Development of high power microwave applicator for rock preconditioning

岩石预处理用高功率微波发生器的研制

• 批准号: RTI-2023-00216
• 负责人: Sasmito, Agus
• 金额: $ 9.62万
• 依托单位: McGill University
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Research Tools and Instruments
• 财政年份: 2022
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2022-01-01 至 2023-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=761096
• 关键词: Development; power; microwave; applicator; rock

In hardrock mines, continuous mining method still faces many challenges and far from efficient. Started in 2008, our team had explored various possible method of continuous mining using explosive free rock breaking techniques. It was concluded that the most feasible technique for continuous excavation is to precondition the rock using microwave irradiation coupled with mechanical rock cutting tool. This conclusion drew the attention of mining companies and resulted in securing an NSERC CRD grant in 2011 - 2016 (Phase II). Basic parameters affecting the irradiation of rocks samples and its influence on the reduction of rock strength has been demonstrated. This study investigated and proved the feasibility of using microwave-assisted rock breaking technology in excavation. Also, this previous NSERC CRD grant enabled the applicants to build a state-of-the-art 15 kW microwave-assisted rock breakage test rig, unique to McGill University in Canada and one of the few in the world. In 2017 - 2022, our rock-microwave research entered Phase III. NSERC Discovery Grant (DG), CRD grant supported by three companies, along with NSERC RTI were successfully carried out. The objective of Phase III was large-scale proof of concept of microwave-assisted rock preconditioning. The equipment requested through NSERC RTI in Phase III was a 100 kW rock-microwave system to upgrade our old 15 kW rock-microwave system in order to be able to carry out large-scale tests for proof of concept under high-power microwave irradiation. The most significant outcome from our Phase III was an in-depth understanding and development of a secret recipe for a cost-effective and energy-efficient microwave irradiation for rock weakening in large-scale tests; that is, at high energy density and a very short period of time, such that the electromagnetic wave burst is effectively used to break intra-minerals bonds in grain boundaries, resulting to order-of-magnitude higher weakening over microwave energy (WOME) as compared to published data. Currently, our rock microwave project is entering Phase IV and is ready for prototyping and pilot testing in the mining face. NSERC Discovery Grant (DG), MITACS Accelerate and NSERC Alliance grants, supported by industry partners are underway. The objective of Phase IV is to develop a novel prototype of a microwave-assisted excavation machine for hardrock. Therefore, the equipment requested in this NSERC RTI grant is to develop a unique high-power microwave applicator for rock preconditioning to be integrated into our existing 100 kW microwave generator. This unique high-power applicator will enable us to develop the first prototype for microwave-assisted rock preconditioning testing in the mining face. The equipment is also vital for the HQP training of 1 RA, 1 PDF, 8 PhDs, 1 MSc and several undergraduate summer internship students. This will provide students with experience to develop and conduct in-field trial of the machine for the first time.

在硬岩矿山中，连续采矿方法仍然面临许多挑战，而且远非高效。从 2008 年开始，我们的团队探索了使用无炸药破岩技术进行连续采矿的各种可能方法，得出的结论是，最可行的连续采矿技术是。使用微波辐射结合机械岩石切割工具对岩石进行预处理。这一结论引起了采矿公司的注意，并获得了 2011 年至 2016 年 NSERC CRD 拨款（影响基本参数的第二阶段）。岩石样品的辐照及其对岩石强度降低的影响已经得到证实，这项研究调查并证明了在开挖中使用微波辅助岩石破碎技术的可行性。此外，先前的 NSERC CRD 资助使申请人能够建立一个国家-最先进的 15 kW 微波辅助岩石破碎试验台，加拿大麦吉尔大学独有，也是世界上为数不多的试验台之一。 2017 年至 2022 年，我们的岩石微波研究进入第三阶段。 NSERC 发现补助金 (DG)、CRD 补助金由三家公司以及 NSERC RTI 共同支持，第三阶段的目标是大规模验证 NSERC RTI 阶段所要求的设备。 III 是 100 kW 岩石微波系统，对我们旧的 15 kW 岩石微波系统进行升级，以便能够在高功率微波辐射下进行大规模概念验证测试。我们第三阶段的成果是深入了解和开发了一种在大规模试验中以高能量密度和极短的时间进行岩石弱化的经济有效且节能的微波辐射秘方；时间，使得电磁波爆发被有效地用于破坏晶界中的矿物内键，从而导致与已发表的数据相比，微波能量（WOME）的弱化程度更高。​目前，我们的岩石微波项目是进入第四阶段在行业合作伙伴的支持下，NSERC 发现补助金 (DG)、MITACS Accelerate 和 NSERC 联盟补助金正在进行中，并已准备好在采矿工作面进行原型设计和试点测试。第四阶段的目标是开发微波辅助的新型原型。因此，NSERC RTI 拨款要求的设备是开发一种独特的高功率微波施加器，用于岩石预处理，并将其集成到我们现有的 100 kW 微波发生器中。高功率施加器将使我们能够开发第一个用于采矿工作面微波辅助岩石预处理测试的原型，该设备对于 1 名 RA、1 名 PDF、8 名博士、1 名硕士和数名本科生暑期实习的 HQP 培训也至关重要。这将为学生提供首次开发和现场试用机器的经验。