Muck pumping systems - Putzmeister Solid Pumps

Muck pumping systems
clean and safe muck transport for modern tunnelling
and mining methods
TS 2616-2 GB

The process –
clean and economical transport by pipeline
Muck transport in a closed system
File under: A 1.00, A 4.00, IP 4.05
Muck transport to the surface
Tunnelling produces excavated muck
which has to be transported from the
tunnelling machine’s discharge system
through the tunnel to the surface.
Which process is used depends upon the
geological and logistical conditions, and
also upon the space available in the tunnel.
Delivery by pipeline with high-performance
piston pumps is becoming increasingly
popular. The advantages are obvious:
■ Space-saving, e.g. for driving pipelines
in a small tunnel
■ The clean and safe transport of excavated
muck over long distances
■ High output
■ Addition of water rarely or not at all
necessary
■ Simple logistics – no muck cars
needed
■ Operational safety
■ Continuous delivery guaranteed, even
with pressure locks
Double pumps supply a performance of
up to 250 m 3 /h per pump unit. This
means that by using double pumps, tunnel
machines can be equipped with diameters
of up to 14 metres.
Numerous operations in Asia and also in
Europe (e.g. Botlek Tunnel in the
Netherlands) demonstrate the strengths
of this method compared to the transport
of the soil by centrifuged pumps or via
conveyor belts.
Pumping of stiff muck through a pressure lock
Two muck transport methods
There are two applied methods of delivering
excavated muck using pipelines:
■ Muck delivery in a closed system ...
■ ... and in an open system
The closed system
Here the muck pumps are connected
pressure sealed directly behind the outlet
of the screw conveyor of the tunnelling
machine. Care must be taken that the
material to be transported is readily
pumpable.
The pumps transport the soil through the
pipeline to the surface. The muck can be
treated either naturally or with bentonite
and polymers.
In a closed system the existing earth
pressure is maintained throughout the
pump. This prevents water and mud
penetrating the tunnel unchecked.
A system of this type will generally consist
of the following components:
■ A KOS double-piston pump to convey
the material to the surface and maintain
the earth pressure
■ An electronic control unit for pump
and tunnelling machine to ensure the
reliable operation of both units
■ A hydraulic power pack to drive the
KOS
■ A stone trap to detect blockages in the
pipeline and protect the pump
■ Flexible pipeline systems comprising
hose lines or pipe scissors
Example – the Størebelt Tunnel in
Denmark
■ The earth and water pressure of up to
0.8 MPa (116 psi) had to be maintained
in order to prevent the inflow of
groundwater
■ The rocks mixed with groundwater
were then conveyed from the screw
conveyor to the muck cars …
■ … and unloaded above ground under
atmospheric pressure
The stone trap
The stone trap has sensors to detect
blockages in the suction line. In such a
case the pump shuts down. Any stones
caught in the pipeline section of the
stone trap can then be easily removed.
The hydraulic power pack
Putzmeister high-density pumps are
hydraulically driven. This type of drive
enables the system to respond to virtually
any practical situation with great versatility
and flexibility.
All important data, such as oil temperature
and pressure and the degree of filter
contamination, are displayed for greater
operating precision.
KOS S-tube piston pump
The pump system
A KOS double-piston pump is generally
used for muck delivery. This type of
pump is particularly suitable for coarsegrain
material with a high solids content.
It produces pressures of up to 20 MPa
(2900 psi) and outputs of up to
500 m 3 /h.
London Heathrow tunnel
Two Putzmeister single-piston decompression
pumps removed 200 m 3 /h of
untreated loamy soil from the shield area
supported by compressed air. This prevented
the ground from subsiding and
the loamy soil was not contaminated by
auxiliary fluids, such as bentonite or
polymers.
Flanged-on muck decompression pump
■ Servicing is infrequent and wear is
minimal since the KOS has few
moving parts
■ Because of the generous and free
material flow the suction resistance is
particularly low
■ The hydraulic circuit is kept well separated
from the conveyed material
Screw conveyor with two muck pumps
type KOS 1480
TS 2616-2 GB
TS 2616-2 GB

Muck transport in an open system
MPT muck pump
for the open system
The open system
The open system is used where the muck
is moved by excavators or where the
material has to be crushed or mixed
before being pumped.
The muck has to be made pumpable.
Crushers or mixers are attached to the
system for this purpose.
The “processed” muck is then conveyed
openly to the pump, which delivers the
material above ground.
Such an installation generally consists of:
■ a double-piston pump
■ a hydraulic aggregate
■ a mixing trough
Alternatively complete muck pump
systems are used. Examples of this are
the MPT 16 and MPT 40 “muck pump
tunnel” installations.
The extremely compact MPT 16, for
example, is eminently suitable for use in
small pipes from ND 1400 upwards.
Very good pumpable material from a EPB tunnel
boring machine
TS 2616-2 GB

The accessories – pipelines,
sluices, damping systems ...
Boundary layer lubricant injection
nozzle
This reduces the pressure significantly
and thus protects the pump. This means
less costs, since both pipeline and pump
can be reduced in size. In addition there
is an approximately 50 % reduction in
the energy requirement. Stiff materials
are conveyed over large distances at low
pressure.
Control systems
The Putzmeister POS operating system
enables the user to control and monitor
all parameters automatically. It functions
independently or as an integral component
of the tunnelling machine’s central
control system.
Hydraulically controlled pressure
valves (HMC-S)
When pumping at high pressure material
sometimes flows back during switchover.
This is prevented by a valve fitted
downstream.
HMC-S valves are used for fine-grain or
pasty material. The valve seats are particularly
resistant, guaranteeing a hermetically
sealed system. In addition they
prevent nozzle wear.
The boundary layer lubricant injection nozzle
reduces wear in the pump and pipeline
The POS controls and monitors the complete
muck-removal installation
The “power damper” ensures that delivery is
even and continuous
ZX delivery lines are eminently suitable for conveying
muck over long distances
The HMC-S valve effectively prevents the back-flow of muck into the pump
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E-mail: pmw@pmw.de
TS 2616-2 GB
Right to make technical amendments reserved · © by Putzmeister AG 2007 · All rights reserved · Printed in Germany (10704RR)