METHOD FOR MILLING HARD ROCKS

Description

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

[0001] This invention refers to an ejector-mixer device for a method for sawing hard rocks, in which the action of the cutting elements is facilitated by the incorporation to the cutting groove of grit functioning as an abradant, suspended in a sludge which acts not only as the support for the grit but also as a coolant in the cutting zone, whereas the aim of this procedure is to improve recovery of grit and particularly, to reduce the cost of such sawing (see for example ES-A-8702220).

[0002] The invention also concerns a method for sawing hard rocks using an ejector-mixer device.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

[0003] The process consists of eliminating continually or intermittently part of the water with residues or sawing detritus and the lime with its derivatives where the case may be, without reaching the maximum concentration limit that allows to maintain the abradant in suspension, in other words, that the suspension of the abradant is largely due to the sawing detritus. Therefore, the sludge processing method is the factor that most limits the possibility of advancement in sawing, due to the high content of sawing detritus in the sludge, and is the cause for the excessive consumption of energy, abradant and metal strips.

[0004] Patent no. ES 9300185/PCT 9400009, among others, described the possibility of sawing with sludge containing low percentages of sawing detritus where the supporting power is due to the presence of fine, soft powders that allow to reduce the total cost of the sawing to a third and simultaneously treble the production, but this solution has not been applied yet due to the high investment needed for its application.

[0005] After that, as may be seen in Patent no. ES 9801558, there was a proposal for a method based on maintaining a high content of rock particles, pouring out part of the sludge containing the rock particles produced in the sawing, whereas this latter operation may be performed on a continuous or frequent basis, as may the replacement of adequate amounts of water, lime and fine, soft materials that have been removed from the sludge circuit.

[0006] In this patent, the composition of the sludge entering the machine, excluding the grit, would be less than 66% for rock particles, over 28% for lime water and more than 6% for fine, soft materials; with the volume and according to the characteristics of the rock to be sawed.

[0007] This patent described and claimed an installation to implement the aforementioned method, whereas the addition of the installation method allowed to improve the results in the cutting operations.

[0008] Nonetheless, the ratio between the volumes of water and fine, soft materials, in accordance with the aforementioned conditioning factors, should be approximately 3.5 to sustain the minute grains of steel and allow the latter to flow through the grooves, so that the 21% of water corresponds to 6% of fine, soft materials, meaning that the maximum volume of sawing detritus is limited to 73%, also in volume and excluding the grit.

[0009] Furthermore, the difficulty in recovering the grit from a sludge with the aforementioned proportions of fine, soft materials/ water, i.e. 3.5, in the hydrocyclones that are normally used in hard rock sawing industries is so important that the loss of grit could be excessively increased.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] The present invention provides an ejector-mixer device according to claim 1 and a method for sawing hard rocks according to claim 5.

[0011] In accordance with the procedure of this invention, the grit are recovered in the sludge that is continuously or intermittently separated from the circuit to recover the rock residues that are continuously produced in the sawing process. More specifically, the invention provides for dilution of the sludge for evacuation and that it shall be re-mixed uniformly with water or lime water before passing through the hydrocyclone, whereas in this regard the amount of water used may go from one part water to three of sludge as far as more than ten parts water to one of sludge.

[0012] Moreover, the invention provides that the content of lime water in the sludge may oscillate between 21% and 28% and that the sawing detritus content may also account for between 73% and 66%.

[0013] In order to achieve correct recovery of the grit, as explained before, the invention provides for a vertical ejector-mixer, with descending flow, in which the ejected jet impacts against a horizontal wall, either regular or irregular, made of wear-resistant material, such as virgin rubber or other such material, easily replaceable by fitting and sticking; a horizontal wall situated inside a chamber with a vertical axis, preferably cylindrical and also lined with wear-resistant material; whereas on the horizontal wall and outside the impact area, there are several holes through which jets of the product pass on their way to a lower chamber, in which they also impact on a tronco-conical or tronco-pyramidal surface with an inverted vertical axis, which is also wear-resistant and defines an outlet for the mixture, where there is a waterjet or pressurised drag system, which shall preferably function after the ejector-mixer stops, for several seconds, but which could also function simultaneously with the latter if necessary.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] In order to complement the description and with the aim of allowing for a better understanding of the characteristics of this invention, according to an example of the preferred embodiment of same, a single map sheet is included, representing schematically in a single figure and in an illustrative and non-restrictive manner, a side elevation and diameter section of an ejector - mixer according to the object of the present invention.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF INVENTION

[0015] In the aforementioned figure, it may be observed that the ejector-mixer device that participates in the invention is formed by a cylindrical body (1), with a vertical axis, whose side and internal surface is covered by a layer (2) of wear-resistant material, for example, virgin rubber or other such material, whereas this body receives through its upper base (3) an ejector (4), also with a vertical axis, whereas a water injector (5) is placed coaxially opposite the latter, crossing a small chamber (6) also associated to the upper base (3) of the body (1) and to which the inlet (7) for sludge to be evacuated accesses radially.

[0016] Inside the body (1), there is a transversal partition (8) which constitutes the means of support and attachment for a bridge (9), also materialised in a piece of wear-resistant material, like the aforementioned, whereas such bridge defines a horizontal surface (10), which shall initially be flat, but in which there shall be irregularities due to the effect of the impact of the sludge on same, whereas this piece (9) shall preferably be fixed to the partition (8) with adhesive, allowing for replacement.

[0017] In the perimeter zone of the partition (8), outside the body (9), there is a circumferential line of holes (11) communicating the upper chamber (12) defined in the body (1) by the intermediate partition (8), with the lower chamber (13), the lower end of which is a tronco-conical surface (14), also with a vertical axis, defining the outlet hole (15) established in the lower base (16) of the body (1) and which establishes communication between the ejector-mixer itself and the outlet pipe (17) for the mixture.

[0018] A water injector (18) is situated on the closed end (19) of the tube (17), at the lower level, to drag the grit that might be deposited in the tube (17) and ensure their entry in the hydrocyclone in which the aforementioned tube enters (17), not represented in the figure.

[0019] In accordance with this structure, the functioning of the ejector - mixer is as follows:

[0020] The sludge enters same through the pipe (7), reaching the small input chamber (6) at an appropriate, properly regulated flow, from which it is displaced towards the ejector (4) on which the water jet generated by the injector (5) acts parallel and simultaneously, so that there is a jet that impacts at high speed on the surface (10) of the bridge (9) from which, by the effect of the slope in its route determined by the downwardly diverging configuration of the ejector (4), the mixture suffers a sudden change in its route and is directed at the lining (2) of the side wall of the body (1), thereby achieving a high degree of agitation inside the chamber (12), after which the mixture is passed to the lower chamber (13) through the holes (11), where it impacts on the slanted plane (14), producing a new agitation with the consequent increase in the homogeneity in said chamber (13), from where the mixture finally accesses, through the outlet (15), the evacuation pipe (17) towards the hydrocyclone.

[0021] Thus, more grit recovered in the said hydrocyclone and there is a reduction in the cost of sawing at the aforementioned sludge composition stages.

[0022] The ejector-mixer should be installed to function in the vertical position shown in the figure, so that the flow of the mixture may descend and it should also be situated as close as possible to the entrance to the hydrocyclone for recovery of the grit.

Claims

1. An ejector-mixer device to implement a method for sawing hard rocks, formed by a body (1), preferably cylindrical in shape, with a vertical axis, in whose upper base (3) there is an ejector (4), also with a vertical axis, accessed by the sludge to be evacuated through a side inlet (7) and the pressurised water through an axial injector (5), whereas inside the body (1) there is an intermediate compartmented partition wall (8), defining a horizontal front (10) upon which the sludge-water mixture should impact, outside which there is a circumferential line of holes (11) to pass the mixture from the chamber (12) above said partition (8) to a lower chamber (13), the lower end of which is a slanted plane (14), preferably inverted and of a tronco-conical shape, defining the outlet (15), towards the pipe (17) communicating with the hydrocyclone used to recover the grit.

2. An ejector-mixer device, according to the 1^st claim, characterised by the fact that the body (1) contains a side and internal lining (2) made of wear-resistant material, such as virgin rubber or other such material, whereas the partition (8) incorporates on its central area a piece (9), made of a material of similar characteristics, defining the front (10) for impact of the mixture jet, whereas the upper chamber (12) acted as the homogenisation chamber, where the jet of the mixture, after impacting on the surface (10) and thanks to the downwardly divergent configuration of the lower area of the ejector (4), forms an elbow in its route towards the lining (2) of the side wall of the body (1), before finally reaching the holes (11) to pass through to the lower chamber (13), where there is another homogenisation phase when the jets of the mixture from the holes (11) impact on the slanted plane (14).

3. An ejector-mixer device, according to the 1^st or 2^nd claim, characterised by the fact that the pipe (17) communicating the ejector-mixer with the hydrocyclone has, on its closed end opposite the latter, a water injector, situated at the lower level, to drag the grit that may be deposited on the lower part of said pipe (17).

4. An ejector-mixer device, according to anyone of the 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd claim, characterised by the fact that the ejector-mixer is situated beside the inlet to the hydrocyclone for recovery of the grit.

5. A method for sawing hard rocks using an ejector-mixer device according to the 1^st claim, wherein the sludge is purified on a continuous or frequent basis, from which the grit is recovered, by mixing the sludge homogeneously with water or lime water before passing through the hydrocyclone that separates the grit.

Ansprüche

1. Eine Ejektor-Mischer-Vorrichtung zur Einführung einer Methode zum Sägen von Hartgestein, die aus einem vorzugsweise zylindrisch geformten Körper (1) mit einer senkrechten Achse besteht, an deren Unterteil (3) sich ein Ejektor (4) ebenfalls mit einer senkrechten Achse befindet, durch den der durch einen seitlichen Einlass (7) abzuführende Schlamm läuft und das unter Druck stehende Wasser durch einen axialen Injektor (5), wobei sich in dem Körper (1) eine in Kammern unterteilte Zwischentrennwand (8) befindet, die eine waagrechte Front (10) definiert, auf die die Schlamm-Wasser-Mischung auftreffen sollte, wo sich außen eine umlaufende Reihe von Löchern (11) befindet, durch die die Mischung aus der oben als Trennung (8) bezeichneten Kammer (12) in eine untere Kammer (13) läuft, deren unteres Ende eine vorzugsweise umgekehrte und kegelstumpfförmige schiefe Ebene (14) ist, die den Auslass (15) zu dem Rohr (17) definiert, das mit dem zur Rückgewinnung des Kiesess verwendeten Hydrozyklon verbunden ist.

2. Eine Ejektor-Mixer-Vorrichtung gemäß dem ersten Patentanspruch, die sich dadurch kennzeichnet, dass der Körper (1) eine seitliche und interne Verkleidung (2) aus wasserdichtem Material wie Naturkautschuk oder ein ähnliches Material enthält, wo die Teilung (8) im Mittelbereich ein Teil (9) aus einem Material mit ähnlichen Merkmalen aufweist, das die Front (10) für das Auftreffen der Mischungsdüse definiert, wobei die obere Kammer (12) als Homogenisierungskammer fungiert und die Düse der Mischung nach dem Auftreffen auf die Fläche (10) dank der nach unten gerichteten divergenten Gestaltung des unteren Bereichs des Ejektors (4) auf seiner Strecke zu dem Gewebe (2) der Seitenwand des Körpers (1) einen Krümmer bildet, bevor sie schließlich die Löcher (11) erreicht, um durch die untere Kammer (13) zu fließen, wo sich eine weitere Homogenisierungsphase befindet, wenn die Düsen der Mischung aus den Löchern (11) auf die schiefe Ebene (14) auftreffen.

3. Eine Ejektor-Mixer-Vorrichtung gemäß dem ersten oder zweiten Patentanspruch, die sich dadurch kennzeichnet, dass das Rohr (17), das den Ejektor-Mixer mit dem Hydrozyklon verbindet, an seinem geschlossenen Ende gegenüber Letzterem einen im unteren Bereich angesiedelten Wasserinjektor aufweist, um den Kies, der sich eventuell im unteren Bereich dieses Rohrs (17) abgelagert hat, mitzuziehen.

4. Eine Ejektor-Mixer-Vorrichtung gemäß dem ersten, zweiten und dritten Patentanspruch, die sich dadurch kennzeichnet, dass der Ejektor-Mixer sich am Einlauf zum Hydrozyklon zur Wiedergewinnung des Kieses befindet.

5. Eine Methode zum Sägen von Hartgestein unter Verwendung eines Ejektor-Mixers gemäß dem ersten Patentanspruch, wo der Schlamm auf einer kontinuierlichen oder häufigen Basis gereinigt wird, auf der der Kies durch homogene Mischung mit Wasser oder Kalkwasser wiedergewonnen wird, bevor das Wasser durch den Hydrozyklon läuft, der den Kies abscheidet.

Revendications

1. Un appareil éjecteur-mélangeur pour appliquer une méthode de sciage de roches dures, composé d'un corps (1), de préférence de forme cylindrique, avec un axe vertical qui comporte un éjecteur (4) dans sa base supérieure (3), ainsi qu'avec un axe vertical auquel la boue à évacuer accède par l'intermédiaire d'une entrée latérale (7) et auquel l'eau sous pression accède par l'intermédiaire d'un injecteur axial (5), tandis qu'il y a à l'intérieur du corps (1) une paroi de séparation compartimentée intermédiaire (8) qui définit une face horizontale (10) que le mélange boue-eau doit heurter, à l'extérieur de laquelle il y a une ligne circonférentielle d'orifices (11) pour que le mélange passe de la chambre (12) au-dessus de la dite séparation (8) dans une chambre inférieure (13), dont l'extrémité inférieure est un plan incliné (14), de préférence inversé et de forme tronconique, définissant la sortie (15) vers le tuyau (17) qui communique avec l'hydrocyclone utilisé pour récupérer la grenaille.

2. Un appareil éjecteur-mélangeur, conformément à la revendication 1, caractérisé par le fait que le corps (1) contient une garniture (2) latérale et interne composée d'un matériau résistant à l'usure tel que du caoutchouc vierge ou un autre matériau similaire, tandis que la séparation (8) incorpore dans sa zone centrale une pièce (9) fabriquée dans un matériau de caractéristiques similaires qui définit la face (10) destinée à recevoir l'impact du jet de mélange, et que la chambre supérieure (12) agit comme chambre d'homogénéisation où le jet du mélange, après avoir heurté la surface (10) et grâce à la configuration divergente vers le bas de la zone inférieure de l'éjecteur (4), forme un coude sur sa trajectoire en direction de la garniture (2) de la paroi latérale du corps (1) avant d'atteindre finalement les orifices (11) à traverser pour aller dans la chambre inférieure (13), où a lieu une autre phase d'homogénéisation lorsque les jets du mélange provenant des orifices (11) heurtent le plan incliné (14).

3. Un appareil éjecteur-mélangeur conformément à la revendication 1 ou à la revendication 2, caractérisé par le fait que le tuyau (17) qui relie l'éjecteur-mélangeur à l'hydrocyclone est muni, à son extrémité fermée face à ce dernier, d'un injecteur d'eau placé au niveau inférieur pour entraîner la grenaille qui peut s'être déposée sur la partie inférieure du dit tuyau (17).

4. Un appareil éjecteur-mélangeur conformément à l'une des revendications 1, 2 ou 3, caractérisé par le fait que l'éjecteur-mélangeur est situé à côté de l'entrée de l'hydrocyclone de récupération de la grenaille.

5. Une méthode de sciage de roches dures utilisant un appareil éjecteur-mélangeur conformément à la revendication 1, où la boue est purifiée de manière continue ou fréquente, à partir duquel la grenaille est récupérée en mélangeant la boue de façon homogène avec de l'eau ou de l'eau de chaux avant de traverser l'hydrocyclone qui sépare la grenaille.

Drawing