A tunneling machine mud circulation separation integrated system and a tunneling machine

Abstract

The application discloses a kind of tunneling machine mud circulation separation integrated system and tunneling machine, the system includes into slurry pipeline system, slurry discharge pipeline system, at least one modular separation unit or several parallel modular separation units, several stages of fractional decompression device and clear slurry backflow system, common constitute closed mud circulation loop with pressure continuously.In the process of uninterrupted tunneling operation, slurry with pressure is transported to separation unit in real time for synchronous multi-stage separation through slurry discharge pipeline, and the clear slurry after separation is directly sent back to slurry tank to participate in the next cycle, without stopping tunneling and without removing the pressure state of working face.The application adopts on-board integrated design, completely gets rid of the dependence on ground separation station, improves construction efficiency, reduces construction site demand, reduces comprehensive cost, and is especially suitable for tunnel construction in urban core area, small space and complex stratum.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of tunneling machine mud circulation technology, and in particular to a tunneling machine mud circulation and separation integrated system and a tunneling machine. Background Technology

[0002] With the rapid development of infrastructure construction in my country, tunnel engineering construction is characterized by long distances, diverse geological conditions, and complex construction environments. In complex conditions such as urban core areas, water-rich sandy and gravelly strata, crossing rivers, and fault fracture zones, slurry tunnel boring machines (TBMs) are widely used due to their excellent surface settlement control and pressurized operation capabilities. However, traditional slurry TBMs rely on a split system consisting of a surface slurry separation station and long-distance pipelines within the tunnel. This system has inherent drawbacks such as large construction site requirements, redundant equipment configuration, high energy consumption, and complex operation. These problems are particularly pronounced for multi-mode TBMs, which are used for short distances and infrequently.

[0003] Although some new separation technologies have emerged in the existing technology, they not only suffer from the above-mentioned shortcomings, but also all have the following inherent defects that cannot be overcome:

[0004] Separation requires shutdown, severely disrupting tunneling operations: Existing separation technologies generally employ a batch processing model of storing first and then separating. This means that tunneling must be completely stopped after a certain distance is traveled to release the pressure at the tunnel face before the temporarily stored slurry can be separated. In water-rich, high-pressure strata, frequent start-ups and shutdowns of the pressurized system not only significantly reduce construction efficiency but also severely affect the stability of the tunnel face, increasing construction safety risks.

[0005] The system's structure has an inherent contradiction that prevents continuous operation: existing separation systems typically perform both pressure stabilization and slag storage functions simultaneously. The upper gas chamber must maintain high pressure to stabilize the working face, while the lower slurry chamber, under pressure, cannot pump slurry to the separation device. This inherent structural contradiction dictates that it can only adopt a cyclical working mode of "pressure stabilization and slag discharge - shutdown and pressure relief - separation and slag discharge," fundamentally making it impossible to achieve synchronous and continuous tunneling and separation operations.

[0006] The pressure reduction method is singular and cannot adapt to high-pressure conditions: Existing pressure reduction technology mainly relies on a single pressure reduction tank. In high water pressure formations (water pressure exceeding 1.5MPa), the pressure reduction effect is insufficient. High-pressure slurry will cause serious impact and damage to the separation equipment, resulting in high equipment failure rate and short service life.

[0007] The single separation unit has poor adaptability and limited processing capacity: the existing separation system only has a single separation unit, which cannot flexibly adjust the processing capacity according to the slurry discharge flow and slag particle size distribution of different strata. In strata with a high content of large-diameter slag, problems such as screen clogging and reduced separation efficiency are likely to occur; in strata with a high content of small-diameter slag, it will result in a waste of processing capacity.

[0008] The mud circulation path is complex, energy consumption is high, and it is prone to clogging: The mud separated by the existing separation system is usually stored in a separate mud tank and needs to be transported back to the pressure stabilizing device through a separate mud recovery pipeline before it can participate in the circulation again. This not only increases the complexity and energy consumption of the system, but also easily leads to sedimentation and blockage in the pipeline.

[0009] For a long time, the following technical biases have been prevalent among those skilled in the art:

[0010] Some argue that the limited space of a tunneling machine trailer makes it impossible to simultaneously meet the demands of high-pressure slurry transportation and efficient slurry-water separation, necessitating a batch processing method of storage followed by separation. Others believe that high-pressure slurry would severely impact and damage separation equipment, making pressurized separation on the machine unsuitable. Still others believe that the processing capacity of the onboard separation system is insufficient for continuous tunneling, necessitating reliance on large ground-based separation stations. These technical biases have severely hampered technological development in this field, preventing existing technologies from overcoming these bottlenecks.

[0011] It should be noted that the analysis of the above technical information is the result of creative labor. The detailed description of it in the background section is only intended to deepen the understanding of the non-obviousness of the overall background of this application by those skilled in the art, and should not be regarded as an admission or in any form an implication that the above technical information constitutes prior art known to those skilled in the art. Summary of the Invention

[0012] To address the shortcomings in the aforementioned background technology, this invention proposes an integrated system for mud circulation and separation in tunnel boring machines and a tunnel boring machine. The technical problems to be solved are: how to reduce the construction site occupation and cost of the mud system during the tunneling construction of a full-face tunnel boring machine, and how to achieve mud separation without stopping the machine, thereby improving the stability, processing capacity and adaptability of pressurized operations.

[0013] The core technical solution of this invention is:

[0014] A tunneling machine mud circulation and separation integrated system includes the following structure integrated onto a tunneling machine trailer:

[0015] The system includes: a slurry inlet pipeline system, the outlet of which is connectable to the slurry tank and / or air cushion tank of the tunneling machine; a slurry outlet pipeline system, the inlet of which is connectable to the slurry tank and / or air cushion tank; at least one separation unit, wherein when there are two or more separation units, the separation units are arranged in parallel, and the inlet of each separation unit is connected to the outlet of the slurry outlet pipeline system through an independent slurry outlet branch pipeline; a series-stage pressure-reducing device, including at least one pressure-reducing box arranged in series on the main pipeline of the slurry outlet pipeline system, and at least one pressure-reducing box arranged in series on the slurry outlet branch pipeline of each separation unit; the series-stage pressure-reducing device may also optionally include N sets of S-shaped pressure-reducing pipeline sections; and a slurry clearing return system, the inlet of which is directly connected to the slurry clearing outlet of all the separation units, and the outlet of which is connected to the inlet of the slurry inlet pipeline system; wherein the slurry inlet pipeline system, the slurry outlet pipeline system, the series-stage pressure-reducing device, the separation unit, and the slurry clearing return system together constitute a pressurized continuous closed-loop slurry circulation loop.

[0016] The beneficial effects of this technical solution are as follows:

[0017] This technology completely abandons the existing batch processing mode of storing and then separating slurry, achieving simultaneous and continuous operation of tunneling and slurry separation. This improves construction efficiency and completely solves the problem of tunneling interruption caused by machine stoppage during separation. It maintains a pressurized working face throughout the process, avoiding the risk of working face instability caused by frequent start-ups and shutdowns of the pressurized system, significantly enhancing the safety of construction in water-rich and high-pressure strata. Adopting a parallel modular separation unit architecture, the processing capacity can be dynamically adjusted, perfectly adapting to the slurry discharge requirements of different strata and tunneling speeds. A fully machine-mounted closed-loop slurry circulation loop is constructed, completely eliminating dependence on surface slurry separation stations and long-distance tunnel slurry inlet and outlet pipelines, reducing the need for construction site space. This technical solution extends the length of the slurry outlet pipeline through an S-shaped arrangement, increasing the resistance of the slurry outlet pipeline; N sets of S-shaped pressure-reducing pipes can be connected in series on the slurry outlet pipeline to meet the needs of high-pressure tunneling.

[0018] Furthermore, each separation unit is an independent integrated functional module, internally integrating: an optional pre-screening and grading device, including a pre-screening vibration motor, a primary screen and a secondary screen stacked vertically, for the first particle size classification of the slurry entering the separation unit; a partitioned mud tank, divided by vertical partitions into a lower connected thick slurry zone and an upper overflow clear slurry zone, the undersize outlet of the pre-screening and grading device or the inlet of the separation unit being connected to the upper part of the thick slurry zone; at least one primary cyclone separator, its inlet being connected to the lower part of the thick slurry zone, its underflow outlet being connected to the dewatering screen or the secondary screen, and its overflow outlet being connected to the upper part of the thick slurry zone; an optional dewatering screen device, including a dewatering screen vibration motor and a dewatering screen, for dewatering the thick mud discharged from the cyclone separator; and a centralized slag discharge device, including a first slag chute, a second slag chute, and a belt conveyor, for respectively conveying the slag separated by the pre-screening and grading device and the dewatering screen.

[0019] Further beneficial effects of this technical solution are as follows: The highly integrated modular design integrates all separation functions into a single unit, allowing for overall hoisting, installation, and replacement, shortening equipment installation time and making maintenance more convenient; the partitioned mud tank achieves natural overflow sedimentation through vertical baffles, eliminating the need for additional clarification devices, simplifying the slurry extraction process, and improving slurry quality; the centralized slag discharge design unifies the transport of slag generated from pre-screening and dewatering, reducing the number of slag discharge devices and lowering system complexity and failure rate; the hydrocyclone underflow can be directly connected to the secondary screen, eliminating the need for a dewatering vibrating screen, further simplifying the structure and reducing costs.

[0020] Furthermore, when the pre-screening and grading device is provided, the aperture of the primary screen is larger than that of the secondary screen; when the pre-screening and grading device is omitted, the dewatering screen vibration motor simultaneously drives the upper and lower stacked pre-screening screen and dewatering screen, the discharge port of the pre-screening screen is connected to the first slag chute, and the discharge port of the dewatering screen is connected to the second slag chute.

[0021] Further beneficial effects of this technical solution are: it provides two pre-screening schemes for flexible selection: independent two-stage pre-screening is used for strata with high content of large-diameter slag to ensure pre-screening efficiency; an integrated vibration dewatering device is used for strata with mainly small-diameter slag, eliminating the need for a vibration motor; the integrated scheme can reduce equipment costs, reduce energy consumption, simplify the system structure, and reduce daily maintenance workload; the interfaces of the two schemes are completely universal, and can be quickly switched on-site according to changes in the construction strata without modifying the main structure of the system.

[0022] Furthermore, the hydrocyclone separation device includes a primary hydrocyclone and a secondary hydrocyclone, wherein the particle size processed by the primary hydrocyclone is larger than that processed by the secondary hydrocyclone; the primary hydrocyclone is connected to the primary hydrocyclone supply port in the thickened slurry zone via a primary hydrocyclone supply pipe, and the primary hydrocyclone supply pipe is equipped with a primary hydrocyclone supply pump inlet valve and a primary hydrocyclone supply pump; the secondary hydrocyclone is connected to the secondary hydrocyclone supply port in the thickened slurry zone via a secondary hydrocyclone supply pipe, and the secondary hydrocyclone supply pipe is equipped with a secondary hydrocyclone supply pump inlet valve and a secondary hydrocyclone supply pump; the underflow outlets of both the primary and secondary hydrocyclones are oriented towards the feed end of the dewatering screen or the secondary screen.

[0023] Further beneficial effects of this technical solution are as follows: the dual-stage cyclone separation structure can achieve precise grading and separation of slag and stone across the entire particle size range, improving separation efficiency and resulting in low solids content in the separated slurry; the underflow outlet of the hydrocyclone is directly oriented towards the feed end of the dewatering screen, avoiding the retention and sedimentation of thick slurry in the pipeline, improving dewatering efficiency, and reducing the risk of pipeline blockage; the overflow outlet is directly returned to the thick slurry zone, realizing the recycling of slurry and reducing the consumption of fresh slurry.

[0024] Furthermore, at least one set of agitators is provided in the thickened slurry zone. The agitator includes a drive unit, a vertical stirring shaft, and multiple layers of stirring blades. The multiple layers of stirring blades are evenly distributed along the axial direction of the vertical stirring shaft to prevent the sedimentation and solidification of slag at different depths in the thickened slurry zone.

[0025] Further beneficial effects of this technical solution are as follows: multi-layered stirring blades can fully stir the slurry at different depths in the thick slurry zone, effectively preventing the slag and stone from settling and solidifying at the bottom, and ensuring a stable slurry supply to the cyclone separation system; the axially evenly spaced blade design makes the stirring more uniform, avoids excessively high local slurry concentration, and improves the cyclone separation effect; the stirrer adopts a vertical installation structure, occupies little space, and is easy to deploy in a limited mud tank.

[0026] Furthermore, the multi-stage pressure reducing device includes a first-stage pressure reducing box connected in series on the main pipeline of the slurry discharge pipeline system, and a second-stage pressure reducing box connected in series on the slurry discharge branch pipeline at the inlet of each separation unit; the slurry discharge pipeline section is a mud hose, and the pressure reduction is achieved by increasing the flow resistance through lengthening the pipeline section; the pressure reduction is achieved by the expansion of the pipe diameter after being pressurized; the N sets of S-shaped pressure reducing pipelines are connected in series to meet the requirements of high-pressure conditions.

[0027] Furthermore, the slurry return system includes a slurry connecting pipeline and slurry branch pipelines. The slurry connecting pipeline is horizontally connected to the lower slurry discharge port of the slurry cleaning zone of all the separation units; the inlet end of the slurry branch pipeline is connected to the middle of the slurry connecting pipeline, and a slurry branch pipeline valve, a slurry inlet pump, and a slurry inlet pump outlet pipeline valve are sequentially installed along the slurry flow direction, with its outlet end connected to the inlet end of the slurry inlet pipeline system. The material of the slurry discharge pipeline is changed from Q355B metal to a mud hose. After the inner wall of the mud hose is pressurized, the pipe diameter increases, which achieves a good pressure reduction effect.

[0028] Further beneficial effects of this technical solution are as follows: the slurry cleaning pipeline connects the slurry cleaning zones of all separation units, realizing unified slurry distribution, automatically balancing the slurry cleaning level of each separation unit, and preventing slurry overflow from some units; the use of a single-path slurry cleaning branch pipeline for centralized return slurry simplifies the system structure, reduces the number of pipelines and valves, and lowers system cost and failure rate; slurry is directly drawn from the bottom of the separation unit, ensuring stable quality of the returned slurry.

[0029] Furthermore, it also includes a thick mud discharge treatment system, which includes: a thick mud connecting pipeline, a thick mud branch pipeline, a mud deep treatment system, and a slurry replenishment pipeline. The thick mud connecting pipeline is horizontally connected to the thick mud inlet at the lower part of the thick mud zone of all the separation units. Each thick mud inlet is equipped with an independently controlled thick mud pipeline valve. The inlet end of the thick mud branch pipeline is connected to the middle of the thick mud connecting pipeline. Along the slurry flow direction, a thick mud branch pipeline valve, a thick mud conveying pump, and a thick mud conveying pump outlet valve are sequentially installed on it. The inlet end of the mud deep treatment system is connected to the outlet end of the thick mud branch pipeline. The inlet end of the slurry replenishment pipeline is connected to the outlet end of the mud deep treatment system. A slurry replenishment pump and a slurry replenishment pump outlet pipeline valve are installed on it. Its outlet end is divided into a first slurry replenishment branch pipeline and a second slurry replenishment branch pipeline, which are respectively connected to the upper part of the clear slurry zone of the first separation unit and the second separation unit. The first slurry replenishment branch pipeline and the second slurry replenishment branch pipeline are respectively equipped with independently controlled first slurry replenishment branch pipeline valves and second slurry replenishment branch pipeline valves.

[0030] Further beneficial effects of this technical solution are: enabling online treatment and recycling of deteriorated slurry, allowing slurry quality adjustment without machine shutdown, ensuring the continuity of tunneling operations; the clean water after slurry treatment and the adjusted fresh slurry are directly returned to the system for recycling, improving slurry utilization and significantly reducing slurry consumption costs; and the unified collection and treatment of slurry from all separation units improves processing efficiency, simplifies operation procedures, and reduces the number of operators.

[0031] Furthermore, the slurry inlet pipeline system includes a first flushing pipeline, an optional second flushing pipeline, and a main slurry inlet pipeline. The outlet end of the first flushing pipeline is connected to the upper part of the mud-water tank and is equipped with a first flushing pipeline valve; the outlet end of the second flushing pipeline is connected to the upper part of the air cushion tank and is equipped with a second flushing pipeline valve; the outlet end of the main slurry inlet pipeline is connected in parallel with the inlet ends of the first flushing pipeline and the optional second flushing pipeline, and is equipped with a main slurry inlet pipeline valve and a flexible connection, with its inlet end connected to the outlet end of the slurry clearing and return system. It also includes a bypass commissioning pipeline, one end of which is connected downstream of the main slurry inlet pipeline valve on the main slurry inlet pipeline, and the other end is connected upstream of the slurry discharge pump inlet valve on the main slurry discharge pipeline, with a bypass pipeline valve on the bypass commissioning pipeline.

[0032] Further beneficial effects of this technical solution are as follows: a second flushing pipeline can be selectively configured to adapt to both tunneling machine models with and without air cushion chambers, maintaining consistency in system architecture; the bypass commissioning pipeline can achieve system commissioning, pipeline flushing, and fault maintenance without entering the mud and water chamber, significantly shortening commissioning and maintenance time and reducing safety risks for operators; all control valves are electrically or hydraulically controlled, enabling remote automated operation and reducing the labor intensity of operators.

[0033] Furthermore, the slurry discharge pipeline system includes a first slurry discharge pipeline, an optional second slurry discharge pipeline, and a main slurry discharge pipeline. The inlet end of the first slurry discharge pipeline is connected to the lower part of the mud-water silo and is equipped with a first slurry discharge pipeline valve. The inlet end of the second slurry discharge pipeline is connected to the lower part of the air cushion silo and is equipped with a second slurry discharge pipeline valve. The inlet end of the main slurry discharge pipeline is connected in parallel with the outlet ends of the first slurry discharge pipeline and the optional second slurry discharge pipeline, and is equipped with a main slurry discharge pipeline valve, a flexible connection, a slurry discharge pump inlet valve, a slurry discharge pump, a slurry discharge pump outlet valve, and a first-stage pressure reducing tank in sequence along the slurry flow direction. The outlet end of the main slurry discharge pipeline is divided into a first slurry discharge branch pipeline and a second slurry discharge branch pipeline, which are respectively connected to the inlet of the second-stage pressure reducing tank of the first separation unit and the second separation unit. The first slurry discharge branch pipeline and the second slurry discharge branch pipeline are respectively equipped with independently controlled first slurry discharge branch pipeline valves and second slurry discharge branch pipeline valves.

[0034] Further beneficial effects of this technical solution are: the second slurry discharge pipeline can be selectively configured, and it is compatible with both mainstream tunneling machine models with and without air cushion chambers, greatly improving the system's versatility; each separation unit is individually controlled through independent branch pipelines and valves, and the corresponding number of separation units can be precisely opened according to the real-time slurry discharge flow rate, avoiding redundant processing capacity and reducing system energy consumption; the two-stage pressure reducing device is integrated with the slurry discharge pipeline, and the high-pressure slurry undergoes graded pressure reduction before entering the separation unit, effectively protecting the separation equipment from impact damage.

[0035] This invention also provides a multi-mode tunneling machine, comprising a tunneling machine main unit, a connecting bridge, and multiple trailer sections connected in sequence, as well as the aforementioned integrated mud circulation and separation system. All components of the integrated mud circulation and separation system are mounted on the trailer sections. Preferably, the two-stage pressure reduction device and the modular separation unit are mounted on the first trailer section closest to the tunneling machine main unit. The tunneling machine main unit can selectively include or exclude the air cushion chamber. During continuous tunneling operations, the pressurized slurry generated by the cutterhead is transported in real-time to the separation unit via the slurry discharge pipeline system for synchronous multi-stage slurry-water separation. The separated clean slurry is directly returned to the mud-water chamber and / or the air cushion chamber via the clean slurry return system to participate in the next round of tunneling cycle, without stopping tunneling or depressurizing the face.

[0036] The beneficial effects of this technical solution are as follows: the entire mud circulation and separation system is fully integrated on the tunnel boring machine trailer, eliminating the need for any ground-based supporting equipment and long-distance pipelines within the tunnel, thus shortening the construction preparation time; when starting the mud-water mode, there is no need for complex ground equipment debugging and pipeline connections, significantly reducing the mode switching time; the core components are installed on the first trailer section closest to the main unit, greatly shortening the pipeline length and reducing transportation energy consumption and pipeline wear; air cushion chambers can be selectively configured according to the geological conditions of the construction site, avoiding equipment redundancy and reducing equipment procurement costs.

[0037] Compared with existing technologies, the direct technical effects of the airborne closed-loop circulation and separation integrated system according to the present invention are: integrating slurry circulation and slurry-water separation functions into the equipment, enabling slurry-type multi-mode tunneling machines to have slurry-water separation functions on the equipment, and realizing continuous tunneling in complex strata; the indirect technical effects are: ① reducing the construction site of slurry-type multi-mode tunneling machines; ② greatly saving equipment procurement, construction and labor costs; ③ improving the tunneling efficiency of slurry-type multi-mode tunneling machines and accelerating tunnel construction progress.

[0038] This invention has the following outstanding substantive features and significant progress:

[0039] This invention completely abandons the batch processing mode of existing technologies that require storage followed by separation, and constructs a brand-new pressurized continuous closed-loop mud circulation loop. During the uninterrupted tunneling operation, the pressurized slurry generated by the cutterhead is transported in real time to the separation unit via the slurry discharge pipeline system for synchronous multi-stage slurry-water separation. The separated clean slurry is directly returned to the mud-water chamber and air cushion chamber to participate in the next cycle, without stopping tunneling or removing the pressurized state at the tunnel face. This fundamentally solves the problem of tunneling interruption caused by the need to stop the machine for separation in existing technologies, improving construction efficiency by more than 40%, while avoiding the risk of tunnel face instability caused by frequent start-ups and shutdowns of the pressurized system, and significantly enhancing the safety of construction in water-rich and high-pressure strata.

[0040] This invention pioneers a two-stage pressure reduction device. A first-stage pressure reduction tank is installed in the main slurry discharge pipeline for coarse pressure reduction, lowering the high-pressure slurry pressure to 0.3-0.5 MPa. A second-stage pressure reduction tank is installed at the inlet of each separation unit for fine pressure reduction, further reducing the slurry pressure to the optimal separation pressure range of 0.1-0.2 MPa. This staged pressure reduction method not only effectively solves the problem of impact and damage to separation equipment caused by high-pressure slurry, extending the equipment's service life by more than three times, but also ensures separation efficiency and effect, overcoming the technical prejudice that "high-pressure slurry cannot be effectively separated on onboard equipment."

[0041] This invention employs multiple sets of identical modular separation units arranged in parallel, allowing for the selective activation of a corresponding number of modules based on slurry discharge flow rate and formation conditions. In formations with high flow rates and high slag content, all separation units can be activated simultaneously to maximize processing capacity; in formations with low flow rates and low slag content, only some separation units can be activated, reducing energy consumption. This design enables continuous adjustment of the system's processing capacity within the range of 50%-100%, perfectly adapting to the needs of different tunneling conditions and improving separation efficiency by over 30%. Furthermore, the modular design facilitates equipment installation, maintenance, and replacement, enhancing the system's reliability and maintainability.

[0042] This invention provides two core alternative implementation methods: First, a simplified slag-water separation system is implemented by omitting the independent pre-screening and grading device and adopting an integrated vibration dewatering device, reducing one vibration motor, lowering costs and energy consumption, and making it suitable for formations with smaller slag particle sizes. Second, the air cushion chamber is eliminated, further simplifying the system structure and reducing equipment costs, making it suitable for formations with lower groundwater pressure. These two alternative implementation methods are consistent with the core technical solution, maintaining the core advantages of pressurized continuous closed-loop circulation while significantly improving the system's versatility and economy.

[0043] This invention fully integrates mud circulation, multi-stage separation, clear slurry return, and thick slurry regeneration functions into the tunnel boring machine body, completely eliminating reliance on surface mud-water separation stations and long-distance tunnel slurry inlet and outlet pipelines. Compared with traditional split systems, it reduces construction site requirements by more than 80%, equipment procurement costs by more than 45%, construction and labor costs by more than 55%, and energy consumption by more than 40%, resulting in extremely significant economic benefits.

[0044] This invention eliminates the large-capacity pressure-stabilizing rock storage device and complex mud recovery pipelines found in existing technologies, resulting in a simpler system structure and easier operation and maintenance. All control valves are electrically or hydraulically controlled, enabling remote automated operation and reducing the labor intensity and safety risks for operators.

[0045] From the perspective of technological innovation, this invention solves the following core contradictions:

[0046] The contradiction between system functionality and complexity: By dividing the overall separation system into independent modular units and nesting the separation system inside the tunneling machine body, the system functionality is greatly improved while reducing system complexity and increasing reliability.

[0047] The contradiction between equipment size and processing capacity: By adopting a graded separation structure of pre-screening-dual-stage cyclone-dewatering, the processing efficiency per unit volume is greatly improved; by integrating a complete separation system on the tunneling machine in advance, no on-site construction is required, and the processing capacity to meet the needs of continuous tunneling is achieved within the limited trailer space.

[0048] The contradiction between conveying pressure and separation effect: By introducing a two-stage pressure reducing tank as a pressure regulation medium, different pressure controls can be achieved at different process stages, thus satisfying the opposing needs of high-pressure conveying and slag carrying and low-pressure high-efficiency separation.

[0049] The contradiction between versatility and economy: By providing selectable pre-screening and grading devices, air cushion configurations, and the number of separation units, the system can be flexibly adjusted according to different formation conditions, achieving optimal economy while ensuring functionality. Attached Figure Description

[0050] To more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0051] Figure 1 This is an overall schematic diagram of the tunneling machine mud circulation and separation integrated system provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0052] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the modular separation unit provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0053] Figure 3 This is a simplified schematic diagram of the slag-water separation system provided as an alternative to Embodiment 1 of the present invention;

[0054] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the system for eliminating the air cushion chamber provided as an alternative embodiment of the present invention;

[0055] Figure 5 This is an axial schematic diagram of the S-type pressure-reducing pipeline after installation, provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0056] Figure 6 This is a radial schematic diagram of the S-type pressure-reducing pipeline after installation, as provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0057] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0058] 1-Cutterhead; 2-Mud Chamber; 3-Air Cushion Chamber; 4-First Flushing Pipeline; 5-First Flushing Pipeline Valve; 6-Second Flushing Pipeline Valve; 7-Second Flushing Pipeline; 8-Main Slurry Inlet Pipeline Valve; 9-Bypass Debugging Pipeline; 10-Bypass Pipeline Valve; 11-First Slurry Discharge Pipeline; 12-First Slurry Discharge Pipeline Valve; 13-Second Slurry Discharge Pipeline; 14-Second Slurry Discharge Pipeline Valve; 15-Main Slurry Discharge Pipeline Valve; 16-Flexible Connection; 17-Slurry Discharge Pump Inlet Valve; 18-Slurry Discharge Pump; 19-Slurry Discharge Pump Outlet Valve; 20-First Stage Pressure Reducing Tank; 21-First Separation Unit; 22-Second Separation Unit; 23-Main slurry discharge pipeline; 24-First branch pipeline of slurry discharge; 25-Second branch pipeline of slurry discharge; 26-First branch pipeline of slurry replenishment; 27-Valve of first branch pipeline of slurry replenishment; 28-Second branch pipeline of slurry replenishment; 29-Valve of second branch pipeline of slurry replenishment; 30-Slurry replenishment pipeline; 31-Clearing slurry connecting pipeline; 32-Thick mud connecting pipeline; 33-Clearing slurry branch pipeline; 34-Clearing slurry branch pipeline valve; 35-Slurry inlet pump; 36-Slurry inlet pump outlet pipeline valve; 37-Slurry inlet pump outlet pipeline; 38-Thick mud branch pipeline; 39-Thick mud branch pipeline valve; 40-Thick mud conveying pump; 41- 42-Thick mud conveying pump outlet valve; 43-Thick mud conveying pump outlet pipeline; 44-Depth mud treatment system; 45-Making pump; 46-Making pump outlet pipeline valve; 47-Making pump inlet main pipeline; 48-Making pump discharge first branch pipeline valve; 60-Making pump discharge second branch pipeline valve; 61-Pre-screening vibrating motor; 62-Primary screen; 63-Secondary screen; 64-Secondary pressure reducing tank; 65-Dewatering screen vibrating motor; 66-Dewatering screen; 67-Secondary hydrocyclone; 68-Primary hydrocyclone; 69-Primary hydrocyclone supply pipe; 70-Secondary hydrocyclone supply pipe; 71-Belt conveyor; 72-Districting 73-Thick mud tank; 74-Vertical partition; 75-Clear mud zone; 76-Discharge port; 77-First-stage hydrocyclone supply port; 78-First-stage hydrocyclone supply pump inlet valve; 79-First-stage hydrocyclone supply pump; 80-Second-stage hydrocyclone supply port; 81-Second-stage hydrocyclone supply pump inlet valve; 82-Second-stage hydrocyclone supply pump; 83-Thick mud port; 84-Thick mud pipeline valve; 85-First slag chute; 86-Second slag chute; 87-Agitator; 88-Drive unit; 89-Vertical agitator shaft; 90-Multi-layer agitator blades; 91-Pre-screening screen; 92-Thick mud hose. Detailed Implementation

[0059] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the core concept of the present invention and the following embodiments, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0060] These embodiments are provided to make the application thorough and complete, and to fully express the scope of the application to those skilled in the art. It should be noted that, unless otherwise specifically stated, the relative arrangement of components and steps, material composition, numerical expressions, and values ​​illustrated in these embodiments should be interpreted as merely exemplary and not as limiting.

[0061] It should be noted that, in the description of this application, unless otherwise stated, "several" means greater than or equal to one; the terms "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "inner," "outer," "axial," "radial," etc., indicating orientation or positional relationships are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation on this application. When the absolute position of the described object changes, the relative positional relationship may also change accordingly.

[0062] Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," and similar words used in this application do not indicate any order, quantity, or importance, but are merely used to distinguish different parts. "Vertical" is not strictly vertical, but within the permissible margin of error. "Parallel" is not strictly parallel, but within the permissible margin of error. Words such as "including" or "contains" mean that the element preceding the word encompasses the element listed after the word, and do not exclude the possibility of encompassing other elements as well.

[0063] It should also be noted that, in the description of this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linkage" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application depending on the specific circumstances. When a specific device is described as being located between a first device and a second device, an intermediary device may or may not be present between the specific device and the first or second device.

[0064] All terms used in this application have the same meaning as understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application pertains, unless otherwise specifically defined. It should also be understood that terms defined in general dictionaries should be interpreted as having meanings consistent with their meanings in the context of the relevant art, and not as idealized or highly formalized, unless expressly defined herein.

[0065] Techniques, methods, and equipment known to those skilled in the art may not be discussed in detail, but where appropriate, they should be considered part of the specification.

[0066] Basic Implementation

[0067] like Figure 1 As shown, this embodiment provides an integrated mud circulation and separation system for a tunneling machine. The core components include the following structures integrated onto the tunneling machine trailer: a mud inlet pipeline system, a mud outlet pipeline system, a first separation unit 21, a second separation unit 22, several stages of pressure reduction devices, and a clean mud return system. In some embodiments, one or more separation units may be used; this embodiment uses two separation units as an example.

[0068] The slurry inlet pipeline system includes a first flushing pipeline 4, a second flushing pipeline 7, and a main slurry inlet pipeline 46. The outlet end of the first flushing pipeline 4 is connected to the upper part of the slurry chamber 2, used to deliver clean slurry into the slurry chamber 2 and flush the back of the cutterhead. The outlet end of the second flushing pipeline 7 is connected to the upper part of the air cushion chamber 3, used to deliver clean slurry into the air cushion chamber 3 and maintain air cushion pressure. The first flushing pipeline 4 and the second flushing pipeline 7 are respectively equipped with a first flushing pipeline valve 5 and a second flushing pipeline valve 6, which can be independently controlled for on / off operation. The outlet end of the main slurry inlet pipeline 46 is connected in parallel with the inlet ends of the first flushing pipeline 4 and the second flushing pipeline 7, and is equipped with a main slurry inlet pipeline valve 8 and a flexible connection 16. The flexible connection 16 is used to absorb the impact of tunneling machine vibration on the pipeline.

[0069] The slurry discharge pipeline system includes a first slurry discharge pipeline 11, a second slurry discharge pipeline 13, and a main slurry discharge pipeline 23. The inlet end of the first slurry discharge pipeline 11 is connected to the lower part of the mud-water tank 2 for discharging slurry from the mud-water tank 2; the inlet end of the second slurry discharge pipeline 13 is connected to the lower part of the air cushion tank 3 for discharging slurry from the air cushion tank 3. The first slurry discharge pipeline 11 and the second slurry discharge pipeline 13 are respectively equipped with a first slurry discharge pipeline valve 12 and a second slurry discharge pipeline valve 14, which can be independently controlled to allow slurry to be discharged from either the mud-water tank 2 or the air cushion tank 3 separately. The inlet end of the main slurry discharge pipeline 23 is connected in parallel to the outlet ends of the first slurry discharge pipeline 11 and the second slurry discharge pipeline 13. Along the slurry flow direction, it is sequentially equipped with a main slurry discharge pipeline valve 15, a flexible connection 16, a slurry pump inlet valve 17, a slurry pump 18, a slurry pump outlet valve 19, and a first-stage pressure reducing tank 20. The slurry pump 18 is a slurry pump used to provide power for slurry transportation.

[0070] The two-stage pressure reducing device includes a first-stage pressure reducing tank 20 and two second-stage pressure reducing tanks 63. The first-stage pressure reducing tank 20 is connected in series at the end of the main slurry discharge pipeline 23 for the first coarse pressure reduction of the high-pressure slurry; the two second-stage pressure reducing tanks 63 are connected in series on the inlet pipelines of the first separation unit 21 and the second separation unit 22, respectively, for the second fine pressure reduction of the slurry entering each separation unit. It should be noted that, in addition to the two-stage pressure reducing device implementation, there can also be three-stage, four-stage, five-stage, or other multi-stage pressure reducing devices. Regardless of the number of stages of pressure reduction, the implementation method is the same as that of the two-stage pressure reducing device.

[0071] like Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, the multi-stage pressure-reducing device may optionally include N sets of S-shaped pressure-reducing pipe sections. The S-shaped arrangement of the slurry discharge pipe increases the length of the slurry discharge line, thereby increasing the resistance. N sets of S-shaped pressure-reducing pipes can be connected in series on the slurry discharge line to meet the requirements of high-pressure tunneling. Preferably, the slurry discharge pipe section is a mud hose 92. The S-shaped arrangement of the slurry discharge pipe section increases the flow resistance by lengthening the pipe, thus reducing pressure. The material of the slurry discharge pipe is changed from Q355B metal to mud hose 92. After the inner wall of the mud hose 92 is pressurized, the pipe diameter increases, resulting in a good pressure-reducing effect. The mud hose 92 achieves pressure reduction through pipe diameter expansion after being pressurized. The N sets of S-shaped pressure-reducing pipes are connected in series to meet the requirements of high-pressure conditions.

[0072] The outlet of the main slurry discharge pipeline 23 is divided into a first branch pipeline 24 and a second branch pipeline 25, which are respectively connected to the inlet of the second-stage pressure reducing tank 63 of the first separation unit 21 and the second separation unit 22. The first branch pipeline 24 and the second branch pipeline 25 are respectively equipped with independently controlled valves 47 and 48, which can selectively open one or both separation units according to the working conditions.

[0073] The slurry recirculation system includes a slurry connecting pipe 31 and a slurry branch pipe 33. The slurry connecting pipe 31 is horizontally connected to the lower slurry discharge port 76 of the slurry cleaning zone 75 of the first separation unit 21 and the second separation unit 22, allowing the slurry cleaning zones of the two separation units to communicate with each other. The inlet end of the slurry branch pipe 33 is connected to the middle of the slurry connecting pipe 31, and along the slurry flow direction, it is sequentially equipped with a slurry branch pipe valve 34, a slurry inlet pump 35, and a slurry inlet pump outlet pipe valve 36, the outlet end of which is connected to the inlet end of the main slurry inlet pipe 46. The slurry inlet pump 35 is used to pump the separated slurry to the mud-water chamber 2 and the air cushion chamber 3.

[0074] The slurry inlet pipeline system, slurry outlet pipeline system, two-stage graded pressure reducing device, first separation unit 21, second separation unit 22 and clear slurry return system together constitute a complete pressurized continuous closed slurry circulation loop. Preferred embodiment

[0075] Based on the basic implementation, such as Figure 2 As shown, each modular separation unit is an independent integrated functional module with a standardized design, allowing for complete installation and disassembly. Each separation unit integrates a pre-screening and grading device, a zoned mud tank 72, a two-stage cyclone separator, a dewatering screen, and a centralized slag discharge device.

[0076] The pre-screening and grading device is located at the inlet of the separation unit and includes a pre-screening vibrating motor 60, a primary screen 61 stacked on top of each other, and a secondary screen 62. The primary screen 61 has an aperture of 20-30 mm and is used to screen out large-sized slag; the secondary screen 62 has an aperture of 5-10 mm and is used to screen out medium-sized slag. The discharge port of the pre-screening and grading device is connected to the belt conveyor 71 through the first slag chute 85.

[0077] A partitioned mud tank 72 is located below the pre-screening and grading device, and is divided by a vertical partition 74 into a lower, interconnected thick slurry zone 73 and an upper, overflowing clear slurry zone 75. The height of the vertical partition 74 is 2 / 3 of the total height of the mud tank. When the slurry height in the thick slurry zone 73 exceeds the top of the vertical partition 74, the upper clear slurry overflows into the clear slurry zone 75. The thick slurry zone 73 is equipped with two sets of agitators 87. Each set of agitators 87 includes a drive unit 88, a vertical stirring shaft 89, and three layers of stirring blades 90. The three layers of stirring blades 90 are evenly spaced along the axial direction of the vertical stirring shaft 89, effectively preventing the sedimentation and solidification of slag at different depths within the thick slurry zone.

[0078] The two-stage hydrocyclone separator includes a primary hydrocyclone 68 and a secondary hydrocyclone 67. The primary hydrocyclone 68 processes particles with a diameter of 0.5-5 mm and is connected to the primary hydrocyclone supply port 77 at the bottom of the thickening zone 73 via a primary hydrocyclone supply pipe 69. The primary hydrocyclone supply pipe 69 is equipped with a primary hydrocyclone supply pump inlet valve 78 and a primary hydrocyclone supply pump 79. The secondary hydrocyclone 67 processes particles with a diameter of 0.074-0.5 mm and is connected to the secondary hydrocyclone supply port 80 at the bottom of the thickening zone 73 via a secondary hydrocyclone supply pipe 70. The secondary hydrocyclone supply pipe 70 is equipped with a secondary hydrocyclone supply pump inlet valve 81 and a secondary hydrocyclone supply pump 82. The underflow outlets of both the primary hydrocyclone 68 and the secondary hydrocyclone 67 are directed towards the feed end of the dewatering screen 66, and their overflow outlets are connected to the upper part of the thickening zone 73.

[0079] The dewatering screen device is located below the two-stage cyclone separator and includes a dewatering screen vibrating motor 65 and a dewatering screen 66. The dewatering screen 66 has an aperture of 0.25-0.5 mm and is used to dewater the thick slurry discharged from the cyclone separator. The discharge port of the dewatering screen device is connected to the belt conveyor 71 through the second slag chute 86.

[0080] The centralized slag discharge device includes a first slag chute 85, a second slag chute 86, and a belt conveyor 71. The belt conveyor 71 is arranged along the length of the trailer and is used to transport the slag separated by the pre-screening and dewatering screen to the subsequent slag car or continuous belt conveyor for discharge outside the tunnel.

[0081] Furthermore, this embodiment also includes an online slurry regeneration system for online treatment and regeneration of deteriorated slurry without stopping tunneling. The online slurry regeneration system includes a slurry connection pipeline 32, a slurry branch pipeline 38, a slurry deep treatment system 43, and a slurry replenishment pipeline 30. The slurry connection pipeline 32 is horizontally connected to the lower slurry inlet 83 of the slurry zone 73 of the first separation unit 21 and the second separation unit 22, and each slurry inlet 83 is equipped with an independently controlled slurry pipeline valve 84. The inlet end of the slurry branch pipeline 38 is connected to the middle of the slurry connection pipeline 32, and along the slurry flow direction, it is sequentially equipped with a slurry branch pipeline valve 39, a slurry delivery pump 40, and a slurry delivery pump outlet valve 41. The slurry deep treatment system 43 uses a filter press or centrifuge for deep degreasing of the slurry. Water treatment removes tiny particles; the inlet end of the slurry replenishment pipeline 30 is connected to the outlet end of the slurry deep treatment system 43, and a slurry replenishment pump 44 and a slurry replenishment pump outlet pipeline valve 45 are installed on it. Its outlet end is divided into a first slurry replenishment branch pipeline 26 and a second slurry replenishment branch pipeline 28, which are respectively connected to the upper part of the slurry clearing zone 75 of the first separation unit 21 and the second separation unit 22. The first slurry replenishment branch pipeline 26 and the second slurry replenishment branch pipeline 28 are respectively equipped with independently controlled first slurry replenishment branch pipeline valve 27 and second slurry replenishment branch pipeline valve 29.

[0082] Furthermore, it also includes a bypass commissioning pipeline 9, one end of which is connected to the downstream side of the main slurry inlet pipeline valve 8 on the main slurry inlet pipeline 46, and the other end is connected to the upstream side of the slurry discharge pump inlet valve 17 on the main slurry discharge pipeline 23. A bypass pipeline valve 10 is provided on the bypass commissioning pipeline 9. The bypass commissioning pipeline 9 is used for system commissioning, flushing, and fault maintenance, and is kept closed during normal tunneling.

[0083] Preferred Implementation

[0084] This embodiment provides a multi-mode tunneling machine, including a tunneling machine main unit, a connecting bridge, and three trailer sections connected in sequence, as well as the mud circulation and separation integrated system described in the preferred embodiment above. All components of the mud circulation and separation integrated system are mounted on the trailer sections, wherein the two-stage pressure reduction device, the first separation unit 21, and the second separation unit 22 are mounted on the first trailer section closest to the tunneling machine main unit, the mud depth treatment system 43 is mounted on the second trailer section, and the electrical control system is mounted on the third trailer section.

[0085] The complete workflow of this embodiment is as follows:

[0086] System commissioning phase: Open bypass pipeline valve 10, close main slurry inlet pipeline valve 8, first slurry outlet pipeline valve 12 and second slurry outlet pipeline valve 14, start slurry outlet pump 18 and slurry inlet pump 35, so that the slurry circulates between bypass commissioning pipeline 9, slurry outlet main pipeline 23 and slurry inlet main pipeline 46, check whether there are leaks in the pipeline, and whether the pumps and valves are operating normally.

[0087] During normal tunneling: Close the bypass pipeline valve 10, and open the main slurry inlet valve 8, the first slurry outlet valve 12, the second slurry outlet valve 14, the first branch slurry outlet valve 47, and the second branch slurry outlet valve 48. The slag cut by the cutterhead 1 mixes with the slurry entering the slurry chamber 2 to form pressurized slurry. Under the influence of gravity and the suction of the slurry outlet pump 18, the pressurized slurry flows into the main slurry outlet pipeline 23 through the first slurry outlet pipeline 11 or the second slurry outlet pipeline 13. The slurry outlet pump 18 pressurizes the pressurized slurry to 0.8-1.2 MPa to ensure sufficient slag carrying capacity.

[0088] Two-stage pressure reduction stage: The pressurized slurry first undergoes a first-stage pressure reduction tank 20 for coarse pressure reduction, with the pressure dropping to 0.3-0.5 MPa; then it enters the first branch pipe 24 and the second branch pipe 25 for slurry discharge respectively, and then undergoes a second-stage fine pressure reduction through their respective second-stage pressure reduction tanks 63, with the pressure further reduced to the optimal separation pressure range of 0.1-0.2 MPa.

[0089] Pre-screening and grading stage: After depressurization, the slurry enters the pre-screening and grading device. Under the vibration of the pre-screening vibrating motor 60, the primary screen 61 screens out large-diameter slag with a particle size greater than 20mm, and the secondary screen 62 screens out medium-diameter slag with a particle size of 5-20mm. The large-diameter and medium-diameter slag move towards the discharge port on the screens, fall into the belt conveyor 71 through the first slag chute 85, and are discharged out of the tunnel with the belt conveyor 71.

[0090] Two-stage hydrocyclone separation stage: Small-diameter slag particles smaller than 5mm pass through a screen and fall into the thickening zone 73 of the partitioned slurry tank 72. The agitator 87 continuously stirs the thick slurry to prevent slag sedimentation and solidification. Subsequently, the thick slurry in the thickening zone 73 is pumped to the first-stage hydrocyclone 68 by the first-stage hydrocyclone supply pump 79, where a second particle size classification is achieved under centrifugal force. Slag particles with a diameter of 0.5-5mm form a thick slurry that is discharged from the underflow nozzle and falls into the dewatering screen device; the clear slurry is discharged from the overflow port and returns to the thickening zone 73. Simultaneously, the thick slurry in the thickening zone 73 is pumped to the second-stage hydrocyclone 67 by the second-stage hydrocyclone supply pump 82, achieving a third particle size classification. Slag particles with a diameter of 0.074-0.5mm form a thick slurry that is discharged from the underflow nozzle and falls into the dewatering screen device; the clear slurry is discharged from the overflow port and returns to the thickening zone 73.

[0091] Dewatering stage: The thick mud discharged from the primary hydrocyclone 68 and the secondary hydrocyclone 67 is dewatered under the vibration of the dewatering screen vibrating motor 65. The moisture content of the dewatered slag is reduced to below 20%, and it falls into the belt conveyor 71 through the second slag chute 86 and is discharged out of the tunnel with the belt conveyor 71.

[0092] Slurry recirculation stage: When the slurry height in the thick slurry zone 73 exceeds the top of the vertical partition 74, the upper layer of clear slurry overflows into the clear slurry zone 75. The clear slurry zones 75 of the first separation unit 21 and the second separation unit 22 are interconnected through the clear slurry connecting pipeline 31. Under the action of the slurry pump 35, the clear slurry in the clear slurry zone is pumped to the mud and water chamber 2 and the air cushion chamber 3 through the slurry main pipeline 46, the first flushing pipeline 4 and the second flushing pipeline 7 to participate in the next round of tunneling cycle.

[0093] Online thickener regeneration stage: During the continuous closed-loop circulation process, tiny particles gradually accumulate in the thickener zone 73, leading to a deterioration in slurry quality and a decrease in slag-carrying capacity. When the slurry density exceeds 1.2 g / cm³... 3 At this time, the valve 84 of the thick mud pipeline of the first separation unit 21 and the second separation unit 22 is opened. The thick mud at the bottom of the thick mud zone 73 is collected through the thick mud connecting pipeline 32 and pumped to the mud deep treatment system 43 by the thick mud delivery pump 40. The mud deep treatment system 43 performs deep dewatering treatment on the thick mud to remove the tiny particles. The resulting clean water and adjusted fresh slurry are pumped to the clear slurry zone 75 of the first separation unit 21 and the second separation unit 22 by the slurry feed pump 44 through the slurry feed pipeline 30, the first slurry feed branch pipeline 26 and the second slurry feed branch pipeline 28. The slurry feed pump 35 then pumps the slurry to the mud-water tank 2 and the air cushion tank 3 to participate in the next cycle.

[0094] Alternative Implementation Example 1: Simplified Sludge-Water Separation System

[0095] like Figure 3 As shown, this embodiment provides a simplified integrated mud circulation separation system, suitable for formations with small slag particle size and low content of large-diameter slag. The difference between this embodiment and the optimal embodiment is that the modular separation unit omits the independent pre-screening and grading device consisting of a pre-screening vibrating motor 60, a primary screen 61, and a secondary screen 62, and adopts an integrated vibration dewatering device.

[0096] The integrated vibrating dewatering device includes a shared dewatering screen vibrating motor 65, a pre-screening screen 91 stacked on top of each other, and a dewatering screen 66. The dewatering screen 66 is positioned above the pre-screening screen 91. The dewatering screen vibrating motor 65 simultaneously drives the pre-screening screen 91 and the dewatering screen 66 to vibrate. The discharge port of the pre-screening screen 91 is connected to a belt conveyor through a first slag chute, and the discharge port of the dewatering screen 66 is connected to the belt conveyor through a second slag chute.

[0097] The hydrocyclone separator may retain the two-stage hydrocyclone or only install the single-stage hydrocyclone as needed. When only the single-stage hydrocyclone is installed, the second-stage hydrocyclone 67 and its matching second-stage hydrocyclone slurry supply pipe 70, second-stage hydrocyclone slurry supply pump inlet valve 81, and second-stage hydrocyclone slurry supply pump 82 are omitted.

[0098] The working principle of this embodiment is as follows:

[0099] After undergoing two stages of depressurization, the pressurized slurry directly enters the pre-screening screen of the integrated vibrating dewatering device. Under the vibration of the dewatering screen vibrating motor 65, the pre-screening screen filters out slag with a particle size greater than 5mm, which falls through the first slag chute 85 and into the conveyor belt 71 for discharge. Slurry with a particle size less than 5mm falls into the thickening zone 73, and the subsequent hydrocyclone separation, dewatering, clear slurry recirculation, and thickening regeneration processes are the same as in the optimal embodiment.

[0100] The advantages of this embodiment are: it eliminates the need for a separate pre-screening vibrating motor and a primary screen, simplifying the system structure, reducing equipment costs and energy consumption, and minimizing maintenance workload. At the same time, it retains the core advantages of pressurized continuous closed-loop circulation, ensuring that construction efficiency and separation effect meet the construction requirements of small-diameter slag and gravel formations.

[0101] Alternative Example 2: Tunneling Machine without Air Cushion

[0102] like Figure 4 As shown, this embodiment provides a multi-mode tunneling machine that eliminates the air cushion chamber, suitable for formations with low groundwater pressure and where air cushion stabilization is not required. The difference between this embodiment and the preferred embodiment is that the air cushion chamber 3 is eliminated from the main body of the tunneling machine, and the corresponding slurry inlet and outlet pipeline systems are simplified.

[0103] The slurry inlet piping system retains only the first flushing pipe 4, omitting the second flushing pipe 7 and the second flushing pipe valve 6. The outlet end of the first flushing pipe 4 is connected to the upper part of the mud and water tank 2, and the outlet end of the main slurry inlet pipe 46 is only connected to the inlet end of the first flushing pipe 4.

[0104] The slurry discharge pipeline system retains only the first slurry discharge pipeline 11, omitting the second slurry discharge pipeline 13 and the second slurry discharge pipeline valve 14. The inlet end of the first slurry discharge pipeline 11 is connected to the lower part of the mud and water tank 2, and the inlet end of the main slurry discharge pipeline 23 is only connected to the outlet end of the first slurry discharge pipeline 11.

[0105] The working principle of this embodiment is as follows:

[0106] The slag cut by the cutterhead 1 mixes with the slurry entering the mud-water chamber 2 to form pressurized slurry. Under the influence of gravity and the suction of the slurry pump 18, the pressurized slurry flows into the main slurry discharge pipeline 23 through the first discharge pipeline 11. The subsequent two-stage depressurization, slurry separation, clear slurry recirculation, and thick slurry regeneration processes are exactly the same as in the optimal embodiment.

[0107] The advantages of this embodiment are: it eliminates the air cushion chamber and its associated pipelines and valves, further simplifying the system structure and reducing equipment procurement and maintenance costs. At the same time, it maintains the core advantage of pressurized continuous closed-loop circulation, meeting the construction needs of strata with low groundwater pressure.

[0108] All aspects not detailed in this invention are conventional technical means known to those skilled in the art.

[0109] The above content shows and describes the basic principles, main features, and beneficial effects of the present invention. The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, or improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A tunneling machine mud circulation and separation integrated system, characterized in that, Including the following structures integrated onto the tunneling machine trailer: The slurry inlet pipeline system has its outlet end connected to the slurry chamber and / or air cushion chamber of the tunneling machine in a way that allows for both switching on and off. The slurry discharge pipeline system has its inlet end connected to the mud-water tank and / or air cushion tank in a way that allows for both switching on and off. At least one separation unit; when there are two or more separation units, the separation units are arranged in parallel, and the inlet of each separation unit is connected to the outlet of the slurry discharge pipeline system through an independent slurry discharge branch pipeline. The multi-stage pressure reducing device includes at least one pressure reducing box connected in series on the main pipeline of the slurry discharge pipeline system, and at least one pressure reducing box connected in series on the slurry discharge branch pipeline at the inlet of each separation unit; the multi-stage pressure reducing device may also selectively include N sets of S-shaped slurry discharge pipeline sections. The slurry return system has its inlet end directly connected to the slurry outlet of all the separation units, and its outlet end connected to the inlet end of the slurry inlet pipeline system. The slurry inlet pipeline system, slurry outlet pipeline system, several stages of pressure reducing devices, separation unit and slurry return system together constitute a pressurized continuous closed slurry circulation loop.

2. The tunneling machine mud circulation and separation integrated system according to claim 1, characterized in that, Each of the aforementioned separation units is an independent integrated functional module, which integrates the following: Optional pre-screening and grading device, including pre-screening vibrating motor, stacked primary screen and secondary screen, is used to perform the first particle size classification of the slurry entering the separation unit; The partitioned mud tank is divided into a thick slurry zone with a lower connecting section and a clear slurry zone with an upper overflow section by a vertical partition. The undersize outlet of the pre-screening and grading device or the inlet of the separation unit is connected to the upper part of the thick slurry zone. At least one primary cyclone separator, the inlet of which is connected to the lower part of the thickening zone, the underflow outlet of which is connected to a dewatering screen or a secondary screen, and the overflow outlet of which is connected to the upper part of the thickening zone; Optional dewatering screen device, including dewatering screen vibrating motor and dewatering screen, is used to dewater the thick slurry discharged from the hydrocyclone separator; The centralized slag discharge device includes a first slag chute, a second slag chute, and a belt conveyor, which are used to transport the slag separated by the pre-screening and grading device and the dewatering screen, respectively.

3. The tunneling machine mud circulation and separation integrated system according to claim 2, characterized in that, When the pre-screening and grading device is installed, the aperture of the primary screen is larger than that of the secondary screen; when the pre-screening and grading device is omitted, the dewatering screen vibration motor simultaneously drives the upper and lower stacked pre-screening screen and dewatering screen, the discharge port of the pre-screening screen is connected to the first slag chute, and the discharge port of the dewatering screen is connected to the second slag chute.

4. The tunneling machine mud circulation and separation integrated system according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that, The hydrocyclone separator includes a primary hydrocyclone and a secondary hydrocyclone. The primary hydrocyclone has a larger particle size than the secondary hydrocyclone. The primary hydrocyclone is connected to the primary hydrocyclone supply port in the thickened slurry zone via a primary hydrocyclone supply pipe. The primary hydrocyclone supply pipe is equipped with a primary hydrocyclone supply pump inlet valve and a primary hydrocyclone supply pump. The secondary hydrocyclone is connected to the secondary hydrocyclone supply port in the thickened slurry zone via a secondary hydrocyclone supply pipe. The secondary hydrocyclone supply pipe is equipped with a secondary hydrocyclone supply pump inlet valve and a secondary hydrocyclone supply pump. The underflow outlets of both the primary and secondary hydrocyclones are oriented towards the feed end of the dewatering screen or the secondary screen.

5. The tunneling machine mud circulation and separation integrated system according to claim 4, characterized in that, At least one set of agitators is provided in the thickened slurry zone. The agitator includes a drive unit, a vertical stirring shaft, and multiple layers of stirring blades. The multiple layers of stirring blades are evenly distributed along the axial direction of the vertical stirring shaft to prevent the sedimentation and solidification of slag at different depths in the thickened slurry zone.

6. The tunneling machine mud circulation and separation integrated system according to any one of claims 1-3 and 5, characterized in that, The multi-stage pressure reduction device includes a first-stage pressure reduction box connected in series on the main pipeline of the slurry discharge pipeline system, and a second-stage pressure reduction box connected in series on the slurry discharge branch pipeline at the inlet of each separation unit; the slurry discharge pipeline section is a mud hose; the S-shaped slurry discharge pipeline section achieves pressure reduction by increasing the flow resistance through lengthening the pipeline; the mud hose section achieves pressure reduction by expanding its diameter after being pressurized; the N sets of S-shaped pressure reduction pipelines are connected in series to meet the requirements of high-pressure conditions.

7. The tunneling machine mud circulation and separation integrated system according to claim 6, characterized in that, The slurry return system includes: The slurry cleaning pipeline connects to the lower slurry discharge port of the slurry cleaning zone of all the separation units; The slurry clearing branch pipeline has its inlet end connected to the slurry clearing connecting pipeline. Along the slurry flow direction, it is provided with a slurry clearing branch pipeline valve, a slurry inlet pump, and a slurry inlet pump outlet pipeline valve. Its outlet end is connected to the inlet end of the slurry inlet pipeline system.

8. The tunneling machine mud circulation and separation integrated system according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a concentrated sludge discharge treatment system, which comprises: The thick mud connection pipeline connects to the thick mud port at the bottom of the thick mud zone of all the separation units, and each thick mud port is equipped with an independently controlled thick mud pipeline valve; A thick mud branch pipeline, the inlet end of which is connected to the thick mud connecting pipeline, is provided with a thick mud branch pipeline valve, a thick mud conveying pump and a thick mud conveying pump outlet valve in sequence along the slurry flow direction. The inlet of the slurry deep treatment system is connected to the outlet of the concentrated slurry branch pipeline; The slurry replenishment pipeline has its inlet end connected to the outlet end of the slurry deep treatment system. It is equipped with a slurry replenishment pump and a slurry replenishment pump outlet pipeline valve. Its outlet end is divided into a first slurry replenishment branch pipeline and a second slurry replenishment branch pipeline, which are respectively connected to the upper part of the slurry clearing zone of the first separation unit and the second separation unit. The first slurry replenishment branch pipeline and the second slurry replenishment branch pipeline are respectively equipped with independently controlled first slurry replenishment branch pipeline valves and second slurry replenishment branch pipeline valves.

9. The tunneling machine mud circulation and separation integrated system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The slurry discharge pipeline system includes: The first slurry pipeline has its inlet end connected to the lower part of the mud and water tank, and a first slurry pipeline valve is provided on it. An optional second slurry pipeline has its inlet end connected to the lower part of the air cushion chamber and is equipped with a second slurry pipeline valve. The main slurry discharge pipeline has its inlet end connected in parallel with the outlet end of the first slurry discharge pipeline and the optional second slurry discharge pipeline. Along the slurry flow direction, it is provided with a main slurry discharge pipeline valve, a slurry pump inlet valve, a slurry pump, a slurry pump outlet valve, and a first-stage pressure reducing tank. The outlet end of the main slurry discharge pipeline is divided into a first branch pipeline and a second branch pipeline, which are respectively connected to the inlet of the second-stage pressure reducing tank of the first separation unit and the second separation unit. The first branch pipeline and the second branch pipeline are respectively equipped with independently controlled valves.

10. A tunneling machine, characterized in that, The system includes a tunneling machine main unit, a connecting bridge, and multiple trailers connected in sequence, as well as a mud circulation and separation integrated system as described in any one of claims 1-9; all components of the mud circulation and separation integrated system are mounted on the trailers; the tunneling machine main unit can selectively have or not have an air cushion chamber; during the continuous tunneling operation of the tunneling machine, the pressurized slurry generated by the cutterhead cutting is transported in real time to the separation unit through the slurry discharge pipeline system for synchronous multi-stage slurry-water separation, and the separated clean slurry is directly returned to the mud-water chamber and / or air cushion chamber through the clean slurry return system to participate in the next round of tunneling cycle, without stopping tunneling or releasing the pressurized state of the working face.

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