GLOBAL SERVICE TRAINING

MD6540 Rotary Drill

Dust Control System
MODULE 4 - TEXT REFERENCE

SERV2006

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
SAFETY BRIEFING��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 3
PURPOSE����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 4
REASON������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 5
COMPETENCY STATEMENT����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 6
LEARNING OUTCOMES������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 7
INTRODUCTION������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 8
PURPOSE REVIEW������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 16
REASON REVIEW�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 17
COMPETENCY STATEMENT REVIEW������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 18
LEARNING OUTCOMES REVIEW������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 19
MODULE CONCLUSION���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 20

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SAFETY BRIEFING
• Emergency Phone Numbers
• First Aid Responders
• Location of Exits
• Location of Fire Extinguisher
• Room Alerts or Hazards
• Designated Location for Evacuation
• Storm Shelter
• Hazardous Material

Safely Home. Everyone. Every Day.™

3
SAFETY BRIEFING

Before beginning this module, the following topics will be reviewed:

• Emergency Phone Numbers
• First Aid Responders
• Location of Exits
• Location of Fire Extinguisher
• Room Alerts or Hazards
• Designated Location for Evacuation
• Storm Shelter
• Hazardous Material

Safely Home. Everyone. Every Day.™

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PURPOSE

This MD6540 Rotary Drill Dust Control System module

is designed to prepare the technician to identify the
components and operation of the dust control system.

4
• Course purpose PURPOSE

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REASON

This training is necessary for participants to be able to

quickly and accurately diagnose performance issues
in the dust control system. Use of the knowledge
gained in this course will ensure the participant’s ability
to provide more effective customer service, which
enhances customer satisfaction.

5
• Course reason REASON

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COMPETENCY STATEMENT

At the completion of the session, the participants will be

required to successfully complete a post-assessment.

6
• Course competency statement COMPETENCY STATEMENT

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LEARNING OUTCOMES

You will meet the following learning outcomes during

this Dust Control System module of the Rotary Drill
MD6540 course:
• Take notes on the operation of the dust control system.
• Identify the components and describe the operation of
the dust control system.

7
• Learning outcomes (objectives) LEARNING OUTCOMES

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INTRODUCTION

• Identify the major components of The dust control system includes a dust curtain around the drilling platform, a deck
the dust control system. seal a pre-cleaner (2) and a blower type dust collector (3) which acts as a vacuum
to gather the dust trapped within the dust curtain.

The dust control system also contains a water injection system that injects water
into the main air stream to help prevent dust emission.

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Dust Curtains

• Explain the purpose of the dust The dust curtains are an integral part of the dust control system. The curtained
curtains. area under the deck provides an enclosed chamber to contain the dust and cuttings
generated by the drilling process.

The dust curtains require trimming to a length that will provide the best sealing
capabilities, based on the type of terrain in which the drill is being used, i.e. if the
terrain is generally level then the curtains can be trimmed to a common length all
around.

If operating on sloping terrain, the curtains will need to be trimmed shorter at a

particular end to maximize sealing.

Trim length of curtains to approximately 200 mm overhang on the ground.

Excessive overhang on the ground may result in the curtains being caught and torn
by larger rocks or the build up of cuttings from the drill hole.

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Water Injection

• Explain the operation of the water The water injection system installed on the blasthole drill rigs serves two purposes,
injection system.
• Hole stabilization,
• Dust suppression.

The water injection system consists of a water tank and a hydraulically driven water
pump that injects water into the main air header.

The pump provides water from the tank at a flow rate controlled by an adjustable
flow control valve on the control console. The water is directed to an air control
valve which meters the water into the air stream at the main air header.

Check valves are fitted at the pump suction port, pump discharge and at the
injection point into the air stream. These check valves must be working correctly to
enable the pump to work.

A relief valve set at 50 psi higher than the maximum system air pressure is
plumbed into the pump discharge which limits the pump pressure if the circuit is
deadheaded.

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Water Injection Operator Controls

• Explain the servicing In order for the water injection system to operate, the water injection switch (1)
requirements for the engine/ must be placed in the ‘on’ position and there must be more than 20 psi bit air
compressor air cleaner. pressure. The pressure requirement is to prevent accidental flooding of the bull
hose.

The volume of water injected is controlled by the water flow valve (2).

The water flow valve is a potentiometer which provides an output that is amplified
by the PLC system. The PLC sends a variable output current to the Water Injection
Hydraulic Spool Valve.

The spool valve in turn controls the speed of the water pump drive motor
dependent on the position of the potentiometer.

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Dust Collectors

• Explain the operation of the dust The function of the dust collector is to convey the dust and rock chips from the hole
collectors. collar to the filter housing and separate the solid particles from the clean air.

The filter / clone dust collector is of an advanced design utilizing a system of

barrier filters located in the vortex of a cyclone. The purpose of the cyclone is to
centrifugally separate the heavier material from the fine dust.

The system consists of a primary drop-out box that ejects the coarse material or
fines allowing the superfines or dust to travel into the main dust collector unit where
it is stored and ejected at the end of each drill cycle.

The dust collector system has a hydraulically driven fan that is used to create the
vacuum required. The fan draws the dust mixture from the within the dust curtain,
through the primary box and into the main dust collectors.

Located in each main chamber are four (4) filters that collect the dust allowing
clean air to exhaust from the fan outlets.

The dust collector filters are cleaned via four (4) back pulse valves that are
electronically timed. The pulse valves direct a short blast of compressed air down
the center of each filter at regular intervals. The length of pulse and pulse intervals
are fully adjustable to suit ground conditions.

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Variances in differential pressure through the dust collector filters are measured as
an indication as to whether the filters are blocked or damaged. This information is
displayed on the operator’s cab control display.

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• Explain the operation of the dust
control air system.
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Air System
Each dust collector is made up of three main sub-assemblies;
• Fan housing assembly (1) containing the centrifugal fan and drive motor.
• Main housing (2), which is divided into upper (clean air) chamber and lower
(dirty air) chamber, separated by a bulkhead.
• Hopper assembly (3), which contains the suction inlet pipe, heavy particle and
water separator, flap valve or discharge tubes for the discharge of cuttings and
storage space for cuttings.
The top of the dust collector is a compressed air reservoir. This air reservoir is
connected directly to the pulse valves which supply the air pulse to clean the filter.
There is one pulse valve for each filter and these valves are made to sequentially
pulse approximately every four seconds.
The pulse rate is controlled by an electronic timer, which when activated, exhausts
to atmosphere the air from the top of the pulse valve. Exhausting this air causes
the impulse valves to pulse.
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SERV2006 - 12/13
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• Explain how to adjust the
duration and pause time of the air
pulse valves.
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Timer
The electric timer is a 24V controller designed to sequentially activate the solenoid
controlled pulse valves.
The electric timer preset at the factory however may require adjustment to suit a
particular drilling situation,
The red sequence LED’s (1) indicate which pulse valve is firing.
The length of pulse and pulse interval can be adjusted to suit ground conditions.
Turn the step control knob (2) to control the time delay between each flash of
the red pulse indicator lights until the time between each flash is between 3 to 5
seconds.
The duration of the pulse is adjusted using the pulse control potentiometer (3). This
should be adjusted to give a pulse duration of 200 ms.
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PURPOSE

This MD6540 Rotary Drill Dust Control System module

was designed to prepare the technician to identify the
components and operation of the dust control system.

16
• Course purpose review PURPOSE REVIEW

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REASON

This training was necessary for participants to be

able to quickly and accurately diagnose performance
issues in the dust control system. Use of the knowledge
gained in this course will ensure the participant’s ability
to provide more effective customer service, which
enhances customer satisfaction.

17
• Course reason review REASON REVIEW

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COMPETENCY STATEMENT

The participants are now required to successfully

complete a post-assessment.

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• Course competency review COMPETENCY STATEMENT REVIEW

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LEARNING OUTCOMES

You have met the following learning outcomes during

this Dust Control System module of the Rotary Drill
MD6540 course:
• Took notes on the operation of the dust control system.
• Identified the components and described the operation of
the dust control system.

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• Learning outcomes (objectives) LEARNING OUTCOMES REVIEW
review

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MODULE CONCLUSION

The next module will be the MD6540 Rotary Drill Mast.

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• Module conclusion MODULE CONCLUSION

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