Microwave-Mechanical Fluidization Mining System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional metal mine mining processes are inefficient, costly, and hazardous due to the drilling and blasting method, which affects rock stability and requires high energy consumption, with low effective utilization of ores and excessive waste generation, especially in deep mining and low-grade ore extraction.
Innovation Solution
A microwave-mechanical fluidization mining system that uses microwave pre-splitting, separation, and focused melting to enrich and melt metal minerals, reducing waste transportation costs and energy consumption by locally filling goafs with waste rocks, while simplifying the mining process and increasing excavation speed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If drilling and blasting method is used for mining, then ore extraction can be achieved, but construction speed is slow and surrounding rock stability is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the traditional mechanical drilling and blasting system with a microwave heating system. Microwave energy is used to heat and fracture the ore body, eliminating the need for mechanical drilling and explosive blasting. This substitution achieves faster mining speed while maintaining surrounding rock stability, as microwave heating is more controllable and does not cause the violent shock waves that compromise rock stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state and temperature parameters of the ore body through microwave heating. By controlling the microwave power and heating time, the ore body is heated to specific temperature ranges that cause thermal fracturing and facilitate ore extraction. This parameter-based control allows for precise management of the mining process, improving both speed and stability.
2Use of energy by moving object
If traditional ore dressing process is used with crushing and grinding, then ore processing can be achieved, but energy consumption is high and effective utilization rate is low
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical crushing and grinding system with a microwave-based processing system. Microwave heating directly targets the ore minerals, causing them to fracture and separate from waste rock through thermal effects. This eliminates the need for energy-intensive mechanical crushing and grinding operations, significantly reducing energy consumption while improving the effective utilization rate of ore processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes phase transitions and thermal effects of microwave heating to process ores. By heating ores to specific temperature ranges, the microwave system induces thermal expansion, phase changes, and differential heating between minerals, which facilitates ore-waste separation without mechanical crushing. This thermal-based approach is far more energy-efficient than traditional mechanical processing.
3Loss of substance
If flotation work is performed for ore separation, then mineral separation can be achieved, but consumption of chemical solutions is large
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the chemical flotation system with a microwave-based separation system. Microwave heating exploits the different dielectric properties and water content of ore minerals versus waste rock, causing differential heating and thermal fracturing that separates minerals without chemical reagents. This substitution eliminates the need for large quantities of chemical solutions while maintaining effective mineral separation.
4Ease of operation
If filling materials are transported from ground to goaf, then goaf filling can be achieved, but transportation cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a self-service system where waste rock generated during microwave mining is automatically used to fill the goaf. The microwave mining process produces waste rock in situ, which is then directly transported and deposited into the goaf area without requiring additional filling materials from the ground surface. This self-contained system eliminates the need for separate material transportation operations, reducing energy loss and costs.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent recovers and reuses waste rock that would otherwise be discarded. The waste rock separated during microwave mining and processing is captured and transported to the goaf for filling. This recovery and reuse approach converts waste material into a valuable resource, eliminating the need to import filling materials from the ground and reducing transportation costs.
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 approach enhances excavation speed, reduces costs and energy consumption, minimizes environmental impact, and increases the efficiency of ore extraction by using renewable microwave energy for pre-treating ores and separating waste rocks, thereby simplifying the mining and ore dressing process flow.
Implementation Method 1
open microwave radiators are arranged at a front end of the mechanical cutting machine in a cutting direction... the open microwave radiators and the mechanical cutting machine travel in the same direction, after the horizontally-arranged open microwave radiators pre-split the ore body
Implementation Method 2
after particles of the ores are heated by the closed microwave cavity under a transmission of the conveyor II, a temperature of the particles is measured by the infrared thermal imagers I
Implementation Method 3
the single-mode heating cavity is connected with a microwave generator II mounted on the ground through a waveguide, metal minerals molten by the single-mode heating cavity flow out
Data Source
AI summary
A microwave-mechanical fluidization mining system and a mining method for metal mines. The microwave-mechanical fluidization mining system comprises a microwave pre-splitting mechanical mining system, a microwave separation system, a high-power microwave focused melting system and a goaf, wherein ore-waste rock mixtures mined by the microwave pre-splitting mechanical mining system are transported to the microwave separation system through a conveyor and an elevator on the microwave pre-splitting mechanical mining system, separated ores are transported to the high-power microwave focused melting system, and separated waste rocks are transported through a conveyor to the goaf for filling. Microwave pre-splitting mechanical mining is adopted instead of a traditional blasting mining method to increase an excavation speed and avoid the influence of blasting on the stability of surrounding rocks.