US-12618657-B2 - Explosive material charging device for charging a borehole method of positioning an explosive material charging device explosive material charging vehicle and data medium

US12618657B2US 12618657 B2US12618657 B2US 12618657B2US-12618657-B2

Abstract

The present invention concerns an explosive material charging device and a method of positioning the explosive material charging device in a borehole. The explosive material charging device comprises a top anchor unit and a bottom anchor unit each configured to engage the borehole wall, an expandable tube member arranged between the top anchor unit and the bottom anchor unit and configured to be charged with explosive material, the bottom anchor unit comprises a backflow prevention valve device configured to prevent the explosive material to flow out from the expandable tube member, wherein the backflow prevention valve device is openable for permitting a charging hose to enter the expandable tube member for reaching the interior of the top anchor unit.

Inventors

Nikolaos PETROPOULOS

Assignees

LUOSSAVAARA-KIIRUNAVAARA AB

Dates

Publication Date: 20260505
Application Date: 20241118
Priority Date: 20201022

Claims (17)

1 . An explosive material charging device configured to charge an explosive material in a borehole, the explosive material charging device comprising: a charging hose comprising a nozzle; an anchoring unit configured to engage with a borehole wall; an expandable tube member comprising a top portion and a bottom portion, the expandable tube member extending between the top portion and the bottom portion, the expandable tube member configured to expand in a longitudinal orientation responsive to a force of friction between the anchoring unit and the borehole wall as the nozzle of the charging hose pushes the expandable tube member in the borehole; and a backflow prevention valve device comprising a flap member and configured to inhibit the explosive material to flow out from the bottom portion of the expandable tube member, the backflow prevention valve device openable for permitting the charging hose to enter the expandable tube member for reaching the top portion of the expandable tube member, the backflow prevention valve device configured to close the flap member subsequent to the nozzle of the charging hose being withdrawn from the backflow prevention valve device.
2 . The explosive material charging device of claim 1 , further comprising a holding member configured to hold the expandable tube member in a compressed state prior to inserting the charging hose into an interior of the expandable tube member.
3 . The explosive material charging device of claim 1 , wherein the flap member is spring biased to its closed state.
4 . The explosive material charging device of claim 1 , wherein the anchoring unit comprises a bottom anchor unit and a top anchor unit.
5 . The explosive material charging device of claim 4 , wherein the bottom anchor unit and/or the top anchor unit comprise a radially outward extending resilient teeth shaped flap.
6 . The explosive material charging device of claim 4 , wherein the nozzle of the charging hose is configured to abut an abutment surface of the top anchor unit for pushing the top anchor unit in the borehole.
7 . The explosive material charging device of claim 4 , wherein the bottom anchor unit comprises a detonator unit support configured to carry a detonator unit.
8 . The explosive material charging device of claim 4 , wherein the top anchor unit is above the bottom anchor unit when the explosive material charging device is positioned in a borehole.
9 . The explosive material charging device of claim 1 , wherein motion of the charging hose in the borehole is stopped when the expandable tube member is expanded, and the explosive material charging device has been moved into a desired position in the borehole.
10 . The explosive material charging device of claim 1 , wherein the expandable tube member is configured to isolate the explosive material from water in the borehole.
11 . The explosive material charging device of claim 1 , wherein the charging hose is moved by an electrical motor of a mining truck.
12 . The explosive material charging device of claim 1 , wherein an explosive material discharge pump coupled to the charging hose is configured to feed the explosive material to the nozzle of the charging hose.
13 . A method of positioning an explosive material charging device in a borehole, the method comprising: providing the explosive material charging device, the explosive material charging device comprising: a charging hose comprising a nozzle; an anchoring unit configured to engage with a borehole wall; an expandable tube member comprising a top portion and a bottom portion, the expandable tube member extending between the top portion and the bottom portion; and a backflow prevention valve device comprising a flap member and configured to inhibit an explosive material to flow out from the bottom portion of the expandable tube member, the backflow prevention valve device openable for permitting the charging hose to enter the expandable tube member for reaching the top portion of the expandable tube member, the backflow prevention valve device configured to close the flap member subsequent to the nozzle of the charging hose being withdrawn from the backflow prevention valve device; mounting a detonator unit to a detonator unit support; inserting the charging hose into an interior of the expandable tube member via the backflow prevention valve device; moving the charging hose to the top portion of the expandable tube member; pushing the expandable tube member in the borehole by the charging hose, wherein at least a force of friction between the anchoring unit and the borehole provides longitudinal expansion of the expandable tube member as the charging hose pushes the expandable tube member in the borehole; stopping pushing the expandable tube member when the explosive material charging device is in a desired position in the borehole; discharging the explosive material into the expandable tube member by the charging hose; and removing the charging hose from the expandable tube member.
14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the anchoring unit of the explosive material charging device comprises a bottom anchor unit and a top anchor unit.
15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the bottom anchor unit and/or the top anchor unit comprise a radially outward extending resilient teeth shaped flap.
16 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising releasing a holding member so that the expandable tube member is free to expand.
17 . The method of claim 13 , where removing the charging hose comprises withdrawing the charging hose from the backflow prevention valve device.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an explosive material charging device according to claim 1 and to a method of preparing an explosive material charging device according to claim 8. The present invention primary concerns the mining industry making use of explosive material charging devices and applying methods related to the preparation of explosive material charging devices. The present invention also concerns the industry manufacturing explosive material charging devices. BACKGROUND In some locations of underground mines, large amount of water drains from drilled boreholes. This water may originate from the drilling operation or from ground water permeable rocks and spaces. Lots of water may stream into the borehole from cracks or cavities in contact with the borehole. In such environment, the borehole wall of the drilled borehole is covered by a thick film of water, or may even be filled with water flowing from the borehole and from cavities in the borehole. A borehole with large amount of water, and which may have wet cracks and cavities, involves that the explosive material would not have enough adhesion with the borehole wall. It may also be critical that cavities and cracks of the borehole rule out that precise and well-defined amount of explosive material can be charged into the borehole. In current charging operations, due to the poor adhesion and high water pressure, the explosive material may flow out from the borehole and splashes onto the crosscut floor of the mine. The consequences of the splashes are many, e.g. dangerous working environment due to explosive material covering the entire crosscut floor, nitrogen contamination and other chemical contamination of the ground water, clogged water pumps, etc. In explosive material charging operations, making use of explosive material charging devices, the boreholes are drilled in the rock, and subsequently the explosive material is charged into the boreholes by means of a charging hose. The explosive material in the borehole is initiated by means of a detonator unit arranged in a detonator unit support, wherein the explosive material is initiated into detonation causing fragmentation of the rock. Current explosive material charging devices and methods of preparing explosive material charging devices configured for explosive material charging in such types of boreholes may use various types of plugs and cartridges for holding the explosive material in the wet borehole. However, prior art explosive material charging devices are time consuming to use in such boreholes. The prior art plugs and cartridges may be pushed out from the wet borehole due to high water pressure building up in the borehole above the plug or cartridge. The high water pressure thus affects the plug or cartridge with a force from above together with the weight of the explosive material. Prior art explosive material charging devices do not take into account eventual cracks or cavities entering the borehole wall of the borehole to be charged, wherein inexact amount of explosive material is used. The borehole generally has a vertical direction. However, the borehole may have different directions, such as generally horizontal or oblique directions. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION There is an object to provide an explosive material charging device configured for explosive material charging in a wet borehole. There is an object to provide an explosive material charging device that is easy and secure to handle and that at the same time provides sustainable initiating of the explosive material. There is an object to provide an explosive material charging device that safely keeps or holds the explosive material in the borehole. There is an object to provide an explosive material charging device that promotes that a well-defined amount and/or exact amount of explosive material can be charged in the borehole. There is an object to provide an explosive material charging device that is cost-effective and time saving to use. There is an object to provide an explosive material charging device that is flexible and adjustable for different types of boreholes and for different lengths of boreholes. There is an object to provide an explosive material charging device of light weight. There is an object to provide an explosive material charging device that can be applied by a charging truck also used for charging explosive material in dry boreholes. There is an object to provide an explosive material charging device that promotes secure blasting and initiating of the explosive material. There is an object to provide a compact explosive material charging device. There is an object to provide an explosive material charging device of a blasting system that can be put into use in a flexible blasting system configured to be charged in a borehole of a mine. There is an object to provide a first explosive material charging device that can be combined with a second explosive material charging device of