Pumpable Mine Support with Reinforced Cladding
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing mine roof support technologies face challenges such as high transportation costs, variable load-bearing capacity, susceptibility to damage, and uncertainty in load distribution due to the use of wood or fabric bags, which can lead to roof penetration and instability under heavy loads.
Innovation Solution
A flexible inflatable or fillable bag with a cylindrical sidewall and reinforcing materials like steel plates, bands, or stackable drums is used, allowing for on-site assembly and filling with a pumpable load-bearing material, providing controlled deflection zones and enhanced structural integrity to prevent roof penetration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If wood footing material is used to fill voids between roof support and mine roof, then the support can be easily obtained and installed, but the structural integrity deteriorates over time due to rot and damage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces durable but expensive and unreliable wood footing material with a pumpable support material that can be installed quickly and provides consistent structural performance without rotting or degrading over time
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state of the support material from solid wood pieces to a pumpable slurry or grout that can be injected into voids, providing both ease of installation and long-term structural integrity through controlled placement and curing
2Adaptability or versatility
If variable-sized wood footing material is collected and sized for each installation, then the support can fit varying void sizes, but the installation time increases due to collection and sizing requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the support material into a pumpable slurry or grout that can be injected in varying quantities to fill different void sizes, eliminating the need to pre-size individual wood pieces while maintaining adaptability to various void dimensions
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses hydraulic pumping to deliver the support material to the installation site, allowing rapid injection into voids of various sizes without manual handling or sizing operations
3Ease of manufacture
If timber is used as footing material, then the support can be readily obtained, but the cost increases due to expense of timber and need for scheduled monitoring
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces expensive timber with a more cost-effective pumpable support material that eliminates the need for ongoing monitoring and replacement, reducing both material and labor costs over the lifecycle of the support system
Solution Approach 2:
The pumpable support material cures in place to form a self-supporting structure that requires no additional monitoring, adjustment, or maintenance, eliminating the scheduled monitoring costs associated with wood footing material
4Ease of operation
If fabric bag is used to contain pumpable load-bearing material, then the support can be easily filled on-site, but the support sheds considerable load during post peak support due to lack of rigidity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the flexibility of a containable support structure with the strength of rigid reinforcing elements, creating a composite system that maintains both ease of on-site installation and high load-bearing capacity during post-peak support
Data Source
AI summary
A support for use in mines and other underground workings is provided comprising a flexible inflatable bag configured for receiving a pumpable load-bearing material. A reinforcing material is provided for supporting the bag when the bag is filled with the load-bearing material. The reinforcing material can include reinforcing plates, rings, bands or barrels positioned about the outer periphery of the bag. Alternatively, the support can be formed from a plurality of stackable barrels that are filled with load-bearing material but without the inflatable bag. The barrels can include internal reinforcing or cladding material at spaced locations along the barrels to define controlled deflection zones. According to another design, the support can be designed to be extensible. The support is inexpensive to transport, can be erected on-site and has a reinforced structure with residual yield strength. A method for supporting a mine or other underground workings is disclosed.