck-loading equipment comprises for example an excavation system with shovels or grippers, which safely collects the muck from the shaft bottom. For improved safety down the shaft the muck-removal can mainly be executed in a remotely controlled manner. In a preferred embodiment the muck removal system further comprises interim storage facility for the muck, for instance a bunker, whilst the muck- hoppers are in the hoisting cycle along the multi-purpose service-column. Preferably, the muck is discharged from the interim storage facility into the muck-hoppers. Hence, the muck- loading equipment is allowed to constantly remove muck from the shaft-bottom even whilst the muck-hoppers are on their way up and down the service column, thus the efficiency of the muck removal system is significantly increased.

In a further embodiment the service column is at least partly hollow and provides a storage room to store at least parts of the down-the-shaft assembly within the service column. Preferably, the service column comprises at least one lifting-releasing unit running inside its hollow part, adapted to lift and release at least parts of the down-the-shaft assembly inside the service column. Wherein especially technical sensitive parts of the down-the-shaft assembly are supposed to be stored and protected temporarily inside the storage room.

Preferably the whole service column is a connecting-tube with a hollow cross section throughout. The service column comprises several tubular segments, which are connectable at their outer ends to form a through hole all together. In an embodiment some of the tubular segments are provided with openings on the lateral surface to enable access in the service column. The segments are for example also provided with an intermediate floor or at least one protrusion that forms a working platform inside the service column. For example is on this inside platform a lifting/releasing unit installed to lift and release parts of the down-the- shaft assembly inside the service column. The segments are added at the surface installation and they are connected by means of screwing interaction, for instance via bolted flanges. Preferably, especially to reduce cost, the majority of the tubular segments are configured in identical manner. At least one may be configured to be telescopically extendable along its axis. With this optional configuration of the system, the distance between the bottom opening of the service column and the bottom of the shaft can be varied independently from the surface installation. By retracing the telescopically extendable segment, the distance between the bottom opening of the service column and the bottom of the shaft is increased. Therefore the protection of the down-the-shaft assembly which is stored along or inside the service column, against the activities on the ground of the shaft is also increased.

Comprising a through hole extending from the surface opening of the service column to the bottom opening of the service column, the service column can be used as the ventilation air- duct with an air-flow capacity to ensure sufficient fresh air supply to all work-areas in the shaft. Also it may be used for evacuation of gas into or out of the shaft. Preferably a ventilation fan is installed inside the service column down the shaft, which exhausts gases from the shaft-bottom through the service column to the surface. Flue gas and dust can be exhausted easily and effectively from the shaft, and safe working in appropriate air-conditions for personnel and machine is ensured down the shaft. It is also conceivable, that separate tubes are installed inside the service column, in particular one tube for ventilation and one other tube for evacuation.

It is particularly preferred, that the service column is arranged on the center axis of the shaft. According to a further embodiment the shaft installation system further comprises means for guide and/or support the service column within the shaft, for instance comprising struts being arranged at defined intervals along the column between the shaft wall and the column in order to stabilize the service column and to avoid swinging action thereof.

The service column forms an abutment and/or is used to establish a counterforce to absorb those unwanted reaction forces resulting from drilling, boring, lifting, shaft-wall lining installation etc., especially the horizontal components of these forces are absorbed, which allows for stable, safe and efficient muck-removal by means of muck loading equipment, for example an excavator. The excavator is supported by means of the service column against any reactions forces that occur during excavation. The excavator is for example a hydraulic excavator which first discharges muck into an interim storage, for example a bunker. The bunker itself may be discharged cyclically into muck hoppers which transport/hoist the muck to the surface installation. The muck loading equipment and the interim muck storage facility are preferably attached to rotating frames supported by means of the service column for easy positioning and reduced muck-loading cycle. A vertical displacement of either the interim storage facility and/or the loading equipment is preferred.

In one embodiment, the down-the-shaft assembly comprises a bore unit with a cutter-head, whereas any drill technology may be used. The bore unit is for example a self-propelled and directional controlled heavy-duty boring machine. And the bore unit or components of it may be advanced and retraced along the shaft by one of the hoisting system, especially via the service column by the lifting/releasing unit.

The claimed shaft installation system allows for rapid and safe shaft-construction with simultaneous shaft-wall support. The shaft installation system is suitable for shaft construction in any ground-conditions and is designed for boring of any large-size shaft-diameter, for instance up to 15 m diameter, like around 9 m diameter, as required in the construction and mining industry world-wide. The bore unit may be controlled in direction for perfect verticality of the shaft. There is no general limit regarding the shaft depth.

According to a preferred embodiment, the down-the-shaft assembly comprises a drill- and blast-unit. Especially during blasting, parts of the down-the-shaft assembly can be stored and protected inside the storage room at the bottom end of the service column. Preferably the drill- and blast-unit itself is adapted to fit into the hollow part of the service column, a separate lifting/releasing unit preferably installed inside the service-column is configured to lift and lower the drill- and blast-unit.

For further protection, means for closing the bottom opening of the service column are provided. For example in its open position a screen of the drilling unit closes the hollow part of the service column. Preferably the means for closing the bottom opening of the service column leave ways for ventilation and/or evacuation purposes. The means for closing are for example steel grids, which provide protection of the drilling unit inside the service column from flying rocks and muck, and leaves way for gas to pass. Furthermore, the pressure differential that occurs during blasting may be compensated more efficient to avoid damages.

After a blasting cycle the flue-gas will be sucked into and conducted via the stable multipurpose service column, which significantly reduces the waiting time before normal working procedures with personnel and/or remotely controlled operations down the shaft can continue.

According to the claimed method, the drill- and blast-unit drill a pattern of boreholes in the shaft bottom and explosive charges are placed into these boreholes. Before ignition of the explosive charge, the drill- and blast-unit is lifted inside the service column using the lifting- release unit. Therefore the drill- and blast-unit is protected optimally during the blasting cycle.

Furthermore, it is suggested to keep the drill- and blast-unit inside the storage room of the service column during removal of muck and rocks from the bottom of the shaft. By keeping the drill- and blast-unit inside the service column, the working space to handle personnel, muck and support-material on the ground of the shaft is enlarged.

The inventive concept covers as well the storage of the drill- and blast-unit or the bore unit as it is during use, as well as to assemble them in a more compact form before storing it inside the service column. For example is the drill- and blast-unit unfolded for operation in an umbrella type spoke-system and allows to be folded up in a very compact form which allows it to be stored inside the respective room provided at the bottom end of the service column.

Preferably, after completion of the shaft-sinking operation at least parts of the down-the-shaft assembly can safely and easily be removed from the shaft by pulling it to the surface using one of the hoisting systems or the lifting-releasing unit.

Further features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of non-limiting embodiments of the shaft installation system, which will be explained below with reference to the figures. The drawing show schematically:

Fig. 1 : a shaft installation system according to a first embodiment,

Fig. 2: a shaft installation system according to a further embodiment,

Fig. 3: a shaft installation system according to another embodiment,

Fig. 4: a shaft installation system according to another embodiment.

In the various figures are parts with identical functions provided with the same reference numerals, so they are also usually described only once.

Fig. 1 -4 all show shaft installation systems 10 according to the invention, which are basically comparable. For the sake of clarity, the illustrated embodiments vary in the details shown. Each equipment parts shown in one embodiment may be combined with the shaft installation system 10 shown in another figure.

The shaft installation system 10 comprises a surface installation 20 located above the surface opening of the shaft and a service column 50 with down-the-shaft assembly 30 attached to it. As it is shown in Fig. 1 -4 the down-the-shaft assembly 30 may comprise various parts of equipment, such as a bore unit 45, bunker 38, hoisting systems 32, a lifting/releasing unit 58, muck hoppers 39, man-cages, material boxes, shaft wall support shields 64 and platforms 60 inside, as well as outside the service column 50.

The muck-hoppers 39, man cages and material-boxes are moved down and up by means or rope-winches on the surface. During traveling the muck-hoppers 39 and cages are safely guided on guide-rails 53 running on the outer surface of the service column 50, as indicated in Fig. 3 and Fig. 4. For emergency situations the system shall be equipped with an automatic braking-system which engages from the hoppers and cages onto the guide-rails 53.

The service column 50 is attached in a free hanging manner to the surface installation 20 and it is coaxially aligned within the shaft. Furthermore the service column 50 is made up of several tubular segments 52, such that, during shaft extension, its length is extendable by attaching further segments 52. A ventilation tube 54 runs inside the service column 50 and power cables 55 are attached to the outer surface of the service column 50. The power cables 55 are capable to supply parts of the down-the-shaft assembly 30 with electricity.

The surface installation 20 consists of a rail-mounted tower-type frame-work which can be rail mounted and comprises a retaining-device. During adding or dismantling of segments 52 of the service column 50 the retaining-device supports the weight of all down-the shaft assembly 30. After completion of the shaft, all down-the-shaft assembly will be pulled back to surface. For this exercise the equipment can pass through the installed final lining of the shaft.

According to one embodiment, the bore unit 45 comprises a cutter-head 46, which is a heavy-duty welded construction. The cutter-head 46 rotates as it is propelled into the ground/rock. It may be equipped with any kind of cutting tools, but preferably with state of the art rolling disc-cutters. The cutter-head 46 is operating in a slurry-fluid which is just covering the height of the cutter-head. The slurry becomes the carrier for the removal of the muck which has been cut by the cutting-tools. The cutter-head 46 front is of a special design in order to allow for an efficient removal of the muck from the shaft face by means of the slurry- fluid. For exchanging cutting-tools the cutter-head 46 can be pulled back above the slurry level by a lifting/releasing unit 58, which is installed on a platform 60 inside the service column 50. The lifting/releasing unit 58 travels in accordance with the advance of the bore unit 40. The advance travel of the bore unit 40 can for example be compensated by means of the telescopic section of the service column down the shaft. Thus, the upper section of the service column 50 can be stationary e.g. during muck disposal.

The cutter-head 46 is directly followed by the shaft-wall support-shield 64 which also partially surrounds the cutter-head 46. The support-shield 64 is of a segmented welded construction and can be extended and retracted by means of hydraulic cylinders. The support-shield 64 directly follows the cutter-head 46 as it advances and thus supports the shaft-wall directly behind the cutter-head 46 for optimal wall support. The support-pressure can be varied according to the needs.

The cutter-head 46 is attached to the drive-module which supports and rotates the cutter- head 46. The drive-module housing is a welded construction, it houses a multiple of drive- motors and gear-boxes which are connected to the main-bearing unit to which the cutter- head is attached. Via the main-bearing unit the cutter-head is supported, rotated and propelled forward.

The drive-module is connected to the guiding-beam. The guiding-beam is a hollow welded construction; it guides and propels the drive-module with the cutter-head 46 and pushes forward the shield-support as the bore-unit 45 advances. The guide-beam is propelled by clamping and thrust assembly.

The clamping and thrust assembly is positioned at the upper end or the bore-unit 45. The welded construction clamping arrangement supports against the shaft wall by means of a multiple of clamping-cylinders and clamping-pads. It provides the anchor for the thrust- cylinders which propel the guide-beam drive-module and the cutter-head. The operation of the clamping and thrust-unit is cyclic; at the end of a stroke of the thrust-cylinders the clamping-cylinders will be retracted and the thrust-cylinders re-set to start the next boring-cycle.

Partially, the hoisting systems 32 are installed within the shaft on platforms 60 that are located around the outer surface of the service column 50 and/or they are constituted as a lifting/releasing unit 58 on an inner platform 60 of the service column 50. In Fig. 3 it is shown, how the bore-unit 45 is lifted and stored inside the service column in a more compact form. In addition, for easy maintenance on the cutter-head 46 and/or changing the cutters, the lift- ing/releasing unit 58 lifts the cutter-head 46 to above the level of the slurry at the shaft bottom.

Fig. 2 shows a shaft installation system 10, with the expansion of the shaft wall support 62 is advanced compared to the shaft wall support shown in Fig.1.

Furthermore Fig. 3 and Fig. 4 show how the shaft wall support 62 is constructed down the shaft by means for in situ casting 44. The lower working platform 60 provides the space for the installation of the final shaft-wall support 62 reinforcement. The form-works 43 for the in situ casting of concrete shaft-lining are positioned directly above the working area on the lower platform 60.

Furthermore, hoisting systems 32, 34 may be part of the surface installation 20, especially of the muck removal system 35, as it is shown in Fig. 3 and Fig. 4. The surface part of the hoisting system 32 is a double hoisting system 34. Muck removal to surface and the handling of material to the platforms 60 as well as the transport of personnel is facilitated by the double hoisting system 34. Each hoisting system 34 is equipped with one muck-hopper 39 and/or a material-box and man-cage. The hoisting system 34 can reach each platform 60 via provided safety doors in the platforms 60. The muck-hoppers 39 and cages are hoisted along the service column 50. Above the surface opening the muck hoppers 39 are tilted and emptied into hoppers 40, which are provided by the surface installation 20. From these hoppers 40 the muck may be transported further, for example by trucks.

In Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 the lower platform 60 provides grippers 37 for additional removal of muck from the bottom of the shaft. Whereas the shaft installation system 10 shown in Fig. 4 comprises an excavation system with hydraulic excavators 36 for the muck removal. The excavators 36 may be used as an alternative for shaft-sinking that is performed under dry conditions. A bunker 38 is provided at the bottom of the shaft for interim storage of the muck during the hoisting of the muck hoppers 39.

All working-areas on the platforms 60 are protected by roof-support and are provided with fresh air at all times by system related ventilation through the service column 50. Any occurrence of gas in the down-the-shaft assembly 30 will be immediately sucked away and exhausted to surface. The platforms 60 of the different working areas can safely be reached via ladders or stairways.

Claims

1 . Shaft installation system (10) comprising:

- a down-the-shaft assembly (30) being arranged in the shaft,

- a surface installation (20) being arranged at least partly above an surface opening of the shaft,

- a service column (50) being mounted in a hanging manner to the surface installation (20) and being segmented and/or configured in a telescopic manner to advance the service column (50) into the shaft, wherein

the service column (50) is provided to hold at least parts of the down-the shaft assembly (30).

2. Shaft installation system (10) according to claim 1 , characterized in that, the service column (50) is at least partly constructed of tubular segments (52).

3. Shaft installation system (10) according to the foregoing claim, characterized in that, the service column (50) provides a storage room to store at least parts of the down-the-shaft assembly (30) within the service column (50).

4. Shaft installation system (10) according to any of the foregoing claims, characterized in that, the down-the-shaft assembly (30) comprises a drill- and blast-unit.

5. Shaft installation system (10) according to any of the foregoing claims, characterized in that, the down-the-shaft assembly (30) comprises a bore unit (40).

6. Shaft installation system (10) according to any of the foregoing claims, characterized in that, the down-the-shaft assembly (30) comprises a muck-loading system, with an excavation system being supported by the service column.

7. Shaft installation system (10) according to any of the foregoing claims, characterized in that, the shaft installation system (10) is provided with hoisting systems (32) for transportation of muck/ and/or equipment and/or fluids and/or stuff along the service column (50).

8. Shaft installation system (10) according to the foregoing claim, characterized in that, at least one hoisting system (32) is a lifting/releasing unit (58) installed inside the service column (50).

9. Shaft installation system (10) according to one of the two the foregoing claim, characterized in that, guide-rails (53) for muck-hoppers (39) and/or man cages are provided along the service column (50), preferably at the outside of the service column (50).

10. Method for carrying out drill and blast shaft sinking by using a shaft installation system (10) according to claim 3 and 4, comprising the steps of:

- introducing holes in the bottom of the shaft with the drill- and blast-unit,

- installing explosive charges in the holes,

- retracing the drill- and blast-unit inside the service column (50),

- ignition of the explosive charge,

- evacuation of flue gases from the blast operation.

1 1 . Method for carrying out drill and blast shaft sinking according to the foregoing claim, comprising the further step of:

- folding the drill- and blast-unit up to a compact drill- and blast-unit before retracing it inside the service column (50).

12. Method for carrying out drill and blast shaft sinking according to claim 10 or 1 1 , comprising the further step of:

- closing the bottom opening of the service column (50) prior to ignition of the explosive charge.

13. Method for carrying out drill and blast shaft sinking according to one of the claims 10 to 12, comprising the further step of:

- removing the blast muck form the shaft bottom.

14. Method for carrying out drill and blast shaft sinking according to one of the claims 10 to 13, comprising the further step of:

- introducing shaft wall support (62).