Modelling hydraulic mixture movement along the extraction chamber bottom in case of hydraulic washout of the tuff-stone

Abstract

This paper presents the research results of the pulp movement process along the extraction chamber bottom to the suction pipe of the pulp lifting device in case of downhole hydraulic mining the volcanic tuff-stone. The washout process and hydraulically operated transportation of the tuff-stone hydraulic mixture, when forming the extraction chamber, have been studied under various conditions and methods of exposure. As a result, the dominant parameters have been determined influencing the hydrodynamic washout technology as well as tuff-stone hydraulic mixture lifting to the alluviation map. The dependences have been substantiated of the washout process performance and transportation capacity of the hydraulic mixture flow on the determined parameters. To calculate the process of pulp flow-over along the extraction chamber bottom to the intaking hydraulic elevator headwall, the systems of equations have been determined based on the modelling the movement of tuff-stone hydraulic mixture along the extraction chamber bottom during hydraulic washout. The dependences of the contact strength of the tuff-stone samples mined by downhole method on the time spent in water are presented, resulting in determination of the tuff-stone weakening coefficient and the degree of its saturation with water.