1000m Vertical Pipeline 4

[stanier]

A project on the drawing board features a mine dewatering facility. The pumps at the base of the mine will pump vertically up to the surface into a tank.

It is proposed to use victaulic couplings of the high pressure variety. Supports will be rockbolted into the wall.

Please comment on the following rationalization.

There is a concern that the tolerance in the groove of the coupling will allow the pressure thrust to be transferred to the supports. These forces should be balanced either side of the support apart from the mass of the pipe & water. It would only be a problem if there was a pipe burst and the unbalanced forces would shear the support.

Thermal strain is yet to be determined as the mine temperature is to be assessed.

Have you any direct examples of this type of installation?

 

[miningman]

OK the dwarf is back on surface and heres a few numbers that might be of interest. A few years ago I had to cost out a similiar dewatering exercise involving a 3000 foot shaft at an operation that had produced 3000 tpd for 20 years before being shut down. I'm not normally surprised at the high cost of underground operations but this one came in at $60 million. And for anyone who thinks my estimating abilities need improvement, do the maths. 3000 tons per day for 20 years at 10 cu feet per ton, equates into a very large number of gallons or cu metres or ???.

Now lets assume that the OP's mine is/was smaller at say 1000 tons per day and was only in production for say 7 years, this is still going to be an expensive exercise, and it doesnt matter if we are talking Australian , Canadian or US dollars.

If there was ever an instance of a client / owner needing competant professional advice,rather than trying to save a few thousand dollars up front, surely this one would have to be at the top of the list.

 

[BigInch]

If accountants could see past their little finger they wouldn't wear such thick glasses, you know?

**********************
"Being GREEN isn't easy" ..Kermit

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpiIWMWWVco

http://virtualpipeline.spaces.live.com/

 

[stanier]

Miningman,

The design was done by the mine engineers who I gather have done it before. However there has been a change in staff. I have yet to see any documentation and so cannot give accurate information.

Your point about the tolerances in the shaft in terms of available space are very relevant. Safety cannot be compromised in my opinion.

You did not comment on the Victaulic couplings and any previous expereince of their use? In my opinion ductile iron components in high pressure applications do not have a place unless they have been verified as to strength using something like upper bound limit state strain analysis (FEA) and preferably testing.

The experience of rock bolting to the shaft comes from the mine engineers.

Rest assured I will withdraw from the project if it gets hairy when I see the documentation.