Pliable Polymer Borehole Stem with Cruciform Rod
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing borehole stemming technologies face challenges such as a rigid external surface making it difficult to position the stem, increased material and manufacturing costs, and inefficiencies in drilling and blasting operations due to complex design, weight, and poor dismountability for compact storage and transportation.
Innovation Solution
A borehole plugging device made of pliable polymer material with dome-shaped elements and a cruciform rod design, allowing for easy assembly and disassembly, and adaptable to various borehole diameters and lengths, including those with excess water pressure, using flanges and protrusions for secure fixation and optimal contact with the borehole walls.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a rigid external surface stem is used, then the stem maintains structural integrity, but it becomes difficult to position inside the borehole
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies a flexible outer surface layer made of elastomeric material that can deform during insertion to conform to the borehole wall, then maintains structural integrity during operation. The flexible coating allows the stem to be easily positioned while the underlying rigid structure provides strength.
2Reliability
If increased stem diameters are used, then the confining effect is improved, but the material quantity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a composite structure with a rigid inner core providing structural strength and a flexible elastomeric outer layer providing conformability and sealing. This composite design achieves effective confining without requiring increased diameter, thus reducing material quantity and cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The stem applies different material properties to different regions: a rigid core for structural support and a flexible outer surface for adaptation to borehole irregularities. This localized quality distribution optimizes the confining effect while minimizing material usage.
3Reliability
If a complex design is used, then the functional performance is improved, but the device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The stem is divided into modular segments that can be manufactured separately and assembled. Each segment contains the essential functional elements, allowing simplified manufacturing of individual components while achieving complex overall functionality through assembly.
4Strength
If a heavy structure is used, then the structural strength is improved, but the transportation and storage efficiency decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible elastomeric outer layer provides structural support and conformability without adding significant weight. This thin-film approach maintains necessary strength while minimizing mass for transportation and storage efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to the field of drilling and blasting operations, and more particularly to confining gaseous explosion products in a charge cavity, and can be used in rock blasting using borehole charges. The technical result of the invention is that of reducing the specific charge of explosive per cubic metre of blasted rock mass, increasing the fragmentation of the rock mass, making it possible for explosive to be loaded into and work effectively in a borehole with excess water pressure (flooded boreholes), providing ease of use and structural simplicity, providing ease of transportation and storage since the device can be dismantled to compact dimensions, and reducing the weight of the structure. A further technical result is the possibility of using devices of a single type in boreholes of different lengths and types (flooded or non-flooded), thus making it possible for the claimed device to be used as a universal device for all types of boreholes. The above-mentioned technical result is achieved in that the claimed borehole plugging device, which is made of a pliable polymer material and has elements with a shape, the outside diameter of which is commensurate with the diameter of a borehole, and an axial internal cavity, is characterized in that it consists of a rod with a cruciform cross section, having identical dome-shaped, slotted elements fixably mounted thereon from each end.