Adaptive Leveling Control for Blasthole Drill Rigs
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Solution Overview
Problem
Blasthole drill rigs often become unlevel during operation due to factors like jack drift, leakage, or ground instability, leading to compromised drill quality and machinery damage, as operators struggle to manually identify and correct these issues in a timely manner.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a system with sensors (linear position transducers, pressure transducers, and inclinometers) and a controller that autonomously monitors and adjusts the jacks to maintain the drill rig's levelness by comparing current parameters to stored values, allowing for real-time correction and continuous operation in an autonomous mode.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual leveling is used, then the operator can control the leveling process, but the response time is delayed and the operator may fail to identify unlevel conditions timely
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables the drill rig to automatically monitor and adjust its own leveling status without continuous operator intervention. Sensors continuously monitor jack positions and drill rig inclination, and the control system autonomously adjusts jack positions to maintain levelness, allowing the system to service itself
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements continuous feedback through sensors that monitor jack positions and drill rig inclination in real-time. This feedback is processed by the control system, which automatically adjusts jack positions to maintain proper leveling, creating a closed-loop control system that responds immediately to changes
2Ease of operation
If automatic leveling system is implemented, then the leveling process is automated, but the system complexity increases with multiple sensors and control mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The control system serves multiple functions: it monitors jack positions, measures drill rig inclination, determines when leveling adjustments are needed, and executes the adjustments. This multi-functional approach consolidates what could be separate complex systems into a single integrated control unit
Solution Approach 2:
The system combines multiple sensing functions (position sensing and inclination sensing) and control functions into a single integrated leveling control system. The control system processes inputs from both linear position transducers and inclinometers to generate unified control signals for jack adjustment
3Measurement precision
If continuous monitoring is performed, then the drill rig levelness is maintained accurately, but the energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs monitoring and adjustment operations periodically rather than continuously. The control system checks drill rig levelness at predetermined intervals and only activates adjustment mechanisms when unlevel conditions are detected, reducing energy consumption while maintaining adequate monitoring precision
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution ensures continuous operation and maintains the drill rig's levelness, preventing damage and improving stability, thereby enhancing the quality of the drill holes and extending machinery lifespan.
Implementation Method 1
monitoring a current position of each of the plurality of jacks through a linear position transducer
Implementation Method 2
monitoring a current pressure associated with each of the plurality of jacks with a pressure transducer
Implementation Method 3
monitoring a current inclination of the industrial machine using a level inclinometer
Data Source
AI summary
Industrial machines and methods of operating the same. One method includes receiving, with an electronic processor, a current value of a parameter of an industrial machine during operation of the industrial machine and comparing, with the electronic processor, the current value of the parameter to a stored value of the parameter to determine whether the industrial machine is unlevel. The method also includes, when the industrial machine is unlevel, autonomously, with the electronic processor, changing a position of at least one of a plurality of jacks to level the industrial machine, wherein autonomously changing the position of at least one of the plurality of jacks includes at least one selected from a group consisting of extending the at least one of the plurality of jacks and retracting the at least one of the plurality of jacks.