Control unit, mining and construction drilling equipment and method for controlling cable arrangement in mining and construction drilling equipment

Abstract

A method for controlling the operation of a cable arrangement (30) for mining and construction drilling equipment (20). The control unit (10) rotates the cable arrangement (30) back and forth during drilling based on the obtained load data and / or sensor data.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The embodiments described herein relate to control units and methods performed therein. In particular, the embodiments described herein relate to controlling the operation of cable laying devices for mining and construction drilling equipment. Background Technology

[0002] Mining and drilling equipment, such as drilling rigs, that use large amounts of electricity from the mine's power grid require components sized specifically for power transmission. For example, the cables on a cable reel need to be sized to accommodate the current flowing through them, and overheating can occur if excessive current is flowing through the wires relative to the remaining windings on the reel. Another vulnerable point is the rotating contact point between the cable reel and the electrical system on the drilling rig to which the cable is attached. If too high a current is fed through the rotating contact point, there is a risk of arcing between the rotating and stationary parts of the contact. If the cable reel does not rotate for a period of time, the arc can melt these parts of the rotating contact point, which frequently occurs during drilling.

[0003] One known procedure for electronically controlling a reel assembly used to deploy cable, hose, or umbilical connections is the use of a system that may include an electronic control unit and an electro-pneumatic actuator. Sensors may be provided on the guide pulleys that direct the cable, hose, or umbilical connection to the blowout preventer (BOP) assembly. The sensors may provide the electronic control unit with information such as measured line tension and / or the length of the deployed cable, hose, or umbilical connection.

[0004] Another known solution to the problems of uneven cable arrangement, uneven rotation speed of the drive control disc, insufficient protection of the slip ring box, and easy jamming during the cable guiding process in existing cable reels is a cable reel with a controller that can be adjusted to regulate the winding speed of the cable reel. When the moving cable is unwound or only a few turns remain to be wound, the speed of the cable reel drive motor will be automatically reduced.

[0005] This disclosure presents a method for addressing the problems described above and an improved feasible solution for the control unit. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of the embodiments described herein is to control the operation of the cable laying device in an effective and reliable manner.

[0007] According to one aspect of the embodiments herein, this objective is achieved by a method executed by a control unit for controlling the operation of a cable laying device for mining and construction drilling equipment. The control unit rotates the cable laying device back and forth during drilling based on collected load data and / or sensor data.

[0008] This method enables control over the rotation of the cable laying device, preventing overheating and reducing energy consumption. It also prevents parts of the cable laying device (e.g., rotating contact points) from fusing together. Therefore, by rotating the cable laying device back and forth, an increased lifespan can be achieved for parts of the device. This also allows for the delivery of higher currents through parts of the cable laying device, such as rotating contact points.

[0009] According to one embodiment, sensor data can be obtained from one or more sensors located on the cable laying device.

[0010] According to one embodiment, load data can be obtained from the control system of mining and construction drilling equipment.

[0011] According to one embodiment, the cable laying device may include a cable, and obtaining sensor data from one or more sensors located on the cable laying device may include collecting data related to one or more of the measured current, voltage, temperature, and number of coils of the cable.

[0012] According to one embodiment, obtaining load data from the control system of mining and construction drilling equipment may include: collecting data related to the load of the mining and construction drilling equipment.

[0013] According to one embodiment, the cable laying device can rotate according to a predetermined pattern.

[0014] According to one embodiment, when the obtained load data and / or sensor data are invalid, the cable laying device can rotate according to a predetermined pattern.

[0015] According to one embodiment, the cable laying device can be rotated by at least one motor.

[0016] According to one embodiment, at least one motor may be electrically controlled or hydraulically controlled.

[0017] According to one embodiment, the cable laying device can rotate back and forth based on the length of the cable.

[0018] According to another aspect of the embodiments herein, this objective is achieved by providing a control unit configured to control the operation of a cable laying device for mining and construction drilling equipment. This control unit is configured to rotate the cable laying device back and forth during drilling based on acquired load data and / or sensor data.

[0019] According to another aspect of the embodiments described herein, this objective is achieved by providing mining and construction drilling equipment including a control system.

[0020] The embodiments described herein are based on the understanding that controlling the rotation of the cable laying device based on collected load data and / or sensor data can prevent overheating of the cable laying device and reduce energy consumption. Therefore, the operation of the cable laying device can be controlled in an effective and reliable manner. Attached Figure Description

[0021] Other objects and advantages of the invention, as well as technical features, will become apparent from the following description of one or more embodiments given with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0022] Figure 1 This is an illustrative overview based on the embodiments described herein;

[0023] Figure 2 It is a flowchart depicting a method according to embodiments herein; and

[0024] Figure 3 This is a schematic block diagram illustrating an embodiment of the control system.

[0025] It should be noted that the accompanying drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, and for clarity, the dimensions of some components may be exaggerated. Detailed Implementation

[0026] The invention is described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying figures, in which examples of embodiments are shown. The invention is not limited to the described examples of embodiments; rather, it is defined by the appended claims. The same numbers in the figures always refer to the same elements.

[0027] Figure 1 The illustration shows a schematic overview of a cable arrangement 30 for a mining and construction drilling rig 20, as described in this document. The cable arrangement 30 can be, for example, a cable reel. The cable arrangement 30 can include power cables arranged to be wound around a drum (not shown). The cable arrangement 30 can include cable connectors. The cable arrangement 30 can be located on the mining and construction drilling rig 20, preferably at the rear of the drilling rig 20, but the cable arrangement 30 can also be separate.

[0028] Figure 1A control unit 10 is further illustrated, which can be used to perform or partially perform the methods described herein and can be located in cloud 80. Control unit 10 can be a control unit of cable laying apparatus 20, such as a cable reel controller (CRC). For simplicity, control unit 10 is illustrated as a single unit; however, it can also include multiple control units 10. The control unit can be a control system. Control unit 10 can be a computer or part of a computer, a server, a controller, a microprocessor, etc., and can be located on or outside the cable laying apparatus in one or more locations, and implemented in cloud 80. Figure 1 The control system 50 of the mining and construction drilling equipment 20 is further shown, for example, a machine control system (MCS).

[0029] Now refer to Figure 2 The flowcharts depicted herein describe method actions performed by a control unit 10 for controlling the operation of a cable laying device 30 (e.g., controlling the cable laying device 30) of a mining and construction drilling rig 20, according to embodiments herein. These actions are not necessarily performed in the order stated below, but may be performed in any suitable order. In some embodiments, the performed actions are marked with dashed boxes.

[0030] Action 201. To avoid consuming unnecessary energy, the control unit 10 requires at least one information source. Therefore, the control unit 10 can obtain sensor data from one or more sensors located on or attached to the cable laying device 30. The one or more sensors may be located on, in, and / or connected to the cable laying device 30 and / or the mining and construction drilling equipment 20, and / or connected to the cable laying device 30 and / or the mining and construction drilling equipment 20 (e.g., functionally connected to the cable laying device 30 and / or the mining and construction drilling equipment 20).

[0031] According to some embodiments, the cable laying device 30 may include a cable, and obtaining sensor data from one or more sensors located on or attached to the cable laying device 30 may include collecting data related to one or more of the measured current, voltage, temperature, humidity, and number of coils of the cable. Therefore, sensor data (e.g., collected or received data related to the measured current, voltage, temperature, and humidity of the cable of the cable laying device 30) can be obtained through the control unit 10.

[0032] Acquiring sensor data can involve receiving sensor data from one or more sensors. Therefore, sensor data can be transmitted from one or more sensors, for example, organized by a communication unit that can be connected to, coupled to, or attached to the cable laying device 30 and / or the mining and construction drilling equipment 20. Thus, acquiring sensor data can further involve receiving sensor data at the control unit 10.

[0033] Action 202. Another source of information could be data on the current load on the construction and mining drilling rig 20, which could be provided by the separate control system of the construction and mining drilling rig. Therefore, the control unit 10 can obtain load data from the control system 50 of the mining and construction drilling rig 20. According to some embodiments, obtaining load data from the control system 50 of the mining and construction drilling rig 20 can include collecting data related to the load of the mining and construction drilling rig 20. Examples of collecting load data of the mining and construction drilling rig 20 can include collecting data on one or more of the following: drilling cycle, trolley transport, charging, battery-free operation, and rock hardening operations.

[0034] Action 203. The control unit 10, based on acquired load data and / or sensor data, dynamically and / or automatically rotates the cable arrangement device 30 back and forth during drilling, for example. According to some embodiments, the control unit 10 may rotate the cable arrangement device 30 back and forth during other power-demanding operations such as tram transport, charging, battery-free operation, or rock hardening operations, based on acquired load data and / or sensor data. The cable arrangement device 30 may rotate with small movements. According to some embodiments, the cable arrangement device 30 may rotate with small movements relative to the length of the cable of the cable arrangement device 30. Therefore, the control unit 10 may determine how to rotate the cable arrangement device 30 back and forth during drilling based on acquired load data and / or sensor data. The control unit 10 may also determine how to rotate the cable arrangement device 30 back and forth during drilling based on other power-demanding operations. Therefore, the control unit 10 may also determine how much, how actively, at what speed, and in what mode the cable arrangement device 30 may rotate back and forth during drilling based on acquired load data and / or sensor data or based on other power-demanding operations. This determination can be based on a combination of acquired sensor data and load data. The drilling can be high-pressure jet drilling and / or high-efficiency process drilling.

[0035] The control unit 10 can automatically (e.g., dynamically) rotate the cable laying device 30 back and forth during drilling based on acquired load data and / or sensor data. Therefore, the back-and-forth rotation of the cable laying device (e.g., rotation mode) can be dynamically controlled depending on parameters such as the load on the mining and construction drilling equipment 20 and / or the cable laying device 30, the temperature, current, voltage, design of the cable laying device 30, and inputs from the control system 50 of the mining and construction drilling equipment 20.

[0036] Data that can be processed by the control unit 10 (e.g., in real time) can be transmitted to the control system 50 of the mining and construction drilling equipment 20 so as not to exceed the capacity of the cable laying device 30 and to provide accurate information, which achieves reduced power consumption.

[0037] According to some embodiments, the cable laying device 30 can rotate according to a predetermined pattern. The cable laying device 30 can rotate according to a predetermined pattern when the obtained load data and / or sensor data are invalid (e.g., illegal or missing). Rotation of the cable laying device 30 according to the predetermined pattern can be performed without considering the current flowing through the cable laying device 30. There may be a maximum limit to the effects that can be achieved when the cable laying device 30 is rotated according to the predetermined pattern.

[0038] The cable laying device 30 can be rotated by at least one motor (e.g., a drive motor). The number of motors used may depend on the design (e.g., construction) of the cable laying device 30. The at least one motor may be electrically controlled or hydraulically controlled. According to some embodiments, the cable laying device 30 can rotate back and forth based on (e.g., relative to) the length of the cable.

[0039] When used herein, one or more sensors may include, for example, one or more of a temperature sensor, humidity sensor, voltage sensor, current sensor, and proximity sensor. These and other sensors may provide real-time data collection to control unit 10 and / or control system 50. For example, data may be transmitted from one or more of the sensors to control unit 10. Control unit 10 can then use the data for analysis and to determine how to rotate the cable arrangement device in the most useful manner.

[0040] Therefore, by rotating the cable laying device back and forth based on the obtained load data and / or sensor data, an increased service life can be achieved for parts of the cable laying device 30 (such as rotating contacts), because the risk of fusion of these parts of the cable laying device 30 can be reduced, and higher current can be fed through these parts of the cable laying device 30.

[0041] Figure 3The block diagram illustrates detailed, but non-limiting, examples of how the control unit 10 can be constructed to implement the above-described solutions and embodiments thereof. The control unit 10 can be configured to operate as appropriate according to any of the examples and embodiments employing the solutions described herein. The control unit 10 is shown as including a processor "P", a memory "M", and a communication circuit "C" having suitable means for sending and receiving data, information, and messages in the manner described herein.

[0042] Therefore, the communication circuit C in the control unit 10 includes devices configured to communicate using a suitable communication protocol depending on the implementation. Data communication links between different parts of the control unit 10 can utilize one or more different types of wired or wireless links, such as, for example, Digital Subscriber Line (DSL), xDSL, 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G TCP / IP, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, WiMax, Wireless Local Loop (WLL), Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), fiber optic, LoRa, LoRaWAN, Low Power Wide Area Network (LPWA), or combinations thereof. However, this solution is not limited to any particular type of message or protocol. For example, the control unit 10 may be adapted to communicate with a control center or the control system of a mining and construction drilling rig 50 for controlling the cable laying apparatus 30 described herein.

[0043] The control unit 10 is configured or arranged, for example, by means of a unit or module, to perform the following Figure 2 At least some of the actions in the flowchart. The control unit 10 is configured to control the operation of the cable laying device 30 of the mining and construction drilling equipment 20. Figure 2 All or at least some of the actions in the flowchart can also be executed by the control system 50.

[0044] Control unit 10 is configured to acquire sensor data from one or more sensors located on or attached to cable laying device 30. As illustrated in action 201, this operation can be performed by acquisition module 300A in control system 10. Cable laying device 30 may include cables, and acquiring sensor data from one or more sensors located on mining and construction drilling equipment 20 may include collecting data related to one or more of the following: measured current, voltage, temperature, and number of coils of the cable.

[0045] The control unit 10 may be further configured to obtain load data from the control system 50 of the mining and construction drilling rig 20. As illustrated in action 202, this operation may be performed by the collection module 300A within the control unit 10. Obtaining load data from the control system 50 may include collecting data related to the load of the mining and construction drilling rig 20.

[0046] Control unit 10 can be configured to rotate cable laying device 30 back and forth during drilling based on acquired load data and / or sensor data. As illustrated in action 203, this operation can be performed by rotation module 300B within control unit 10. Control unit 10 can rotate cable laying device 30 back and forth during other power-demanding operations such as trolley transport, charging, battery-free operation, or rock hardening operations, based on acquired load data and / or sensor data. Control unit 10 can be adapted to rotate cable laying device 30 according to a predetermined pattern. When the acquired load data and / or sensor data is invalid, control unit 10 can be adapted to rotate cable laying device 30 according to a predetermined pattern. Cable laying device 30 can rotate back and forth based on cable length. Drilling can be high-pressure jet drilling and / or high-efficiency process drilling.

[0047] It should be noted that Figure 3 The diagram illustrates various functional modules within the control unit 10, and those skilled in the art can implement these functional modules in practice using suitable software and hardware. Therefore, the solution is generally not limited to the structure of the illustrated control unit 10, and the functional modules therein can be configured to operate as appropriate according to any of the features, examples, and embodiments described in this disclosure.

[0048] The aforementioned functional modules 300A to 300B can be implemented in the control unit 10 via program modules comprising computer programs including code means. When executed by the processor P, the code means cause the control system 10 to perform the aforementioned actions and steps. The processor P may include a single central processing unit (CPU), or may include two or more processing units. For example, the processor P may include a general-purpose microprocessor, an instruction set processor and / or an associated chipset, and / or a special-purpose microprocessor such as an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC). The processor P may also include memory for caching purposes.

[0049] The computer program can be carried in the form of a computer program product in the control unit 10, which has a computer-readable medium and is connected to the processor P. Therefore, the computer program product or memory M in the control unit 10 includes a computer-readable medium on which the computer program is stored, for example, in the form of computer program modules. For example, the memory M can be flash memory, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), or electrically erasable programmable ROM (EEPROM), and in alternative embodiments, the program modules can be distributed across different computer program products in the form of memory within the control unit 10.

[0050] While the solution has been described with reference to specific exemplary embodiments, this description is generally intended only to illustrate the concept of the invention and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the solution. For example, the terms "sensor data," "load data," and "cable arrangement device" have been used throughout this disclosure, although any other corresponding entity, function, and / or parameter having the features and characteristics described herein may also be used. The solution is defined by the appended claims.

[0051] It will be understood that the above description and figures represent non-limiting examples of the methods and arrangements taught herein. Therefore, the arrangements and techniques taught herein are not limited to the above description and figures. Rather, the embodiments herein are limited only by the following claims and their legal equivalents.

Claims

1. A method for controlling the operation of a cable arrangement (30) of a mining and construction drilling rig (20), wherein, The method comprises: rotating (203) the cable arrangement (30) back and forth during drilling based on obtained load data and / or sensor data.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: obtaining (201) the sensor data from one or more sensors located on or attached to the cable arrangement (30); and / or obtaining (202) the load data from a control system (50) of the mining and construction drilling rig (20).

3. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein, The cable arrangement (30) comprises a cable, and wherein obtaining (201) the sensor data from one or more sensors located on the cable arrangement (30) comprises collecting data related to one or more of measured current, voltage, temperature and number of windings of the cable.

4. The method of any one of claims 1-3, wherein, Obtaining (202) the load data from the control system (50) of the mining and construction drilling rig (20) comprises collecting data related to load of the mining and construction drilling rig (20).

5. The method of any one of claims 1-4, wherein, The cable arrangement (30) is rotated according to a predetermined pattern.

6. The method of any one of claims 1-5, wherein, The cable arrangement (30) is rotated according to a predetermined pattern when the obtained load data and / or sensor data is invalid.

7. The method of any one of claims 1-6, wherein, The cable arrangement (30) is rotated by at least one motor.

8. The method of any one of claims 1-7, wherein, The at least one motor is electrically or hydraulically controlled.

9. The method of any one of claims 3-8, wherein, The cable arrangement (30) is rotated back and forth based on length of the cable.

10. The method of any one of claims 1-9, wherein, The drilling is high pressure jet drilling and / or high efficiency jet drilling.

11. A control unit (10) configured to control operation of a cable arrangement device (30) of a mining and construction drilling rig (20), wherein, The control node (10) is further configured to: rotating (203) the cable arrangement (30) back and forth during drilling based on obtained load data and / or sensor data.

12. The control unit (10) according to claim 11, wherein The control unit (10) is further configured to: obtain the sensor data from one or more sensors located on or attached to the cable arrangement (30); and / or obtain the load data from a control system (50) of the mining and construction drilling rig (20).

13. The control unit (10) according to claim 11 or 12, wherein The cable arrangement (30) comprises a cable, and wherein obtaining (201) the sensor data from one or more sensors located on the mining and construction drilling rig (20) comprises collecting data related to one or more of measured current, voltage, temperature and number of windings of the cable.

14. The control unit (10) according to any one of claims 11-13, wherein, Obtaining (202) the load data from the control system (50) comprises collecting data related to load of the mining and construction drilling rig (20).

15. The control unit (10) according to any one of claims 11-14, wherein, The control unit (10) is adapted to rotate the cable arrangement (30) according to a predetermined pattern.

16. The control unit (10) according to any one of claims 11-15, wherein, The control unit (10) is configured to rotate the cable arrangement (30) according to a predetermined pattern when the obtained load data and / or sensor data is invalid.

17. The control unit (10) according to any one of claims 13-16, wherein, The cable arrangement (30) is rotated back and forth based on length of the cable.

18. A mining and construction drilling rig (20) comprising a control unit (10) according to any one of claims 11-17.

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