09.02.2013 Views

WATER JET CONFERENCE - Waterjet Technology Association

WATER JET CONFERENCE - Waterjet Technology Association

WATER JET CONFERENCE - Waterjet Technology Association

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.

Various designs and applications are feasible, e.g., for cleaning work and for the<br />

destruction of connecting elements during salvage work in the face/ gate road intersection<br />

(Fig. 16).<br />

SUPPLY BOREHOLES<br />

A further task results from the need for coal gasification underground. In order to<br />

ensure the recovery of deposits in great depths which poses numerous problems to<br />

conventional mining, a concept of borehole sinking for the supply of gasification agents<br />

was developed. The high-pressure water is supplied via a steel tube fed from a tube reel<br />

via a guide unit to advance the nozzle ahead (Fig. 17). The borehole diameter is 80-100<br />

mm, the desired borehole length some hundred meters.<br />

MINI-FULLFACER WITH HIGH-PRESSURE <strong>WATER</strong> <strong>JET</strong>S<br />

The so-called rock back-cutting principle was again adopted for mechanical<br />

roadway drivage. The tests carried out in the hard coal industry more than 20 years ago<br />

with the Wolmeyer roadheader have gained renewed importance as a result of the new<br />

application potential of high-pressure water jets (Fig. 18).<br />

In the context of a cooperation agreement with Messrs. Atlas-Copco Sweden, who<br />

made available, free of charge, a roadheader of the Mini-Fullfacer type, first preliminary<br />

tests have been started in the Herdecke quarry.<br />

As with profile cutting, the standard cutting pick is equipped with high-pressure<br />

nozzles to extend the application range of this roadheader to hard and abrasive rock (Fig.<br />

19).<br />

In the meantime, a roadway length of 20 m has been drifted, initially without<br />

high-pressure water. In sandstone, the back-cutting depth is 100 mm and more with a<br />

cutter width of only 35 mm (Fig. 20).<br />

The wedge-shaped cutter pick breaks the back-cut rock rib. This results in a very<br />

favorable breaking performance/cutting work ratio.<br />

LICENSING PROCEDURE AND SAFETY AT WORK<br />

Both commercial use and testing of roadheaders as well as testing installations<br />

require the official approval in the Federal Republic of Germany. All underground<br />

cavities with a cross-section of more than 8 m 2 extracted without direct access from the<br />

surface are subject to Para. 130 of the Mining Law. Besides, the mutual indemnity<br />

association of the mining industry and the trade supervisory office are involved in the<br />

licensing procedure as official authorities.<br />

The risks associated with the use of high-pressure water jets essentially relate to<br />

the high pressure and the noise level. Water pressures are up to 4,000 bar, noise levels up<br />

to 97 dB(A) when cutting rock and 122 dB(A) for open jets. The essentially higher noise<br />

349

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!