Tunnel boring machine operating arrangement and method

Abstract

An operating arrangement for operating a tunnel boring machine for constructing a tunnel in a ground, the operating arrangement including a feed drive that is configured to advance the tunnel boring machine in the ground; a tool drive that is configured to drive a mining tool of the tunnel boring machine so that a successive removal of the ground is performable; at least one fluid tank for storing a drive fluid; at least one filtering arrangement for filtering the drive fluid; at least one cooling arrangement for cooling the drive fluid; and at least one control arrangement by which the feed drive and/or the tool drive is controllable wherein at least the feed drive and the tool drive are jointly arrangeable in a container.

Claims

1. An operating arrangement for operating a tunnel boring machine for constructing a tunnel in a ground, the operating arrangement comprising: a feed drive that is configured to propel the tunnel boring machine below the ground in a horizontal direction; a tool drive that is configured to drive a mining tool of the tunnel boring machine to rotate so that a successive removal of the ground is performable; at least one first fluid tank associated with the feed drive for storing a feed drive fluid; at least one filtering arrangement for filtering the feed drive fluid; at least one cooling arrangement for cooling the feed drive fluid; at least one control arrangement by which the feed drive and the tool drive is controllable; a tool drive module including the tool drive and a second fluid tank for a tool drive fluid for the tool drive so that the feed drive and the tool drive cooperate with the separate fluid tanks; an above ground container that is configured to receive the feed drive, the at least one first fluid tank and the tool drive module in a storage configuration of the operating arrangement; wherein the tool drive module is removed from the container in a boring configuration of the operating arrangement so that a fluid connection between the tool drive and the second fluid tank is maintained continuously and the tool drive module including the second fluid tank is configured to advance in the tunnel behind the mining tool, and wherein the container including the feed drive and the at least one first fluid tank is above ground and the tool module including the tool drive and the second fluid tank is below ground in the boring configuration of the operating arrangement.

2. The operating arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the tool drive module is removable from the container so that relative positions of at least one of the tool drive and the second fluid tank, or relative positions of all components of the tool drive module remain unchanged during removal.

3. The operating arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the tool drive module includes a carrier unit on which at least the tool drive and the second fluid tank, or all components of the tool drive module are arranged.

4. The operating arrangement according to claim 3, further comprising: a receiver for the tool drive module, wherein the receiver is configured in the container and adapted to the carrier unit so that the carrier unit is mountable without reconfiguration in or at the receiver and dismountable from the receiver without reconfiguration.

5. The operating arrangement according to claim 1, further comprising: a control unit that is associated with the tool drive and configured as a component of the tool drive, wherein the control unit respectively includes a connection with the control arrangement as well as with the tool drive so that the control unit is configured to receive control signals from of the control arrangement and to electrically control the tool drive according to the control signals received from the control arrangement.

6. The operating arrangement according to claim 5, wherein the control unit is operatively connected by the connection with three input conduits at the most, namely with at least one data conductor for connecting the control unit with the control arrangement and at least one electrical conductor for supplying the control unit with electrical energy.

7. The operating arrangement according to claim 1, further comprising: a second cooling arrangement for the tool drive fluid for the tool drive, wherein the second cooling arrangement is provided as a component of the tool drive module.

8. The operating arrangement according to claim 1, further comprising: a second filtering arrangement for the tool drive fluid for the tool drive, wherein the second filtering arrangement is directly flow connected with the second fluid tank that is associated with the tool drive, wherein the second filtering arrangement is provided as a component of the tool drive module.

9. The operating arrangement according to claim 1, further comprising: at least one transformer which is associated only with the tool drive, wherein the at least one transformer provides an output voltage of 960 volts.

10. A method for producing the tunnel in the ground by the operating arrangement according to claim 1, the method comprising the steps: retrieving the tool drive module which includes the tool drive and the second fluid tank that cooperates with the tool drive from the container which includes the feed drive in addition to the tool drive, wherein the tunnel boring machine is advanceable in the ground by the feed drive; inserting the tool drive module into the tunnel that is being produced; and running the tool drive module including the fluid tank that cooperates with the tool drive behind the mining tool during a tunnel advance.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the tool drive module is reinserted into the container after completion of the tunnel and before construction of a second tunnel.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein the tool drive module is inserted into the container again after completion of a respective tunnel project wherein the feed drive and the tool drive are advantageously jointly removed from a set-up location of the container in the container.

13. A method for producing the tunnel in the ground using the operating arrangement according to claim 1, the method comprising: arranging the tool drive module in the container and operating the tool drive module in the container.

14. A method for producing a tunnel in a ground by a tunnel boring machine, the method comprising the steps: retrieving a tool drive module which includes at least one tool drive and a fluid tank that cooperates with the tool drive from a container which includes a feed drive in addition to the tool drive, wherein the tunnel boring machine is advanceable in the ground by the feed drive; inserting the tool drive module into the tunnel that is being produced; and running the tool drive module including the fluid tank that cooperates with the tool drive behind a mining tool during a tunnel advance; wherein a drive fluid of the tool drive is cooled during a first start up period in which an initial section of the tunnel is produced by a first cooling arrangement that is permanently installed in the container and cooled during a propulsion period after the start up period in which the tool drive module is run behind the mining tool by a second cooling arrangement that is arranged at the tool drive module.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the drive fluid of the tool drive is cooled during the start-up period at least indirectly by an air-liquid heat exchanger and during the propulsion period indirectly by an operating fluid of the tunnel boring machine.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The operating arrangement according to the invention and the method according to the invention are subsequently described based on an embodiment with reference to drawing figures, wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 illustrates a cross section of a tunnel construction site wherein a tool drive module is run behind a mining tool of an associated tunnel boring machine;

(3) FIG. 2 illustrates the cross section according to FIG. 1, wherein the tool drive module is stored within a container that also includes the feed drive; and

(4) FIG. 3 illustrates a perspective view of a tool drive module.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(5) The instant invention that is illustrated in FIGS. 1-3 includes an operating arrangement 1 according to the invention and a tunnel boring machine 2 for producing a tunnel 3 in a ground 4. The tunnel 3 that is to he produced is typically horizontal and has an inner diameter of 1.4 m. The operating arrangement 1 includes an above ground container 12 that is configured as a sea container, A feed drive 5 is arranged within the container 12 wherein the feed drive is configured to drive a feed press that is not illustrated in the drawing figures. The feed press is configured to be inserted into a starting shaft 23 and to provide the propulsion of the tunnel boring machine 2 in the ground 4 by cooperation with a tube segment 22 of the tunnel 3 that is oriented towards the feed press. A successive introduction of additional tube segments 22 into the tunnel 3 thus yields a finished tunnel 3 which is completely configured with tube segments 22 from beginning to end.

(6) Within the container 12 of the operating arrangement 1 a fluid tank 8 for storing the operating fluid, a filtering arrangement 9 for filtering the drive fluid and a cooling arrangement 10 for cooling the drive fluid are permanently installed. The feed arrangement 5 is formed in the illustrated embodiment by a hydraulic unit that is operated by oil as a drive fluid. The cooling arrangement 10 is thus formed as an air liquid heat exchanger. Furthermore, the operating arrangement 1 includes a control arrangement 11 within the container 12 wherein the control arrangement provides control of the feed drive 5 as well as of the tool drive 6, the latter in the illustrated embodiment only indirectly which will be described in more detail infra.

(7) In a condition of the operating arrangement that is illustrated in FIG. 1 a tool drive module 14 is illustrated that includes a tool drive 6 within the tunnel 3 behind a mining tool 7 of the tunnel boring machine 2. The tool drive module 14 which is evident in particular from FIG. 3 furthermore includes a tool drive 6 and a fluid tank 13 that is associated with the tool drive 6, a cooling arrangement 17 and a filtering arrangement 18. Thus, the tool drive 6 includes a proper fluid tank 13 which is configured completely independent from the fluid tank 8 of the feed drive 5. Thus, the feed drive 5 and the tool drive 6 have operating fluid loops that are completely decoupled from each other. The tool drive 6, the fluid tank 13, the cooling arrangement 17 and the filtering arrangement 18 are all configured as components of the tool drive module 14 in the illustrated embodiment. The latter furthermore includes a carrier unit 15 which is formed in the illustrated embodiment in a particular manner by the fluid tank 13. In the illustrated embodiment the structure of the fluid tank 13 simultaneously functions as the carrier unit 15 or vice versa the carrier unit 15 simultaneously functions as the fluid tank 13. The carrier unit 15 is provided with a plurality of carrier hooks 19 which facilitate a particularly simple transportation of the entire tool drive module 14, e.g. by a crane. The components of the tool drive module 14 are mounted in a force transmitting manner on the carrier unit 15.

(8) Furthermore, the tool drive module 14 includes a control unit 16 that is configured to directly control the individual components of the tool drive module 14. Put differently, the control unit 16 forms a type of sub distributor to the control arrangement 11 so that operating the tool drive module 14 is also possible outside of the container 12 without having to run a plethora of individual control conduits directly from the control arrangement 11 to the respective individual components of the tool drive module 14 that have to be controlled. The control unit 16 is configured as a component of the tool drive module 14 and arranged on the carrier unit 15.

(9) The operating situation of the operating arrangement 1 illustrated in FIG. 1 is provided in particular for producing long tunnels 3 wherein the length exceeds a certain threshold value which does not facilitate driving the mining tool 7 from the container 12 anymore. Accordingly, the tool drive module 14 as such is removed from the container 12 according to the invention and inserted into the tunnel 3 so that the tool drive module can run directly behind the mining tool 7. This has the advantage that hydraulic conduits 25 which connect the tool drive 6 with the mining tool 7 can be provided short in any case independently from a length of the tunnel 3. Thus, friction losses within the hydraulic conduits 25 can be reduced to a minimum.

(10) The tool drive module 14 is configured in the illustrate embodiment so that it is coolable by an operating fluid of the tunnel boring machine 2 during tunnelling operations (FIG. 1) when it is arranged within the tunnel 3 that is being constructed. This relates to the cooling of the drive fluid of the tool drive 6. For this purpose, the tool drive module 14 includes a feed water conduit 20 and a liquid-liquid heat exchanger that cooperates with the feed water conduit 20 and that is not illustrated in the drawing figures. The feed water conduit 20 is run through the tool drive module 14 in the longitudinal direction of the tool drive module. The so called feed water thus forms the operating fluid of the tunnel boring machine 2. Cooling the operating fluid is performed in the illustrated embodiment by two stage cooling. The two stage cooling cools the operating fluid initially by the cooling arrangement 17 that is configured as a liquid-liquid heat exchanger. Using the cooling arrangement 17 heat is transferred from the drive fluid to a coolant which is formed herein by a water-glycol mix. The coolant is circulated by a coolant pump 21 and conducted from the cooling arrangement 17 into direct contact with an outer enveloping surface of the feed water conduit 20. Since the temperature of the feed water is rather low the feed water conduit 20 provides a heat transfer from the coolant through the feed water conduit 20 to the feed water which eventually extracts the thermal energy from the tool drive module 14. The temperature reduced coolant is then enabled again to receive thermal energy from the drive fluid of the tool drive 6 in the cooling arrangement 17.

(11) It is particularly simple during operations of the tool drive module 14 within the container 12 to provide cooling of the drive fluid of the tool drive 6 by the cooling arrangement 10 that is permanently installed in the container 12. For this purpose, it is only required to connect coolant conduits of the cooling arrangement 10 for example to the cooling arrangement 17 of the tool drive module 14, in particular by quick connect clutches which can be connected to a connector 26 that is provided for this purpose. Excessive thermal energy of the coolant of the tool drive module 14 can then be extracted by the cooling arrangement 10 that is configured as an air liquid heat exchanger in the illustrated embodiment.

(12) A connection of the tool drive module 14 with the container 12 is only performed by a conductor strand 24. In the illustrated embodiment according to FIG. 1 the conductor strand includes in particular a data conductor by which control signals of the control arrangement 11 can be transferred to the control unit 16 and two electrical conductors. The data conductor is used for providing the control unit 16 with electrical power wherein a voltage of 400 volts is provided to the control unit 16. The third conductor is used for supplying the tool drive 6 with electrical power wherein a higher voltage level of 960 volts is used due to the comparatively high power which is required by the tool drive 6 or its electric motor in order to avoid excessive power losses. A corresponding transformer 27 which transforms the external input voltage of 400 volts to the recited level of 960 volts is permanently installed in the container 12.

(13) Alternatively, it is also conceivable to configure a transformer as a portion of the tool drive module 14 wherein this transformer would be suitable to transform a high voltage level e.g. 960 V to a lower voltage level, in particular 400 V. Supplying the control unit 16 could thus be directly performed by the tool drive module 14 so that the tool drive module 14 only requires a single electrical conductor in order to be supplied with electrical power.

(14) The tool drive module 14, in particular its carrier unit 15 is configured so that the tool drive module 14 can be inserted into the container 12 or removed therefrom in its entirety without reconfiguration. Thus, the container 12 advantageously includes a corresponding receiver. A condition where the tool drive module 14 is arranged within the container 12 (container operations) can be derived in particular from FIG. 2. Since all components of the tool drive module 14 are arranged on the carrier unit 15 at locations that are respectively provided in the illustrated embodiment it comes as a consequence that the individual components do not change position relative to each other during insertion or removal of the tool drive module 14 into or from the container 12. In any case the tool drive module 14 is configured so that an operative connection can be continuously maintained between the tool drive 6 and the associated fluid tank 13.

(15) An operating mode of the operating arrangement 1 as illustrated in FIG. 2 where the tool drive module 14 is continuously arranged within the container 12 can be used in particular when producing short tunnels 3. Tunnels of this type are short enough so that a maximum required length of hydraulic conduits 25 that connect the tool drive 6 with the mining tool 7 of the tunnel boring machine 2 does not exceed a respective threshold value which would cause a high level of friction loses within the hydraulic conduits 25. Therefore, these situations do not require an insertion of the tool drive module 14 into the tunnel 3 in the manner illustrated in FIG. 1.

(16) Thus, the operating arrangement 1 according to the invention can be operated in a container mode (FIG. 2) as well as in a tunnel mode (FIG. 1) wherein a switching between the two operating modes is possible in a particularly quick and simple manner due to the uniform configuration of the tool drive module 14 with its carrier unit 15 and the adaptation of the configuration of the tool drive module 14 and a complementary receiver in the container 12. Providing a known tunnelling unit for producing long tunnels is therefore not required anymore when using the operating arrangement 1 according to the invention. Furthermore, it is not required anymore when producing a short tunnel to store a respective separate tunnelling unit that is known in the art outside of a protective encasement, e.g. a container and to expose it to weather and contamination that occur at a typical construction site. Furthermore, additional cost can be avoided which typically have to be borne by public contracting agencies, thus eventually by the public. Instead the tool drive module 14 of the operating arrangement 1 according to the invention can be easily inserted into the container 12 and is thus protected from external influences.

(17) It is appreciated that the features recited supra in combination with the embodiment can be implemented independently from each other as a matter of principle and do not have to be used in the feature combinations described in a context with a particular embodiment.

REFERENCE NUMERALS AND DESIGNATIONS

(18) 1 operating arrangement 2 tunnel boring machine 3 tunnel 4 ground 5 feed drive 6 tool drive 7 mining tool 8 fluid tank 9 filtering arrangement 10 cooling arrangement 11 control arrangement 12 container 13 fluid tank 14 tool drive module 15 carrier unit 16 control unit 17 cooling arrangement 18 filtering arrangement 19 carrier hook 20 feed water conduit 21 coolant pump 22 tube segment 23 starting shaft 24 conductor strand 25 hydraulic conduit 26 connection 27 transformer