METHOD FOR OPERATING A HIGH-VOLTAGE PULSE SYSTEM

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for operating a high-voltage pulse system (1), preferably a system (1) for the fragmenting and/or weakening of material (2) by means of high-voltage discharges, with an energy store (3) for providing the energy for the high-voltage pulses and a charging device (4) for charging the energy store (3). According to the method, in the intended high-voltage pulse operation, a sequence of high-voltage pulses is generated with the system (1) and thereby the energy store (3) is discharged completely at each high-voltage pulse and is only after the expiry of a charging pause (LP) recharged again for the next high-voltage pulse by means of supplying charging energy with the charging device (4).

By means of the operating method according to the invention, a time window is created between two successive high-voltage pulses each, in which the energy store(s) are substantially completely discharged and no charging-voltage is applied. Thereby it becomes possible to short-circuit or earth the energy store (3), respectively, without a short-circuiting or earthing current flowing thereby.

Claims

1.-23. (canceled)

24. Method for operating a high-voltage pulse system, in particular for fragmenting and/or weakening of material by means of high-voltage discharges, comprising an energy store for providing the energy for the high-voltage pulses and a charging device for charging the energy store, wherein with the system, a sequence of high-voltage pulses is generated in the intended high-voltage pulse operation, and thereby the energy store is completely discharged at each high-voltage pulse and is only recharged again for the next high-voltage pulse after the expiry of a charging pause (LP) by means of supplying charging energy with the charging device and wherein the energy store when switching of the system from the intended high-voltage pulse operation into a non-operating state in which the energy store of the high-voltage pulse system is discharged and protected against an unintentional charging, is short-circuited and/or earthed in a charging pause (LP).

25. Method according to claim 24 wherein no more charging energy is supplied with the charging device to the short-circuited and/or earthed energy store after the short-circuiting and/or earthing of the energy store.

26. Method according to claim 24 wherein the short-circuiting and/or earthing of the energy store takes place by means of a short-circuiting or earthing switch, in particular by means of at least two short-circuiting or earthing switches.

27. Method according to claim 26 wherein the contacts of the short-circuiting or earthing switch(es) are arranged in oil, in particular in a common oil-filled container together with the energy store.

28. Method according to claim 26 wherein the switching state of the short-circuiting or earthing switch(es) is monitored by means of one or more sensors.

29. Method according to claim 26 wherein the switching state of the short-circuiting or earthing switch(es) is monitored by means of an optical switching state display.

30. Method according to claim 26 wherein the short-circuiting or earthing switch(es) is or are mechanically secured and/or locked in the closed state.

31. Method according to claim 24 wherein in the intended high-voltage pulse operation, high-voltage pulses with a voltage of more than 50 kV, in particular of more than 100 kV, are generated.

32. Method according to claim 24 wherein in the intended high-voltage pulse operation, high-voltage pulses with a sequence frequency of more than 1 Hz, in particular of more than 5 Hz, are generated.

33. Method according to claim 24 wherein the short-circuiting and/or earthing of the energy store takes place without the use of a short-circuiting or earthing resistor.

34. High-voltage pulse system for carrying out the method according to claim 24, comprising: a) an energy store for providing the energy for the high-voltage pulses, b) a charging device for charging the energy store, c) one or more short-circuiting or earthing switches for securing the energy store against an unintentional charging by means of short-circuiting and/or earthing and d) devices for controlling the system, wherein the system is controllable by the devices for controlling the system in such a way that in the intended high-voltage pulse operation it generates a sequence of high-voltage pulses and thereby the energy store is completely discharged at each high-voltage pulse and is only recharged again for the next high-voltage pulse after the expiry of a charging pause (LP) by means of supplying charging energy with the charging device.

35. System according to claim 34 wherein the devices for controlling the system are designed such that upon a stop command the system is switchable, by means of closing the short-circuiting or earthing switch(es) in a charging pause (LP) following the stop command, into a non-operating state in which the energy store of the high-voltage pulse system is discharged and protected against an unintentional charging by means of short-circuiting or earthing, respectively.

36. System according to claim 35 wherein the devices for controlling the system are designed such that after the short-circuiting and/or earthing of the energy store, no more charging energy is supplied to the short-circuited and/or earthed energy store with the charging device.

37. System according to claim 34 wherein the system comprises at least two short-circuiting or earthing switches.

38. System according to claim 34 wherein the contacts of the short-circuiting or earthing switch(es) are arranged in oil, in particular in a common oil-filled container together with the energy store.

39. System according to claim 34 wherein the system comprises one or more sensors for monitoring the switching state of the short-circuiting or earthing switch(es).

40. System according to claim 34 wherein the system comprises an optical switching state display for the visual monitoring of the switching state of the short-circuiting or earthing switch(es).

41. System according to claim 34 wherein the system comprises devices for mechanically securing and/or locking the short-circuiting or earthing switch(es) in the closed state.

42. System according to claim 34 wherein the short-circuiting or earthing switch(es) is or are closed in the non-actuated or actuation-energy-free state.

43. System according to claim 34 wherein the system is designed in such a way that with it, in the intended high-voltage pulse operation, high-voltage pulses with a voltage of more than 50 kV, in particular of more than 100 kV, can be generated.

44. System according to claim 34 wherein the system is designed in such a way that with it, in the intended high-voltage pulse operation, high-voltage pulses with a sequence frequency of more than 1 Hz, in particular of more than 5 Hz, can be generated.

45. Use of the high-voltage pulse system according to claim 34 for the fragmenting of particularly electrically poorly conducting material or material composites, in particular of concrete, rock, ore rock, or slag by means of high-voltage pulses generated by the system.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0037] Further embodiments, advantages and applications of the invention result from the dependent claims and from the now following description with reference to the figures. Thereby show:

[0038] FIG. 1 the circuit diagram of a first high-voltage pulse system for the fragmenting of material by means of high-voltage pulses according to the invention;

[0039] FIG. 2 the voltage course of the energy store of the system of FIG. 1 in the intended high-voltage pulse operation; and

[0040] FIG. 3 the circuit diagram of a second high-voltage pulse system for the fragmenting of material by means of high-voltage pulses according to the invention.

MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0041] FIG. 1 shows the system diagram of a high-voltage pulse system 1 according to the invention for the electrodynamic fragmenting of rock material 2 by means of high-voltage discharges.

[0042] The system 1 comprises an energy store in the form of a capacitor 3 for providing the energy for the high-voltage pulses as well as a charging device 4 for charging the capacitor 3, an output switch in the form of a spark gap 8, as well as a high-voltage electrode 9 which faces with a distance and in a process container filled with a processing liquid (water) a counter-electrode 10 which is formed by the bottom of the process container and earthed. Between the high-voltage electrode 9 and the counter-electrode 10, the to-be-fragmented material 2 is arranged, immersed in the processing liquid, in such a way that in the intended high-voltage pulse operation of the system, the high-voltage discharges (high-voltage pulses as claimed) generated between the two electrodes 9, 10 take place through the material 2, which is shown as a variable load resistor.

[0043] Furthermore, the system 1 comprises a system controller 6 with a voltage measuring device 7, and an earthing switch 5 for the capacitor 3.

[0044] In the intended fragmenting operation (high-voltage pulse operation as claimed), the system 1 generates a sequence of high-voltage discharges between the electrodes 9, 10 through the material 2. Thereby, the capacitor 3 is completely discharged at each high-voltage discharge.

[0045] The course of the voltage U of the capacitor 3 over the time tin the intended fragmenting operation is shown in FIG. 2, namely over two charging cycles. Thereby, the voltage U at the time of the beginning of the discharge is approximately 100 kV, and each charging cycle including the associated charging pause LP takes about 300 ms.

[0046] The system controller 6 detects with its voltage measuring device 7 the breakdown of the voltage U of the capacitor 3 at the respective high-voltage discharge and controls the charging device 4 in such a way that a charging pause (LP) follows the respective discharge, in which the charging device 4 does not provide any charging energy. Only after the expiry of the charging pause LP the capacitor 3 is recharged again by the charging device 4 such that it can provide the energy for the next high-voltage discharge.

[0047] If the system 1 is to be switched from the intended fragmenting operation into a non-operating state in which the capacitor 3 is discharged and is protected against an unintentional charging by short-circuiting or earthing, respectively, the system controller 6 closes upon a stop command in a charging pause LP following the stop command the earthing switch 5 and controls the charging device 4 in such a way that, after earthing of the energy store 3, it no longer provides charging energy for the energy store 3.

[0048] FIG. 3 shows the circuit diagram of a second high-voltage pulse system according to the invention for the fragmenting of material by means of high-voltage pulses, which differs from the system shown in FIG. 1 merely in that it comprises two earthing switches 5 for the capacitor 3 and that the switching state of each earthing switch 5 is monitored by the system controller 6 by means of a sensor 11.

[0049] While there are described preferred embodiments of the invention in the present application, it is to be clearly pointed out that the invention is not limited thereto and can also be carried out in another manner within the scope of the following claims.