Wear control system and wear management method

Abstract

To improve the operability and reliability of wear management related to an excavation tool installed in a cutter head of a tunnel excavator.SOLUTION: A wear management system that manages the wear status of an excavation tool installed in a tunnel excavator comprises an air quality monitoring device that monitors the air quality surrounding excavated soil generated as a tunnel excavator excavates the earth, and a detection material release mechanism that releases a detection material containing an organic solvent toward the excavated soil according to the amount of wear of the excavation tool. The air quality monitoring device comprises air concentration measurement means for measuring the air concentration of volatile organic compounds or the total volatile organic compound concentration contained in the air surrounding the excavated soil, and concentration acquisition means for continuously acquiring concentration measurement values obtained by the air concentration measurement means.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a wear management system for managing the wear state of excavation tools provided on a cutter head of a tunnel boring machine, and a method for managing the wear of excavation tools.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, in tunnel construction, tunnel boring machines such as shield tunneling machines and TBMs are often used. At the tip of the tunnel boring machine, a cutter head equipped with cutter bits embedded with cemented carbide is provided, and while rotating this cutter head, the cutter bits cut and excavate the ground. However, since the cutter bits wear out, wear management is required along with construction management.

[0003] Under such circumstances, for example, in Patent Document 1, a disk cutter for an excavation device capable of notifying an operator of the wear limit is disclosed. Specifically, a deodorant that scatters odor particles is embedded in a predetermined location of a base metal in which cemented carbide tips are implanted on the outer periphery of the top. Thereby, when the base metal wears down to the embedded location, the odor particles of the deodorant scatter and reach the driver's seat of the excavation device.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] According to the method described in Patent Document 1, the operator of the drilling machine can safely detect when the carbide tip has exceeded its wear limit by using their sense of smell while remaining in the operator's seat, without having to approach the cutter head. However, because there are individual differences in the sense of smell of workers, the criteria for judgment tend to be ambiguous. In addition, it is difficult for the operator of the drilling machine to constantly focus on the smell of the odorant during the construction period, which has created challenges in the operationality of wear management.

[0006] To address this, one could consider installing an odor sensor in the driver's seat. However, in an environment where odors from excavated soil and machine oil are mixed, technology to detect only the odorant has not yet been established, raising concerns about the reliability of wear detection.

[0007] The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and its main objective is to improve the operability and reliability of wear control for excavating tools provided on the cutter head of a tunnel boring machine. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] To achieve this objective, the wear management system of the present invention is a wear management system for managing the wear state of an excavating tool installed on a tunnel boring machine, comprising: an air quality monitoring device for monitoring the air quality surrounding excavated soil generated during excavation of the ground by the tunnel boring machine; and a detection material release mechanism for releasing a detection material containing an organic solvent toward the excavated soil according to the amount of wear of the excavating tool, wherein the air quality monitoring device comprises an air concentration measuring means for measuring the air concentration or total volatile organic compound concentration of volatile organic compounds contained in the air surrounding the excavated soil. The concentration acquisition means includes a release determination unit that determines whether or not the detection material has been released based on the measured concentration of the volatile organic compound and a predetermined determination threshold for the airborne concentration of the volatile organic compound or the total volatile organic compound concentration. The system is characterized by comprising: a concentration acquisition means for continuously acquiring concentration measurements obtained by the airborne concentration measuring means; and a concentration acquisition means for continuously acquiring concentration measurements obtained by the airborne concentration measuring means.

[0009] The wear management system of the present invention is characterized in that the concentration acquisition means , the above The system is characterized by comprising: an alarm output unit that outputs an alarm when the discharge determination unit determines that the detected material has been discharged; and an alarm output unit that outputs an alarm when the discharge determination unit determines that the detected material has been discharged.

[0010] The wear management system of the present invention is characterized in that the detection material discharge mechanism comprises a plurality of detection material discharge units, and the plurality of detection material discharge units are located inside the excavator and are offset in depth from the tip of the excavator.

[0011] The wear management system of the present invention is characterized in that the detection material contains a fragrance.

[0012] The wear management method for excavating tools of the present invention is a wear management method for excavating tools using the wear management system of the present invention, comprising the steps of: measuring the airborne concentration or total volatile organic compound concentration of the excavated soil generated in conjunction with excavation of the ground by the tunnel boring machine, and continuously acquiring the measured concentration values. A step of determining whether or not the detection material has been released based on the concentration measurement value and a predetermined determination threshold for the airborne concentration or total volatile organic compound concentration of the volatile organic compound. It is characterized by having the following features.

[0013] The wear control method for excavating tools according to the present invention is: The aforementioned The system is characterized by comprising the step of outputting an alarm when it is determined that a detection material has been released.

[0014] According to the wear management system and wear management method for excavating tools of the present invention, the air quality monitoring device can be used to continuously monitor the airborne concentration or total volatile organic compound concentration of volatile organic compounds contained in the surrounding air of excavated soil generated during excavation by a tunnel boring machine. Furthermore, time-series data of concentration measurements can be acquired, and fluctuations in these measurements can be detected to indicate that a detection material containing an organic solvent has been released from the detection material release mechanism. As a result, workers do not need to constantly pay attention to the odor of volatile organic compounds; they only need to check for the odor of volatile organic compounds in the surrounding air of the excavated soil when fluctuations occur in the time-series data of concentration measurements. In addition, if the detection material contains a fragrance, the worker only needs to check for the fragrance.

[0015] Furthermore, when confirming the odor of volatile organic compounds or the fragrance of a fragrance by smell, the time-series data of the concentration measurement values can be used as support information for detection. As a result, even in an environment where the smell of excavated soil and the smell of machine working oil are mixed, by detecting whether or not the detection material has been released toward the excavated soil, the reliability and operability of wear management for managing the wear state of the excavation tool can be improved.

[0016] In addition, by providing an emission determination unit that determines whether or not the detection material has been released toward the excavated soil, it is possible to discriminate the release of the detection material with stable accuracy as compared with the case where an operator confirms by smell. Further, when the emission determination unit includes an alarm output unit that issues an alarm when it is determined that the detection material has been released, the operator may, after receiving the alarm notification, confirm the odor of volatile organic compounds or the fragrance of a fragrance in the vicinity of the excavated soil as a final confirmation operation, and the operability of wear management can be further improved. In addition, it is possible to quickly convey the wear status of the excavation tool to the operator of the tunnel boring machine, the worker in the construction office, etc., and to improve the efficiency of wear management.

[0017] Also, if a plurality of detection material release parts are provided with the depth positions shifted from the tip of the excavation tool, it becomes possible to grasp the wear state of the excavation tool step by step.

Effects of the Invention

[0018] According to the present invention, by using an air quality monitoring device that monitors the ambient air quality of the excavated soil, it is possible to detect, not by odor, but from the atmospheric concentration of volatile organic compounds or the total volatile organic compound concentration contained in the ambient air of the excavated soil that a detection material containing an organic solvent has been released from the detection material release mechanism due to wear of the excavation tool, and high reliability and operability can be ensured for wear management for managing the wear state of the excavation tool.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0019] [Figure 1] It is a figure which shows the wear management system in embodiment of this invention. [Figure 2]This is a diagram showing the cutter head of a tunnel boring machine and a detection material release mechanism (when a detection material supply part is provided on a cutter bit) in an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] This is a diagram showing a tunnel and a launching shaft in an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] This is a diagram showing a detection material release mechanism (when a detection material supply part is provided on a cutter spoke) in an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] This is a diagram showing the configuration of a concentration acquisition means constituting a wear management system in an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] This is a diagram showing the flow of wear management related to a cutting tool in an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] This is a graph in which the concentration measurement values of volatile organic compounds measured from the surrounding air of excavated soil and sand are plotted in time series in an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] This is a diagram showing another example of a detection material release mechanism (when detection material release parts are provided at two locations inside a cutter bit) in an embodiment of the present invention.

Embodiments for Carrying out the Invention

[0020] Details of the wear management system and the wear management method of the cutting tool of the present invention will be described below while referring to FIGS. 1 to 8.

[0021] Prior to explaining the details of the wear management system, an overview of a tunnel boring machine and a belt conveyor for carrying out excavated soil and sand generated by the excavation of the ground by the tunnel boring machine will be described. The tunnel boring machine may be any of a shield tunneling machine, a TBM, etc. In the present embodiment, a shield tunneling machine equipped with a spoke-type cutter head will be taken as an example and the overview will be described.

[0022] ≪≪Shield Tunneling Machine 10≫≫ As shown in Figure 1, the shield tunneling machine 10 comprises a cutter drive unit 11, a cutter head 12 with the cutter drive unit 11 on its rear and its front facing the tunnel face A, and a shield body 13 located on the rear side of the cutter head 12. A cutter bit (excavation tool) 14 is attached to the cutter head 12, and the shield body 13 comprises a chamber 15 for storing excavated soil S and a screw conveyor 16 for discharging the excavated soil S from the chamber 15.

[0023] As shown in Figure 2(a) when viewed from the face A side, the cutter head 12 is formed in a circular shape and has a plurality of cutter spokes 121 extending radially from a central axis. Multiple cutter bits 14, which are metal drilling tools, are attached to the cutter spokes 121 on the side facing the face A. As shown in Figure 2(b), the cutter bits 141 have a plurality of tips 142 fixed to the tip 141B side of the base material 141, and the base end 141A is attached to the cutter spokes 121 by welding or in a detachable manner.

[0024] The tip 142 of the cutter bit 14 has the function of excavating the tunnel face A, and its hardness is higher than that of the base material 141. The cutter bit 14 having such a configuration has a cross-section in the direction of the tunnel axis that is wedge-shaped, becoming thinner towards the tunnel face A, as shown in Figure 1. As a result, when the cutter head 12 is pressed against the tunnel face A, it rotates around the central axis via the cutter drive unit 11, excavating the ground.

[0025] Chamber 15 is a space into which excavated soil S continuously generated by the excavation of the ground by the shield tunneling machine 10 is taken in. It is partitioned by a cutter head 12, a cylindrical outer hood 131 located on the front side (face A side) of the shield body 13, and a partition wall 132. A screw conveyor 16 is connected to the partition wall 132, and the excavated soil S taken into Chamber 15 by this screw conveyor 16 is discharged into the tunnel T.

[0026] ≪≪Belt Conveyor 20≫≫ As shown in Figures 1 and 3, the belt conveyor 20 is a device that transports excavated soil S discharged into the tunnel T by the screw conveyor 16 toward the launch shaft H, with its tail section 21 positioned near the discharge port of the screw conveyor 16. The head section 22 of the belt conveyor 20 is positioned near the launch shaft H. As a result, the excavated soil S dropped from the screw conveyor 16 onto the belt conveyor 20 is transported to the vicinity of the launch shaft H, loaded onto the slag cart 30, and then stored, for example, in a soil pit P located on the ground, via the launch shaft H.

[0027] <<Wear Management System 40>> The wear management system 40 is a system that manages the wear condition of the cutter bit 14 while tunnel construction is progressing with the shield tunneling machine 10 described above, and as shown in Figure 1, it includes a detection material discharge mechanism 50 and an air quality monitoring device 60.

[0028] ≪Detection Material Release Mechanism 50≫ As shown in Figure 1, the detection material release mechanism 50 has a detection material release section 51 located inside the cutter bit 14. When the cutter bit 14 wears down and this detection material release section 51 is exposed, it releases a fragrance-containing detection material O(F) toward the excavated soil S. Any configuration is acceptable as long as it has this function.

[0029] For example, Figure 2(b) illustrates a detection material discharge mechanism 50 comprising a detection material discharge unit 51 provided on the cutter bit 14, a piston-type detection material supply unit 52 also provided on the cutter bit 14, and a flow path 53 connecting the detection material supply unit 52 and the detection material discharge unit 51. The piston-type detection material supply unit 52 is suitable when the outer diameter of the excavation by the shield tunneling machine 1 is small and only a small amount of fragrance-containing detection material O(F) needs to be loaded.

[0030] Furthermore, Figures 4(a) and (b) illustrate a detection material discharge mechanism 50 comprising a detection material discharge unit 51 provided on the cutter bit 14, an accumulator-type detection material supply unit 54 provided on the cutter spoke 121, and a supply pipe 55 connecting the detection material supply unit 54 and the detection material discharge unit 51. The accumulator-type detection material supply unit 54 is suitable when the outer diameter of the excavation by the shield tunneling machine 1 is large and a large amount of fragrance-containing detection material O(f) needs to be loaded.

[0031] These detection material discharge mechanisms 50 will be outlined later, but in all cases, a fragrance-containing detection material O(f) is filled into the detection material supply units 52 and 54. In addition, as shown in Figure 2(b), the detection material discharge unit 51 is located inside the base material 141 that constitutes the cutter bit 14, at a depth position that is recessed from the tip 141B by a length (wear detection amount L1) corresponding to the amount of wear to be detected. Details of the detection material discharge mechanisms 50 exemplified in Figures 2(b) and 4(a) and (b) are referred to Japanese Patent Application No. 2021-017404.

[0032] ≪Fragrance-containing detection material O(f) and detection material O≫ Fragrance-containing detection material O(f) is obtained by adding fragrance to detection material O, which is mainly composed of an organic solvent. Any liquid mainly composed of an organic solvent can be used as detection material O; for example, ethanol, which is widely used to dissolve fragrance f, can be used. Note that organic solvents include not only those classified as volatile organic compounds (VOCs) when they volatilize, but also those classified as highly volatile organic compounds (VVOCs).

[0033] In this embodiment, a detection material O(f) containing fragrance is used in the detection material release mechanism 50, but detection material O itself without fragrance may also be used. This is because the air quality monitoring device 60, described later, measures the airborne concentration or total volatile organic compound concentration of volatile organic compounds contained in the air surrounding the excavated soil, and does not detect fragrance. Furthermore, since the fragrance is used for the worker's verification work, any material that is easily detected by the sense of smell may be used. Also, if the worker's verification work is to be considered, detection material O containing, for example, a coloring agent may be used instead of the detection material O(f) containing fragrance.

[0034] <<Air Quality Monitoring Device 60>> The air quality monitoring device 60 is a device that monitors the air quality surrounding excavated soil S generated during ground excavation, and as shown in Figure 1, it comprises an air concentration measuring means 61 and a concentration acquisition means 62. The air concentration measuring means 61 measures the air concentration or total volatile organic compound concentration of volatile organic compounds contained in the air surrounding the excavated soil S. The concentration acquisition means 62 continuously acquires the concentration measurement values ​​obtained by the air concentration measuring means 61. Furthermore, it determines whether or not the fragrance-containing detection material O(f) has been released based on the acquired concentration measurement values. In addition, if it is determined that it has been released, it sounds an alarm.

[0035] ≪≪Air concentration measuring means 61≫ As shown in Figure 1, the airborne concentration measuring means 61 consists of an air pollution measuring instrument 611 and a support stand 612. The air pollution measuring instrument 611 can be any instrument capable of measuring the concentration of volatile organic compounds, and examples include VOC meters and TVOC meters. A VOC meter is an instrument that measures the airborne concentration of volatile organic compounds such as toluene, benzene, chlorofluorocarbons, and dichloromethane, while a TVOC meter is an instrument that measures the total volatile organic compound concentration. Furthermore, if ethanol is used in the organic material, a gas analyzer or the like can also be used.

[0036] Such airborne concentration measuring means 61 can be installed at any location close to the excavated soil S. For example, the vicinity of the discharge port of the screw conveyor 16, as shown in Figure 1, or the vicinity of the drop point on the steel scrap car 30 on the belt conveyor 20, as shown in Figure 3, are preferred. At these locations, the fragrance-containing detection material O(f) released into the excavated soil S can easily diffuse, allowing the air pollution measuring instrument 611 to accurately detect volatile organic compounds.

[0037] In particular, when installed near the discharge port of the screw conveyor 16, it is possible to observe the surrounding air quality of excavated soil S that has just been generated by the excavation of the ground by the shield tunneling machine 10. Therefore, when the wear of the cutter bit 14 exceeds the wear detection amount L1, it is possible to detect volatile organic compounds released from the excavated soil S at an early stage. This makes it possible to avoid phenomena such as damage to the cutter head 12 or the shield body 13 caused by the progression of wear of the cutter bit 14.

[0038] The support frame 612 is installed so as to straddle the belt conveyor 20 and is a frame that supports the air pollution measuring instrument 611. Its shape is not limited in any way, and the support frame 612 may be omitted if there is equipment in the tunnel T that can support them.

[0039] ≪Concentration acquisition means 62≫ The concentration acquisition means 62 can be any device equipped with an input unit 621, an arithmetic processing unit 622, and an output unit 623, as shown in Figure 5, and can be a personal computer, notebook PC, tablet terminal, etc.

[0040] The input unit 621 is connected to the air pollution meter 611 wirelessly or via a wired connection and continuously receives concentration measurements taken by the air pollution meter 611. Although not shown in the diagram, it may also be configured to connect to input devices such as a keyboard, mouse, or scanner and receive information input to these devices.

[0041] The output unit 623 includes a data output unit 6231 and an alarm output unit 6232. The data output unit 6231 outputs information such as concentration measurement values ​​acquired via the input unit 621 and processing data processed by the calculation processing unit 622 to the display device 624. The alarm output unit 6232 outputs alarm information to the display device 624 when the release determination unit 6222 of the calculation processing unit 622 (described later) determines that the fragrance-containing detection material O(f) has been released.

[0042] The display device 624 may be a display, printer, or monitor screen of the shield tunneling machine 1, all of which are connected to the output unit 623 wirelessly or via a wired connection. In addition, the alarm information output from the alarm output unit 6232 may be output not only to the display device 624, but also to an output device capable of providing audio notification, such as a speaker.

[0043] Furthermore, the terminal devices 625, such as mobile terminals carried by workers or management computers installed in construction offices, and the concentration acquisition means 62 may be made capable of mutual data transmission via a communication network. In this case, information can be input from the terminal device 625 to the concentration acquisition means 62 via the input unit 621, or information can be output from the concentration acquisition means 62 to the terminal device 625 via the output unit 623. The communication network may be constructed using the internet, a dedicated communication line, or any other method.

[0044] The arithmetic processing unit 622 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory), and a RAM (Random Access Memory) and controls the operation of the concentration acquisition means 62. Such an arithmetic processing unit 622 includes at least a concentration acquisition unit 6221 and an emission determination unit 6222.

[0045] The concentration acquisition unit 6221 continuously acquires concentration measurements measured by the air pollution measuring instrument 611. This allows for the acquisition of time-series data of concentration measurements, as shown in Figures 7 and 8. Further details will be explained in the section on wear management methods for drilling tools, which will be described later.

[0046] The release determination unit 6222 determines whether or not the fragrance-containing detection material O(f) has been released from the detection material release mechanism 50, based on the concentration measurement value obtained by the concentration acquisition unit 6221 and a predetermined determination threshold for the airborne concentration of volatile organic compounds or the total volatile organic compound concentration. Specifically, it compares the concentration measurement value with the predetermined determination threshold, and determines that the fragrance-containing detection material O(f) has been released if the concentration measurement value exceeds the determination threshold. The method for determining the determination threshold will be explained together with the method for managing wear of the excavating tool.

[0047] ≪≪Method for managing wear and tear on excavating tools≫≫ The procedure for detecting the wear state of the cutter bit 4 using the above-described wear management system 100 will be explained below with reference to the configuration diagram of the concentration acquisition means 62 shown in Figure 5 and the wear management flow shown in Figure 6. In this embodiment, a TVOC meter is used as the air pollution measuring instrument 611 to measure the total volatile organic compound concentration contained in the air surrounding the excavated soil S.

[0048] <<<Installation of fragrance-containing detection material O(f): STEP 1>>> First, the amount of fragrance-containing detection material O(f) to be loaded is determined by considering the outer diameter of the excavation by the shield tunneling machine 1. Then, the structure of the detection material discharge mechanism 50 to be installed in the shield tunneling machine 10 is appropriately selected according to the amount of fragrance-containing detection material O(f) loaded.

[0049] As mentioned above, when a small amount is required, a detection material discharge mechanism 50 is adopted, which includes a piston-type detection material supply unit 52 on the cutter bit 14, as shown in Figure 2(b), to load the required amount of fragrance-containing detection material O(f). On the other hand, when a large amount is required, a detection material discharge mechanism 50 is adopted, which includes an accumulator-type detection material supply unit 54 on the cutter spoke 121, as shown in Figures 4(a) and (b), to load the required amount of detection material.

[0050] ≪≪When the load is small≫≫ As shown in Figure 2(b), the detection material discharge mechanism 50 comprises a detection material discharge section 51, a detection material supply section 52, and a flow path 53 connecting them. The flow path 53 has a smaller diameter on the side connected to the detection material discharge section 51 and a larger diameter on the side connected to the detection material supply section 52. The flow path 53 also has two communication sections 531 that communicate with the outside air, and plugs 532 and 533 that can close the communication sections 531 are detachably provided on the base material 141.

[0051] The detection material supply unit 52 comprises two hollow sections 521 arranged in parallel within the base material 141 so as to be perpendicular to the flow path 53, and a piston 522 positioned within the hollow sections 521. Each hollow section 521 is divided into a storage section 521A and a pressurizing section 521B for the fragrance-containing detection material O(f), with the piston 522 acting as the boundary, and the storage section 521A is in communication with the flow path 53.

[0052] The pressurizing section 521B is a space in which the coil spring 523 is housed, and an opening is formed therein for inserting the coil spring 523. This opening can be opened and closed by a screw 524, and after inserting the coil spring 523 into the pressurizing section 521B through the opening, the screw 524 is attached to the base material 141 to close the opening. As a result, one end of the coil spring 523 comes into contact with the screw 524, and the other end comes into contact with the piston 522.

[0053] As a result, the coil spring 523 uses its own restoring force to bias the piston 522, thereby pressurizing the fragrance-containing detection material O(f) stored in the storage section 521A. In Figure 2(b), the coil spring 523 at the top of the drawing is shown in an extended state, while the coil spring 523 at the bottom of the drawing is shown in a contracted state.

[0054] The procedure for loading the fragrance-containing detection material O(f) into the storage section 521A provided in the detection material supply section 52 having the above configuration is as follows. First, the plugs 532 and 533 that block the communication section 531 between the flow path 53 and the outside air are removed from the base material 141. Next, the screw 524 and coil spring 523 are removed from the pressurizing section 521B. Then, with the piston 522 inserted into the hollow section 521, the storage section 521A and the flow path 53 are filled with the fragrance-containing detection material O(f).

[0055] Subsequently, plugs 532 and 533 are attached to the base material 141, sealing the flow path 53 and the communication section 531. After this, a coil spring 523 is inserted into the pressurizing section 521B, and a screw 524 is attached to the base material 141. As a result, the coil spring 523 is held in a contracted state between the screw 524 and the piston 522, and the fragrance-containing detection material O(f) stored in the storage section 521A is mounted under pressurization by the coil spring 523.

[0056] ≪≪When carrying a large amount of cargo≫≫ As shown in Figure 4(a), the detection material discharge mechanism 50 comprises a detection material discharge section 51, a detection material supply section 54, and a supply pipe 55 connecting them. The detection material supply section 54 has a housing 541 having a connection section 541A with the supply pipe 55, and a pressurized section 542 having an expandable bag-shaped member. Compressed gas G is filled inside the pressurized section 542. Outside the pressurized section 542, there is a storage section 543 defined on the inner circumferential surface of the housing 541.

[0057] Therefore, the required amount of fragrance-containing detection material O(f) is injected into the storage section 543. The injected fragrance-containing detection material O(f) is then placed under pressure by the pressurization section 542. Consequently, as wear progresses on the cutter bit 14 and the detection material discharge section 51 is exposed, the pressurization section 542 expands in accordance with the pressure, and the fragrance-containing detection material O(f) is discharged to the outside of the housing 541. After this, the fragrance-containing detection material O(f) is supplied to the cutter bit 14 via the supply pipe 55 and discharged from the detection material discharge section 51.

[0058] <<<Start of excavation of natural ground: STEP 2>>> Simultaneously with, or around the same time as, the loading of the fragrance-containing detection material O(f), the air pollution measuring device 611 is positioned in the designated location as shown in Figure 1. After this, the shield tunneling machine 10 is started to excavate the ground.

[0059] <<Setting the judgment threshold: STEP 3>> When the shield tunneling machine 10 starts operation, as shown in Figure 1, the excavated soil S is taken into the tunnel T via the chamber 15 and screw conveyor 16. This excavated soil S is collected during the initial excavation stage when the cutter bit 14 is not worn down, and the collected excavated soil S is used to set a threshold value used in the discharge determination unit 6222 to determine whether or not the fragrance-containing detection material O(f) has been released.

[0060] First, a sample is prepared by mixing the collected excavated soil S with the fragrance-containing detection material O(f) or the detection material O contained therein, which is mounted on the detection material release mechanism 50. Next, the surrounding air of the sample is measured with an air pollution meter 611, and the total volatile organic compound concentration is obtained, thereby observing the change in the concentration measurement value. Based on this observation result, the optimal airborne concentration is set as the determination threshold to determine whether or not the fragrance-containing detection material O(f) has been released.

[0061] When determining the judgment threshold, it is advisable to consider the measurement conditions (distance between the excavated soil S and the air pollution measuring instrument 611, temperature environment, airflow, etc.) to determine the optimal judgment threshold. The determined judgment threshold is input to the concentration acquisition means 62 via the input unit 621 and stored in the calculation processing unit 622.

[0062] <<<Acquisition of concentration measurement values ​​and creation of time-series data: STEP 4>>> In parallel with, or around the same time as, the setting of the judgment threshold in STEP 3, the air pollution measuring instrument 611 continuously measures the airborne concentration of volatile organic compounds contained in the air surrounding the excavated soil S. Furthermore, each time a volatile organic compound concentration measurement is obtained, it is transmitted to the concentration acquisition means 62.

[0063] When the concentration measurement value is input to the concentration acquisition means 62 via the input unit 621, the calculation processing unit 622 receives a command from the concentration acquisition unit 6221, stores the concentration measurement value, and creates time-series data. The time-series data may be stored in the memory area of ​​the calculation processing unit 622, or it may be output to the display device 624 each time a concentration measurement value is calculated.

[0064] Any method can be used to output to the display device 624, but for example, Figures 7(a) and (b) show an example in which concentration measurements are plotted sequentially on a graph with concentration on the vertical axis and time on the horizontal axis.

[0065] <<Example of time-series data of concentration measurements>> Figure 7(a) is a graph showing the time-series data of the total volatile organic compound concentration when vanillin is used as the fragrance and ethanol as the organic solvent in the fragrance-containing detection material O(f). In other words, as shown in Figure 4(b), the wear of the cutter bit 14 progresses, the detection material release section 51 is exposed, and the fragrance-containing detection material O(f) is released.

[0066] As shown in the graph in Figure 7(a), the release of the fragrance-containing detection material O(f) resulted in a reading of 0.1 mg / m³. 3 The concentration measurement, which was initially less than 10 minutes, can be seen to rise sharply after about 10 minutes. Furthermore, it reached 0.2 mg / m³ in about 15 to 20 minutes. 3 After rising to that level, the increase in the concentration measurement level subsided, indicating that the diffusion of volatile organic compounds was converging.

[0067] Furthermore, Figure 7(b) is a graph showing the time-series data of the total volatile organic compound concentration when menthol is used as the fragrance and ethanol as the organic solvent in the fragrance-containing detection material O(f). As can be seen in Figure 7(b), initially it was 0.1 mg / m³. 3 The concentration measurement, which was initially below 10 minutes, rose sharply after about 10 minutes, reaching 0.35 mg / m³ after 20 minutes. 3 The levels rise to a certain point, indicating that volatile organic compounds are diffusing.

[0068] Thus, by employing the air pollution measuring instrument 611, even in environments where odors from excavated soil S and machine oil are present, it is possible to accurately detect volatile organic compounds diffused into the air surrounding the excavated soil S and to detect the release of the fragrance-containing detection material O(f). Furthermore, regardless of which fragrance f is used for the fragrance-containing detection material O(f), these will not affect the measurement.

[0069] ≪Determination of whether or not detection material O has been released: STEP 5≫ When the concentration acquisition unit 6221 acquires a concentration measurement value, the calculation processing unit 622 receives a command from the release determination unit 6222 and determines whether or not the fragrance-containing detection material O(f) has been released based on the concentration measurement value.

[0070] Specifically, the continuously acquired concentration measurements are compared with the judgment threshold determined in STEP 2. If the concentration measurement value is higher than the judgment threshold, it is determined that the fragrance-containing detection material O(f) has been released from the detection material release mechanism 50.

[0071] <<Assessing wear level: STEP 6>> If the release determination unit 6222 determines that the fragrance-containing detection material O(f) has been released, the calculation processing unit 622 sends a warning message to the display device 624 via the alarm output unit 6232.

[0072] After receiving a warning message on the display device 624, the worker checks for the odor of volatile organic compounds or the scent of fragrance f near the excavated soil S on the belt conveyor or the excavated soil S loaded onto the waste steel cart 30, and confirms that the fragrance-containing detection material O(f) has been released. If it is determined that the wear amount of the cutter bit 14 has reached the wear detection amount L1, the excavation work of the shield tunneling machine 10 should be temporarily suspended and appropriate measures should be taken, such as replacing the cutter bit 14.

[0073] According to the present invention, after receiving an alarm notification, workers only need to perform a final check by smelling the volatile organic compounds or fragrances near the excavated soil S. Therefore, the effort of constantly paying attention to the excavated soil S can be eliminated, and the operational efficiency of wear management can be improved. In addition, the wear status of the cutter bit 14 can be quickly communicated to the shield tunneling machine operator 10 and workers at the construction office, making wear management more efficient.

[0074] Furthermore, by having the release determination unit 6222 determine that the fragrance-containing detection material O(f) has been released, the release of the fragrance-containing detection material O(f) can be determined with more stable accuracy compared to when an operator confirms it by smell. In addition, even before receiving an alarm notification, the operator can use the time-series data of the concentration measurement values ​​as supporting information to detect, for example, signs that a large amount of fragrance-containing detection material O(f) is about to be released, that is, signs that the wear amount of the cutter bit 14 is about to reach the wear detection amount L1.

[0075] The wear management system and wear management method for excavators of the present invention are not limited to the embodiments described above, and it goes without saying that various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0076] ≪≪A method for managing the wear condition of cutter bits in stages≫≫ Furthermore, in this embodiment, an example was given in which wear is detected by releasing a fragrance-containing detection material O(f) when the wear amount of the cutter bit 14 reaches a wear detection amount L1. However, the invention is not limited to this, and a configuration in which the wear state of the cutter bit 14 is detected and managed in stages may also be used.

[0077] For example, as shown in Figures 8(a) and (b), the detection material discharge mechanism 50 is provided with two sets of combinations of a detection material discharge unit 51, a detection material supply unit 54, and a supply pipe 55 connecting them.

[0078] Of these, one detection material discharge unit 51 is located inside the cutter bit 14 at a depth position recessed by a wear detection amount L1 from the tip 141B, and the other detection material discharge unit 51 is located at a depth position recessed by a wear detection amount L2 from the tip 141B. Furthermore, the detection material supply unit 54 connected to each unit is equipped with fragrance-containing detection materials O(f1) and O(f2), which contain different fragrances f1 and f2, respectively.

[0079] As a result, the air quality monitoring device 60 detects the released fragrance-containing detection materials O(f1) and O(f2) each time the cutter bit 14 wears down to a wear detection amount L1 and a wear detection amount L2, allowing for step-by-step management of the wear progression. In Figure 8, an example is given where the wear state of the cutter bit 14 is managed in two stages, wear detection amount L1 and wear detection amount L2, but the quantities are not limited to two stages.

[0080] Furthermore, the detection material discharge section 51, which is located inside the cutter bit 14 at different depths from the tip 141B, does not necessarily have to be located on the same cutter bit 14, but may be located on different cutter bits 14 located on the cutter head 12.

[0081] Furthermore, in this embodiment, different fragrance-containing detection materials O(f1) and O(f2) with different fragrances f are used for each of the multiple detection material discharge units 51. This is in consideration of the fact that the worker will be able to confirm the excavated soil S by smell after receiving a warning message on the display device 624. Therefore, it is not necessary to change the fragrance f, and furthermore, detection material O itself without fragrance may be used. [Explanation of symbols]

[0082] 10. Shield tunneling machine (tunnel boring machine) 11 Cutter drive unit 12 cutter heads 121 Cut Spokes 13 Shield body 131 Food section 132 Bulkhead 14 Cutter bits (drilling tools) 141 Base material 141A Proximal end 141B Tip 142 chips 15 Chambers 16 Screw conveyor 20 Belt conveyor 21 Tail section 22 Head section 30 slag steel car 40 Wear Management System 50 Detection material release mechanism 51 Detection material discharge section 52. Detection material supply unit (piston type) 521 Hollow part 521A Storage section 521B Pressurized section 522 Piston 523 Coil spring 524 Screws 53 channels 531 Communication section 532 plug 533 Plug 54. Detection material supply unit (accumulator type) 541 cabinets 541A Connection 542 Pressurized section 543 Storage Section 55 Supply pipe 60 Air quality monitoring device 61 Airborne concentration measurement means 611 Air Pollution Measuring Instrument 612 Support frame 62 Concentration acquisition means 621 Input section 622 Arithmetic Processing Unit 6221 Concentration acquisition section 6222 Release determination section 623 Output section 6231 Data Output Section 6232 Alarm output unit 624 Display device 625 Terminal devices H Launch Shaft T Tunnel P Sand and Sediment Pit G Compressed gas A. The slit O(f) Fragrance-containing detection material O(f1) Fragrance-containing detection material O(f2) Fragrance-containing detection material f fragrance f1 fragrance f2 fragrance

Claims

1. A wear management system for managing the wear condition of excavation tools installed on a tunnel boring machine, An air quality monitoring device for monitoring the surrounding air quality of excavated soil generated during excavation of the ground by the aforementioned tunnel boring machine, The system includes a detection material release mechanism that releases a detection material containing an organic solvent toward the excavated soil in accordance with the amount of wear of the excavating tool, The aforementioned air quality monitoring device, An air concentration measuring means for measuring the airborne concentration of volatile organic compounds or the total volatile organic compound concentration contained in the surrounding air of the excavated soil, The system includes a concentration acquisition means for continuously acquiring concentration measurements obtained by the airborne concentration measuring means, The aforementioned means for obtaining the concentration is An emission determination unit that determines whether or not the detection material has been released based on the measured concentration of the volatile organic compound and a predetermined determination threshold for the airborne concentration or total volatile organic compound concentration of the volatile organic compound, A wear management system characterized by having the following features.

2. In the wear control system according to claim 1, The aforementioned means for obtaining the concentration is When the release determination unit determines that the detection material has been released, an alarm output unit outputs an alarm, A wear management system characterized by having the following features.

3. A wear control system according to claim 1 or 2, The aforementioned detection material discharge mechanism comprises a plurality of detection material discharge units, A wear control system characterized in that multiple detection material discharge units are provided inside the excavator, with their depth positions offset from the tip of the excavator.

4. In the wear management system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, A wear control system characterized in that the detection material contains a fragrance.

5. A method for managing wear of an excavating tool using a wear management system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, A step of measuring the airborne concentration or total volatile organic compound concentration of the excavated soil generated during excavation of the ground by the tunnel boring machine, and the volatile organic compound contained in the surrounding air. A process for continuously acquiring measured concentration values, A step of determining whether the detection material has been released based on the concentration measurement value and a predetermined determination threshold for the airborne concentration or total volatile organic compound concentration of the volatile organic compound, A method for managing wear of an excavating tool, characterized by comprising the following features.

6. In the method for managing wear of an excavating tool according to claim 5, The process involves outputting an alarm when it is determined that the aforementioned detection material has been released. A method for managing wear of an excavating tool, characterized by comprising the following features.

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