Pneumatic Excavation System for Buried Ordinance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Pneumatic excavation systems, such as those used for uncovering buried explosive devices, often require personnel to be in close proximity to the ordnance, posing safety risks, and lack the use of a secondary air source to effectively clear debris.
Innovation Solution
Employing a combination of a high-pressure pulsed air jet and a low-pressure high velocity blower, with a robot-mounted system that includes a nozzle for the pulsed air jet and a separate blower to assist in debris removal and prevent debris from falling back into the excavation site, while using an existing encrypted wireless communication channel for operational control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a high-pressure pulsed air jet is used for pneumatic excavation, then the excavation capability is improved, but personnel must be in close proximity to the ordnance which increases safety risks
Solution Approach 1:
A robot is introduced as an intermediary between the operator and the explosive device. The robot carries and operates the high-pressure pulsed air jet device, allowing excavation to be performed remotely without personnel needing to be in close proximity to the ordnance, thus resolving the contradiction between excavation capability and safety risk
Solution Approach 2:
The manual operation of pneumatic excavation tools is replaced with an automated robotic system. The robot can be remotely controlled or autonomously navigate to perform excavation tasks, eliminating the need for human operators to physically position themselves near hazardous ordnance while maintaining effective excavation capability
2Device complexity
If only a high-pressure pulsed air jet is used, then the system remains simple, but debris clearing capability is insufficient and debris falls back into the excavation site
Solution Approach 1:
Two pneumatic systems are merged into a single integrated device: a high-pressure pulsed air jet for excavation and a low-pressure continuous air flow for debris clearing. The high-pressure jet dislodges debris from the excavation site, while the low-pressure flow continuously clears the debris away, preventing it from falling back into the excavation area and improving overall productivity
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses periodic high-pressure pulsed air jets for excavation combined with continuous low-pressure air flow for debris removal. The pulsed nature of the high-pressure jet creates intermittent excavation action, while the continuous low-pressure flow provides constant debris clearing, achieving effective debris management without significantly increasing system complexity
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 the digging capability, ensures safer operation by reducing personnel proximity, and allows for retrofitting existing robots with an alternative function, enabling effective excavation and potential use in other tasks like operating pneumatic tools.
Implementation Method 1
a high-pressure pulsed air jet to uncover buried unexploded ordinance
Implementation Method 2
high speed pulsed air jets such as Nathenson et al (U.S. Pat. No. 6,158,152)
Implementation Method 3
a low-pressure continuous air flow to clear the debris
Data Source
AI summary
An excavation system employing a high-pressure pulsed air jet in combination with a low-pressure high velocity blower for excavating improvised explosive devices or other buried objects. The excavation system may also be employed to operate a pneumatic tool such as a cut-off tool or a chisel. The high velocity blower may incorporate a bifurcated fan duct having two air outlets. The system may include a pressure control module for regulating the from a high-pressure air source to an evacuation valve. The evacuation valve employs first and second valves where the second valve controls the operation of the first valve.