Rock drill water separator

Abstract

A dewatering module adapted to be inserted between a rock drill bit and a drill string comprising an outer housing and having a first end remote from the drill bit and a second end adapted to lie immediately adjacent the drill bit; an air/water inlet at the first end of the module adapted to receive a high pressure composite air and water flow from within the drill string and to deliver said flow into a main chamber within the module; an inner tubular housing within the chamber defining a passage within the chamber from its first and inlet end adjacent the air/water inlet to its outlet and second end at the drill bit; the first and inlet end of the inner housing being shielded by a first baffle from the composite air water flow entering the chamber; the first baffle comprising a deflector overlying the first and inlet end of the inner housing and having a skirt being of larger diameter than the tubular inner housing inlet such that air entering the inner housing is forced to reverse direction and traverse an “S” shaped path to enter the inner housing before traveling therethrough to the drill bit; a second laterally extending separator baffle beneath the skirt of the first baffle located such that and being of a diameter adequate to prevent direct entry into the inlet of an air/water stream deflected from the base of the main chamber upwardly towards the inlet of the inner housing; holes in the sides of the outer housing remote from the air/water inlet and baffle and adjacent its second end to facilitate evacuation of water from the chamber and into the area where debris from the drilling operation is being exhausted.

1 . A dewatering module adapted to be inserted between a rock drill bit and a drill string comprising an outer housing and having a first end remote from the drill bit and a second end adapted to lie immediately adjacent the drill bit; an air/water inlet at the first end of the module adapted to receive a high pressure composite air and water flow from within the drill string and to deliver said flow into a main chamber within the module; an inner tubular housing within the chamber defining a passage within the chamber from its first and inlet end adjacent the air/water inlet to its outlet and second end at the drill bit; the first and inlet end of the inner housing being shielded by a first baffle from the composite air water flow entering the chamber; the first baffle comprising a cap like deflector overlying the first and inlet end of the inner housing, having a depending skirt overlapping the upper extremity thereof and being of larger diameter than the tubular inner housing inlet such that air entering the inner housing is forced to reverse direction and traverse an “S” shaped path to enter the inner housing before traveling therethrough to the drill bit; a second laterally extending separator baffle beneath the skirt of the first baffle located such that and being of a diameter adequate to prevent entry into the inlet of the inner tubular housing of the majority of water in any air/water stream deflected from the base of the main chamber upwardly towards the inlet of the inner housing; holes in the sides of the outer housing remote from the air/water inlet and baffle and adjacent its second end to facilitate evacuation of water from the chamber and into the area where debris from the drilling operation is being exhausted.  
   
   
       2 . A dewatering module in accordance with  claim 1  wherein the first baffle is formed as a conical hat with an annular skirt portion depending from the lower portions thereof.  
   
   
       3 . A dewatering module in accordance with  claim 1  wherein the second baffle is formed as an downwardly facing frustro-conical extension laterally extending from the inner tubular housing at a position below of the skirt of the first baffle but proximate thereto and of a diameter equal to or greater than that of the skirt of the first baffle; the purpose of which second baffle is to help prevent water and water spray from entering the inlet of the tubular housing.  
   
   
       4 . A dewatering module in accordance with  claim 1  wherein the inlet to the tubular inner housing is formed as a lateral extension from the inner tubular housing and extending from a position below the skirt of the first baffle; the purpose of which supplementary baffle is to help prevent water and water spray from entering the inlet of the tubular housing.  
   
   
       5 . A dewatering module in accordance with  claim 1  wherein the inlet of the inner tubular housing is formed into a supplementary baffle by reason of its shaping as an upwardly facing frustro-conical lateral extension to the tube being of greater diameter than the tube and lesser diameter than the inside of the skirt of the first baffle the purpose of which supplementary baffle is to help prevent reflected water and water spray from entering the inlet of the tubular housing.  
   
   
       6 . A dewatering module in accordance with  claim 1  including a removable grating adapted to filter solid particles from the air/water flow into the module.