JP-2026075934-A - Crushing apparatus and crushing method

Abstract

[Problem] To provide a crushing device and crushing method that can destroy objects with higher energy than conventional methods, as an alternative to blasting with explosives. [Solution] The crushing device comprises a heating element that generates heat using electricity supplied from a power source and has a melting point higher than that of nickel-chromium alloy (nichrome), a container that seals the space containing the heating element, and a medium sealed inside the container that expands due to the thermal energy emitted from the heating element. [Selection Diagram] Figure 3

Inventors

• 森下 真行
• 森橋 大輔
• 森川 純
• 梅原 悠平

Assignees

• 前田建設工業株式会社

Dates

Publication Date

20260511

Application Date

20241023

Claims (7)

1. A heating element that generates heat through electricity supplied from a power source and has a melting point higher than the melting point of nickel-chromium alloy (nichrome), A container that seals the space containing the heating element, A crushing device comprising a medium sealed within the container and which expands due to thermal energy emitted from the heating element.
2. The crushing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the medium comprises water or air.
3. The crushing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the heating element is made of nichrome, tungsten, molybdenum, and graphite.
4. The crushing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the container has axially symmetric side walls, and the space is closed by the walls at both ends in the axial direction, and the thickness of the walls at both ends in the axial direction is greater than the thickness of the side walls.
5. The crushing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the medium comprises a hydrocarbon gas.
6. The crushing apparatus according to claim 5, comprising an ignition unit for igniting the hydrocarbon gas.
7. The heating element is heated by electricity. A medium sealed within a container that closes off the space containing the heating element is expanded by the thermal energy emitted from the heating element. A crushing method in which the container is ruptured by the expanded medium, thereby crushing an object to be destroyed outside the container.

Description

This invention relates to a crushing apparatus and a crushing method. Traditionally, blasting using explosives and other propellants to destroy rocks and other materials has been employed in civil engineering works such as tunnel construction, geological surveys, and the mining of natural resources such as ores. Furthermore, blasting with explosives is also used in the demolition of structures constructed of concrete and other materials. Incidentally, a method has been proposed in which electrical energy is supplied to a metal nanowire, causing it to rapidly melt and evaporate, expanding in volume. The resulting expansion of the destructive material then uses its exponential force to destroy or weaken the target object (see Patent Document 1 below). Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 10-331442 Figure 1 shows an example of the application of the crushing device 1 (part 1).Figure 2 shows an example of the application of the crushing device 1 (part 2).Figure 3 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of a crushing device according to one embodiment.Figure 4 illustrates another configuration of the blasting body in the crushing device of this embodiment.Figure 5 illustrates the operation of the crushing device.Figure 6 illustrates another function of the crushing device. The following describes a crushing apparatus 1 and crushing method according to one embodiment of the present invention with reference to the drawings. The configuration of the following embodiment is illustrative, and the present invention is not limited to the configuration of this embodiment. <Embodiment 1> (Example of application) Figure 1 shows an example of the application of the crushing device 1 (part 1). The crushing device 1 is used in place of blasting with explosives and other gunpowder in civil engineering works such as tunnels, geological surveys, mining of natural resources such as ore, and demolition of structures, to destroy or crush the target object. In this embodiment, the terms destruction or crushing are used to describe the action of the crushing device 1. In Figure 1, a hole HL is drilled in the object to be destroyed, for example, a concrete structure (CN), and a crushing device 1 is installed inside the hole HL. The hole HL containing the crushing device 1 is closed with a clay lid (CL). Power is supplied to the crushing device 1 from a power source 2 via a switch SW through lead wires L1 and L2. In this embodiment, there are no limitations on the type of power source 2. Power source 2 may be a storage battery or commercial power supplied by a power company. Furthermore, power source 2 may be a DC power source or an AC power source. When the switch SW is turned ON, electrical energy is supplied from power source 2 to the crushing device 1. The crushing device 1 generates heat when electrical energy is supplied for a predetermined time (e.g., within a few seconds). The crushing device 1 holds a gas (e.g., air) and a liquid (e.g., water) inside. Due to the heat generated, the air expands, the liquid expands, then vaporizes, and the vaporized gas expands further. Through this process, the crushing device 1 ruptures, destroying the concrete CN structure. The application method is the same as in Figure 1 when the crushing device 1 is applied to civil engineering works such as tunnels, geological surveys, and the mining of natural resources such as ores. Figure 2 shows an application example (part 2) of the crushing device 1. In Figure 2, multiple boreholes HL are excavated and formed in the rock mass RG where the tunnel is to be formed during tunnel construction. The structure of each borehole HL is the same as that of the boreholes HL in Figure 1. The tunnel's inner wall has a cross-sectional shape consisting of vertical wall sections on both sides of the tunnel rising from the ground, and an arch-shaped (or semicircular) section covering the area above the vertical wall sections. In the example in Figure 2, multiple boreholes HL are arranged in multiple rows along the arch-shaped curve (see dotted line). By loading the crushing device 1 into the holes HL arranged as shown in Figure 2 and rupturing it, the rock mass RG can be effectively excavated in an arch shape, allowing tunnel construction to proceed. Note that when multiple (N) crushing devices 1 are used, as shown in Figure 1, all crushing devices 1 may be connected in parallel to the power supply 2 (see Figure 1). Alternatively, groups of Nx (Nx < N) crushing devices 1 may be connected in parallel to the power supply 2 (see Figure 1). (composition) Figure 3 illustrates the configuration of a crushing device 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention. In the example of Figure 3, as in Figure 1, the crushing device 1 is loaded into a hole HL in a concrete CN structure. However, in the example of Figure 3, a metal pipe TU is inserted into the hole HL. Therefore, the inner wall of the hole HL is covered with the metal pipe TU. Thus, in Figure 3,