In his research, Gƶran Tuomas, who will defend his thesis titled Water Powered Percussive Rock DrillingāProcess Analysis, Modeling, and Numerical Simulation on December 20, has addressed several different processes and problems presented by water-powered rock drilling. The function and rock penetration process for the drill itself have been analyzed, modeled, and simulated, which means that the performance of the machine can be studied even before it is manufactured.
The computer models also offer enhanced capacity to assess the quality of the rock during drilling, since the dynamic behavior of the machines is dependent on the mechanical properties of the rock. In this way the computer has become an important tool in developing, optimizing, and using these machines.
This research work has also resulted in a new measurement laboratory and in a number of new products and prototypes. An absorber for equalizing variations in pressure in the feed water of the drill has been developed using carbon-fiber/epoxy material in collaboration with the Sicomp company in PiteƄ.
This choice of material provides low weight and high rigidity, a prerequisite for absorbing very rapid pulses of pressure.
Another product developed is a dumpster-based machine for separating the crushed rock from the drilling water and for pumping the high-pressure water to the drill. This machine makes it possible to recycle the polluted drilling water, which reduces the use of water and emissions during operation. Here, too, the computer was used as a tool in developing the product, in that the process of particle flow in a system with this machine was modeled and simulated.
āMy dissertation also presents new thinking about drilling techniques in connection with geothermal heating systems,ā says Gƶran Tuomas.
āThe idea is based on the fact that heat is generated in drilling, which leads to the rock around the drill hole being warmed up. By determining the amount of heat produced, it is possible to estimate the heat conductivity of the rock directly during drilling, which enables us to dimension the geothermal system dynamically.ā
For further information please contact: Gƶran Tuomas, phone: +46 920-49 29 29, goran.tuomas@ltu.se or the universityās chief press officer Lena Edenbrink,
phone: +46 920-49 16 22, cell phone: +46 70-679 16 22, lena.edenbrink@ltu.se.
18 January, 2011 - LuleƄ tekniska universitet
Carbon nanotubes, which are extremely small fibers used in many new light and strong materials, may present health risks if inhaled, in the worst case leading to cancer, according to new research from LuleƄ University of Technology.
24 March, 2010 - LuleƄ tekniska universitet
A mini-laboratory that makes it possible, among other things, to study how brain cells in stroke patients are affected by lack of oxygen is being developed by a research team at LuleƄ University of Technology (LTU) in Sweden. Lab on a Chip is what the scientists are calling their mini-lab, which is expected to facilitate studies of all sorts of biological cells and how they are affected by different medicines, chemical substances, etc.
18 December, 2008 - LuleƄ tekniska universitet
Why does gold occur where it does in the bedrock? If we understood that we would be able to make new finds also in areas where we had not looked for it. In his research into the FƤboliden gold deposit along the so-called Gold Line in VƤsterbotten in northern Sweden, Glenn Bark has studied the geological features that are important to the formation of gold deposits. What’s more, the results are proving to be directly useful to the project’s industrial partner and its current gold prospecting.
12 May, 2008 - LuleƄ tekniska universitet
LuleƄ University of Technology has gained a contract from the European Commission for an ICT project entitled Networking for Communications Challenged Communities: Architecture, Test Beds and Innovative Alliances (N4C).The N4C project, within the EC Seventh Framework Program has a budget of 3,650 000 euro over three years.
Expertsvar, The Swedish Research Council, Hantverkargatan 11B, Stockholm SWEDENPhone +46(0)8 546 44 000
P.O. Box 1035, SE-101 38 Stockholm, expertsvar@vr.se
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