Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
Thomson Sinkala
Division of Mining Equipment Engineering, Luled University of Technology, 951 87 LuleEt, Sweden
(Received March 28, 1980; accepted May 14, 1990)
ABSTRACT
Sinkala, T. 1991. Relating drilling parameters at the bit-rock interface: theoretical and field studies. Min. Sci. Technol., 12:
67-77.
An explicit expression relating drilling parameters at the bit-rock contact is derived. The expression estimates the
minimum torque, related to bit-rock contact only, required to maintain constant bit rotation. Theoretical results from the
developed bit-rock contact relation agree very satisfactorily with those obtained from field tests and other previous
experience.
average rotation speed (n) and the impact predicting penetration rates. In this discus-
frequency ( f ) are practically constant. sion therefore only those parameters which
Under these assumptions, penetration (~,) may be measured directly or indirectly at the
in full-scale percussion drilling would then be bit-rock interface will be explicitly consid-
affected mainly by torque (-r), thrust ( F ) and ered. Other parameters, such as rock proper-
the rock properties, whereas the penetration ties and effective impact energy (Er) , will
rate (R) would be affected mainly by the remain implicit, in, for example, assessing the
penetration (u) and the impact frequency ( f ) ; magnitude of "step-wise" response penetra-
so: tion (1,) and "continuous" response torque
('r), in the formulation of the equations.
R=(f) X(p)
Assuming further that: A crater formed by a hemispherical indentor
(1) The drilling parameters referred to are
only those parameters which act on the bit P.A. Lindqvist [8] and R.G. Lundqvist [9]
simultaneously with the stress wave energy have investigated the instantaneous formation
induced by piston impacts on the drill string. of a crater from a hemispherical button-rock
(2) The torque and thrust act continuously contact. An example of the resulting hemi-
on the bit. spherical crater penetration is illustrated in
(3) The rock is sufficiently hard so that the Fig. 1. These studies, like earlier ones [1],
action of thrust and torque cannot break and considered only the thrust or indentation
displace the rock without the action of the force. In defining the new relation for bit-
effective impact energy (Er). rock contact torque has been introduced (see
The main function of the thrust is to main- Fig. 2(b)). Due to the continuous action of
tain bit-rock contact and to keep the drill torque ('r) it is supposed that the chips
string joints closed before the pulses arrive so (marked by the asterisk in Fig. 2(b)) on the
that energy losses are minimized [1-3]. The left side of the button would be trapped be-
torque is applied mainly to move bit inserts tween the button and the intact rock. The
to new surfaces [1,3-5], and simultaneously chips on the right side of button are assumed
to tighten drill string joints before the arrival either to fly out of the crater, or be flushed
of stress waves [2,5]. out of the crater.
Bit rotation, of course, is not essential for Using Fig. 2(b) as the model, it is thought
button penetration. It is, however, necessary that the following could occur:
for overall bit advance--measured by the rate
of total rock face advance R (in m/min). For
a given rock and bit geometry there is a Iol k4 ,dl
certain bit rotation angle at which the
penetration rate is optimal [6,7].
(b)~ (el
Theoretical study of bit-rock interaction
Limits
For the b u t t o n geometry discussed, the
b o u n d a r y conditions for the equations de-
rived are as follows: Normalized torque and
normalized penetration are defined by the
equations:
3"r
"r, - F D = normalized torque
D 1,
= I,, = normalized penetration
Fig. 3. Elemental area on surface of bit bottom. (See
text for explanation.) Then:
_ .2)
formulae derived do in fact agree very satis- recorded. Therefore only average values of
factorily with data from field tests. the actual penetration (G) are used here. This
G (from field data) is an average for every 10
m m (data sampling interval used) related to
Experimental study of the bit-rock interaction average bit advance, and is generally less than
the penetration (1,) per piston impact.
A series of drilling experiments was carried For simplicity of data treatment, it is as-
out at LKAB-Kiruna mine, Sweden. The holes sumed that the penetration per piston impact
were upward-directed normal production is approximately equal to the average
holes in sublevel caving. A hydraulic, top- penetration related to total bit advance. In
hammer percussive drill with independent ro- our tests, the penetration rate ( R , ) is re-
tation (a twin-boom Atlas Copco Simba H222 corded in m / m i n , and the piston impact rate
with a COP 1238 H F rock drill) was used. ( f ) is expressed as the number of impacts per
Both the button bit and X-bit were used for second. Following the assumption above, ~
drilling. u~ = R/(6Of), where f = 100 impacts per sec-
A Transtronic drilling processor TYP 93B ond for the machine used. Substituting for
was used to register data on one of the two u -- G in eqn. (9):
rock drills on the rig. Information was re-
corded every 10 m m of drill bit advance while FD ~(60f~ R - Rz)
drilling. Among the parameters recorded "r = --y- 30/~- R (12)
were: hole length (L), penetration rate (R a),
thrust on bit (F~), torque pressure (Pi), rota- In practice, it is nearly always true that
tion speed (n) and percussion pressure (P). q5 >> G. For example, from field data the but-
Methods by which the information recorded ton diameter q~ ~ 10 mm, and the average
is converted to familiar forms of these para- approximate penetration per piston impact
meters can be found in [2]. G ~ 0.1 mm. Equations (9) and (12) may then
The rock in which drilling took place was be written in the following approximate form:
mainly iron ore [10]. The texture of the ore 2
was generally dense and fine grained. Some ~" 15fq~ (13)
pyrite-rich fracture zones (10-20 cm) ran
along the drift. Rock hardness values were: In eqns. (12) and (13) R (or G), F, and ~"
average compressive strength (oo) ~ 50 MPa are variables while q~, f, and D have been
minimum and 170 MPa maximum; and aver- assumed to be constant. For the argument on
age tensile strength a t ~. 4 MPa m i n i m u m and the validity of this assumption, see [2].
11 MPa maximum. In general, the waste rock To evaluate this b i t - r o c k contact relation
was softer than the ore, and was mainly char- given in eqs. (12) or (13), more than 400 holes
acterized by a high penetration rate. Hard- were drilled. The average recorded number of
ness values for the waste rock could not, data points for each variable was about 1500.
however, be obtained. Using these data the validity of this bit-rock
contact relation may now be tested as fol-
Examining the bit-rock relation using data lows:
from field tests Theoretically, if, in eqn. (13), the thrust ( F )
and penetration rate (R) remain constant, the
At present, there is no way of estimating torque (-r) should also remain constant.
how many piston impacts are actually in- To check this argument in practice, con-
volved in every "total" rock face advance stant values of thrust (F~) which had corre-
72 x. SINKALA
s p o n d i n g c o n s t a n t p e n e t r a t i o n r a t e s ( R a) w e r e e q n . (12). T h e r e s u l t i n g t h e o r e t i c a l v a l u e s o f
s e l e c t e d f r o m a c t u a l field d a t a . R e s u l t s a r e t o r q u e (~-) w e r e t h e n c o m p a r e d w i t h t h e m e a -
s h o w n in T a b l e 1, w h e r e it is c l e a r l y seen t h a t s u r e d v a l u e s o f t h e t o r q u e (~'a)"
c o r r e s p o n d i n g m a g n i t u d e s o f t o r q u e (~'a) a r e Figure 4 shows a plot of theoretical torque
practically constant. The difference (e) be- ( ' r ) o b t a i n e d f r o m eqn. (12) v e r s u s a c t u a l
tween the average torque values and mea- ( m e a s u r e d ) t o r q u e (~-a), u s i n g d a t a w i t h 30%
s u r e d t o r q u e f o r t h e d a t a in t h e t a b l e h a s a r e l a t i v e e r r o r (A,r) (see k e y t o T a b l e 1 f o r A,r
m a x i m u m o f a b o u t 8%; this r e s u l t is v e r y d e f i n i t i o n ) . T h e a g r e e m e n t is c o n s i d e r e d t o b e
encouraging. good between the actual and the theoretical
Comparison of experimental and theoreti- v a l u e s if t h e a s s u m p t i o n s m e n t i o n e d earlier
cal t o r q u e v a l u e s f o r t h e s e tests w e r e p e r - a n d t h e field d r i l l i n g c o n d i t i o n s , a r e t a k e n
f o r m e d as f o l l o w s : into consideration.
The actual, measured values of thrust (Fa) The results of a comparison between theo-
a n d p e n e t r a t i o n r a t e ( R a) w e r e s u b s t i t u t e d in retical values and raw data (without scrutiny
TABLE 1
Magnitude of torque (ra) for constant penetration rate (Ra) and thrust (Fa)
L Ra Fa 'ra T AT Tav e Hole number
(m) (m/min) (N) (Nm) (Nm) (%) (Nm) (%)
4.33 0.438 9 300.0 42.3 41.8 + 1.20 41.1 2.87 fl 1.002
4.44 0.438 9 300.0 44.4 41.8 + 6.22 7.98
6.21 0.438 9 300.0 39.3 41.8 - 5.98 4.43
7.42 0.438 9 300.0 40.3 41.8 - 3.59 1.99
8.27 0.438 9 300.0 39.3 41.8 - 5.98 4.43
1.59 0.571 10100.0 49.4 52.0 - 5.00 49.2 0.51 fll.002
2.15 0.571 10100.0 49.4 52.0 - 5.00 0.51
3.57 0.571 10100.0 50.4 52.0 - 3.08 2.54
4.57 0.571 10100.0 47.4 52.0 - 8.85 3.56
2.76 0.595 8 700.0 42.3 45.8 - 7.64 43.4 2.42 k4.001
3.02 0.595 8 700.0 45.4 45.8 - 0.87 4.73
4.24 0.595 8 700.0 43.4 45.8 - 5.24 0.12
5.86 0.595 8 700.0 42.3 45.8 - 7.64 2.42
0.80 1.125 9 300.0 70.6 68.2 + 3.52 68.2 3.47 f17.002
1.53 1.125 9 300.0 70.6 68.2 + 3.52 3.47
1.75 1.125 9 300.0 70.6 68.2 + 3.52 3.47
1.97 1.125 9 300.0 69.6 68.2 + 2.05 2.00
1.99 1.125 9 300.0 63.5 68.2 - 6.89 6.94
2.40 1.125 9 300.0 64.5 68.2 - 5.43 5.47
3.25 1.125 9 300.0 71.6 68.2 + 4.99 4.93
3.26 1.125 9 300.0 63.5 68.2 - 6.89 6.94
5.14 1.125 9 300.0 69.6 68.2 + 2.05 2.00
Note the magnitudes of (AT) and (e)
L = hole length (location along hole from which data is sampled); R a = actual (measured) penetration rate;
Fa = actual (measured) thrust; Ta = actual (measured) torque; Tav = average actual (measured) torque; T = theoretically
predicted torque; A~- = (T -- Ta)/Ta = relative error between measured and theoretically predicted torque (T); e = ]Tav
-- ~'a[/Tav = absolute deviation from average torque (Tav).
RELATING DRILLING PARAMETERS AT THE BIT-ROCK INTERFACE 73
TABLE 2
C o m p a r i s o n b e t w e e n m e a s u r e d a n d theoretical values ( d a t a is as o b t a i n e d from the field; i.e. operational a n d
recording, errors, etc., are present)
X-bit
VF31.001 ** 19.35 1935 9 19 31
VF31.002 12.82 1282 14 26 38
VF33.001 20.18 2018 14 26 38
VF33.002 18.13 1813 14 28 40
VF36.002 ** 17.80 1780 10 21 34
VF36.003 21.17 2117 13 22 37
,.* ,,
Z 8 i
70.00
..-z
...~ 60.00
60
O 50.00
S @
40
4,a ~ 40.00
$ $
20.00
. . . . . . . . ~ld . . . . . . . ~ld . . . . . . . ;Id . . . . . . . ~1[~. . . . . . . 1'(30 5.00 ..... ;]60 ...... 716b ...... 8166 ...... 9'.00 . . . . . . 1'0.00
Thrust (F,), (kN)
Actual torque (Ta) , (Nm)
Fig. 5. Relationship between torque (Ta) and thrust (Fa)
Fig. 4. Theoretical (T) versus actual torques (%) for for constant penetration rate (Ra). The data is raw; i.e.,
data with relative error (AT) of 30% (q, = 9.5 mm and operational, system and recording errors are present.
D = 76 m m ) .
The average diameter used for the blunted similar to an illustration by Knissel [13] shown
inserts was approximately 7 mm. Whenever a in Fig. 8. This inverse proportionality has also
new X-bit was used, the measured values of been observed by Montabert (in [12]).
the torque (%) were high, and did not agree According to eqn. (13), the torque (~-) in-
accurately with the predicted values of the creases as the penetration rate (R) increases.
torque (~-). However, with used X-bits where This is confirmed by the present data (see
the insert ends were blunted and smoothed, Table 1) and by studies by Knissel [13] and
the fit obtained was much better, as demon- Montabert (in [12]). (See, for instance, Fig. 6.)
strated in Table 2. This suggests that the
behaviour of blunted and smoothed X-bits
resembles that of button bits. TORQUE
f
past studies
i
:/.7.
/,,
~ J J FEED
I I THRUST
Pearse [12] illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7.
From eqn. (13) we also see that the MINIMT~ ~ X [~TJH
penetration rate (R) is inversely proportional Fig. 6. Sketch showing the relationship between thrust,
to the square of the bit diameter (D). This is torque and penetration rate (after [12]).
RELATING DRILLING PARAMETERS AT THE BIT-ROCK INTERFACE 75
TORQUE
sults have also been obtained by Montabert
WEAK GROUND (in [12]) (Fig. 7), and by Schunnesson [14].
Schunnesson also observed low torque (low
penetration rate) in hard rocks, and high
torque (high penetration rate) in soft rocks,
MEDI~ GROUND for 115 m m diameter holes drilled using In
I
The Hole hammer equipment. The machine
TORQUE # l / used by Schunnesson [14] is programmed to
drill at constant thrust.
-- . . . . . l l --~ l - ----
- H~D GROUND
The observed variation in torque with
penetration rate is of course expected, since
-- ~ I FEED
one would expect a greater penetration rate in
T ~ U S T FOR
PRESET
P THRUST softer rocks than in hard rocks.
WEAK GROUND THRUST
Fig. 7. Sketch showingthe relations~p between selected
preset ma~mum torque and thrust for weak, medium,
Discussion and conclusions
or hard rock (after [121).
magnitude of the torque related to the drill is, with no percussion) might cause rock
string-rock contact, which is required to breakage, in which case, the relation devel-
rotate buttons on the bit to new positions, oped in eqns. (1)-(13) will not apply.
depends on penetration, frictional forces and
the rebound of the bit from the rock. F o r
short ( = 20-25 m long) holes such as the ones Acknowledgements
examined here, it has been shown (Table 1,
for instance) that the magnitude of this torque The author would like to thank L K A B -
is essentially only what is necessary to over- Kiruna mine and Atlas C o p c o M C T AB for
come resistance (approximately equal to that their material support, and also the Swedish
caused b y the penetration) in order to main- R o c k Engineering Research F o u n d a t i o n
tain a constant bit rotation speed. These fea- (BeFo) for financial support.
tures have made it possible to employ torque
in the Ntanje system as the key parameter for
the automatic control of the drilling process References
in different rock conditions, and thereby
minimise hole deviations [15]. 1 Clark, B.G., Principles of rock drilling and bit wear.
Q. Col. Sch. Mines, 77 (1) (1982).
Limitations of the b i t - r o c k contact relation 2 Sinkala, T., Hole deviations in percussion drilling
and control measures - theoretical and field studies.
Ph.D. Thesis Lule~ Univ. Technol., Sweden (1989).
One major source of discrepancy between
3 Lundberg, B., Some basic problems in percussive
the measured and theoretical torque was the rock destruction. Ph.D. Thesis. Chalmers Univ.
recording instrument whose readings also in- Technol., Gothenburg, Sweden (1971).
cluded "off-rock" penetration rates ( R a ) , 4 Hustrulid, W.A. and Falrhurst, C., A theoretical and
especially at "under-thrust" values (less than experimental study of the percussive drilling of rock.
about 5 kN). W h e n such values of R a are Int. J. Rock Mech. Min. Sci, 8 (1981): 311-356.
5 Wijk, G., Indexation effects on mechanical rock
used in eqn. (12) the theoretical values of destruction efficiency. SveDeFo Rep. DS 1982: 2,
torque ('r) will differ substantially from ac- Stockholm (1982).
tual values. 6 Atlas Copco, Manual. Atlas Copco AB, Stockholm,
The remaining discrepancies m a y be due to Sweden (1982).
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and Blasting. Tampere, Finland (1984).
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or button wear and shape; resolution and and disc cutting - some theoretical and experimental
precision of the registered data; the flushing studies. Ph.D. Thesis, Lule~ Univ. Technol., Sweden
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design of 'button bits' for percussive drilling. In:
of data used for discussing the b i t - r o c k con-
Proc. Symp Rock Mech. 22nd (Cambridge) Am.
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not give accurate results. Here, apart from invest. 7692 (1972).
12 Pearse, G., Hydraulic rock drills. Min. Mag., (1985):
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ness might contribute substantially to corre- 13 Knissel, W., Results from hydraulic rock drill HBM
sponding torque (~'a) values. For very soft 100. SIG. Inst. Min. Miner. Economics, West
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RELATING DRILLING PARAMETERS AT THE BIT-ROCK INTERFACE 77
14 Schunnesson, H., Towards automated drilling in field studies. Part III: Improving hole straightness
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15 Sinkala, T., precision drilling - - theoretical and