Device for Filling Underground Cavities

Simple SummaryContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

This invention relates to a device for filling underground cavities, such as abandoned mine shafts, with a flowable filling material (e.g., slurry of water and sand, or cement). The device uses a specially designed vertically oriented pipe with a spiral buffer (a helical baffle or blade) inside. This spiral buffer slows down the vertical flow of the filling material by converting part of its kinetic energy, ensuring the pipe remains fully filled during operation and preventing potential damage such as pipe vibration, cavitation, blockage, or rupture. The spiral can be turned by an electric machine, which can also generate electricity from the filling flow.

Use CasesContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Filling abandoned or unused mine shafts for safety or environmental reasons.
• Stabilizing underground voids or tunnels in mining or civil engineering.
• Preventing surface subsidence by filling underground cavities.
• Remediation of old mines or underground constructions by backfilling with stable materials.
• Filling large underground spaces in infrastructure projects (e.g., subways, foundations).
• Generating electricity from the kinetic energy of descending filling material as a byproduct.

BenefitsContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Prevents common issues like pipe blockage, cavitation, and rupture caused by incomplete filling or excessive flow speed.
• Enhances the safety and reliability of filling underground cavities.
• Ensures a homogeneous and continuous flow of filling material, improving fill quality.
• Reduces maintenance needs and costly interruptions due to pipe failures.
• Potential to recover some of the energy used in filling operations by generating electricity.
• Can adapt to different fill materials, including slurries and mixtures with varying viscosity and particle content.

Technical Classifications (CPCs)

Inventors & Applicants

Patent Abstract

In the case of the device for filling underground cavities (6) with a filling material (1), the filling material (1) can be introduced into a vertically oriented conveying pipe (3) via a filling opening (2) and can be conveyed through an arcuate pipe (4) into a horizontally oriented conveying pipe (5), via which the filling material (1) enters a cavity (6). Proceeding from the filling opening (2), a spiral buffer (10) is disposed in the interior of the vertical conveying pipe (3) coaxially to the longitudinal axis direction of the vertical conveying pipe, and a spiral-shaped blade (11) having a plurality of turns is formed on the outer lateral surface of the spiral buffer (10) or is disposed there.