Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
2166098
ZEITLER & DICKEL
PATENTANWALTE EUROPEAN PATENT ATTORNEYS
POSTFACH 26 02 51 TQEFON: 089/22 18 06 HERRNSTRASSE 15
0-80059 MUNCHENTELEfAX: 089/22 26 27 D-80539 MUNCHEN
PCT/EP94/02007
Moderne Tehnologlje Gradenja et al.
5236 III/os
May 19, 1995
Method and APParatus for the Trans~ortation of Shotcrete
and PumPed Concrete Mix of Stiff-Plastic ConsistencY in
o PlPelines
The invention relates to a method and apparatus for the
transportation of concrete mix and like materials in
pipelines.
From JP-A-59227622 there is known device for the
transportation of highly viscous liquids or powders by
sending a gasseous fluid through tiny holes with apertures
0,01 - 20 ~m provided in the pipe surrounding said
materials to be transported. The transported pipe is a
filter pipe having multiple tiny holes with a total area of
37...40 % of the pipe wall. This device would be completely
unsuited for 2 transportation of shotcrete and concrete mix
since the tiny holes would be blocked by solid particles,
the weakened pipeline wall would be destroyed repidly by
wearing and the transported system would be unstable
because of small pressure difference between inner and
outer side of perforated pipeline.
During the transportation of shotcrete and pumped concrete
mix through the bended outlet tube and flexible pipeline,
high resistance of the conveyed sticky mix appears.
Therefore, it is not possible to transport mixes of stiff-
plas~tic consistency over large distances. Even over small
distances energy consumption for the transportation is
excessively high.
Furthermore, primarily the shotcrete mix composition is
neither uniform nor uniformly distributed over the pipeline
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cross-section due to gravitation. This fact makes the
transport over large distances more difficult.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to over-
come the before-mentioned problems and shortcomings and
provide a method as well as an apparatus which makes it
possible to transport shotcrete and pumped concrete mix of
stiff-plastic consistency over large distances. It is 2
further object to reduce energy consumption during such
transportation. Furthermore, the compounds of the mix
composition should be uniformly distributed over the pipe-
line cross-section when said mix composition leaves the
pipe after transportation.
These objects are achieved by the features as mentioned in
the appended claims.
The method according to the invention is characterized by
injecting a fluid through perforations provided in the pipe
surrounding the shotcrete or pumped concrete mix to be
transported. The injected fluid "lubricates" the mix
composition inside the pipe, thus, making transportatlon of
shotcrete and pumped concrete mix or stiff-plastic
consistency possible and reducing substantially energy
consumption. Compressed air, foam or liquid are injected
through punctures densely distributed over the
transportation pipe.
A rotation of the pipeline about its longitudinal axis
clockwise and counterclockwise by 180 with stopping and
pausing between the turnarounds wet or dry mix passing over
the~ lower side of the tube, turns to the upper side after
the: turnaround providing a thorough mixing of the
compounds. Thus, the compounds of the mix are uniformly
distributed over the pipeline cross-section.
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216609~
The pipe surrounding the shotcrete or concrete mix to be
transported , whlch is provided with the perforations, is
surrounded by an outer pipe with a mid-pipe-wall space,
said mid-wall space being in connection with the outer ends
of the perforations as well as pressure source for
injecting compressed air or liquid. The mid-pipe-wall space
is closed at its ends with elastic seals and the outer pipe
is connected to a lateral hose with a valve for pressure
control to the mid-pipe-wall space. According to one
embodiment the perforations on the inner pipe are punctured
without removing the flexible mass of the pipe. According
to another embodiment the small holes may be drilled or
formed with removing pipe wall material.
Thermally resistant fibers or fiber loops at the outer
surface of the inner tube ends and at the inner surfaces at
the outer tube ends may be processed in such a way that one
part of the fibers or fiber loops is implanted into the
rubber mass and another part is uncovered and bound
together in the seal space which is limited by a washer and
filled with elastic adhesive resin or melted rubber mass.
The inner tube ends may have thinner walls from the inner
side in which inner rings are to be inserted and fastened
to the outer rings and having brackets airtightly pressing
the outer tube around the inner tube over the inner rings.
According to another embodlment of the apparatus of the
lnventlon there is a slngle-wall pipellne whlch has a
splrally lmplanted tube lnside its single wall or a system
of connected cavities with punctures connecting the tube or
cavitles to the lnner space of the pipeline. The tube or
the connected cavities have an outside connection to a
pressure source for lnjectlng the fluld.
In accordance with a further embodiment of the invention
the pipeline system is connected to a turning device for
rotating the same about its longitudinal axis clockwise and
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counterclockwise for 180. Preferrably the middle part is
mounted on a rotating bearing ring which has a cogwheel
while the cog-transporter device converts mechanical work
of a motor into abrupt rotation of the pipeline over the
cogwheel with abrupt stopping and pausing. The rotating
device with a stable bearing ring is placed at an upper
adjustable base stand that can be lifted or lowered with
respect to the lower stable base stand of a movable roller.
lC
Further features and details of the invention become clear
from the following description of different embodiments of
the apparatus of the invention with reference to the
altached drawings, wherein:
Fig. 1 is a schematic sectionial view of the apparatus
according to one p.eferred embodiment of the
invention,
Fig. 2 a partial longitudinal section of a double-wall
pipeline,
Fig. 3 a further sectional view of an assembled and
sealed double-wall pipeline,
Fig. 4 a sectional view of a single-wall pipeline
according to another embodiment of the
invention, and
Fig. 5 a schematic view of the apparatus for the
movement of the apparatus according to the
invention.
As shown in fig. 1 depicting a schematic view of the
apparatus for carrying out the invention there is a hopper
11 storing concrete mix to be transported to a distant
point. A rotation barrel cylinder 12 is filled with
concrete mix and a further rotation barrel cylinder 13
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- 2166098
discharges the concrete mix into the pipeline. A lateral
pipeline 14 introduces compressed air as moving medium
pushing the concrete mix through the pipeline. The wet
concrete mix passes through the bended outlet tube
comprising an inner wall 15 and an outer wall 16. The
double-wall bended outlet tube I is provided with an end
joint 17. The wet mix further passes through a flexible
double-wall pipeline II, nozzle III for injecting the
acceler2ting admixture (if necessary) and finally through a
flexible double-wall pipeline IV.
In dry shotcrete transportation double-wall flexible
pipeline IV (Fig. 2) is connected after (sometimes before
and after) the nozzle for injecting water and liquid
accelerating admixture.
The bended outlet tube (Fig. 3) that connects the machine
and pipeline can be accomplished by double wall. Compressed
air is injected through numerous small holes 10 distributed
over inner tube 15 wall. Valve 6 regulates the fluid
pressure and flow through lateral pipeline 18 connected on
outer tube. The bended outlet tube can be disassembled
because of cleaning the small holes.
Double-wall flexible pipeline (Fig. 3) consists of flexible
inner tube 1 provided with reinforcements 31 and outer tube
4. The mid-pipe-walls space 2 is closed with elastic seals
3 at ends of the pipeline. Inner flexible tube 1 has
punctures 10, densely distributed over the wall surface,
perpendicular or inclined to the direction of mix path.
Outer tube 4 is airtight under the working pressure.
Compressed air or lubricating liquid passes through the
late~al hose 5 to the mid-pipe-walls space 2. Valve 6 in
the position A' or B' (Fig. 3) directs the compressed air
into the space 2 or from the space 2 into the space of
lower pressure, respectively. Pressures and time intervals
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2166098
`
.
between A' and B' valve positions, are regulated
automatically. Filter 7 stops oils.
-
Lubrication liquid (e.g. superplasticiser or aer-entraining
admixture) is injected through injector and lateral pipe-
line 5 into the mid-pipe-wall space.
At the ends of sealed pipeline, the outer side of inn~r
flexible tube 1 and the inner side of outer flexible tube ~
are prepared to form reinforced elastic seals. One part of
thermally reslstant fibers or flber loops 32 are implanted
into the rubber mass while the other part is protected
during the tube fabrlcatlon (Fig. 3 - rl~ht) or exposed
later by dissolving the rubber surface. Before the double-
wall pipeline is sealed, the washer 3A is inserted to mid-
pipe-walls space 2 and this place is pressed by brackets.
Then the pipeline end is set upright to pour the adhesive
elastic resin,or melted rubber mass into the seals space 3
and left in this position until the mass hardens. Fibers or
bounded fiber loops 32 at the end of pipeline walls provide
enhanced bond and tensile strenght of the seal 3. Pipeline
ends are protected from large deformation by inner ring 30
and outer ring 8.
At the assembled pipeline (Fig. 3 - left) inner tube walL
is made thinner at the ends. Inner ring 30 of the same
inner diameter as the tube, is inserted at the tube end.
Outer ring 8 is fastened on the inner ring 30. The outer
flexible tube 4 is airtightly pressed to the inner tube 1
with brackets 29 over the inner rings 30.
The rigid rings 8 have thicker ends for connecting the
adjeacent pipeline by bracket clips. These rings are
fastened to the flexible tubes 4 and 1 by screws 9.
According to another embodiment of the invention (Fig. 4)
there is provided a single-wall pipeline 1 & 4 with a
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21660~8
.
spirally implanted hose or an interconnected system of
cavities 2A. The hose or cavities 2A are connected to a
pressure source (not shown) for feeding a fluid under
pressure. Punctures 10 connect the hose or cavities 2A to
the inside of the single-wall pipeline 1 & 4 in order to
reduce the friction between the moving concrete mix and the
inner wall. The single-wall pipeline 1 & 4 is provided with
reinforcements 31.
The pipeline should be mounted from above at roller 33
(Fig. 5). The rotating bearing ring 35, fixed on the
pipeline, is mounted over fixed bearing ring 34. Cog-wheel
36 on rotatina bearing ring 35 is coupled to the cog-
transporter 37 for transferring the movement from motor15 device into the pipeline rotation for 180 degrees, clock-
wise and counterclockwise. Motor device is mounted andfixed at upper moveable stand base 38 which can be lifted
or lowered in respect to the lower stable stand base 39.
The roller 33 with the pipeline can move depending ton tne
variation of shotcreting position.
During rotation, wet mix and lubrication liquid abruptly
exchange positions from lower to upper side of the pipeline
(Fig. 5~-
By the injection of compressed air or liquid into the inner
space of the flexible origin pipeline in thin jets coming
through the densely distributed punctures 10 at the inner
tube wall air or liquid jets are being bended in the
direction of mixed path due to pressure of the transporting
mix. Thus sticky mix is separated from the pipeline wall.
The.jets are separated later in small air or foam bubbles
which are homogenised with the mixed mass. Such aerated mix
leaves the pipeline and hits onto the backup surface at
high velocity in case of shotcrete or its flow is made
smooth before placing in case of pumped concrete. In case
of abrupt pressure variation in space 2 or hose or cavitieS
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1 2A from maximal (valve in position Al) to minimal (valve in
position B') causes changes of diameter of the flexible
pipe which intern causes retraction of sticky mix from the
inner pipeline wall.
By abrupt rotation of the pipeline around its axis for 180
degrees clockwise and counterclockwise and abruptly
stopping with a pause so that the mix passing through the
lower part of the pipeline (Fig. 5, position A) exchanges
its position with the upper part of the pipeline (Fig. 5,
position B) then falling through the middle part of air
stream due to gravitation and such uniformy homogenised mix
is accelerated by the same amount of air.
Where the present invention has been described with
reference to cert~in preferred embodiments various
modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art
and any such modifications are intended to be within the
scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.
AIUENDED SHEEi
