Autonomous Drill Rig Stabilizing Hole Collar via Periodic Penetration
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Solution Overview
Problem
The inefficiencies and high costs associated with manual drilling operations in mining and construction, particularly in open mining where numerous holes need to be drilled quickly while maintaining stability, are exacerbated by environmental and geological uncertainties, leading to reduced blast effectiveness due to hole instability and re-filling.
Innovation Solution
An autonomous drilling method using a drill rig equipped with sensors and a processor that monitors and adjusts drilling parameters such as rotation speed, pressure, and fluid flow to stabilize the hole collar, maximize penetration rates, and minimize wear, by repeatedly penetrating and retracting the drill bit to form a stable collar and maintain hole integrity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual drilling operations are used, then operational flexibility and adaptability are maintained, but drilling efficiency and productivity are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The drill rig autonomously performs drilling operations by self-controlling the drilling arrangement based on sensor feedback. The system monitors its own performance parameters and automatically adjusts operations without requiring manual intervention, thereby improving productivity while maintaining operational quality.
Solution Approach 2:
Sensors monitor drilling parameters such as rotation speed, pressure, and position in real-time, providing feedback to the control system. This feedback loop enables the autonomous drill rig to adjust its operations dynamically, ensuring efficient drilling while adapting to changing ground conditions.
2Productivity
If drilling speed is increased to improve productivity, then hole stability and collar formation are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The drilling arrangement performs repeated cycles of penetration and retraction. During penetration, the drill bit advances to create the hole; during retraction, debris is removed and the collar is formed. This periodic action allows the system to maintain both high drilling speed and hole stability by continuously reinforcing the collar structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The drilling process maintains continuous useful action through uninterrupted cycles of drilling and collar formation. The system ensures that collar formation is an ongoing process rather than a one-time event, continuously stabilizing the hole as drilling progresses to prevent collapse and maintain integrity.
3Stability of the object's composition
If multiple drilling procedures are repeated to stabilize the hole, then hole stability is improved, but drilling time and operational duration increase
Solution Approach 1:
The drilling system dynamically adjusts the number and intensity of repetition cycles based on real-time sensor feedback and detected hole stability. When the collar is sufficiently stable, the system reduces the frequency of repetition cycles, thereby minimizing time loss while ensuring adequate stabilization. This dynamic adaptation prevents unnecessary repeated procedures.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for the drilling of ground holes by a track steer drill rig. The system and method include a drilling arrangement that permits the speed of drilling holes to be balanced against the stability of the hole thus formed. The system and method allow for the autonomous drilling of ground holes and, particularly, although not exclusively, for the purposes of exploration, mining, and/or construction. In particular, the system and method relate to the autonomous drilling of ground holes which are used for subsequent blasting.