Abrasive Water Jet-Disc Cutter Head Layout for Hard-Rock TBMs
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs) face reduced rock-breaking ability and abnormal cutter head damage when encountering extremely hard rock with high confining pressure and high abrasiveness, necessitating a new design approach for abrasive water jet-disc cutter combined cutter heads to enhance performance.
Innovation Solution
A method for designing abrasive water jet-disc cutter combined rock-breaking cutter heads involves determining key parameters, classifying rock-breaking modes, establishing a layout principle, and optimizing the cutter head design to improve penetration and efficiency, using a system that includes an abrasive water jet analysis module, combined rock-breaking analysis module, cutter head layout principle determining module, and optimization solution module.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If traditional mechanical cutter head design is used, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the rock-breaking ability is greatly reduced when encountering extremely hard rock with high confining pressure and high abrasiveness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines abrasive water jet cutting technology with mechanical disc cutter rock-breaking technology into a hybrid cutter head system. The cutter head integrates both water jet nozzles and mechanical cutters, allowing simultaneous operation of both cutting methods to tackle extremely hard rock formations that cannot be penetrated by mechanical cutters alone.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to simulate and optimize water jet parameters including pressure, flow rate, and nozzle configuration. The system adjusts these parameters dynamically based on rock hardness and formation conditions to maximize rock-breaking effectiveness while minimizing energy consumption and cutter head complexity.
2Productivity
If abrasive water jet is used to improve rock-breaking ability, then penetration depth increases, but the cutter head suffers abnormal damage due to complex load conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The abrasive water jet performs preliminary cutting and fracturing of the rock formation before the mechanical disc cutters make contact. This pre-processing action reduces the load on the mechanical cutters and prevents abnormal damage by eliminating the need for cutters to penetrate intact extremely hard rock.
Solution Approach 2:
The abrasive water jet acts as an intermediary between the drill bit and the rock formation. It creates a controlled cutting zone that reduces the direct mechanical load on the cutter head components, thereby extending their service life and preventing abnormal damage under high confining pressure conditions.
3Productivity
If multi-water jet and multi-disc cutter combined rock-breaking is implemented, then rock-breaking efficiency improves, but the coordination and installation distribution becomes complex
Solution Approach 1:
The cutter head is segmented into multiple functional zones with specific water jet nozzles and disc cutters positioned at different locations. Each segment is optimized for specific rock hardness zones, allowing independent optimization of water jet parameters and cutter configurations while maintaining overall system coordination.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates dynamic control mechanisms that adjust water jet pressure, flow rate, and cutter rotation speed based on real-time sensor feedback from the formation conditions. This dynamic adjustment simplifies the coordination complexity by allowing the system to adapt to varying rock hardness and confining pressure conditions automatically.
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
The method enhances the penetration capability of disc cutters, improves rock-breaking efficiency, reduces construction costs, and minimizes abnormal damage to the cutter head, facilitating efficient tunneling under extreme conditions.
Implementation Method 1
abrasive water jet has stronger rock-breaking ability
Implementation Method 2
water-jet combined rock-breaking technology
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides a method for designing an abrasive water jet-disc cutter combined rock-breaking cutter head, a system therefor, a cutter head and a tunnel boring machine (TBM), wherein the key technology of designing the abrasive water jet-disc cutter combined rock-breaking cutter head of the TBM are provided from the aspects of determining a combined rock-breaking combination mode, configuration of cutter operation parameters and optimization of the combined cutter head; the performance of the abrasive water jet-disc cutter combined rock-breaking cutter head manufactured according to the optimized layout parameters is improved; and a new idea is provided for the development and application of a full-section rock tunneling machine in the field of underground engineering.