A foam line clearing system and method

Abstract

The application discloses a foam pipeline dredging system and a dredging method, and solves the problems of low dredging efficiency and low intelligent degree of multiple foam pipelines in the construction process of a shield machine in the prior art. The foam pipeline dredging system comprises at least one high-pressure water flushing branch system, the high-pressure water flushing branch system is connected with N foam pipeline systems through a switch valve, N is greater than or equal to 1, the N foam pipeline systems are connected with a foam mixed liquid assembly, the foam mixed liquid assembly provides foam mixed liquid for the N foam pipeline systems, and the high-pressure water flushing branch system, the foam pipeline system and the foam mixed liquid assembly are connected with an external control system. Through the independently arranged high-pressure water flushing branch system, full-automatic intelligent flushing and dredging of the multiple foam pipelines are realized without affecting the normal working conditions of the foam pipelines, and problems such as poor foam pipeline and clogging of a foam nozzle in the construction process of the shield machine are effectively solved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of tunnel boring machine technology, and in particular to a foam pipe unblocking system. Background Technology

[0002] During tunnel boring machine (TBM) construction, foam is sprayed at the front of the cutterhead to improve the properties of the excavated soil, reduce cutterhead wear, ensure face stability, and prevent ground subsidence. However, in actual use, the presence of numerous fine particles in the excavated soil often leads to blockages in the foam nozzles or pipelines. When blockages occur at the front of the foam pipeline, the usual approach is to increase the injection foam pressure to flush the pipeline. However, in most cases, this is limited by the maximum pressure of the foam pump, often resulting in pump tripping or pump damage. If the foam pipeline blockage is not resolved promptly, it will further worsen, impacting the soil improvement effect and severely affecting construction quality. In severe cases, it may even cause complete blockage of the foam nozzles, requiring manual cleaning and posing safety risks. Therefore, timely unblocking of foam pipelines is crucial.

[0003] Regarding the problem of foam pipe blockage, existing technologies, such as the invention patent with authorization announcement number CN105587323B, disclose an anti-blocking device and method for foam nozzles on the cutterhead of a tunnel boring machine. This method achieves unblocking of the foam pipes by designing multiple flushing pipes and multiple sets of flushing control components. However, this method relies on manual operation, and all foam pumps are stopped during flushing, failing to accurately unblock the blocked foam pipes.

[0004] The utility model patent with authorization announcement number CN219025258U discloses a device for unblocking foam pipes in tunnel boring machines. Through its threaded grooves, locking nuts, and fixing components, it can solve the problem of foam pipe blockage to a certain extent. However, this method still relies on manual operation and requires periodic replacement of parts. Furthermore, multiple components are needed to solve the problem of unblocking multiple foam pipes.

[0005] In summary, current technologies cannot achieve fully automated, precise, and intelligent flushing of multiple foam pipeline blockages without affecting normal foam pipeline operation. Furthermore, the lack of real-time intelligent detection methods for foam pipeline blockage prevents the achievement of goals such as rapid and precise pipeline unblocking, automatic restoration of foam injection, and effective conservation of high-pressure flushing water. In other words, while existing technologies offer solutions to problems such as blocked foam pipelines, clogged foam nozzles, and the inability to accurately identify and intelligently detect pipeline blockage, they only address part of the issues and do not fundamentally solve them. Therefore, designing a fully automated foam pipeline unblocking system suitable for tunnel boring machines is crucial. Summary of the Invention

[0006] To address the shortcomings in the aforementioned background technology, this invention proposes a foam pipe dredging system and method, which solves the problems of low dredging efficiency and low level of intelligence in multiple foam pipes during tunnel boring machine construction in the prior art.

[0007] The technical solution of this invention is implemented as follows: A foam pipeline unblocking system includes at least one high-pressure water flushing branch system. This high-pressure water flushing branch system is connected to N foam pipeline systems (N≥1) via switching valves. The N foam pipeline systems are connected to a foam mixing liquid assembly, which provides foam mixing liquid to the N foam pipeline systems. The high-pressure water flushing branch system, the foam pipeline systems, and the foam mixing liquid assembly are all connected to an external control system. In this system, the high-pressure water flushing branch system and the foam pipeline systems can be arranged in a one-to-many or many-to-many configuration. Specifically, a separately added high-pressure water flushing branch system, based on electrical and hydraulic components and a PLC, enables fully automated intelligent flushing of the foam pipelines without affecting normal operation, effectively solving problems such as blocked foam pipelines and clogged foam nozzles.

[0008] Further preferably, the high-pressure water flushing branch system is connected to the corresponding foam piping system via a flushing pipeline, and a switching valve is installed on the corresponding flushing pipeline. Preferably, the switching valve is a solenoid valve or a servo valve; each switching valve corresponds one-to-one with a foam piping system. Controlling the connection between the high-pressure water flushing branch system and the corresponding foam piping system via the switching valve facilitates control and switching.

[0009] Further preferably, the high-pressure water flushing branch system includes a water tank, with an inlet pipe and an outlet pipe connected to the water tank. A high-pressure water pump, a flow meter I, and a first check valve are sequentially installed on the outlet pipe along the water outlet direction. The first check valve is connected to a corresponding on / off valve. The first check valve on the high-pressure water flushing branch system also prevents foam from entering the high-pressure water pump.

[0010] Further preferably, the water outlet pipeline is also equipped with a first pressure sensor and a first hydraulic ball valve, which are located between the high-pressure water pump and the flow meter I; the water outlet pipeline is also equipped with an overflow valve connected in parallel with the high-pressure water pump.

[0011] Further preferably, the water tank is equipped with a high liquid level sensor and a low liquid level sensor, both of which are connected to an external control system for automatically replenishing high-pressure water.

[0012] In a further preferred embodiment, the foam piping system includes a foam piping, on which a foam pump, a foam generator, and a pressure sensor are sequentially arranged along the liquid outlet direction. The pressure sensor is connected to an external control system to detect whether the foam piping is blocked and to transmit the signal to the external control system.

[0013] Further preferably, the foam pipeline is equipped with a one-way valve assembly, which includes a front one-way valve and a rear one-way valve. The front one-way valve is located in front of the foam generator, and the rear one-way valve is located between the foam generator and the foam pump. A flow meter II is installed between the rear one-way valve and the foam generator. The flow meter II is used to detect the flow rate on the foam pipeline.

[0014] Further preferably, the pressure sensor includes a front pressure sensor and a rear pressure sensor. The front pressure sensor is disposed between the front check valve and the foam generator, and the rear pressure sensor is disposed between the rear check valve and the foam pump. A second hydraulic ball valve is provided between the rear pressure sensor and the rear check valve. The front pressure sensor serves as a blockage signal for the foam pipeline.

[0015] Further preferably, the foam mixture assembly includes a foam mixture tank and a foam stock tank, which are connected by a foam filling pipeline. The foam filling pipeline is provided with a metering pump, a flow meter III, and a second check valve in sequence along the liquid flow direction. The foam mixture tank is provided with a water inlet pipeline.

[0016] A foam pipe unblocking method, using the aforementioned foam pipe unblocking system, comprises the following steps: S1: When the pressure sensor of the foam pipe system detects an abnormal pressure in the foam pipe, it transmits the blockage signal to the PLC of the external control system; S2: When the PLC receives a blockage signal, it identifies the abnormal foam pipeline and sorts and numbers the abnormal foam pipelines; then it stops the foam pumps on all abnormal foam pipelines. S3: Start the high-pressure water pump of the high-pressure water flushing branch system and determine the abnormal foam pipeline to be treated according to priority; S4: Connect the high-pressure water flushing branch system to the pipeline that needs to be treated for abnormal foam. The flow meter I on the high-pressure water flushing branch system detects the flow rate in the outlet pipeline. If the flow rate does not meet the requirements within the set time, the system will automatically increase the pressure of the high-pressure water until the flow rate reaches the unblocking standard. It should be noted that if the pipeline is still not unblocked when the high-pressure water is pressurized to the maximum value of the high-pressure water pump, it will prompt to switch to manual cleaning.

[0017] S5: When the flow meter I on the high-pressure water flushing branch system meets the requirements, the PLC will disconnect the high-pressure water flushing branch system from the abnormal foam pipeline and restart the foam pump on the abnormal foam pipeline. S6: Detect whether there is any pressure abnormality in other foam pipelines based on the pressure sensor of the foam pipeline system. If not, stop the high-pressure water pump and complete the cleaning of the foam pipeline; if so, repeat steps S4~S5.

[0018] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: The shield tunneling machine foam pipeline unblocking system proposed in this invention, through an independently set high-pressure water flushing branch system, achieves fully automatic intelligent flushing and unblocking of multiple foam pipelines without affecting the normal operation of the foam pipelines, effectively solving problems such as foam pipeline blockage and foam nozzle clogging during shield tunneling construction. This invention also features an intelligent monitoring function for high-pressure water flushing of the foam pipelines, which can monitor the unobstructed flow of the foam pipelines in real time. Once the pipelines are clear, the system automatically switches to foam mixture for soil improvement without manual intervention, improving the system's intelligence level. This not only saves water consumption during high-pressure water flushing but also improves the reliability and geological adaptability of the foam improvement system, thereby accelerating construction efficiency and effectively reducing the maintenance and repair costs of the foam pipelines.

[0019] This invention relates to a foam pipeline unblocking method that prioritizes high-pressure flushing of foam pipelines. When flushing is required, the flushing operation is performed according to this priority logic, improving the unblocking capacity of the high-pressure water flushing branch system and automatically restoring the foam injection capability of the foam pipeline, thereby enhancing the reliability of the tunnel boring machine's foam injection system. Based on a logic control system built into a PLC, the connection between the high-pressure water flushing branch and the foam pipeline can be automatically switched without operator intervention, further achieving automation and ensuring construction efficiency. Attached Figure Description

[0020] To more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0021] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a one-to-many arrangement of the high-pressure water flushing branch system and the foam pipeline system of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the foam piping system of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the high-pressure water flushing branch system of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the working principle of the present invention in Example 4; Figure 5 This is a flowchart illustrating the working principle of the present invention in Example 4; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the many-to-many arrangement of the high-pressure water flushing branch system and the foam pipeline system of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0022] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0023] Example 1: A foam pipe unblocking system includes at least one high-pressure water flushing branch system 5. The high-pressure water flushing branch system 5 is connected to N foam pipe systems 1 via a switching valve A10, where N ≥ 1. One high-pressure water flushing branch system 5 can simultaneously correspond to multiple foam pipe systems 1, and the connection to different foam pipe systems 1 is switched via corresponding switching valves, such as... Figure 1 As shown; or one high-pressure water flushing branch system 5 corresponds to one foam piping system 1; then N foam piping systems 1 are configured with N high-pressure water flushing branch systems 5, such as Figure 6 As shown; the two methods described above can be selected appropriately according to needs. N foam pipeline systems 1 are connected to a foam mixing component 12, which provides foam mixing solution to the N foam pipeline systems 1. The high-pressure water flushing branch system 5, foam pipeline systems 1, and foam mixing component 12 are all connected to an external control system. The external control system is the control center of the entire system, and it mainly consists of a PLC, a circuit amplifier board, etc. This foam pipeline unblocking system is based on a logic control system set within the PLC. It requires no operator intervention and can automatically switch the connection between the high-pressure water flushing branch and the foam pipeline. Without shutting down the system, it can simultaneously handle problems such as blocked foam pipelines and clogged foam nozzles.

[0024] In this embodiment, the high-pressure water flushing branch system 5 is connected to the corresponding foam piping system 1 via flushing pipe 13, and a switching valve A10 is installed on the corresponding flushing pipe 13. The switching valve A10 is either a solenoid valve or a servo valve; each switching valve A10 corresponds one-to-one with a foam piping system 1. The solenoid valve is preferably a two-position two-way valve, and the servo valve is preferably a two-way servo valve. In this embodiment, a two-position two-way valve is used as an example; it is used to control the on / off connection between the high-pressure water flushing branch system 5 and the corresponding foam piping system 1.

[0025] like Figure 3As shown, the high-pressure water flushing branch system 5 in this embodiment includes a water tank 507, with an inlet pipe 508 and an outlet pipe 511 connected to the water tank 507. The outlet pipe 511 is sequentially equipped with a high-pressure water pump 505, a first pressure sensor 504, a flow meter I 502, and a first check valve 501 along the water outlet direction. The first check valve 501 is connected to a corresponding switching valve A10. The high-pressure water flushing branch is equipped with a pressure sensor and a flow meter to monitor the unobstructed flow of the foam pipeline during flushing. When the foam pipeline reaches the unobstructed condition, the pipeline automatically switches to foam mixture for soil improvement, thereby effectively saving water consumption during high-pressure water flushing.

[0026] like Figure 2 As shown, in this preferred embodiment, the foam pipeline system 1 includes a foam pipeline 1-1. Along the liquid outlet direction, a foam pump 108, a foam generator 104, and a pressure sensor are sequentially arranged on the foam pipeline 1-1. The pressure sensor is connected to an external control system. The pressure sensor serves as a blockage signal for the foam pipeline. The pressure sensor, the flow meter on the high-pressure water flushing branch system, and the pressure sensor are connected to the input terminal of the PLC via wiring. The circuit amplifier board is connected to the output terminal of the PLC via wiring. The foam pump, solenoid valve on each foam pipeline, and the high-pressure water pump on the high-pressure water flushing branch system are connected to the output channel terminal of the circuit amplifier board via wiring. The solenoid valve is used to switch the connection between the high-pressure water pipeline and different foam pipelines. Furthermore, when the high-pressure water flushing branch system is connected to a blocked foam pipeline, the foam pump and the high-pressure water pump are interlocked, and only one can be started at a time. This improves system safety, enhances the reliability and formation adaptability of the foam improvement system, and effectively reduces the maintenance and repair costs of the foam pipeline.

[0027] Example 2: A foam pipe unblocking system, such as Figure 3 As shown, this embodiment is a further optimization based on embodiment 1. The high-pressure water flushing branch system 5 described in this embodiment includes a water tank 507, with an inlet pipe 508 and an outlet pipe 511 connected to the water tank 507. Along the water outlet direction, the outlet pipe 511 is sequentially equipped with a high-pressure water pump 505, a flow meter I 502, and a first check valve 501, which is connected to a corresponding switching valve A10. The outlet pipe 511 is also equipped with a first pressure sensor 504 and a first hydraulic ball valve 503, located between the high-pressure water pump 505 and the flow meter I 502. An overflow valve 506, connected in parallel with the high-pressure water pump 505, is also provided on the outlet pipe 511 to provide pressure limiting protection and stabilize the output pressure.

[0028] In this embodiment, the water tank 507 is equipped with a high liquid level sensor 509 and a low liquid level sensor 510. Both the high liquid level sensor 509 and the low liquid level sensor 510 are connected to an external control system. The high liquid level sensor 509 is used to detect the highest liquid level in the water tank, and the low liquid level sensor 510 is used to detect the lowest liquid level in the water tank. Together with the external control system, they are used to control the automatic replenishment of high-pressure water.

[0029] The foam piping system 1 described in this embodiment includes a foam piping 1-1. Along the liquid outlet direction, a foam pump 108, a foam generator 104, and a pressure sensor are sequentially installed on the foam piping 1-1. The pressure sensor is connected to an external control system. Specifically, the foam piping 1-1 is equipped with a one-way valve assembly, including a front one-way valve 102 and a rear one-way valve 110. The front one-way valve 102 is located in front of the foam generator 104, and the rear one-way valve 110 is located between the foam generator 104 and the foam pump 108. A flow meter II 105 is installed between the rear one-way valve 110 and the foam generator 104. The flow meter II is used to detect the flow rate of the foam mixture in the foam piping. The two one-way valves work together to prevent backflow of high-pressure water and foam mixture, and also protect the foam pump 108 and the foam generator 104, improving the operational safety of the foam piping system.

[0030] In this embodiment, the pressure sensors include a front pressure sensor 103 and a rear pressure sensor 107. The front pressure sensor 103 is located between the front check valve 102 and the foam generator 104, and the rear pressure sensor 107 is located between the rear check valve 110 and the foam pump 108. A second hydraulic ball valve 106 is provided between the rear pressure sensor 107 and the rear check valve 110. The PLC has multiple input and output terminals. The front pressure sensor on each foam pipeline is connected to the input terminal of the PLC via a line. The flow meter and pressure sensor on the high-pressure water flushing branch system are also connected to the input terminal of the PLC via lines. The front pressure sensor on the foam pipeline serves as a blockage signal for the foam pipeline, and the flow meter on the high-pressure water flushing branch system serves as a clearing signal for detecting blockages in the foam pipeline. The input terminal of the circuit amplifier board is connected to the output terminal of the PLC via a line. The foam pump, four solenoid valves on each foam pipeline, and the high-pressure water pump on the high-pressure water flushing branch system are connected to the output channel terminal of the circuit amplifier board via lines. In addition, when the high-pressure water flushing branch system is connected to a blocked foam pipeline, the foam pump and the high-pressure water pump are interlocked, and only one of them can be started at a time; the foam pipeline is also set with priority, that is, when pipelines need to be flushed at the same time, the priority logic is executed.

[0031] In this embodiment, the foam mixture assembly 12 includes a foam mixture tank 7 and a foam stock solution tank 11. The foam stock solution tank 11 and the foam mixture tank 7 are connected by a foam filling pipeline 14. The foam filling pipeline 14 is sequentially equipped with a metering pump 10, a flow meter Ⅲ 9, and a second one-way valve 8 along the liquid flow direction. The foam mixture tank 7 is equipped with a water inlet pipeline 6. The foam stock solution in the foam stock solution tank 11 enters the foam mixture tank through the flow meter Ⅲ under the action of the metering pump. Then, external water enters the foam mixture tank through the water inlet pipeline to form a foam mixture, providing foam mixture for N foam pipeline systems.

[0032] Example 3: A foam pipe unblocking method, using the foam pipe unblocking system described in Example 1 or 2, the steps are as follows: S1: When the pressure sensor of the foam pipe system 1 detects an abnormal pressure in the foam pipe 1-1, the blockage signal is transmitted to the PLC of the external control system.

[0033] S2: When the PLC receives a blockage signal, it identifies the abnormal foam pipeline and sorts and numbers the abnormal foam pipelines; then it stops the foam pump 108 on all abnormal foam pipelines.

[0034] S3: Start the high-pressure water pump of the high-pressure water flushing branch system 5, and determine the abnormal foam pipeline to be treated according to priority.

[0035] S4: Connect the high-pressure water flushing branch system 5 to the foam pipeline that needs to be treated. Flow meter I502 on the high-pressure water flushing branch system 5 detects the flow rate through the outlet pipeline. If the flow rate does not reach the required level within the set time, the system will automatically increase the pressure of the high-pressure water until the flow rate reaches the unblocking standard. If the high-pressure water pressure reaches the limit value of the high-pressure water pump, the PLC will stop the high-pressure water pump and issue an alarm on the host computer, prompting manual cleaning. After manual cleaning, the system will restart the high-pressure water pump and perform a secondary unblocking test on the foam pipeline.

[0036] S5: When the flow meter I502 on the high-pressure water flushing branch system 5 meets the requirements, the PLC will disconnect the connection between the high-pressure water flushing branch system 5 and the abnormal foam pipeline, restart the foam pump on the abnormal foam pipeline, and refill the foam mixture.

[0037] S6: Detect whether there is any pressure abnormality in other foam pipelines 1-1 according to the pressure sensor of foam pipeline system 1. If there is no abnormality, stop the high-pressure water pump and complete the cleaning of the foam pipeline; if there is, repeat steps S4~S5.

[0038] Example 4: A foam pipeline unblocking system applied to a tunnel boring machine (TBM). In this example, N=4, meaning one high-pressure water flushing branch system corresponds to four foam pipeline systems: foam pipeline 1, foam pipeline 2, foam pipeline 3, and foam pipeline 4. The high-pressure water flushing branch system is installed on the equipment bridge and as close to the shield as possible to minimize pressure loss. One-way valves on the foam pipelines prevent high-pressure water from damaging the foam pump, and one-way valves on the high-pressure water flushing branch system also prevent foam from entering the high-pressure water pump. A level sensor is installed on the water tank for automatic replenishment of high-pressure water. A fully automated foam pipeline unblocking system is constructed by combining a high-pressure water flushing branch system, multiple foam pipeline systems, foam mixture components, and an external control system. The high-pressure water flushing branch system is connected to all foam pipelines using tees and solenoid valves, and is mounted on an equipment bridge to prevent water pressure loss. The solenoid valves are used to switch the connection between the high-pressure water pipeline and different foam pipelines. Furthermore, when the high-pressure water flushing branch system connects to a blocked foam pipeline, the foam pump and the high-pressure water pump are interlocked, and only one can be started at a time.

[0039] The PLC has multiple input and output terminals. The pressure sensor on each foam pipeline is connected to the PLC's input terminal via wiring. The flow meter and pressure sensor on the high-pressure water flushing branch system are also connected to the PLC's input terminal via wiring. The pressure sensor on each foam pipeline serves as a blockage signal, while the flow meter on the high-pressure water flushing branch system serves as a clearing signal. The input terminal of the circuit amplifier board is connected to the PLC's output terminal via wiring. The foam pump, four solenoid valves on each foam pipeline, and the high-pressure water pump on the high-pressure water flushing branch system are connected to the output channel of the circuit amplifier board via wiring. Furthermore, when the high-pressure water flushing branch system is connected to a blocked foam pipeline, the foam pump and the high-pressure water pump are interlocked, and only one can be started at a time. High-pressure flushing of the foam pipelines also has a priority setting: when multiple pipelines need flushing simultaneously, the order is foam pipeline #1 > foam pipeline #2 > foam pipeline #3 > foam pipeline #4.

[0040] like Figure 4As shown, when the PLC receives a blockage signal, it automatically identifies and sorts the abnormal pipeline numbers, then stops all abnormal foam pumps and starts the high-pressure water pump. Based on the pipeline number, the system first connects the high-pressure water flushing branch to the blocked foam pipeline with the smallest number, and monitors the flow rate through the high-pressure water branch system in real time. If the flow rate does not meet the requirement within a set time, the system automatically increases the high-pressure water pressure until the flow rate reaches the unblocking standard. If the high-pressure water pressure reaches the high-pressure water pump's limit, the PLC will stop the high-pressure water pump and issue an alarm on the host computer, prompting manual cleaning. After manual cleaning, the system will restart the high-pressure water pump and perform a secondary unblocking test on the foam pipeline. When the flow meter on the high-pressure water branch system meets the requirements, the PLC will disconnect the high-pressure water branch system from the foam pipeline, restart the foam pump on that foam pipeline, and check for other abnormal foam pipelines. If none are found, the high-pressure water pump will stop, completing the foam pipeline cleaning process. If other blockage signals are detected, the system will sequentially connect the high-pressure water flushing branch to the other blocked foam pipes according to the pipe number, repeating the above flushing process until all blocked foam pipes are clear, and then stop the foam pumps. Finally, all foam pumps will be stopped, completing the entire foam pipe cleaning process.

[0041] like Figure 5 As shown, when a blockage occurs in the foam pipeline, taking foam pipeline No. 1 as an example, when the pressure sensor before pipeline No. 1 reaches its set maximum value, the PLC sequentially controls foam pump No. 1 to stop working, the high-pressure water pump to start, and solenoid valve No. 1 to open. The high-pressure water flushing branch system is then connected to foam pipeline No. 1, and high-pressure water enters the pipeline, subsequently flushing and clearing the entire pipeline through the rotary center. If the flow rate does not meet the requirements for a period of time, the high-pressure water flushing pressure is increased until the flow meter on the high-pressure water flushing branch system detects that the flow rate passing through within a certain period of time is the same as the set high-pressure water flushing flow rate.

[0042] If the high-pressure water pressure continues to exceed the maximum limit of the high-pressure water pump, the PLC will shut down the high-pressure water pump and display a message on the host computer indicating that manual cleaning is required. After manual cleaning, the host computer will issue a command to the PLC to restart the high-pressure water pump and perform a secondary unblocking test on the foam pipeline. Once the flow meter on the high-pressure water branch system meets the requirements, the PLC will control the No. 1 solenoid valve to close (disconnecting the high-pressure water flushing branch system from the No. 1 foam pipeline), and the No. 1 foam pump will start working (at this time, the No. 1 foam pump and the high-pressure water pump do not meet the interlocking condition and are in a simultaneous open state), and will check for any abnormalities in the pressure sensors before other foam pipelines. If no abnormalities are found, the high-pressure water pump will be stopped, completing the flushing of the No. 1 foam pipeline.

[0043] If the PLC detects an abnormality in the pressure sensors of other pipelines (e.g., pipelines 1 and 3 are simultaneously blocked), it opens solenoid valve 3, connecting the high-pressure water flushing branch system to the three foam pipelines. The aforementioned flushing and unblocking operations continue until all pressure sensors in the foam pipelines are found to be normal. At this point, the high-pressure water pump stops, completing the automatic cleaning of all blocked pipelines. This achieves fully automated intelligent flushing of the foam pipelines. After the foam pipelines are unblocked, the system automatically switches to foam mixture for soil improvement, preventing prolonged blockage of the foam pipelines from affecting the soil improvement effect and saving water consumption during high-pressure water flushing.

[0044] According to the above design, this invention can achieve fully automated intelligent flushing of clogged foam pipelines without affecting the normal operation of the foam pipelines. It can also automatically switch the connection between the high-pressure water flushing branch and the foam pipeline, and has the ability to handle multiple pipeline blockages simultaneously. It is equipped with an intelligent detection system to monitor the degree of unblocking in the foam pipeline in real time and determine whether the unblocking conditions have been met. When the pipeline is unblocked, the system automatically switches the liquid in the pipeline to a foam mixture for soil amendment, thereby effectively saving water consumption during the high-pressure water flushing process.

[0045] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A foam pipe unblocking system, characterized in that: It includes at least one high-pressure water flushing branch system (5), which is connected to N foam pipeline systems (1) via a switch valve (A10), where N ≥ 1. The N foam pipeline systems (1) are connected to a foam mixture assembly (12), which provides foam mixture to the N foam pipeline systems (1). The high-pressure water flushing branch system (5), the foam pipeline system (1), and the foam mixture assembly (12) are all connected to an external control system. The high-pressure water flushing branch system (5) is connected to the corresponding foam pipeline system (1) through the flushing pipeline (13), and the switch valve (A10) is set on the corresponding flushing pipeline (13); The high-pressure water flushing branch system (5) includes a water tank (507), and an inlet pipe and an outlet pipe (511) are connected to the water tank (507). The outlet pipe (511) is provided with a high-pressure water pump (505), a flow meter I (502) and a first check valve (501) in sequence along the outlet direction. The first check valve (501) is connected to the corresponding switch valve (A10). The foam pipeline system (1) includes a foam pipeline (1-1), on which a foam pump (108), a foam generator (104) and a pressure sensor are sequentially arranged along the liquid outlet direction. The pressure sensor is connected to an external control system. The foam pipeline (1-1) is equipped with a one-way valve group, which includes a front one-way valve (102) located in front of the foam generator (104). The pressure sensor includes a front pressure sensor (103), which is located between the front check valve (102) and the foam generator (104).

2. The foam pipe unblocking system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The switching valve (A10) is a solenoid valve or a servo valve; the switching valve (A10) corresponds one-to-one with the foam piping system (1).

3. The foam pipe unblocking system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The water outlet pipe (511) is also equipped with a first pressure sensor (504) and a first hydraulic ball valve (503), which are located between the high-pressure water pump (505) and the flow meter I (502); the water outlet pipe (511) is equipped with an overflow valve (506) connected in parallel with the high-pressure water pump (505).

4. The foam pipe unblocking system according to claim 3, characterized in that: The water tank (507) is equipped with a high liquid level sensor (509) and a low liquid level sensor (510), both of which are connected to an external control system.

5. The foam pipe unblocking system according to claim 4, characterized in that: The one-way valve assembly also includes a rear one-way valve (110), which is located between the foam generator (104) and the foam pump (108); a flow meter II (105) is provided between the rear one-way valve (110) and the foam generator (104).

6. The foam pipe unblocking system according to claim 5, characterized in that: The pressure sensor also includes a rear pressure sensor (107), which is located between the rear check valve (110) and the foam pump (108); a second hydraulic ball valve (106) is provided between the rear pressure sensor (107) and the rear check valve (110).

7. The foam pipe unblocking system according to claim 6, characterized in that: The foam mixture assembly (12) includes a foam mixture tank (7) and a foam raw material tank (11). The foam raw material tank (11) and the foam mixture tank (7) are connected by a foam filling pipeline (14). The foam filling pipeline (14) is provided with a metering pump (10), a flow meter III (9) and a second check valve (8) in sequence along the liquid flow direction. The foam mixture tank (7) is provided with a water inlet pipeline.

8. A method for unblocking foam pipes, characterized in that: Using the foam pipe unblocking system according to claim 7, the steps are as follows: S1: When the pressure sensor of the foam pipe system (1) detects an abnormal pressure in the foam pipe (1-1), it transmits the blockage signal to the PLC of the external control system; S2: When the PLC receives a blockage signal, it identifies the abnormal foam pipeline and sorts and numbers the abnormal foam pipeline; then it stops the foam pumps (108) on all abnormal foam pipelines. S3: Start the high-pressure water pump of the high-pressure water flushing branch system (5) and determine the abnormal foam pipeline to be treated according to priority; S4: Connect the high-pressure water flushing branch system (5) to the abnormal foam pipeline that needs to be treated. The flow meter I (502) on the high-pressure water flushing branch system (5) detects the flow rate in the water pipeline. If the flow rate does not meet the requirements within the set time, the system will automatically increase the pressure of the high-pressure water until the flow rate reaches the unblocking standard. S5: When the flow meter I (502) on the high-pressure water flushing branch system (5) meets the requirements, the PLC will disconnect the connection between the high-pressure water flushing branch system (5) and the abnormal foam pipeline and restart the foam pump on the abnormal foam pipeline. S6: Detect whether there is any pressure abnormality in other foam pipelines (1-1) according to the pressure sensor of the foam pipeline system (1). If there is no abnormality, stop the high-pressure water pump and complete the cleaning of the foam pipeline; if there is, repeat steps S4~S5.

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