Method and apparatus for pressure wave suppression in small-charge blasting
AssigneeRockTek Limited
InventorsEdward W. Tota, Mihailo Gavrilovic, John D. Watson, Peter N. Georgiou, Jeffrey W. Branson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention is directed to a method for selecting pressure wave suppression devices from among a menu of pressure wave suppression devices to satisfy the pressure wave requirements of a given job or application. The present invention is further directed to pressure wave suppression devices that can be used in the hole, at or near the opening of the hole, or at a distance from the hole to perform pressure wave and/or flyrock protection. The invention is particularly useful in suppressing airblast and other excavation equipment noise in urban areas.
Claims35
A method for selecting one or more pressure wave suppression devices for use in a small-charge blast in which a material is broken by a pressurized working fluid released into or generated in a hole in the material and sealed in the hole by a sealing member positioned in the hole, the material being near an area that is subject to pressure wave restrictions, the method comprising:
- (a) determining a pressure wave level requirement at a selected distance from at least a portion of the material to be broken;
- (b) determining an unsuppressed pressure wave level at the selected distance produced by the small-charge blast in the absence of a pressure wave suppression device;
- (c) comparing the pressure wave level requirement with the unsuppressed pressure wave level to determine a desired degree of pressure wave suppression;
- (d) comparing the desired degree of pressure wave suppression with a degree of pressure wave suppression for each of a plurality of pressure wave suppression devices;
- and
- (e) selecting one or more pressure wave suppression devices from among the plurality of pressure wave suppression devices to produce a desired degree of pressure wave suppression.
A system for selecting one or more pressure wave suppression devices for use in a small-charge blast in which a material is broken by a pressurized working fluid released into or generated in a hole in the material and sealed in the hole by a sealing member positioned in the hole, the material being near an area that is subject to pressure wave restrictions, the system comprising:
- (a) means for determining a pressure wave level requirement at a selected distance from at least a portion of the material to be broken;
- (b) means for determining an unsuppressed pressure wave level at the selected distance produced by the small-charge blast in the absence of a pressure wave suppression device;
- (c) means for comparing the pressure wave level requirement with the unsuppressed pressure wave level to determine a desired degree of pressure wave suppression;
- (d) means for comparing the desired degree of pressure wave suppression with a degree of pressure wave suppression for each of a plurality of pressure wave suppression devices;
- and
- (e) means for selecting one or more pressure wave suppression devices from among the plurality of pressure wave suppression devices to produce a desired degree of pressure wave suppression.
A method for selecting one or more pressure wave suppression devices for use in a small-charge blast in which a material is broken by a pressurized working fluid released into or generated in a hole in the material and sealed in the hole by a sealing member positioned in the hole, the material being near an area that is subject to pressure wave restrictions, the method comprising:
- (a) providing a pressure wave level requirement at a selected distance from at least a portion of the material to be broken and an unsuppressed pressure wave level at the selected distance produced by the small-charge blast in the absence of a pressure wave suppression device;
- (b) comparing the pressure wave level requirement with the unsuppressed pressure wave level to determine a desired degree of pressure wave suppression;
- (c) comparing the desired degree of pressure wave suppression with a degree of pressure wave suppression for each of a plurality of pressure wave suppression devices;
- and
- (d) selecting one or more pressure wave suppression devices from among the plurality of pressure wave suppression devices to produce a desired degree of pressure wave suppression.
The method of claim 35, wherein in step (d) at least one of device (i), device (ii), device (iii), and device (iv) is selected.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.