Delivery system of tamponing in gel

Abstract

GEL BUFFERING DELIVERY SYSTEM. This is a delivery system for mixing and dispensing a gel buffering material into a blast hole. The system includes a set of double pumps in fluid communication with the respective sources of a first gel precursor fluid and a second gel precursor fluid; a pair of hoses associated with a means for varying the effective length of said hoses; a dispensing head having a first inlet and a second inlet, said inlets being arranged in the respective fluid communication by means of said hoses with the set of double pumps to receive the first and second gel precursor fluids, wherein the dispensing head is configured to receive and mix the first and second gel precursor fluids to produce the gel buffering material and to dispense the gel buffering material by means of an outlet.In use, the effective length of the hoses can be varied to position the dosing head and to dispense the gel buffering material into the blast hole.

Description

1 / 19 “GEL TAMPONADED DELIVERY SYSTEM” FIELD OF TECHNIQUE

[001] The present disclosure relates to a delivery system for mixing and dispensing a gel. In particular, the present disclosure relates to a delivery system configured for mixing and dispensing a two-part gel buffering material into a blast hole. BACKGROUND

[002] The following discussion of the background to the disclosure is intended to facilitate an understanding of the modalities described in this document. However, it should be understood that the discussion is not an acknowledgment or admission that any referenced material has been published, is known, or is part of the general common knowledge up to the date of submission of the application.

[003] Drilling and blasting are widely used in mining, extraction, and civil engineering. Blast holes are first drilled in a predetermined blast hole pattern, and explosives and a detonator are then loaded into the bottom of the hole. The blast hole may be subsequently loaded (“plugged”) with aggregate plugging material to increase the effectiveness of the subsequent blast. Upon detonation, the resulting explosion creates stress waves, which cause radial fracturing of surrounding rock mass and generate intense noise and dust.

[004] There are several problems associated with the use of aggregate plugging material. Firstly, it is labor-intensive to employ aggregate materials down the shaft and there are several safety risks to the crew not only in handling the aggregate material (due to its weight), but also due to the proximity of the blast hole loaded with explosives. Furthermore, in the event of a detonator failure, the plugging material must be removed from the blast hole before the explosives can be recovered. The aggregate plugging material is also frequently ejected from the blast hole during the explosion, reducing the effectiveness of the explosion and Petition 870220038054, dated 03 / 05 / 2022, pages 65 / 95 2 / 19 contributing to noise and dust emissions.

[005] International Publication No. WO2014 / 201514 describes the use of an alternative to a blast hole plugging material comprising a superabsorbent hydrogel, which offers a variety of advantages. Instead of using aggregate materials, a fully reacted superabsorbent hydrogel is pumped into the blast hole above the explosives to form a superabsorbent hydrogel plug (“gel plug”). The gel plug completely fills the blast hole, regardless of variations in blast hole size, depth, or diameter, or the presence of cracks in the blast hole wall. Upon detonation, the gel plug reflects the blast pressure wave, thus increasing the effectiveness of the explosives during the blast. The gel plug does not tend to be expelled from the blast hole during the blast, advantageously reducing noise and suppressing dust.Furthermore, in the event of a detonator failure, the explosives can be recovered by extracting them through the gel plug – there is no need to remove the gel plug beforehand. The superabsorbent hydrogel can be prepared by reacting a polymeric precursor with water, where the polymeric precursor rapidly swells (1-5 s) to form the gel. Although it is possible to pump the gel from the surface, it would be preferable for the gel to be mixed immediately before being placed downhole. Moreover, it would also be advantageous to reduce the manual labor associated with plugging a blast hole and improve personnel safety by reducing the amount of time spent near charged blast holes.

[006] The present disclosure seeks to at least partially solve some of these problems. SUMMARY

[007] The present disclosure provides a delivery system for mixing and dispensing a gel. In particular, the present disclosure provides a Petition 870220038054, dated 03 / 05 / 2022, pp. 66 / 95 3 / 19 delivery system configured to mix and dispense a two-part gel buffering material into a blast hole.

[008] According to a first aspect of the disclosure, a delivery system is provided for mixing and dispensing a gel buffering material into a blast hole, wherein said system comprises: a set of double pumps in fluid communication with the respective sources of a first gel precursor fluid and a second gel precursor fluid; a pair of hoses connected by a means of varying the effective length of said hoses; a dosing head having a first inlet and a second inlet, said inlets arranged in the respective fluid communication by means of said hoses with the double pump assembly to receive the first and second gel precursor fluids, wherein the dosing head is configured to receive and mix the first and second gel precursor fluids to produce the gel buffering material and to dispense the gel buffering material by means of an outlet; In use, the effective length of the hoses can be varied to position the dosing head and dispense the gel buffering material into the blast hole.

[009] In one embodiment, the dispensing head comprises a first chamber comprising a central passage and an annular passage concentrically aligned in fluid communication with the first and second inlets, respectively, and a second chamber in fluid communication with said central and annular passages, wherein the second chamber is configured to receive and mix the first and second gel precursor fluids to produce the gel buffering material and to dispense the gel buffering material through the outlet.

[010] In one modality, the second chamber comprises Petition 870220038054, dated 03 / 05 / 2022, page 67 / 95 4 / 19 additionally a static mixing element.

[011] In one embodiment, the double pump assembly comprises a control system for varying any one or more of the pressure, volume, flow rate of the first and / or second gel precursor fluids flowing through the hoses. The control system may be equipped with one or more in-line flow meters to monitor one or more of the pressure, volume, flow rate of the first and / or second gel precursor fluids in the hoses.

[012] In one embodiment, the means for varying the effective length of the hose pair may comprise a hose reel. The hose reel may be remotely controlled to vary the effective length of the hose pair.

[013] In one embodiment, the delivery system further comprises at least one storage container for holding the first gel precursor fluid or the second gel precursor fluid. The at least one storage container may be fitted with a stirrer.

[014] In one embodiment, the delivery system may be mounted on a platform or structure adapted to allow mobility of the delivery system. For example, the platform or structure may be configured with lifting eyes and / or lifting slots. In this way, the delivery system can be readily transported to one or more locations at a work site.

[015] Alternatively, the platform or structure that has the delivery system mounted on it can be mounted on a vehicle.

[016] In one embodiment, the delivery system further comprises a movable arm between a stowed position and an extended position, wherein the arm has a collar at one distal end thereof adapted to support the hoses and the dosing head to facilitate the positioning of the dosing head well below.

[017] In one embodiment, the arm can be mounted in such a way Petition 870220038054, dated 03 / 05 / 2022, pp. 68 / 95 5 / 19 swivel to allow the arm to rotate when in the extended position.

[018] According to a second aspect of the disclosure, a method of plugging an explosion hole is provided, wherein the method comprises: to position a delivery system, as defined above, proximal to a blast hole; Varying the effective length of the delivery system hoses is necessary to position the delivery system's dosing head well below the blast hole; To operate the dual pump assembly of the delivery system to extract the first and second gel precursor fluids from their respective sources and cause said fluids to flow through the hoses to the dosing head, where said fluids are received and mixed in the dosing head to produce the gel buffering material; and to dispense the gel buffering material through the outlet on the dosing head.

[019] In one embodiment, simultaneously with, or subsequent to, the dispensing of the gel buffering material, wherein the method further comprises shortening the effective length of the hoses to progressively remove the dispensing head from the blast hole as the blast hole is buffered with the gel buffering material. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[020] The methods of disclosure will be described by way of example with reference to the attached drawings, in which:

[021] Figure 1 is a perspective view of one version of a delivery system disclosed in this document;

[022] Figure 2 is a side view of a vehicle-mounted delivery system;

[023] Figure 3 is a plan view of the vehicle shown in Figure Petition 870220038054, dated 03 / 05 / 2022, page 69 / 95 6 / 19 employed adjacent to an explosion orifice;

[024] Figure 4 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a dosing head, as disclosed in this document;

[025] Figure 5 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the dosing head shown in Figure 4;

[026] Figure 6A is a top plan view of a dosing head connector shown in Figures 4 and 5; and

[027] Figure 6B is an opposite plan view of the connector shown in Figure 6A. DESCRIPTION OF THE MODALITIES GENERAL TERMS

[028] Throughout this descriptive report, unless specifically stated otherwise or the context requires otherwise, reference to a single step, composition of matter, group of steps, or group of compositions of matter should be considered as encompassing both one and a plurality (i.e., one or more of these steps, compositions of matter, groups of steps, or groups of compositions of matter). Thus, as used in this document, the singular forms “a,” “an,” “the,” and “the” include plural aspects, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. For example, reference to “a” includes a single one as well as two or more; reference to “an” includes a single one as well as two or more; reference to “the” includes a single one as well as two or more, and so on.

[029] Each example of the present disclosure described herein shall be applied, after appropriate modifications, to each and every other example, unless specifically stated otherwise. The present disclosure shall not be limited in scope by the specific examples described herein, which are for illustrative purposes only. Functionally equivalent products, compositions and methods are clearly within the scope of the disclosure as described herein.

[030] The steps of the method, the processes and the operations Petition 870220038054, dated 03 / 05 / 2022, pp. 70 / 95 The steps described in this document, 7 / 19, should not be interpreted as necessarily requiring their implementation in the particular order discussed or illustrated, unless specifically identified as such. It should also be understood that additional or alternative steps may be employed.

[031] When an element or layer is described as “linked,” “engaged to,” “connected to,” or “attached to” another element or layer, it may be directly linked, engaged, connected, or attached to another element or layer, or intermediate elements or layers may be present. Conversely, when an element is described as “directly linked,” “directly engaged to,” “directly connected to,” or “directly attached to” another element or layer, there may be no intermediate elements or layers present. Other words used to describe the relationship between elements should be interpreted similarly (e.g., “between” versus “directly between,” “adjacent” versus “directly adjacent,” etc.).

[032] Although the terms first, second, third, etc. may be used in this document to describe various elements, components, regions, layers, and / or sections, these elements, components, regions, layers, and / or sections should not be limited to these terms. These terms may only be used to distinguish one element, component, region, layer, or section from another region, layer, or section. Terms such as “first,” “second,” and other numerical terms when used in this document do not imply a sequence or order, unless clearly indicated by the context. Thus, a first element, a first component, a first region, layer, or first section discussed below could be called a second element, a second component, a second region, a second layer, or a second section without departing from the teachings of the exemplary modalities.

[033] The reference to positional descriptions, such as inferior and Petition 870220038054, dated 03 / 05 / 2022, pp. 71 / 95 8 / 19 superior, should be considered in the context of the embodiments depicted in the Figures, and should not be considered as limiting the invention to the literal interpretation of the term, but rather to how it would be understood by someone skilled in the art.

[034] Spatially relative terms, such as “internal”, “external”, “underneath”, “below”, “inferior”, “above”, “superior”, and the like, may be used in this document to facilitate the description of an element or the relationship of features to another element (or elements) or feature (or features) as illustrated in the Figures. Spatially relative terms may be intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation beyond the orientation depicted in the Figures. For example, if the device in the Figures is flipped, the elements described as “below” or “underneath” other elements or features would then be oriented “above” the other elements or features. Thus, the exemplary term “below” may encompass both an above and below orientation.The device can be oriented in the opposite direction (rotated 90 degrees or in other orientations) and the spatially relative descriptors used in this document interpreted accordingly.

[035] The term and / or, for example, X and / or Y, should be understood as meaning X and Y or X or Y and should be considered as providing explicit support for both meanings or for either meaning.

[036] Throughout this descriptive report, the word comprehend or variations, such as comprehends or that comprehends, will be understood as implying the inclusion of a declared element, integer or step or group of elements, integers or steps, but not the exclusion of any other element, integer or step or group of elements, integers or steps.

[037] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms have the same meaning commonly understood by an element of common skill in the technique to which the contents of the present disclosure relate. Petition 870220038054, dated 03 / 05 / 2022, page 72 / 95 9 / 19 belong. Although methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein may be used in the practice or testing of this disclosure, the appropriate methods and materials are described below. In the event of conflict, this descriptive report, which includes definitions, shall govern. Furthermore, the materials and examples are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to be limiting.

[038] The term “about”, as used in this document, means 5%, and more preferably 1%, of a given value or range. For example, “about 3.7%” means 3.5 to 3.9%, preferably 3.66 to 3.74%. When the term “about” is associated with a range of values, for example, “about X% to Y%”, the term “about” is intended to modify both the lower (X) and upper (Y) values ​​of the cited range. For example, “about 20% to 40%” is equivalent to “about 20% to about 40%”. SPECIFIC TERMS

[039] The term “blast hole” as used in this document refers to a hole drilled of a predetermined depth and diameter containing explosives. Generally, a plurality of blast holes, such as a row or an arrangement of blast holes, may be drilled in an open pit or underground operation, according to a drilling pattern for a blast site based on parameters such as rock charge which includes rock type and density, blast hole spacing, blast hole depth and diameter for a predetermined explosive, and, when required, blast hole orientation and angles. The drilling pattern may be designed by a drilling and blasting engineer according to well-established models and protocols suitable for the desired shaped blast.

[040] The term “plug”, as used in this document, refers to a predetermined mass and volume of a plugging material with the capacity, when placed downhole, to hold at least Petition 870220038054, dated 03 / 05 / 2022, page 73 / 95 10 / 19 partially attenuate and / or contain the gases and forces released by the detonation of explosives in a blast hole. The predetermined mass and volume of the plugging material can be calculated by conventional techniques well understood by those skilled in the art and are dependent on the depth and diameter of the blast hole, the orientation and angle of orientation of the blast hole from the vertical, and the quantity and nature of the explosives loaded into the blast hole.

[041] The term “gel” refers to a semi-solid substance comprising a non-fluid colloidal network or a polymer network that is expanded throughout its entire volume by a fluid. The gel may consist of two or more components, one of which is a liquid, present in substantial quantity.

[042] The term “hydrogel”, as used in this document, refers to a gel resulting from a network of cross-linked hydrophilic polymer chains in which water is the dispersion medium.

[043] The term “superabsorbent polymer”, as used in this document, refers to a polymeric material that has the capacity to absorb at least 25 times its own weight in aqueous fluid and has the capacity to retain the absorbed aqueous fluid under moderate pressure. The absorbed aqueous fluid is taken into the molecular structure of the superabsorbent polymer rather than being contained in pores from which the fluid can be expelled by compression. Some superabsorbent polymers can absorb up to 1000 times their weight in aqueous fluid. DELIVERY SYSTEM

[044] The present disclosure relates to a delivery system for mixing and dispensing a gel. In particular, the present disclosure relates to a delivery system configured for mixing and dispensing a two-part gel buffering material into a blast hole.

[045] The two-part gel buffering material may be a hydrogel, in particular, a superabsorbent polymer gel (SAP). Petition 870220038054, dated 03 / 05 / 2022, pp. 74 / 95 11 / 19 Suitable examples of SAPs include, but are not limited to, polyacrylic acid and polyacrylic acid derivatives and copolymers thereof, polymethacrylic acid and polymethacrylic acid derivatives and copolymers thereof, polyethylene glycol and polyethylene glycol derivatives and copolymers thereof, polyacrylamide polymers and copolymers, polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl alcohol derivatives and copolymers thereof, or combinations thereof.

[046] Alternatively, the hydrogel may be derived from a crosslinked polymer selected from a group comprising polysaccharides, chitin, polypeptides, alginates, celluloses or combinations thereof. Exemplary crosslinked polymers include, but are not limited to, xanthan gum, crosslinked guar gum, crosslinked starches, carboxymethylcellulose.

[047] Alternatively, the hydrogel can be derived from a reactive clay, such as bentonite.

[048] The two-part gel buffering material, as described in this document, can be prepared by mixing a first precursor fluid, such as water, with a second precursor fluid containing the precursor gel that react together to form the hydrogel. The second precursor fluid can be a non-aqueous solution of the precursor gel, an emulsion (e.g., oil-in-water) of the precursor gel, or a suspension of the precursor gel dispersed in a carrier fluid.

[049] Hydrogels, in particular SAPs, have the ability to form a gel with water or aqueous solutions that have a wide range of Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) content, in a range of 0 mg / l to 100000 mg / l. Consequently, the first precursor fluid can be water, deionized water, ultrapure water, distilled water, municipal water, groundwater, produced water, process water, wastewater, brackish water, saline water, or a mixture of two or more of the fluids previously mentioned.

[050] In one particular embodiment, the first precursor fluid may be brackish water having a total dissolved solids content between 100 mg / l and 5000 mg / l. In another particular embodiment, the first precursor fluid may Petition 870220038054, dated 03 / 05 / 2022, pp. 75 / 95 12 / 19 being saline water that has a total dissolved solids content greater than 5000 mg / l. It will be evident to those skilled in the art that wastewater (e.g., desalination concentrate streams, spent process streams) that would often be discharged into the environment (and optionally treated beforehand) can be used as the first precursor fluid.

[051] An embodiment of a delivery system 10 configured for mixing and dispensing a two-part gel buffering material into a blast hole will now be described with reference to the Figures by way of example only.

[052] Referring to Figures 1 to 3, the delivery system 10 includes a set of double pumps comprising a first pump 12 and a second pump 14. The first pump 12 is in fluid communication with a water storage tank 16 and the second pump 14 is in fluid communication with a storage tank 18 containing the second precursor fluid, as described above. It should be noted that in certain embodiments, where the second precursor fluid is an emulsion or a suspension of the precursor hydrogel, the storage tank 18 may be fitted with an agitator 20, as an impeller, to maintain the stability of the emulsion or to prevent the hydrogel precursor particles from settling in the storage tank 18.

[053] The first and second pumps 12, 14 may be any suitable pump with the capacity to pump the first and second precursor fluids. Suitable examples of pumps may include, but are not limited to, peristaltic pumps, centrifugal pumps, and diaphragm pumps. A person skilled in the art would observe that the size and power of the first and second pumps 12, 14 will be selected based on the volume and flow rate requirements for pumping the first and second precursor fluids.

[054] System 10 also includes a pair of hoses (not shown) in fluid communication with the respective inlets of the first and the Petition 870220038054, dated 03 / 05 / 2022, pp. 76 / 95 13 / 19 second pumps 12, 14 and a dosing head 22 (as shown in Figures 4, 5, 6A and 6B) arranged in fluid communication by means of said hoses with the double pump assembly. A particular embodiment of the dosing head 22 will be described in greater detail below. In general, the dosing head 22 is configured to receive and mix the first and second gel precursor fluids to produce the gel buffering material and to dispense the gel buffering material into the blast orifice.

[055] The pair of hoses are connected to a means of varying the effective length of the hoses, such as a hose reel 24. The hose reel 24 may be driven by a motor 26 which may be remotely controlled by an operator or an automated controller. In this way, in use, the effective length of the hoses may be varied to position the dosing head 22 at any desired depth in the blast hole. The hoses are generally flexible hoses of any suitable length (e.g. 30-50 m) and diameter (e.g. 2.54-5.08 cm (1-2”)).In use, the pair of hoses can be coupled together by tie rods or clamps at suitable intervals along their lengths to prevent tripping hazard, entanglement, and to make it easier for the hose reel 24 to release or retrieve the pair of hoses when the dosing head 22 is positioned well below the blast hole or removed / retrieved from the blast hole.

[056] It should be noted that the first and second precursor fluids react rapidly (1-10 s) to produce the hydrogel when they are mixed in the desired ratios. Advantageously, the pair of hoses are arranged, in use, to keep the first and second precursor fluids separate until they are ready to be mixed and the hydrogel is placed well below. In this way, it is possible to deliver the two-part buffer material directly into the blast hole instead of pumping it into the blast hole from the Petition 870220038054, dated 03 / 05 / 2022, pp. 77 / 95 14 / 19 surface.

[057] The double pump assembly may be fitted with a control system associated with the first and second pumps 12, 14 to vary any one or more of the pressure, volume, flow rate of the first and / or second gel precursor fluids flowing through the hoses to the dosing head 22. The control system may be fitted with one or more in-line flow meters (not shown) to monitor one or more of the pressure, volume, flow rate of the first and / or second gel precursor fluids in the hoses. The flow rate and volume of gel buffering material delivered downwell will be calibrated for report and the ratio and flow rate of the first and second precursor fluids delivered to the dosing head 22 will vary for blast holes of different diameters and for varying water quality.For example, as the hardness of water (i.e., the first precursor fluid) increases, more second precursor fluid is required to produce the desired gel buffering material.

[058] The delivery system 10 can be mounted on a platform 28 or a structure to allow the delivery system 10 to be readily transported to one or more locations at a work site, in particular proximal to a blast hole 30, as shown in Figure 3. The platform 28 or structure can be configured with a plurality of lifting lugs and / or lifting slots 32 to receive forklift teeth and thus allow the efficient transport of the delivery system 10 by a crane, winch or forklift. In this way, the delivery system 10 can be transported and used in a variety of different configurations including trailer mounted, track mounted for all terrain use, chassis mounted for off-road use and so on.

[059] In the embodiment shown in Figures 2 and 3, the delivery system 10 mounted on the structure 28 is mounted on a vehicle cab chassis 34, such as a truck. Conveniently, the vehicle 34 can be a Petition 870220038054, dated 03 / 05 / 2022, pp. 78 / 95 15 / 19 truck already equipped with water storage tank 16. Such vehicles are commonly used on site to spray water for dust suppression purposes. Providing a dual-purpose vehicle, as described in this document, would save operating and capital expenses.

[060] In the embodiment shown in Figures 2 and 3, the delivery system 10 may further comprise an arm 36 sliding between a stowed position and an extended position. It will be observed by those skilled in the art that the arm 36 may be hydraulically actuated and mounted on a conveyor belt with one or more sets of rollers (not shown) or similar means to facilitate the movement of the arm 36 between the stowed and extended positions. The arm 36 is provided with a collar 38 at one distal end thereof, adapted to support the hoses and the dosing head 22 to facilitate the more convenient positioning of the dosing head 22 well below the blast hole 30.

[061] Additionally, arm 36 can be mounted in a rotating manner to allow arm 36 to rotate horizontally when in the extended position, thereby allowing improved positioning of collar 38 and dosing head 12 with respect to blast hole 30.

[062] In use, the vehicle 32 can travel (e.g., below a row of blast holes) with the arm 36 in the extended position. It should be noted that the vehicle can be operated by a driver, a partially autonomous vehicle, or a fully autonomous vehicle. When the vehicle stops near a specific blast hole 30 to plug the blast holes 30 with gel plugging material, the arm 36 can be hydraulically actuated to the extended position so that the collar 38 supporting the dosing head 22 is generally in vertical alignment with the blast holes 30. The hose reel 20 can be operated to vary the effective length of the delivery system hoses 10 to lower the dosing head 22 to the desired depth in the blast hole 30. This can be conveniently achieved without placement. Petition 870220038054, dated 03 / 05 / 2022, pp. 79 / 95 16 / 19 manual by an operator. For a driver-operated vehicle, the operator may optionally remain in the vehicle cab 32 without needing to approach a charged blast hole 30.

[063] The twin pump assembly of the delivery system 10 can then be operated to extract the first and second gel precursor fluids from their respective sources and cause said fluids to flow through the respective hoses to the dosing head 22. The fluids are received and mixed in the dosing head 22 to produce the gel buffering material and the gel buffering material is dispensed by means of one or more outlets in the dosing head 22 at the blast port 30.

[064] Simultaneously with, or subsequent to, dispensing the gel buffering material into the blast hole 30, the hose reel 20 can be operated to shorten the effective length of the hoses to progressively remove the dosing head 22 from the blast hole 30 as the blast hole 30 is buffered with the gel buffering material.

[065] Figures 4, 5, 6A and 6B show the dosing head 22 of the delivery system 10 in greater detail. The dosing head 22 includes a first inlet 40 and a second inlet 42. The first inlet 40 is arranged in fluid communication via one of the pair of hoses with the first pump 12 to receive the first gel precursor fluid and the second inlet 42 is arranged in fluid communication via the other of the pair of hoses with the second pump 14 to receive the second gel precursor fluid.

[066] The dosing head 22 also includes a first chamber 44 comprising a central passage 46 and a concentrically aligned annular passage 48 in fluid communication with the first and second inlets 40, 42, respectively, by means of conduits 50, 52. The first and second inlets 40, 42 may be integrally formed with Petition 870220038054, dated 03 / 05 / 2022, pages 80 / 95 17 / 19 a collar 54 which is provided with an internal thread for engaging a complementary thread 56 on an external surface 58 of an upper portion 60 of the first chamber 44.

[067] The dosing head 22 additionally includes a second chamber 62 which is configured to receive and mix the first and second gel precursor fluids to produce the gel buffering material. The second chamber 62 is adjacent to the first chamber 44 and is in fluid communication with the central and annular passages 46, 48.

[068] For example, in the embodiment shown in Figures 4, 5, 6A and 6B, a lower end 64 of the central passage 46 extends into the second chamber 62. The lower end 64 may be provided with a plurality of radially spaced openings 66 through which the first gel precursor fluid flows into the second chamber 62. A lower wall 68 of the first chamber 44 is provided with a partial annular opening 70 through which the second gel precursor fluid flows into the second chamber 62. The radially spaced openings 66 are arranged to increase the flow rate of the first gel precursor fluid into the second chamber 62 and to encourage turbulent mixing of the first gel precursor fluid with the second gel precursor fluid.

[069] It should be noted that the lower end 64 of the central passage 46 may be fitted with alternative arrangements for introducing the first gel precursor fluid into the second gel precursor fluid, as a diffusion head, and thus encourage effective mixing of said fluids.

[070] Additionally, the central passage 46 may have a plurality of protrusions 72 extending into the annular passage 48 from an outer surface 74 of a lower portion 76 of the central passage 46 into the annular passage 48. The plurality of protrusions 72 may be integral to the outer surface 74 of the central passage 46 or may be fixed to the central passage 46 by a collar or an insert 78, as shown in Figures 4 and 5. The protrusions 72 act as deflectors, producing turbulent flow in the second fluid of Petition 870220038054, dated 03 / 05 / 2022, pp. 81 / 95 18 / 19 precursor immediately after it enters the second chamber 62. The turbulent flow of the second gel precursor fluid provides additional energy to promote enhanced mixing between the first and second gel precursor fluids.

[071] Referring to Figures 4 and 5, the second chamber also includes a static mixing element 80 comprising a helical element to promote radial mixing of said gel precursor fluids. A person skilled in the art will observe that the static mixing element 80 may assume alternative forms.

[072] The second cylindrical chamber 62 includes a plurality of outlets 82 through which the gel buffering material is dispensed. The outlets 82 comprise large openings in a cylindrical wall 84 of a lower portion 86 of the second chamber 62.

[073] It will be observed by those skilled in the art that various variations and / or modifications may be made to the modalities described above, without departing from the broad general scope of the present disclosure. The present modalities, therefore, should be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive.

[074] For example, vehicle 34 on which delivery system 10, as described in this document, is mounted may be fitted with a means for loading explosives into the blast hole, so that the blast hole may be loaded with explosives and subsequently plugged with the two-part gel plugging material, as described above.

[075] Additionally or alternatively, the vehicle 34 on which the delivery system 10, as described in this document, is mounted may be fitted with a means for loading aggregate plugging material into the blast hole. In some embodiments, the aggregate plugging material could be loaded into the blast hole as an alternative plugging material to the two-part gel plugging material, thus providing the operator with a choice of materials. Petition 870220038054, dated 03 / 05 / 2022, pages 82 / 95 19 / 19 plugging for use. In other embodiments, the aggregate plugging material could be loaded into the blast hole followed by the two-part gel plugging material to fill voids in the aggregate plugging.

[076] It will be further noted that tanker trucks that are commonly used to spray water on site for dust suppression can be conveniently configured to include the delivery system 10, as described in this document, wherein the tanker truck's existing water tank could be employed as the water storage tank 16, as required. In this way, the tanker truck could be effectively provided with the dual purpose of water suppression and a two-part gel buffering material delivery system 10, optionally with added buffering, as described above. Petition 870220038054, dated 03 / 05 / 2022, pages 83 / 95

Claims

1 / 3 CLAIMS 1. Delivery system (10) for mixing and dispensing a gel buffering material into a blast hole, wherein said system comprises: a set of double pumps in fluid communication with the respective sources of a first gel precursor fluid and a second gel precursor fluid; a pair of hoses associated with a means for varying an effective length of said hoses; a dosing head (22) having a first inlet (40) and a second inlet (42), wherein said inlets are arranged in the respective fluid communication by means of said hoses with the set of double pumps to receive the first and second gel precursor fluids, wherein the dosing head (22) is configured to receive and mix the first and second gel precursor fluids to produce the gel buffering material and to dispense the gel buffering material by means of an outlet;a movable arm (36) between a stowed position and an extended position, wherein the arm (36) has a collar (38) at its distal end adapted to support the hoses and the dosing head (22) to facilitate the positioning of the dosing head (22) well below; and a platform (28) or vehicle-mountable structure (34) to support the double pump assembly, the pair of hoses, the dosing head (22) and said arm (36); characterized in that the arm (36) is mounted in a rotatable manner to allow the arm (36) to rotate horizontally when in the extended position to a position orthogonal to the direction of travel of the vehicle (34), thus allowing the collar (38) and the dosing head (22) to be positioned in vertical alignment with the blast hole (30). Petition 870260073407, dated 23 / 07 / 2026, p. 7 / 12 2 / 3; 2. Delivery system (10), according to claim 1, characterized in that the dosing head (22) comprises a first chamber (44) comprising a central passage (46) and an annular passage (48) concentrically aligned in fluid communication with the first and second inlets (40, 42), and a second chamber (62) in fluid communication with said central and annular passages (46, 48), wherein the second chamber (62) is configured to receive and mix the first and second gel precursor fluids to produce the gel buffering material and to dispense the gel buffering material through the outlet.

3. Delivery system (10), according to claim 1, characterized in that the double pump assembly comprises a control system for varying any one or more of the pressure, volume, flow rate of the first and / or second gel precursor fluids flowing through the hoses.

4. Delivery system (10), according to claim 3, characterized in that the control system is equipped with one or more in-line flow meters.

5. Delivery system (10), according to claim 1, characterized in that the means for varying the effective length of the hose pair may comprise a hose reel (24).

6. Delivery system (10), according to claim 1, wherein the delivery system is characterized in that it further comprises at least one storage container (16, 18) for holding the first gel precursor fluid or the second gel precursor fluid.

7. Delivery system (10), according to claim 6, characterized in that at least one storage container (16, 18) is equipped with an agitator (20).

8. Delivery system (10), according to claim 1, characterized in that the platform (28) or structure is configured with lifting eyelets and / or lifting grooves (32). Petition 870260073407, dated 23 / 07 / 2026, page 8 / 12 3 / 3 9. Delivery system (10), according to claim 2, characterized in that the second chamber (62) additionally comprises a static mixing element (80).

10. Method for plugging an explosion hole (30), wherein the method is characterized in that it comprises: positioning a delivery system (10), as defined in claim 1, proximal to the explosion hole (30); extending an effective length of the delivery system hoses (10) to employ the dosing head (22) of the delivery system well below the explosion hole (30); operating the dual pump assembly of the delivery system (10) to extract the first and second gel precursor fluids from their respective sources (16, 18) and causing said fluids to flow through the hoses to the dosing head (22), wherein said fluids are received and mixed in the dosing head (22) to produce the gel plugging material; and dispensing the gel plugging material through the outlet in the dosing head (22).

11. Method according to claim 10, wherein, simultaneously or subsequently to the dispensing of the gel buffering material, the method is characterized in that it further comprises shortening the effective length of the hoses to progressively remove the dispensing head (22) from the blast hole (30) as the blast hole (30) is buffered with the gel buffering material. Petition 870260073407, dated 23 / 07 / 2026, page 9 / 12

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