Vibro-Compaction Material Columns With Sensor Fill-Level Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing devices for creating material columns in the ground face challenges in accurately monitoring the fill level of pourable material, leading to inefficient use and increased costs due to excess material consumption, especially when encountering softer soil layers or cavities.
Innovation Solution
Incorporation of a sensor device to detect the fill level down to the lower region of the introduction pipe, along with a closed housing receiving hopper with a closable feed opening and a control unit to regulate the introduction of pourable material, ensuring precise quantity control and efficient material distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a lock door is arranged between the receiving hopper and feed pipe to seal off the feed pipe, then pressure can be built up and maintained within the feed pipe, but the device complexity increases and material consumption increases due to inability to monitor fill level
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical lock door system with a sensor-based monitoring system. Instead of using a mechanical door to seal and maintain pressure, the invention uses a sensor device to detect the fill level of material in the feed pipe, allowing the system to maintain pressure while providing visibility of material levels through electronic detection rather than mechanical sealing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a sensor device that provides feedback about the fill level of material in the feed pipe. This feedback mechanism allows the operator to monitor material levels without requiring a mechanical lock door, enabling pressure maintenance while avoiding excessive material consumption through informed operation based on sensor data.
2Reliability
If excess material is introduced into the insertion tube to avoid insufficient column formation, then complete material column formation is ensured, but material consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor device provides real-time feedback on the fill level of material in the feed pipe, allowing the operator to introduce material more precisely. This feedback mechanism eliminates the need to add excess material as a safety margin, as the operator can monitor the actual material level and stop addition at the appropriate point, thereby reducing material waste while ensuring complete column formation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical estimation method (where operators had to guess material needs) with an electronic sensor-based measurement system. This substitution allows for precise material introduction based on actual fill level data, preventing both insufficient and excessive material addition, thus optimizing material consumption while ensuring reliable column formation.
3Productivity
If the insertion tube is always emptied during vibro-compaction column construction, then material column production continues, but unnecessary additional material consumption occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor device continuously monitors the fill level in the feed pipe, providing feedback that allows the operator to optimize the timing and amount of material addition. This continuous monitoring enables the system to maintain productivity by knowing when material needs to be added, while simultaneously reducing waste by avoiding unnecessary material introduction, thus resolving the contradiction between continuous production and material consumption.
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
Enables efficient and economical production of material columns by accurately monitoring and regulating the fill level, reducing material consumption and enhancing the quality and consistency of the material columns.
Implementation Method 1
a vibrating drive (58) which is designed to set the introduction pipe (52) in vibratory vibrations
Implementation Method 2
a compressed air supply device (60) for introducing compressed air into the interior of the introduction pipe (52) to support and ensure the flow of material out of the insertion pipe
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 5
AI summary
The invention relates to a device for producing a material column, in particular a vibro-compacting column from a pourable material in the ground, comprising an introduction pipe which is designed to be driven into the ground and has at least one material outlet opening at a lower end, a vibrating drive which is designed to set the introduction pipe in vibrating vibrations and is arranged in particular at a lower region of the introduction pipe, a receiving hopper which is designed to receive a quantity of pourable material and is arranged at an upper region of the introduction pipe, and a compressed air supply device for introducing compressed air into the interior of the introduction pipe.According to the invention, a sensor device is arranged which is designed to detect a fill level of pourable material down to a lower region of the introduction pipe, that the receiving hopper is designed with a closed housing with a closable feed opening for feeding pourable material into the receiving hopper, wherein the feed opening can be closed airtight by means of a closing device, and that a passage between the receiving hopper and the introduction pipe arranged underneath is open when the pourable material is introduced into the ground, wherein the fill level of pourable material in the introduction pipe can be detected by the sensor device. The invention further relates to a method for feeding a device for producing a material column.