Shuttle cabin for tunnel saturation shield operation

Abstract

The invention provides a shuttling cabin for tunnel saturation shield operation, and relates to the technical field of tunnel construction equipment, the shuttling cabin comprises a pressure-bearing cabin body, a life support system integrated on the pressure-bearing cabin body and a docking mechanism arranged at the end part of the pressure-bearing cabin body, the pressure-bearing cabin body is a sealed pressure-resistant structure and is used for accommodating and transporting operating personnel under pressure; the butt joint mechanism is used for achieving detachable sealing butt joint between the pressure-bearing cabin body and an onshore saturated living cabin or a shield tunneling machine man gate cabin. Miniaturized and modular design is adopted, the compact layout of internal installation parts is achieved, the appearance size is matched with the narrow space of a tunnel and the hoisting requirement of a shield tunneling machine crane, the problems that a traditional shuttle cabin is large in size and inconvenient to transport are solved, the adaptability of equipment in a tunnel operation scene is greatly improved, an industrial standard butt-joint clamp is adopted for a butt-joint mechanism, and the butt-joint mechanism is simple in structure and convenient to use. Rapid sealing butt joint with a land saturated living cabin and a shield tunneling machine man gate cabin is achieved, universality and replaceability are remarkably improved, and butt joint preparation time is shortened.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of tunnel construction equipment technology, and in particular to a shuttle cabin for saturated shield tunneling operations. Background Technology

[0002] Tunnel boring machines (TBMs) are core equipment in tunnel engineering. They achieve tunnel excavation through cyclical operations such as cutterhead cutting of rock and soil, propulsion cylinders pushing the shield, and segment assembly and support. They are widely used in the construction of various tunnels, including rail transit, water conservancy projects, and river-crossing tunnels. Cutterhead replacement is a crucial process in TBM tunneling. When the cutter wear reaches the threshold of 5-15mm, it must be replaced promptly; otherwise, risks such as cutterhead jamming, ground collapse, or equipment damage may occur. As tunnel depth increases, the pressure for pressurized cutterhead replacement exceeds the conventional 60-meter depth limit of air diving. Mixed-air diving or saturated diving technologies are required. Saturated diving, with its fixed decompression time and long operation time, has become the preferred solution for pressurized cutterhead replacement at great depths. Its core is to combine the saturated diving system with the TBM to create a high-pressure environment to ensure the safety of personnel during operation. Existing shuttle cabins in saturation submersible systems have several shortcomings: some shuttle cabins are bulky and difficult to adapt to the narrow working space of tunnels; they have low functional integration, the cabin environmental control system lacks precise control capabilities for temperature, humidity, and gas composition, the sampling system is rudimentary and cannot monitor the purity of gas and the content of pollutants in real time, making it difficult to fully guarantee the survival needs of personnel under high pressure; the size design of pressure-bearing components is unreasonable, making it difficult to balance strength and space utilization; the docking mechanism has poor versatility, resulting in low docking efficiency with land-based saturation living cabins and shield machine personnel gates; the internal installation layout is loose, leading to an excessively large overall size and insufficient convenience for transportation and hoisting, which seriously affects the efficiency and safety of shield machine cutterhead replacement in deep tunnels and limits the promotion and application of saturation shield technology under complex geological conditions. Therefore, this invention proposes a shuttle cabin for tunnel saturation shield machine operations to solve the problems existing in the prior art. Summary of the Invention

[0003] To address the aforementioned issues, this invention proposes a shuttle cabin for saturated shield tunneling operations. This shuttle cabin adopts a miniaturized and modular design, achieving a compact layout of internal components. Its external dimensions are adapted to the confined space of tunnels and the lifting requirements of shield machine cranes, solving the problems of traditional shuttle cabins being bulky and inconvenient to transport. This significantly improves the adaptability of the equipment in tunnel operation scenarios. The docking mechanism adopts industry-standard docking clamps, enabling rapid and sealed docking with the land-based saturated living quarters and the shield machine personnel gate cabin. This significantly improves versatility and replaceability, and shortens the docking preparation time.

[0004] To achieve the objectives of this invention, the invention is implemented through the following technical solution: a shuttle cabin for tunnel saturation shield tunneling operations, comprising a pressure-bearing cabin, a life support system integrated into the pressure-bearing cabin, and a docking mechanism disposed at the end of the pressure-bearing cabin. The pressure-bearing cabin is a sealed and pressure-resistant structure used to accommodate and transport personnel under pressure. The docking mechanism is used to achieve a detachable and sealed docking between the pressure-bearing cabin and a land-based saturation living cabin or a shield tunneling machine personnel gate cabin, and to maintain a consistent internal pressure after docking. The life support system includes core functional modules that ensure the survival and operation of personnel inside the cabin, including a cabin depressurization system, a cabin oxygen supply system, and a cabin environment control system.

[0005] A further improvement is that the pressure-bearing chamber includes an independent and sealed main chamber and a transition chamber. The main chamber has a total volume of 4.8m³ to 5.2m³ and a capacity of 3 to 4 people. The transition chamber has a total volume of 1.8m³ to 2.0m³ and a capacity of 2 people.

[0006] Further improvements include: the main cabin is equipped with double seats and single seats to accommodate full occupancy, and the transition cabin is equipped with transition cabin seats.

[0007] Further improvements include: the maximum working pressure of the pressure chamber is not less than 1.7 MPa, and the working temperature range is -10℃ to 50℃; the internal medium of the pressure chamber is a helium-oxygen mixture or a helium-nitrogen-oxygen mixture.

[0008] A further improvement is that the main material of the pressure chamber is Q345R or Q355R, and the external dimensions of the pressure chamber are 4910mm~5100mm×1755mm~1800mm×1800mm~1900mm.

[0009] Further improvements include: the life support system also includes a monitoring system, a communication system, a sampling system, a breathing system, and an in-cabin high-pressure fire suppression system; the monitoring system includes cameras and environmental monitoring components, including mercury-free thermometers and hygrometers, environmental pressure gauges, and temperature and humidity transmitters; the communication system includes a voice telephone and a speaker; the in-cabin high-pressure fire suppression system includes fire water bottles, water tanks, and fire extinguishers; and the sampling system includes sampling valves, sampling tubes, and sample storage devices.

[0010] Further improvements include: the breathing gas system is matched with the cabin oxygen supply system, including 50L, 200bar breathing gas cylinders configured around the outside of the pressure chamber and 12L, 200bar oxygen supply cylinders inside; the cabin environment control system includes a heat exchanger, a CO2 filter, a humidity regulator and a gas circulation fan; and the cabin depressurization system includes a ball valve and a safety valve.

[0011] Further improvements include: the pressure chamber is equipped with a side sealing door, an observation window, and a delivery tube; the side sealing door is provided in three sets; the observation window includes three 100mm diameter door observation windows and two 150mm diameter chamber observation windows; the observation window includes a through-piece and a viewing window located inside the through-piece.

[0012] Further improvements include two emergency power battery packs, which are used to power the life support system and cabin auxiliary equipment in the event of a power outage. The cabin auxiliary equipment includes cabin lights, alarm buttons, and ship's clock.

[0013] Further improvements include: the docking mechanism is a docking clamp, which enables quick connection and disconnection between the pressure chamber and external equipment, and the sealing performance at the docking point meets the pressure retention requirements under high-pressure environments.

[0014] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: 1. This invention adopts a miniaturized and modular design, achieving a compact layout of internal installation components. Its external dimensions are adapted to the narrow space of tunnels and the hoisting requirements of shield machine cranes, solving the problems of the large size and inconvenient transportation of traditional shuttle cabins. It greatly improves the adaptability of the equipment in tunnel operation scenarios. The docking mechanism adopts industry-standard docking clamps, realizing rapid and sealed docking with the land-based saturated living cabin and the shield machine personnel gate cabin. Its versatility and replaceability are significantly improved, and the docking preparation time is shortened.

[0015] 2. This invention integrates a complete life support system. The cabin environment control system, through the synergistic action of heat exchangers, CO2 filters, humidity regulators, and gas circulation fans, achieves precise control of cabin temperature, humidity, and gas composition, maintaining a comfortable and safe cabin environment. The sampling system, through multi-point sampling, sample storage, and detection interface design, can monitor key indicators such as the purity of breathing air and the content of harmful gases in real time, and promptly warn of environmental anomalies. Combined with an emergency power battery pack and a high-voltage fire suppression system, it comprehensively ensures the life safety and operational needs of workers in high-voltage environments. The higher degree of functional integration enables it to effectively respond to emergencies in tunnel operations, reduce personnel safety risks, and extend the single operation time. Combined with the advantages of saturation diving technology, it significantly improves the efficiency of deep-sea pressurized tool changing operations.

[0016] 3. The application of this invention can reduce the investment cost of the saturated living quarters, shorten the cutterhead replacement cycle, and provide a more economical and efficient solution for tunnel shield operations. It will further expand the application scenarios of saturated shield technology, provide technical support for tunnel construction in fields such as rail transit and water conservancy projects, and has significant economic value and social benefits. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1This is the front view of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a top sectional view of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of one side of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of the invention from another side; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the end of the invention furthest from the docking mechanism; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the flange connection of the tunnel boring machine's personnel gate compartment according to the present invention; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the docking of the land-based saturated living module of the present invention.

[0018] The components include: 1. Pressure hull; 2. Docking mechanism; 3. Main cabin; 4. Transition cabin; 5. Double seat; 6. Single seat; 7. Transition cabin seat; 8. Camera; 9. Mercury-free thermometer and hygrometer; 10. Environmental pressure gauge; 11. Temperature and humidity transmitter; 12. Voice-activated telephone; 13. Speaker; 14. Fire water bottle; 15. Fire extinguisher; 16. Breathing air cylinder; 17. Oxygen supplement cylinder; 18. Heat exchanger; 19. CO2 filter; 20. Ball valve; 21. Safety valve; 22. Side sealing door; 23. Observation window; 24. Delivery tube; 25. Emergency power battery pack; 26. Cabin light; 27. Alarm button; 28. Ship's clock. Detailed Implementation

[0019] To enhance understanding of the present invention, the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to embodiments. These embodiments are only used to explain the present invention and do not constitute a limitation on the scope of protection of the present invention. Example 1

[0020] according to Figure 1 , 2 As shown in Figures 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7, this embodiment proposes a shuttle cabin for tunnel saturation shield tunneling operations, including a pressure-bearing cabin 1, a life support system integrated into the pressure-bearing cabin 1, and a docking mechanism 2 disposed at the end of the pressure-bearing cabin 1. The pressure-bearing cabin 1 is a sealed and pressure-resistant structure used to accommodate and transport personnel under pressure. The docking mechanism 2 is used to realize the detachable and sealed docking of the pressure-bearing cabin 1 with the land-based saturation living cabin or the shield machine personnel gate cabin, and to maintain the same internal pressure after docking. The life support system includes core functional modules to ensure the survival and operation of personnel inside the cabin. These core modules include a cabin depressurization system, a cabin oxygen supply system, and a cabin environmental control system. The pressure chamber 1, through its sealed and pressure-resistant design, blocks the exchange of gas and pressure between the external high-pressure environment and the cabin interior, ensuring that personnel remain in a stable pressure field throughout transport. The docking mechanism 2, through its structural sealing design and pressure adaptive adjustment, rapidly balances the pressure on both sides of the docking surface, preventing seal failure or personnel discomfort due to pressure differences. This enables safe transfer and connection between different high-pressure equipment. These three core functional modules form a closed-loop protection system. The cabin depressurization system adjusts the cabin pressure according to the required depth of operation, allowing personnel to gradually adapt to pressure changes. The cabin oxygen supply system replenishes the oxygen consumed by personnel in real time, maintaining a stable oxygen concentration within the cabin. The cabin environmental control system actively regulates the environment to ensure it meets human physiological needs, providing the necessary conditions for personnel to work for extended periods, addressing the issue of temperature, humidity, and gas composition imbalances under high-pressure conditions.

[0021] The pressure chamber 1 comprises an independent and sealed main chamber 3 and a transition chamber 4. The main chamber 3 has a total volume of 4.8 m³ to 5.2 m³, accommodating 3 to 4 people at full capacity; the transition chamber 4 has a total volume of 1.8 m³ to 2.0 m³, accommodating 2 people at full capacity. The main chamber 3 is designed with a reasonable volume to meet the space requirements of multiple people working simultaneously, ensuring space for personnel movement and equipment placement. The transition chamber 4 serves as a pressure transition and personnel diversion channel. When personnel enter or exit or equipment is transferred, only the pressure in the transition chamber 4 needs to be adjusted separately, avoiding frequent pressure fluctuations in the main chamber 3 that could affect the stability of personnel and equipment inside, thus improving operational efficiency and safety.

[0022] The main cabin 3 is equipped with double seats 5 and single seats 6 to accommodate full occupancy. The transition cabin 4 is equipped with transition cabin seats 7. The double seats 5 and single seats 6 are optimally configured according to the spatial layout of the main cabin 3 and the number of passengers. The seats are designed to adapt to high-pressure environments, reducing the pressure on the human body. The transition cabin seats 7 provide stable support for personnel during pressure adjustment, preventing imbalance caused by pressure changes, while saving space in the transition cabin 4 and ensuring smooth airflow within the cabin during pressure adjustment.

[0023] The pressure chamber 1 has a maximum working pressure of not less than 1.7 MPa and a working temperature range of -10℃ to 50℃. The internal medium of the pressure chamber 1 is a helium-oxygen mixture or a helium-nitrogen-oxygen mixture. The maximum working pressure of 1.7 MPa corresponds to a high-pressure environment at a water depth of 170 meters, meeting the requirements for pressurized operations in deep tunnels. The wide temperature range design adapts to the extreme temperature difference environment inside the tunnel, avoiding freezing at low temperatures or affecting equipment performance at high temperatures. The helium-oxygen mixture or helium-nitrogen-oxygen mixture can reduce the risk of nitrogen anesthesia under high pressure, improve the solubility stability of the gas in human blood, and ensure the respiratory safety of personnel under high-pressure environments.

[0024] The main material of the pressure-bearing chamber 1 is Q345R or Q355R, and the external dimensions of the pressure-bearing chamber 1 are 4910mm~5100mm×1755mm~1800mm×1800mm~1900mm. Q345R / Q355R steel has high strength, good weldability and pressure resistance. The mechanical properties of the material itself can resist the pressure load of the high-pressure environment on the chamber, avoiding deformation or cracking of the chamber. The external dimensions have been optimized for the tunnel working space and the lifting capacity of the shield machine crane, which not only ensures the effective space inside the chamber, but also allows for flexible passage through narrow tunnel passages, while adapting to the load-bearing range of the lifting equipment, improving the convenience of transportation and installation.

[0025] The life support system also includes a monitoring system, a communication system, a sampling system, a breathing system, and an in-cabin high-pressure fire suppression system; the monitoring system includes a camera 8 and environmental monitoring components, including a mercury-free thermo-hygrometer 9, an environmental pressure gauge 10, and a temperature and humidity transmitter 11; the communication system includes a voice telephone 12 and a speaker 13; the in-cabin high-pressure fire suppression system includes fire water bottles 14, water tanks, and fire extinguishers 15; and the sampling system includes a sampling valve, a sampling tube, and a sample storage device. The monitoring system uses camera 8 to capture the status of personnel inside the cabin in real time, while mercury-free thermo-hygrometer 9, environmental pressure gauge 10, and temperature and humidity transmitter 11 simultaneously collect environmental parameters, achieving dual monitoring of personnel and the environment. The communication system uses wired communication via voice telephone 12 and voice broadcasting via speaker 13 to ensure real-time information exchange between the cabin and the outside world, and to address wireless communication interference issues under high pressure. The cabin's high-pressure fire-fighting system adopts a high-pressure adaptable design, with fire water cylinder 14 storing high-pressure extinguishing media, and fire extinguishers 15 having optimized spray ranges for the confined space inside the cabin, quickly extinguishing initial fires. The sampling system collects gases from multiple points inside the cabin through sampling tubes, and sends them to the sample storage device controlled by sampling valves, providing samples for gas composition analysis and timely detection of abnormalities such as excessive levels of harmful gases.

[0026] The breathing gas system is matched with the cabin oxygen supply system, including 50L, 200bar breathing gas cylinders 16 arranged around the outside of the pressure chamber 1 and 12L, 200bar oxygen supply cylinders 17 inside. The cabin environment control system includes a heat exchanger 18, a CO2 filter 19, a humidity regulator, and a gas circulation fan. The cabin pressure relief system includes a ball valve 20 and a safety valve 21. The breathing gas cylinders 16 store sufficient high-pressure breathing gas to provide a continuous breathing gas source for the personnel inside the cabin. The oxygen supply cylinders 17 serve as an emergency oxygen supply unit, quickly replenishing the oxygen concentration inside the cabin when it is low. The heat exchanger 18 regulates the cabin temperature through heat exchange. The CO2 filter 19 adsorbs carbon dioxide produced by personnel breathing. The humidity regulator controls the water vapor content inside the cabin. The gas circulation fan promotes gas flow inside the cabin and avoids local environmental parameter imbalances. The ball valve 20 precisely controls the gas inflow and outflow to achieve stable pressure rise and fall inside the cabin. The safety valve 21 automatically releases pressure when the pressure exceeds a set threshold to prevent overpressure damage to the cabin or endangering personnel safety.

[0027] The pressure chamber 1 is equipped with side-sealed doors 22, observation windows 23, and a delivery cylinder 24. The side-sealed doors 22 are provided in three sets. The observation windows 23 include three 100mm diameter door observation windows and two 150mm diameter chamber observation windows. Each observation window 23 includes a through-piece and a viewing window located inside the through-piece. The side-sealed doors 22 employ a high-pressure sealing structure, achieving chamber sealing through compression of the sealing piece after closure. The three sets of designs are adapted to the personnel entry and exit and equipment maintenance needs of the main chamber 3 and the transition chamber 4, respectively. The through-piece and viewing window of the observation windows 23 are made of pressure-resistant and light-transmitting materials, ensuring personnel's visibility of the external environment and equipment status while preventing pressure and gas exchange through a sealing design. The delivery cylinder 24 employs a double-end sealing structure, allowing for the transfer of items without disrupting the internal pressure by alternately opening and closing the two ends of the doors, preventing pressure loss or the entry of external gas due to door opening.

[0028] It also includes two emergency power battery packs 25, which are used to power the life support system and in-cabin auxiliary equipment in the event of a power outage. The in-cabin auxiliary equipment includes cabin lights 26, alarm buttons 27, and a ship's clock 28. The emergency power battery packs 25 adopt a redundant design, normally in a float charging state, and automatically switch power supply modes when the external power supply is interrupted, ensuring the continuous operation of the core equipment of the life support system and avoiding environmental loss of control due to power failure. The cabin lights 26 provide emergency lighting to ensure personnel operation and evacuation in dark environments. The alarm buttons 27 trigger audible and visual alarms in the event of a sudden abnormality, promptly transmitting distress signals to the outside world. The ship's clock 28 provides time reference, assisting personnel in understanding the operation duration and pressure adjustment cycle, and adapting to the time management requirements of saturation diving operations.

[0029] The docking mechanism 2 is a docking clamp, which enables rapid connection and disconnection between the pressure chamber 1 and external equipment, and the sealing performance at the docking point meets the pressure maintenance requirements under high-pressure environments. The docking clamp achieves rapid positioning and fixation through a ring-shaped locking structure. A high-pressure sealing gasket is set on the docking surface. Under the action of locking force, the sealing gasket undergoes elastic deformation, filling the docking gap and blocking gas leakage. The quick opening and closing design of the clamp shortens the docking time, and the sealing structure automatically enhances the sealing effect as the pressure increases, ensuring that the pressure at the docking point remains stable under high-pressure environments, and achieving efficient and safe docking between the shuttle cabin and external equipment. Example 2

[0030] according to Figure 1 , 2 As shown in 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7, this embodiment proposes a shuttle cabin for tunnel saturation shield tunneling operations, including a pressure-bearing chamber 1, a docking mechanism 2, and a life support system.

[0031] The pressure chamber 1 uses Q345R as the main material. Key dimensions were optimized through ANSYS stress analysis to ensure strength meets standards and the structure is compact. Pressure chamber 1 includes a main chamber 3 and a transition chamber 4. The main chamber 3 has a total volume of 4.8 m³, accommodating 3 people; the transition chamber 4 has a total volume of 1.8 m³, accommodating 2 people. Its external dimensions are 4910 mm × 1755 mm × 1800 mm. It is equipped with three side-sealed doors 22 (800 mm light-transmitting), three 100 mm diameter observation windows (included in observation window 23), two 150 mm diameter observation windows (included in observation window 23), and a 250 mm diameter delivery tube 24. Observation window 23 uses a through-hole structure and a viewing window structure located inside the through-hole to ensure both sealing and light transmission.

[0032] The docking mechanism 2 is an industry-standard docking clamp, which enables the pressure chamber 1 to be quickly connected and disconnected from external equipment.

[0033] Life support systems include: The compartment pressure relief system is equipped with ball valve 20 and safety valve 21 to achieve precise regulation of the compartment pressure and overpressure protection. Cabin oxygen supply system: Connects to 12L, 200bar oxygen cylinder 17 to maintain the oxygen concentration in the cabin at 18%-22%; The cabin environment control system includes a heat exchanger 18, a CO2 filter 19, a humidity regulator, and a gas circulation fan. The heat exchanger 18 regulates the cabin temperature to 18℃-26℃, the CO2 filter 19 adsorbs CO2 in the cabin to keep the concentration ≤0.5%, the humidity regulator controls the relative humidity at 40%-60%, and the gas circulation fan ensures uniform mixing of the gas in the cabin without any dead zones. Monitoring system: including camera 8, mercury-free thermometer and hygrometer 9, environmental pressure gauge 10, temperature and humidity transmitter 11, ship's clock 28, to monitor cabin environmental parameters and personnel status in real time; Communication system: including a voice-activated telephone 12 and a loudspeaker 13, to ensure real-time communication between personnel inside the cabin and the outside world; Sampling system: includes sampling valve, sampling tube, sample storage device and detection interface. Sampling tubes are arranged at key gas flow positions in main chamber 3 and transition chamber 4 respectively. Manual sampling is controlled by sampling valve. Sample storage device can temporarily store gas samples for subsequent analysis. Detection interface is compatible with portable gas analyzer and can detect the purity of O2, He, N2 and the content of harmful gases such as CO and H2S in real time. Breathing system: Connected to external breathing gas cylinder 16 to provide breathable gas for personnel inside the cabin; The cabin is equipped with a high-pressure fire suppression system: 14 fire water bottles, 15 water tanks and fire extinguishers to deal with sudden fires inside the cabin.

[0034] The pressure chamber 1 is equipped with four 50L, 200bar breathing air cylinders 16 on its exterior. Inside, there are double seats 5 and single seats 6, which can accommodate a full load of passengers. It integrates two sets of emergency power battery packs 25, and the chamber is also equipped with a cabin light 26 and an alarm button 27.

[0035] The shuttle cabin in this embodiment has a maximum working pressure of 1.7 MPa, a design pressure of 1.7 MPa, a working temperature of -10℃ to 50℃, a design temperature of -10℃ to 30℃, and uses a helium-oxygen mixture or a helium-nitrogen-oxygen mixture as the medium. It is suitable for saturation diving operations at depths of 170 meters or less.

[0036] The shuttle cabin used for saturated shield tunneling operations adopts a miniaturized and modular design, achieving a compact layout of internal installation components. Its external dimensions are adapted to the narrow space of tunnels and the lifting requirements of shield machine cranes, solving the problems of traditional shuttle cabins being bulky and inconvenient to transport. This significantly improves the adaptability of the equipment in tunnel operation scenarios. The docking mechanism 2 adopts industry-standard docking clamps, enabling rapid and sealed docking with the land-based saturated living cabin and the shield machine personnel gate cabin. Its versatility and replaceability are significantly improved, and the docking preparation time is shortened. Furthermore, this invention integrates a complete life support system. The cabin environment control system, through the coordinated action of heat exchanger 18, CO2 filter 19, humidity regulator, and gas circulation fan, achieves precise control of cabin temperature, humidity, and gas composition, maintaining a comfortable and safe cabin environment. The sampling system, through multi-point sampling, sample storage, and detection interface design, can monitor key indicators such as the purity of breathing air and the content of harmful gases in real time, providing timely warnings of environmental anomalies. Combined with an emergency power battery pack 25 and a high-pressure fire suppression system, it comprehensively ensures the life safety and operational needs of workers in high-pressure environments. With a higher degree of functional integration, it can effectively respond to emergencies during tunnel operations, reduce personnel safety risks, and extend single-operation time. Combined with the advantages of saturation diving technology, it significantly improves the efficiency of deep-sea pressurized cutterhead replacement. In summary, the application of this invention can reduce the investment cost of the saturation living cabin, shorten the cutterhead replacement cycle, and provide a more economical and efficient solution for tunnel shield operations. It will further expand the application scenarios of saturation shield technology, providing technical support for tunnel construction in fields such as rail transit and water conservancy projects, and has significant economic value and social benefits.

[0037] The foregoing has shown and described the basic principles, main features, and advantages of the present invention. Those skilled in the art should understand that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. The embodiments and descriptions in the specification are merely illustrative of the principles of the invention. Various changes and modifications can be made to the invention without departing from its spirit and scope, and all such changes and modifications fall within the scope of the present invention as claimed. The scope of protection of the present invention is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A shuttle cabin for tunnel saturation shield tunneling operations, comprising a pressure-bearing chamber (1), a life support system integrated into the pressure-bearing chamber (1), and a docking mechanism (2) disposed at the end of the pressure-bearing chamber (1), characterized in that: The pressure-bearing chamber (1) is a sealed and pressure-resistant structure used to accommodate and transport workers under pressure; the docking mechanism (2) is used to realize the detachable and sealed docking of the pressure-bearing chamber (1) with the land saturated living chamber or the tunnel boring machine personnel gate chamber, and to maintain the same pressure inside the chamber after docking. The life support system includes core functional modules that ensure the survival and operation of personnel inside the cabin, including a cabin depressurization system, a cabin oxygen supply system, and a cabin environment control system.

2. The shuttle cabin for tunnel saturation shield tunneling operations according to claim 1, characterized in that: The pressure chamber (1) includes an independent and sealed main chamber (3) and a transition chamber (4). The main chamber (3) has a total volume of 4.8m³ to 5.2m³ and a capacity of 3 to 4 people. The transition chamber (4) has a total volume of 1.8m³ to 2.0m³ and a capacity of 2 people.

3. A shuttle cabin for tunnel saturation shield tunneling operations according to claim 1, characterized in that: The main cabin (3) is equipped with a double seat (5) and a single seat (6) to accommodate full occupancy requirements, and the transition cabin (4) is equipped with a transition cabin seat (7).

4. A shuttle cabin for tunnel saturation shield tunneling operations according to claim 1, characterized in that: The maximum working pressure of the pressure chamber (1) is not less than 1.7 MPa, and the working temperature range is -10℃ to 50℃. The medium inside the pressure chamber (1) is a helium-oxygen mixture or a helium-nitrogen-oxygen mixture.

5. A shuttle cabin for tunnel saturation shield tunneling operations according to claim 1, characterized in that: The main material of the pressure chamber (1) is Q345R or Q355R, and the external dimensions of the pressure chamber (1) are 4910mm~5100mm×1755mm~1800mm×1800mm~1900mm.

6. A shuttle cabin for tunnel saturation shield tunneling operations according to claim 1, characterized in that: The life support system also includes a monitoring system, a communication system, a sampling system, a breathing system, and an in-cabin high-pressure fire suppression system; the monitoring system includes a camera (8) and environmental detection components, the environmental detection components include a mercury-free thermo-humidity meter (9), an environmental pressure gauge (10), and a temperature and humidity transmitter (11); the communication system includes a voice telephone (12) and a loudspeaker (13); the in-cabin high-pressure fire suppression system includes fire water bottles (14), water tanks, and fire extinguishers (15); the sampling system includes a sampling valve, a sampling tube, and a sample storage device.

7. A shuttle cabin for tunnel saturation shield tunneling operations according to claim 6, characterized in that: The breathing gas system is matched with the cabin oxygen supply system, including a 50L, 200bar breathing gas cylinder (16) configured around the outside of the pressure chamber (1) and a 12L, 200bar oxygen supply cylinder (17) inside. The cabin environment control system includes a heat exchanger (18), a CO2 filter (19), a humidity regulator and a gas circulation fan. The cabin pressure and depressurization system includes a ball valve (20) and a safety valve (21).

8. A shuttle cabin for tunnel saturation shield tunneling operations according to claim 1, characterized in that: The pressure chamber (1) is provided with a side sealing door (22), an observation window (23) and a delivery tube (24); the side sealing door (22) is provided in three sets; the observation window (23) includes three door observation windows with a diameter of 100mm and two body observation windows with a diameter of 150mm; the observation window (23) includes a through piece and a viewing window located inside the through piece.

9. A shuttle cabin for tunnel saturation shield tunneling operations according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes two emergency power battery packs (25), which are used to supply power to the life support system and cabin auxiliary equipment in the event of a power outage, and the cabin auxiliary equipment includes cabin lights (26), alarm buttons (27), and ship's clock (28).

10. A shuttle cabin for tunnel saturation shield tunneling operations according to claim 1, characterized in that: The docking mechanism (2) is a docking clamp, which enables the rapid connection and disconnection of the pressure chamber (1) with external equipment, and the sealing performance at the docking point meets the pressure retention requirements under high pressure environment.

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