Automatic slag slurry separating and transferring system and method for vertical shaft TBM tunneling machine

Abstract

The invention discloses a system and a method for automatically separating and transferring slag slurry of a vertical shaft TBM (Tunnel Boring Machine). The system comprises a slag slurry conveying and crushing unit, a vacuum-electroosmosis combined separation unit, a slag material rotary collection unit and an air pressure transfer and control unit, and full-process automation of slag slurry extraction, crushing, solid-liquid separation, slag material collection and air pressure transfer is achieved through cooperation of all the units. The method comprises the following steps: extending into slag slurry through a telescopic pipe, conveying the slag slurry to a stirring bin through a centrifugal pump, crushing particles with the particle size of more than 50mm, reducing the water content of slag through vacuum-electroosmosis combined separation, recycling clear water, continuously collecting the slag through a three-barrel rotary collecting unit, and finally transferring the slag to the ground through cooperation of double pumps and air pressure. And the pressure sensor and the automatic pressure increasing valve are linked to guarantee stable long-distance conveying. The separation efficiency can be improved, the automation degree is high, and potential safety hazards and construction cost are reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of TBM tunneling machine technology, specifically to an automated slurry separation and transfer system and method for vertical shaft TBM tunneling machines. Background Technology

[0002] During vertical shaft TBM excavation, the cutterhead generates a large amount of slag-containing slurry when cutting through rock strata. If not handled promptly, this slurry can easily accumulate, affecting excavation efficiency and potentially causing equipment jamming and deterioration of the underground environment. Therefore, slurry separation and slag transfer are crucial for ensuring continuous construction.

[0003] The current mainstream solution in the industry is a combination of "centrifugal pump + vibrating screen" for slurry separation and "motor-driven rope bucket" for slag transfer. Although this can achieve basic processing, it has many insurmountable drawbacks, as follows: First, in the slurry separation stage, there are problems such as low separation efficiency: sticky slag easily clogs the screen, requiring frequent manual shutdowns for cleaning, interrupting the separation process and slowing down the construction progress; high cost: high equipment purchase costs, high energy consumption due to the high power operation of the centrifugal pump, and the vibrating screen screen being a vulnerable part that needs to be replaced regularly, increasing maintenance costs; and low automation: manual monitoring of equipment operation status and troubleshooting are required, making unmanned operation impossible.

[0004] Secondly, in the slag transfer process, there are several problems: low transfer efficiency: the transfer volume per trip is limited by the volume of the drum, the drum is prone to shaking during lifting and lowering and needs to be controlled, the transfer volume per unit time is small and it is difficult to match the needs of large-scale construction; poor safety: the rope is prone to wear and fatigue breakage due to long-term load-bearing, and the drum falling from a height or motor failure may threaten the lives of construction workers; and cumbersome operation process: manual assistance is required for loading, hooking and unloading of slag, which cannot be automated and the labor intensity is high.

[0005] In summary, the shortcomings of existing solutions in terms of efficiency, cost, automation, and safety have become key bottlenecks restricting the improvement of the quality and efficiency of vertical shaft TBM construction, and there is an urgent need to optimize the technical solutions to solve these problems. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of this invention is to propose an automated slurry separation and transfer system and method for vertical shaft TBM tunneling machines, in order to solve the problems existing in the prior art.

[0007] The technical solution adopted by this invention is as follows: Firstly, this invention proposes an automated slurry separation and transfer system for vertical shaft TBM tunneling machines, comprising:

[0008] A slurry conveying and crushing unit includes a slurry conveying module and a slurry crushing module. The slurry conveying module includes a slurry pipe and a slurry centrifugal pump, with the centrifugal pump connected to the upper part of the slurry pipe. The slurry crushing module includes a mixing chamber, a twin-shaft spiral agitator, and a mixing chamber outlet. The upper part of the mixing chamber is connected to the upper opening of the slurry pipe. The twin-shaft spiral agitator is installed inside the mixing chamber, and the mixing chamber outlet is located at the bottom of the mixing chamber.

[0009] A vacuum-electroosmosis combined separation unit includes a separation chamber, a water ring vacuum pump, a filter cloth, and a water collection chamber. The separation chamber is connected to the discharge port pipeline of the mixing chamber. The filter cloth is horizontally arranged inside the separation chamber. The water ring vacuum pump is located below the filter cloth. The water collection chamber is connected to the lower pipeline of the separation chamber.

[0010] The slag rotary collection unit includes a processing platform, a slag bucket, a ratchet rotation mechanism, and a servo motor. The servo motor and the ratchet rotation mechanism are located below the processing platform and are used to drive the processing platform to rotate. At least one slag bucket is fixed on the processing platform.

[0011] The pneumatic transfer and control unit includes a slag pipe, a screw air compressor, and a piston booster pump. The screw air compressor is connected to the upper part of the slag pipe, and the piston booster pump is installed on the processing platform and connected to the slag barrel body pipeline via a slag barrel control valve.

[0012] As a further improvement of the present invention, the slurry conveying module further includes a first telescopic pipe and a first screw motor. The first telescopic pipe is located at the bottom of the slurry pipe, and its upper opening is fitted inside the slurry pipe. The tail end of the first screw motor is fixedly connected to the body of the slurry pipe, and a nut is threaded onto the screw. The nut is connected to the body of the first telescopic pipe, thereby driving the first telescopic pipe to perform telescopic movement relative to the slurry pipe.

[0013] As a further improvement of the present invention, the vacuum-electroosmosis combined separation unit further includes an electrode plate and a low-voltage DC power supply. The two sets of electrode plates are respectively placed on both sides of the bottom of the separation chamber and above the filter cloth. Each set of electrode plates includes an anode plate and a cathode plate, and an insulating pad is provided between the anode plate and the cathode plate. The low-voltage DC power supply is electrically connected to the electrode plate.

[0014] As a further improvement of the present invention, the vacuum-electroosmosis combined unit also includes a scraper and a push rod motor. The push rod motor is fixed to the side wall of the separation chamber by a fixing frame. The scraper is located inside the separation chamber, above the filter cloth, and connected to the push rod end of the push rod motor, and is used to push the material residue after solid-liquid separation out of the discharge port into the separation chamber.

[0015] As a further improvement of the present invention, the slag rotary collection unit also includes an infrared level sensor, which is installed on the outer wall of the slag bucket at a height of four-fifths of the bucket bottom.

[0016] As a further improvement of the present invention, there are three slag buckets, which are arranged at intervals with the rotation center of the processing platform as the center.

[0017] As a further improvement of the present invention, the pneumatic transfer and control unit further includes a second telescopic tube and a second lead screw motor. The second telescopic tube is located at the bottom of the slag pipe and is sleeved with the slag pipe. The second lead screw motor is used to cause the second telescopic tube to extend or retract relative to the slag pipe.

[0018] As a further improvement of the present invention, the pneumatic transfer and control unit also includes at least one automatic booster valve installed on the slag pipe, and a pressure sensor is provided next to the automatic booster pump.

[0019] Secondly, the present invention also proposes an automated separation and transfer method for slurry from a vertical shaft TBM tunneling machine, used in the aforementioned automated separation and transfer system for slurry from a vertical shaft TBM tunneling machine. The method includes the following steps:

[0020] Step S1: Start the slurry conveying process, and then proceed with crushing, specifically as follows:

[0021] Step S11: Drive the first lead screw motor to extend the first telescopic pipe into the slurry inside the vertical shaft;

[0022] Step S12: Start the slurry centrifugal pump to extract the slurry in the vertical shaft through the slurry pipe and transport it to the mixing chamber of the slurry crushing module;

[0023] Step S13: Start the twin-shaft spiral mixer. Through the counter-rotating twin shafts, shearing, squeezing and mixing, the particles with a diameter greater than 50mm in the slurry are crushed. The crushed slurry is discharged through the discharge port of the mixing chamber.

[0024] Step S2: The crushed slurry undergoes solid-liquid separation treatment, specifically as follows:

[0025] Step S21: Send the crushed slurry into the separation chamber, start the water ring vacuum pump to form a negative pressure under the filter cloth, and accelerate the slurry to pass through the filter cloth to complete the initial solid-liquid separation.

[0026] Step S22: Start the low-voltage DC power supply and apply low-voltage DC power to the electrode plate to further reduce the moisture content of the slag material by utilizing the electroosmosis effect.

[0027] Step S23: The separated clean water is guided through a pipeline to the water collection tank, and then returned to the TBM cooling system or the slurry dilution stage for recycling.

[0028] Step S24: After water removal is completed, raise the discharge plate and open the discharge port to scrape out the slag using a scraper.

[0029] Step S3: Collect and process the separated slag, specifically as follows:

[0030] Step S31: The separated slag falls into the slag bucket of the processing platform. The infrared material level sensor detects whether the slag in the bucket has accumulated to four-fifths of the height of the inner wall.

[0031] Step S32: When the infrared level sensor sends a full barrel signal, the scraper stops conveying material and the discharge plate descends to close the discharge port;

[0032] Step S33: Drive the servo motor to rotate, and drive the processing platform to rotate through the ratchet mechanism. Move the full barrel to the pneumatic conveying station, and rotate the empty barrel to the bottom of the scraper slag discharge port. Restart the scraper and raise the discharge plate to resume slag collection.

[0033] Step S4: The collected slag is pneumatically transferred to the ground, specifically as follows:

[0034] Step S41: Start the second screw motor to drive the second telescopic tube to descend vertically until the end of the pipe is inserted into the slag bucket to a preset depth. The inner wall of the upper opening of the slag bucket is sealed with a sealing ring.

[0035] Step S42: Simultaneously start the screw air compressor and the piston booster pump. The negative pressure high-pressure airflow generated by the screw air compressor and the positive pressure high-pressure airflow generated by the piston booster pump will push the slag through the slag pipe to the ground.

[0036] As a further improvement of the present invention, in step S4, multiple automatic pressure boosting valves and pressure sensors are linked on the slag pipes at different heights. When the detected pressure is <0.4MPa, the pressure is automatically replenished to complete the long-distance transfer.

[0037] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following technical advantages:

[0038] 1. This invention adopts a vacuum-electroosmosis combined separation technology, that is, the vacuum pump absorbs water under negative pressure and the electrode plate collects water, which avoids the problem of screen blockage caused by sticky slag in traditional vibrating screens from the root. Compared with the existing solution, the separation efficiency is increased by more than 50%, and the moisture content of the separated slag is greatly reduced, eliminating the need for additional secondary dewatering treatment and directly meeting the subsequent transportation requirements, further simplifying the construction process.

[0039] 2. This invention achieves continuous, uninterrupted collection of excavated material through an automated rotary drum-changing design. Combined with a pneumatic transfer mode using a screw air compressor and a piston booster pump, the transfer volume per unit time is 3-4 times higher than the traditional "motor-driven rope drum" method. This transfer capacity can perfectly match the excavated material output of large-scale vertical shaft TBM excavation, effectively preventing excavated material accumulation and significantly shortening the construction cycle.

[0040] 3. This invention achieves automatic connection of the entire process from slag extraction, crushing, vacuum-electroosmosis separation to slag material rotation collection and pneumatic transfer through the control system; the infrared material level sensor can accurately detect the capacity of the slag material bucket and trigger the platform to rotate and change buckets, and the pressure sensor can regulate the start and stop of the pneumatic transfer in real time. No manual intervention is required, and only 1-2 staff members are needed to monitor the operation of the equipment on the ground. The automation coverage exceeds 90%, which is in line with the development trend of intelligent and unmanned modern construction.

[0041] 4. This invention can reduce direct contact between personnel and underground rotating equipment and high-voltage electrical appliances, effectively avoiding mechanical failures and the risk of electric shock; it replaces the traditional "motor rope bucket lifting" mode with pneumatic transfer, completely eliminating safety hazards such as rope wear and breakage and bucket falling from height; the slag bucket and pipeline adopt a sealed design to prevent slag spillage, which can reduce the incidence of construction safety accidents to zero and provide reliable safety protection for underground construction personnel. Attached Figure Description

[0042] The present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0043] Figure 1 This is a location diagram of the automated slurry separation and transfer system for vertical shaft TBM tunneling machines according to the present invention;

[0044] Figure 2 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the automated slurry separation and transfer system for vertical shaft TBM tunneling machines of the present invention;

[0045] Figure 3 This is a front view of the automated slurry separation and transfer system for vertical shaft TBM tunneling machines of the present invention;

[0046] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the slurry conveying module of the present invention;

[0047] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the slurry crushing module of the present invention;

[0048] Figure 6 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the solid-liquid separation unit of the present invention;

[0049] Figure 7 This is a front view of the solid-liquid separation unit of the present invention;

[0050] Figure 8 This is a three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of the slag rotary collection unit of the present invention;

[0051] Figure 9 This is a front view of the slag rotary collection unit of the present invention;

[0052] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the pneumatic transfer and control unit of the present invention;

[0053] Figure 11 This is a flowchart of the automated separation and transfer method for slurry from a vertical shaft TBM tunneling machine according to the present invention;

[0054] Figure 12 This is a flowchart of the solid-liquid separation process of the present invention;

[0055] Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram of the electroosmosis process.

[0056] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached drawings: 1-Slurry conveying module; 101-Slurry pipe; 102-Slurry centrifugal pump; 103-First telescopic pipe; 104-First screw motor; 2-Slurry crushing module; 201-Mixing chamber; 202-Twin-shaft spiral agitator; 203-Mixing chamber outlet; 3-Vacuum-electroosmosis combined separation unit; 301-Separation chamber body; 302-Low-voltage DC power supply; 303-Water collection chamber; 304-Water ring vacuum pump; 305-Scraper; 306-Filter cloth; 307-Electrode plate; 308 - Discharge plate; 309 - Push rod motor; 4 - Slag rotation collection unit; 401 - Processing platform; 402 - Slag bucket; 403 - Infrared level sensor; 404 - Ratchet mechanism; 405 - Servo motor; 406 - Slag bucket control valve; 5 - Pneumatic transfer and control unit; 501 - Second telescopic pipe; 502 - Slag pipe; 503 - Automatic booster valve; 504 - Pressure sensor; 505 - Screw air compressor; 506 - Second lead screw motor; 507 - Piston booster pump. Detailed Implementation

[0057] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of the present invention. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the described embodiments of the present invention are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0058] Figure 1 The location of the automated slurry separation and transfer system for vertical shaft TBM tunneling machines of the present invention is shown.

[0059] Please refer to Figure 2 and Figure 3The present invention provides an automated slurry separation and transfer system for a vertical shaft TBM tunneling machine, comprising: a slurry conveying and crushing unit, a solid-liquid separation unit, a slurry rotation collection unit 4, and a pneumatic transfer and control unit 5.

[0060] Please refer to Figure 4 and Figure 5 The slurry conveying and crushing unit includes a slurry conveying module 1 and a slurry crushing module 2. The slurry conveying module 1 includes a slurry pipe 101 and a slurry centrifugal pump 102, with the centrifugal pump 102 connected to the upper part of the slurry pipe 101. The slurry crushing module 2 includes a mixing chamber 201, a twin-shaft spiral agitator 202, and a mixing chamber outlet 203. The upper part of the mixing chamber 201 is connected to the upper opening of the slurry pipe 101. The twin-shaft spiral agitator 202 is installed inside the mixing chamber 201, and the mixing chamber outlet 203 is located at the bottom of the mixing chamber 201. The slurry conveying module 1 also includes a first telescopic pipe 103 and a first screw motor 104. The first telescopic pipe 103 is located at the bottom of the slurry pipe 101, with its upper opening fitted inside the slurry pipe 101. The tail end of the first screw motor 104 is fixedly connected to the body of the slurry pipe 101, and a nut is threaded onto the screw. The nut is connected to the body of the first telescopic pipe 103, driving the first telescopic pipe 103 to extend and retract relative to the slurry pipe 101. The slurry conveying and crushing unit is the front-end stage of slurry treatment. Its core function is to efficiently convey the slurry in the vertical shaft to the treatment system and complete the crushing of the slurry, laying the foundation for subsequent separation processes. The slurry centrifugal pump 102 extraction unit uses a high-flow, highly wear-resistant slurry centrifugal pump. Its impeller is made of high-chromium alloy material, which can withstand the erosion and wear of hard particles in the slurry, extending the service life of the equipment. The flow rate of the centrifugal pump needs to be precisely matched with the TBM's tunneling rate, typically set to 1.2-1.5 times the maximum slurry production of the TBM, ensuring that slurry does not accumulate in the shaft. The head needs to comprehensively consider the shaft depth, pipeline friction loss, and local resistance losses to ensure stable delivery of slurry to the platform processing system. The mixing chamber 201 adopts a flat structure, internally equipped with parallel-arranged twin-shaft spiral mixers 202. The two spiral shafts rotate in opposite directions, and the interlocking spiral blades form a shearing and crushing zone. When the slurry enters the mixing chamber, the twin-shaft spirals generate strong shearing, squeezing, and mixing effects through high-speed rotation (set to 30-50 r / min), crushing particles larger than 50 mm in the slurry to the required size. The chamber body is made of wear-resistant stainless steel, with wear-resistant liners on the inner wall to further enhance the equipment's wear resistance.

[0061] Please refer to Figure 6 and Figure 7The vacuum-electroosmosis combined separation unit 3 includes a separation chamber 301, a water ring vacuum pump 304, a filter cloth 306, and a water collection chamber 303. The separation chamber 301 is connected to the discharge port 203 of the mixing chamber via a pipeline. The filter cloth 306 is horizontally arranged inside the separation chamber 301, and the water ring vacuum pump 304 is located below the filter cloth 306. The water collection chamber 303 is connected to the lower pipeline of the separation chamber 301 via a pipeline. The vacuum-electroosmosis combined unit 3 also includes electrode plates 307 and a low-voltage DC power supply 302. Two sets of electrode plates 307 are respectively set at the bottom inner side of the separation chamber and above the filter cloth 306. Each set of electrode plates has an anode plate and a cathode plate, with the anode plate on top and the cathode plate on the bottom, with an insulating pad in between. The low-voltage DC power supply 302 is electrically connected to the two sets of electrode plates 307. The core function of the vacuum-electroosmosis combined unit 3 is to achieve the goal of efficient solid-liquid separation of the slurry, effectively reducing the moisture content of the slurry, and creating favorable conditions for subsequent slurry collection and transportation. The separation chamber 301 is internally divided into two main areas: a "separation zone" and a "water collection zone." A filter cloth assembly is laid at the bottom of the separation zone, while the water collection zone is connected to a vacuum generator via pipes. During operation, a water-ring vacuum pump 304 creates a negative pressure environment in the separation zone, accelerating the passage of slurry through the filter cloth assembly, thus completing the initial solid-liquid separation. The separated clean water, collected in the water collection zone, can be reused in TBM cooling or slurry dilution processes, achieving water resource recycling. Anode and cathode plates are arranged above the filter cloth in the separation zone. The electrode plates 307 are made of titanium alloy to prevent corrosion. The electrode spacing is precisely designed according to the width of the separation chamber. During operation, a low-voltage direct current is applied, and the electroosmotic effect causes water molecules in the slurry to move towards the cathode, further reducing the moisture content of the slurry and significantly improving the actual solid-liquid separation effect.

[0062] Please refer to Figure 8 and Figure 9The slurry rotary collection unit 4 includes a processing platform 401, a slurry bucket 402, a ratchet rotation mechanism 404, and a servo motor 405. The servo motor 405 and the ratchet rotation mechanism 404 are located below the processing platform 401 and are used to drive the processing platform 401 to rotate. At least one slurry bucket 402 is fixed on the processing platform 401. The slurry rotary collection unit 4 also includes an infrared level sensor 404, which is installed on the outer wall of the slurry bucket 402 at a height of four-fifths of the bucket bottom. In this embodiment, there are three slurry buckets 402, arranged at 120-degree intervals with the rotation center of the processing platform 401 as the center. The slurry rotary collection unit 4 is used to realize the continuous collection of slurry after separation, avoiding system shutdown due to overflow of a single bucket. The three slurry buckets 402 are distributed in an equilateral triangle on the processing platform. The volume of the buckets is accurately calculated and determined according to the amount of slurry generated, which can meet the slurry collection needs for 1-2 hours. Furthermore, the opening of the bucket is precisely aligned with the slag outlet at the bottom of the separation box. The servo motor 406 drives the ratchet to rotate the platform in 120° increments. An infrared level sensor 403 is installed at four-fifths of the height of the inner wall of each slag bucket 402. The sensor uses a diffuse reflection detection principle, with a detection distance of 0.3-1m and an accuracy of ±2mm. When the slag accumulates in the bucket to the sensor detection position, the sensor sends a signal to the control system. The control system drives the servo motor to rotate two revolutions (one revolution of the motor corresponds to a 60° rotation of the platform, ensuring that two revolutions of the motor correspond to a 120° rotation of the platform). At the same time, the scraper 305 stops running, the discharge plate descends to close the discharge port, and no more material is conveyed. The full bucket rotates to the pneumatic conveying station. At this time, the empty bucket rotates to below the scraper slag discharge port, the scraper 305 restarts, and the discharge plate 308 rises to open the discharge port, achieving seamless slag collection.

[0063] Please refer to Figure 10 The pneumatic transfer and control unit 5 includes a slag pipe 502, a screw air compressor 505, and a piston booster pump 507. The screw air compressor 505 is connected to the upper part of the slag pipe, and the piston booster pump 507 is installed on the processing platform 401 and connected to the slag bucket 402 via a slag bucket control valve 406. The pneumatic transfer and control unit also includes a second telescopic pipe 501 and a second screw motor 506. The second telescopic pipe 501 is located at the bottom of the slag pipe 502 and is sleeved with the slag pipe 502. The second screw motor 506 is used to cause the second telescopic pipe 501 to extend or retract relative to the slag pipe 502. The pneumatic transfer and control unit 5 also includes at least one automatic booster valve 503 installed on the slag pipe 502, and a pressure sensor 504 is provided next to the automatic booster pump 503.

[0064] The pneumatic transfer and control unit 5 replaces the traditional rope-lifting bucket for slag transportation, enabling efficient, safe, and long-distance ground transfer of slag materials, which is one of the core advantages of the innovative solution. When the full bucket rotates to the pneumatic conveying station, the control system drives the second lead screw motor 506, which in turn drives the second telescopic pipe 501 downwards until the end of the pipe is precisely inserted into the slag bucket to a preset depth. The pipe insertion into the bucket achieves initial sealing. Simultaneously, an elastic sealing ring is fitted to the outer bottom of the second telescopic pipe 501. After the pipe is inserted into the bucket, the ring deforms under the pressure from the inside of the bucket opening, tightly fitting the gap between the bucket opening and the outer wall of the pipe, further enhancing the sealing effect and ensuring that the sealing pressure is not less than 0.3 MPa, effectively preventing gas leakage during high-pressure transportation. At the ground end, a screw air compressor 505 is used as the main air supply source, with an exhaust pressure set at 0.6-0.8 MPa. The exhaust volume is designed to match the conveying distance and the amount of slag (e.g., when the conveying distance is 200m, the exhaust volume should not be less than 10m³ / min). A piston-type booster pump 507 is added next to the slag bucket, connected to the slag bucket and conveying system via pipeline, and equipped with a dedicated slag bucket control valve 406 to ensure precise opening at the preset work position. The two pumps work together to propel the slag in the spiral tube at a speed of 5-8m / s through high-pressure airflow, achieving efficient slag conveying to the ground. At the same time, an automatic booster valve 503 is installed every 50m on the fixed section of the slag pipe 502. It is electromagnetically controlled with a response time of no more than 0.2s and is linked to a pressure sensor with a measurement accuracy of ±0.01MPa. When the pressure sensor 504 detects that the conveying pressure at this location is lower than 0.4MPa, the booster valve automatically opens to supplement high-pressure gas, ensuring that the slag material maintains a stable speed during long-distance conveying, avoiding pipe blockage, and controlling the blockage rate to below 0.1%.

[0065] Please refer to Figures 11-13 The present invention also proposes an automated method for separating and transferring slurry from a vertical shaft TBM tunneling machine, the method comprising the following steps:

[0066] Step S1: Start the slurry conveying process, and then proceed with crushing, specifically as follows:

[0067] Step S11: Drive the first lead screw motor 104 to drive the first telescopic pipe 103 to extend into the slurry inside the vertical shaft;

[0068] Step S12: Start the slurry centrifugal pump 102 and set the flow rate to 1.2-1.5 times the maximum slurry production of the TBM. The slurry in the vertical shaft is extracted through the slurry pipe 101 and transported to the mixing chamber 201 of the slurry crushing module 2.

[0069] Step S13: Start the twin-shaft spiral mixer 202 and set the speed to 30-50 r / min. Through the reverse rotation of the twin shafts, shearing, squeezing and mixing, the particles with a diameter greater than 50 mm in the slurry are crushed. The crushed slurry is discharged through the discharge port 203 of the mixing chamber.

[0070] Step S2: Perform solid-liquid separation treatment on the crushed slurry, such as... Figure 12 and Figure 13 As shown, the specific processing procedure is as follows:

[0071] Step S21: Send the crushed slurry into the separation chamber 301, start the water ring vacuum pump 304, and form a negative pressure under the filter cloth 306 to accelerate the slurry to pass through the filter cloth 306 to complete the initial solid-liquid separation.

[0072] Step S22: Start the low-voltage DC power supply 302 and supply low-voltage DC power to the electrode plate 307. Utilize the electroosmosis effect to promote the movement of water molecules in the slurry towards the cathode, thereby further reducing the moisture content of the slurry.

[0073] Step S23: The separated clean water is guided through a pipeline to the water collection tank 303, and then returned to the TBM cooling system or the slurry dilution stage for recycling.

[0074] Step S24: After water removal is completed, raise the discharge plate 308 to open the discharge port and scrape the slag out through the scraper 305;

[0075] Step S3: Collect and process the separated slag, specifically as follows:

[0076] Step S31: The separated slag falls into the slag bucket 402 of the processing platform 401. The infrared material level sensor 404 (detection distance 0.3-1m, accuracy ±2mm) detects whether the slag in the bucket has accumulated to four-fifths of the inner wall height.

[0077] Step S32: When the infrared level sensor 404 sends a full barrel signal, the scraper 305 stops conveying material and the discharge plate 308 lowers to close the discharge port.

[0078] Step S33: Drive the servo motor 406 to rotate, and drive the processing platform 401 to rotate through the ratchet mechanism 405. Move the full barrel to the pneumatic conveying station, and move the empty barrel to below the scraper slag discharge port. Restart the scraper 305 and raise the discharge plate 308 to resume slag collection.

[0079] Step S4: The collected slag is pneumatically transferred to the ground, specifically as follows:

[0080] Step S41: Start the second lead screw motor 506 to drive the second telescopic tube 501 to descend vertically until the end of the pipe is inserted into the slag bucket 402 to a preset depth. The inner wall of the upper opening of the slag bucket 402 is sealed with a sealing ring.

[0081] Step S42: Simultaneously start the screw air compressor 505 and the piston booster pump 403. The negative pressure high-pressure airflow generated by the screw air compressor 505 and the positive pressure high-pressure airflow generated by the piston booster pump 403 propel the slag through the slag pipe 502 to the ground. The screw air compressor's exhaust pressure is set to 0.6-0.8 MPa, and the exhaust volume is designed to match the conveying distance and slag volume (e.g., for a conveying distance of 200m, the exhaust volume should not be less than 10 m³ / min). The piston booster pump is connected to the slag bucket and conveying system via pipeline, and a dedicated slag bucket control valve 407 ensures precise opening at the preset position. The dual pumps work together to generate high-pressure airflow, propelling the slag through the slag pipe 502 and the spiral pipe at a speed of 5-8 m / s to the ground efficiently. Meanwhile, an automatic pressure boosting valve 503 is installed every 50m along the fixed section of the spiral pipe. This valve is electromagnetically controlled with a response time of no more than 0.2s and is linked to a pressure sensor 504 with a measurement accuracy of ±0.01MPa. When the pressure sensor detects that the conveying pressure at this location is lower than 0.4MPa, the pressure boosting valve automatically opens to replenish high-pressure gas, ensuring that the slag material maintains a stable speed during long-distance conveying, avoiding pipe blockage, and controlling the blockage rate to below 0.1%, ultimately achieving efficient and safe ground transfer of the slag material.

[0082] The embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. Various changes that can be made within the scope of knowledge possessed by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the present invention are all within the protection scope of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. An automated slurry separation and transfer system for a vertical shaft TBM tunneling machine, characterized in that, include: The slurry conveying and crushing unit includes a slurry conveying module (1) and a slurry crushing module (2). The slurry conveying module (1) includes a slurry pipe (101) and a slurry centrifugal pump (102), and the slurry centrifugal pump (102) is connected to the upper part of the slurry pipe (101). The slurry crushing module (2) includes a mixing chamber (201), a twin-shaft spiral agitator (202), and a mixing chamber outlet (203). The upper part of the mixing chamber (201) is connected to the upper opening of the slurry pipe (101). The twin-shaft spiral agitator (202) is installed inside the mixing chamber (201), and the mixing chamber outlet (203) is located at the bottom of the mixing chamber (201). A vacuum-electroosmosis combined separation unit (3) is provided, comprising a separation chamber (301), a water ring vacuum pump (304), a filter cloth (306), and a water collection chamber (303). The separation chamber (301) is connected to the discharge port (203) of the mixing chamber via a pipeline. The filter cloth (306) is horizontally arranged inside the separation chamber (301). The water ring vacuum pump (304) is located below the filter cloth (306). The water collection chamber (303) is connected to the lower part of the separation chamber (301) via a pipeline. The slag rotating collection unit (4) includes a processing platform (401), a slag bucket (402), a ratchet rotating mechanism (404), and a servo motor (405). The servo motor (405) and the ratchet rotating mechanism (404) are located below the processing platform (401) and are used to drive the processing platform (401) to rotate. At least one slag bucket (402) is fixed on the processing platform (401). The pneumatic transfer and control unit (5) includes a slag pipe (502), a screw air compressor (505), and a piston booster pump (403). The screw air compressor (505) is connected to the upper part of the slag pipe, and the piston booster pump (507) is installed on the processing platform (401) and connected to the slag bucket (402) via the slag bucket control valve (406).

2. The automated slurry separation and transfer system for vertical shaft TBM tunneling machines according to claim 1, characterized in that, The slurry conveying module (1) further includes a first telescopic tube (103) and a first screw motor (104). The first telescopic tube (103) is located at the bottom of the slurry pipe (101), and its upper opening is fitted inside the slurry pipe (101). The tail end of the first screw motor (104) is fixedly connected to the pipe body of the slurry pipe (101). A nut is threaded onto the screw, and the nut is connected to the pipe body of the first telescopic tube (103), thereby driving the first telescopic tube (103) to extend and retract relative to the slurry pipe (101).

3. The automated slurry separation and transfer system for vertical shaft TBM tunneling machines according to claim 1, characterized in that, The vacuum-electroosmosis combined separation unit (3) also includes an electrode plate (307) and a low-voltage DC power supply (302). The two sets of electrode plates (307) are respectively placed on both sides of the bottom of the separation chamber (301) and above the filter cloth (306). Each set of electrode plates includes an anode plate and a cathode plate, and an insulating pad is provided between the anode plate and the cathode plate. The low-voltage DC power supply (302) is electrically connected to the electrode plate (307).

4. The automated slurry separation and transfer system for vertical shaft TBM tunneling machines according to claim 3, characterized in that, The vacuum-electroosmosis combined (3) unit also includes a scraper and a push rod motor. The push rod motor is fixed to the side wall of the separation chamber by a fixing frame. The scraper is located inside the separation chamber, above the filter cloth, and connected to the push rod end of the push rod motor. It is used to push the material residue after solid-liquid separation out of the discharge port into the separation chamber.

5. The automated slurry separation and transfer system for vertical shaft TBM tunneling machines according to claim 1, characterized in that, The slag rotary collection unit (4) also includes an infrared level sensor (403), which is installed on the outer wall of the slag bucket (402) at a height of four-fifths of the bucket bottom.

6. The automated slurry separation and transfer system for vertical shaft TBM tunneling machines according to claim 1, characterized in that, There are three slag buckets (402), which are arranged at 120-degree intervals with the rotation center of the processing platform (401) as the center.

7. The automated slurry separation and transfer system for vertical shaft TBM tunneling machines according to claim 1, characterized in that, The pneumatic transfer and control unit also includes a second telescopic tube (501) and a second lead screw motor (506). The second telescopic tube (501) is located at the bottom of the slag pipe (502) and is sleeved with the slag pipe (502). The second lead screw motor (506) is used to make the second telescopic tube (501) extend and retract relative to the slag pipe (502).

8. The automated slurry separation and transfer system for vertical shaft TBM tunneling machines according to claim 1, characterized in that, The pneumatic transfer and control unit (5) also includes at least one automatic booster valve (503) installed on the slag pipe (502), and a pressure sensor (504) is provided next to the automatic booster pump (503).

9. An automated separation and transfer method for slurry from a vertical shaft TBM tunneling machine, used in the automated separation and transfer system for slurry from a vertical shaft TBM tunneling machine as described in any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that, The method includes the following steps: Step S1: Start the slurry conveying process, and then proceed with crushing, specifically as follows: Step S11: Drive the first lead screw motor (104) to drive the first telescopic pipe (103) into the slurry inside the vertical shaft; Step S12: Start the slurry centrifugal pump (102) to extract the slurry in the vertical shaft through the slurry pipe (101) and transport it to the mixing chamber (201) of the slurry crushing module (2); Step S13: Start the twin-shaft spiral mixer (202). Through the reverse rotation of the twin shafts, shearing, squeezing and mixing, the particles with a diameter greater than 50mm in the slurry are crushed. The crushed slurry is discharged through the discharge port (203) of the mixing chamber. Step S2: The crushed slurry undergoes solid-liquid separation treatment, specifically as follows: Step S21: Send the crushed slurry into the separation chamber (301), start the water ring vacuum pump (304), and form a negative pressure under the filter cloth (306) to accelerate the slurry through the filter cloth (306) to complete the initial solid-liquid separation. Step S22: Start the low-voltage DC power supply (302) and apply low-voltage DC power to the electrode plate (307) to further reduce the moisture content of the slag material by utilizing the electroosmosis effect; Step S23: The separated clean water is guided through a pipeline to the water collection tank (303), and then returned to the TBM cooling system or the slurry dilution stage for recycling; Step S24: After the water removal is completed, raise the discharge plate (308) to open the discharge port and scrape the slag out by the scraper (305); Step S3: Collect and process the separated slag, specifically as follows: Step S31: The separated slag falls into the slag bucket (402) of the processing platform (401), and the infrared material level sensor (404) detects whether the slag in the bucket has accumulated to four-fifths of the height of the inner wall. Step S32: When the infrared level sensor (404) sends a full barrel signal, the scraper (305) stops conveying material and the discharge plate (308) lowers to close the discharge port; Step S33: Drive the servo motor (406) to rotate, and drive the processing platform (401) to rotate through the ratchet mechanism (405). Move the full barrel to the pneumatic conveying station, and move the empty barrel to below the scraper slag discharge port. Restart the scraper (305) and raise the discharge plate (308) to resume slag collection. Step S4: The collected slag is pneumatically transferred to the ground, specifically as follows: Step S41: Start the second screw motor (506) to drive the second telescopic tube (501) to descend vertically until the end of the pipe is inserted into the slag bucket (402) to a preset depth. The inner wall of the upper opening of the slag bucket (402) is sealed with a sealing ring. Step S42: Simultaneously start the screw air compressor (505) and the piston booster pump (403). The negative pressure high-pressure airflow generated by the screw air compressor (505) and the positive pressure high-pressure airflow generated by the piston booster pump (403) push the slag through the slag pipe (502) to the ground.

10. The automated separation and transfer method for slurry from a vertical shaft TBM tunneling machine according to claim 9, characterized in that, In step S4, multiple automatic pressure boosting valves (503) and pressure sensors (504) installed on slag pipes (502) at different heights are linked together to automatically replenish pressure when the detected pressure is <0.4MPa, thus completing long-distance transfer.

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