JP7620039B2 - Escape system and escape method - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an escape system and method for use in the case of an emergency need to escape from a caisson using the pneumatic caisson construction method.

Conventionally, in the pneumatic caisson method, excavation work is usually automated, but workers may enter the caisson under high pressure to perform maintenance, assembly, and dismantling work. Also, when excavating bedrock, workers may enter the caisson for blasting work, drilling holes, and loading charges.

If a worker is injured or a disaster occurs while working inside such a box and an emergency escape is required, the worker would conventionally move to a manlock to depressurize the pressure, then leave the box and take the necessary measures. In this way, it is necessary to move to a manlock to depressurize, but if an injured worker is injured, this can be difficult.

As an example of a device for transporting workers from inside a caisson, the technology described in Patent Document 1 is known. Patent Document 1 discloses a rescue facility for pneumatic caisson construction that includes a capsule (rescue chamber) that can ascend and descend inside a material shaft, a pulley system, and a stretcher.

JP 2020-188921 A

However, conventional capsules, including those described in Patent Document 1, have a small internal volume per person, so if ventilation is not provided, oxygen will become insufficient in a short time. In other words, because it takes a certain amount of time to close the capsule in the workroom, raise it to the ground, place it in the hospital lock, pressurize the hospital lock, and open the capsule, it is not possible to continue breathing normally with just the air inside the capsule.

On the other hand, to ventilate, the air supply and exhaust must be adjusted simultaneously to maintain a constant air pressure inside the capsule. Normally, to perform such an operation, an operator (caregiver) other than the patient must be present in the capsule.

However, having an operator ride in the capsule has the following problems.
(1) The capsule itself is large because it contains both the subject and the operator. In addition, it is necessary to install a cylinder of breathing gas inside the capsule, which also makes the capsule larger. A larger capsule also leads to larger material locks and locks for decompression, which increases costs. If connected from outside, the time until the final decompression begins is longer, which increases the risk of high pressure for the subject and operator.
(2) The emergency escape device is only for "emergency use", so it causes a lot of physical and mental stress to the passengers, such as being placed in a small capsule and being moved by a crane. If an operator is on board, the operator will also be placed in a similar environment.

The present invention aims to provide an escape system and escape method that can ventilate the inside of a capsule without the need for an operator to be present.

To achieve the above-mentioned objective, the escape system of the present invention is an escape system for workers used in a pneumatic caisson, and includes a shaft extending from a work room, a lock installed on the shaft, a hospital lock that is formed so that it can be pressurized and depressurized, a capsule that accommodates workers in the work room, the capsule is formed so that it can be carried to the outside through the shaft and the lock while still in a pressurized state, and is formed so that it can be stored in the hospital lock, and ventilation equipment for ventilating the air inside the capsule from the outside.

The escape method of the present invention also includes the steps of placing a worker in a capsule in the working chamber of a pneumatic caisson and closing the capsule, transporting the capsule to the outside through a shaft and a lock, ventilating the air in the capsule from the outside using a ventilation system, transporting the capsule into a hospital lock, pressurizing the inside of the hospital lock, and opening the capsule in the hospital lock.

The system described in the specification will be referred to as an "escape system", but as rescue is also included, it can also be referred to as an "escape/rescue system". Similarly, the method described in the specification will be referred to as an "escape method", but as rescue is also included, it can also be referred to as an "escape/rescue method".

Thus, the escape system of the present invention comprises a shaft, a lock, a hospital lock, a capsule that houses a worker in a work room and is formed so that it can be carried to the outside through the shaft and the lock while still in a pressurized state and is formed so that it can be stored in the hospital lock, and a ventilation system for ventilating the air inside the capsule from the outside. Because the escape system of the present invention has such a configuration, the air inside the capsule can be ventilated from the outside using the ventilation system, making it possible to ventilate the inside of the capsule without an operator being on board. In addition, because the capsule can be stored in the hospital lock as is, rescue of the target person can be achieved quickly.

The escape method of the present invention also includes the steps of housing a worker in a capsule in a work room and closing the capsule, transporting the capsule to the outside through the shaft and the lock, ventilating the air inside the capsule from the outside using ventilation equipment, transporting the capsule into the hospital lock, pressurizing the inside of the hospital lock, and opening the capsule in the hospital lock. Since the escape method of the present invention includes these steps, the air inside the capsule can be ventilated from the outside using ventilation equipment, making it possible to ventilate the inside of the capsule without an operator being present. In addition, since the capsule can be stored in the hospital lock as is, rescue can be provided to the target person quickly.

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the overall configuration of an escape system according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view explaining the configuration of a pneumatic caisson. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the configuration of a hospital lock. FIG. FIG. 4 is a flowchart of an escape method according to an embodiment. Fig. 1 is a diagram showing the operation of the escape system according to the embodiment; 1 is a diagram showing the operation of the escape system according to the embodiment;

The following describes the embodiments of the present invention with reference to the drawings. However, the components described in the following examples are merely examples and are not intended to limit the technical scope of the present invention.

(Overall composition)
As shown in Fig. 1, the escape system S of this embodiment is an escape system S for workers used in a pneumatic caisson 10, and is mainly composed of an escape shaft 21 as a shaft, an escape lock 22 as a lock, a hospital lock 30, a capsule 40, and a ventilation system 50. Furthermore, although not shown, the pneumatic caisson 10 is equipped with a lifting equipment (crane) for raising and lowering the capsule 40. The specific configuration of each element will be described below.

(Configuration of pneumatic caisson)
As shown in Fig. 2, the pneumatic caisson 10 is mainly composed of a side wall portion 11, a work chamber ceiling slab 12, and a cutting edge portion 13, and is equipped with an escape shaft 21 as a shaft that can communicate with and cut off from the outside air (atmospheric pressure), and an escape lock 22 as a lock (air lock) that can pressurize and depressurize the inside. In addition, the pneumatic caisson 10 is also equipped with a material lock (not shown) and a man lock (not shown).

An anchor hatch 21a is attached to the bottom of the escape shaft 21. To the escape lock 22, compressed air equipment (air supply equipment, exhaust equipment) is connected so that it can be pressurized/depressurized. In this embodiment, the escape lock 22 is located at the bottom of the escape shaft 21, that is, directly above the workroom ceiling slab 12, adjacent to the workroom (14). For ease of explanation using drawings, the case where the ventilation equipment 50 is installed immediately above and adjacent to the escape lock 22 (shallow case) will be described here, but in the case of a deep escape shaft 21 will be placed between the escape lock 22 and the ventilation equipment 50.

The work chamber 14 is formed by being surrounded by the work chamber ceiling slab 12, the cutting edge 13, and the ground G. The work chamber 14 is maintained under high pressure to prevent water from entering from the surroundings. Rails (not shown) are attached to the underside of the work chamber ceiling slab 12 facing the ground, allowing an excavator (not shown) that excavates the ground G to travel along the rails. The excavator can be remotely operated while watching a monitor from the control room.

In addition, although not shown, the pneumatic caisson 10 is equipped with compressed air equipment (air supply equipment, exhaust equipment) for supplying and exhausting compressed air into the work chamber 14, material lock (not shown), and man lock (not shown).

(Hospital Lock Configuration)
Furthermore, a central monitoring room (not shown) and a hospital lock (recompression chamber) 30 are installed on the ground. The hospital lock 30 is arranged on the ground as shown in Figures 3(a) and (b) (see Figure 1). The shape and size of the hospital lock 30 are not limited, and it may be cylindrical or box-shaped (rectangular, oval, irregular).

The interior of the hospital lock 30 is divided into two rooms: a main room 31 and an auxiliary room 32. A hatch 35 is installed between the outside and the auxiliary room 32, and a hatch 34 is also installed between the auxiliary room 32 and the main room 31. The main room 31 and the auxiliary room 32 are each equipped with compressed air equipment 36 (air supply valve, exhaust valve), allowing each room to be pressurized/depressurized independently.

(Capsule composition)
The escape capsule 40 is formed in a hollow cylindrical shape, and is designed to accommodate the subject in a sitting or lying position (see FIG. 4). That is, a stretcher or chair is placed inside the capsule 40. The capsule 40 is structured to maintain airtightness, and a lid (hatch) 41 that can be opened and closed is attached to one end. Alternatively, the capsule 40 may be structured to be divided into two parts and joined together.

Furthermore, the capsule 40 in this embodiment is small enough to accommodate only one subject. The specific shape and size of the capsule 40 are not limited, but it can be, for example, cylindrical with a diameter of approximately 1000 mm and a height of approximately 2500 mm.

In addition, the capsule 40 of this embodiment is equipped with an air pressure device (air supply valve and exhaust valve) that can be operated from the outside, so that the air pressure inside the capsule 40 can be adjusted from the outside. In other words, the capsule 40 is structured so that an operator can connect an air cylinder (52) from the outside and open and close the air supply valve and exhaust valve from the outside.

As described above, the escape system S of this embodiment is characterized by having a capsule 40 that is suspended so as to be able to rise and fall freely to rescue the subject, an escape shaft 21 and an escape lock 22 that are arranged separately from a material lock (not shown) and a man lock (not shown), and a hospital lock (recompression chamber) 30. However, the escape shaft 21 and the escape lock 22 can also be a material shaft and a material lock, or a man shaft and a man lock.

(Configuration of ventilation equipment)
4 and 5, the escape system S of this embodiment further includes a ventilation system 50 for ventilating the air inside the capsule 40 from the outside during the movement to the hospital lock 30. This ventilation system 50 is composed of a ventilation gondola 51 disposed at the top of the escape shaft 21, and an air cylinder 52 mounted on the ventilation gondola 51, etc. The ventilation gondola 51 is removably installed in the escape shaft 21, and can also be installed later.

The ventilation gondola 51 is composed of a disk-shaped stage 51a having a circular hole in the center through which the capsule 40 passes, and a fence (handrail) 51b erected around the stage 51a. A number of air cylinders 52, ... are mounted on the stage 51a. The air cylinders 52 include cylinders filled with compressed air, cylinders filled with compressed helium mixed gas, and/or oxygen cylinders. A number of hanging pieces (not shown) are installed on the ventilation gondola 51 so that a shackle can be attached when lifting. The ventilation gondola 51 is formed with a circular hole 51c through which the capsule 40 passes, and has a lid 51d on which the capsule 40 can be placed. The lid 51d may be a sliding type or a structure that opens and closes on one or both sides (double doors). Instead of a lid, it may be a structure that is hooked onto the capsule 40 and fixed.

(Escape procedure)
Next, the procedure of the escape method of this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 6 to 8. As described below, the escape method of this embodiment includes a step of accommodating a worker in a capsule 40 in a work room and closing the capsule 40 (steps S1-S3), a step of carrying out the capsule 40 to the outside through the escape shaft 21 and the escape lock 22 (step S4), a step of ventilating the air in the capsule 40 from the outside using the ventilation equipment 50 (steps S5-S7), a step of transferring the capsule 40 into the hospital lock 30 (steps S8-S9), a step of pressurizing the inside of the hospital lock 30 (step S10), and a step of opening the capsule 40 in the hospital lock 30 (step S11). After that, when the decompression is completed, the step of transporting the subject to a medical institution is performed. Each step will be described below in order with reference to the flow chart of Figure 6.

(Step S1) Install the ventilation gondola in advance:
The ventilation gondola 51 is installed in advance above the escape lock 22 and the escape shaft 21. It is preferable that the ventilation gondola 51 is installed detachably with respect to the escape shaft 21 so that the ventilation gondola 51 can be lifted together with the capsule 40 in a later process.

(Step S2) The capsule is lowered into the working chamber via the escape lock using a crane:
The capsule 40 is hung by a crane and placed in the escape lock 22. Next, the escape lock 22 is pressurized to the internal pressure of the box, the lower hatch is opened, and the capsule 40 is lowered into the working chamber 14. At this time, the hatch 41 or valve of the capsule 40 is opened so that air can flow into the capsule 40.

(Step S3) Place the subject in a capsule in the working room:
The capsule 40 is laid on its side (if fenders or guides are attached, at least one side is removed or folded). Alternatively, if a chair is provided in the capsule 40, the capsule 40 is stood upright. The caregiver (P2) places the subject P1 together with the stretcher in the capsule 40 and fixes the stretcher in the capsule 40. Alternatively, the subject P1 sits in the chair in the capsule 40 himself.

(Step S4) The capsule is lifted by a crane and taken outside through the escape lock:
The hatch 41 is closed, the capsule 40 is lifted up, and is lifted up inside the escape shaft 21 and stopped inside the escape lock 22. The lower hatch of the escape lock 22 is closed, the pressure inside the escape lock 22 is reduced to atmospheric pressure, and the upper hatch of the escape lock 22 is opened, and the capsule 40 is lifted up.

(Step S5) Place the capsule on the ventilation gondola:
The capsule 40 taken out through the escape lock 22 is placed on the stage 51a of the ventilation gondola 51 through the central hole of the ventilation gondola 51. The capsule 40 is fixed to the ventilation gondola 51 so as not to move when it is lifted in a later process.

(Step S6) Connect to a breathing cylinder:
As shown in Fig. 7, an air cylinder 52 for supplying breathing gas in a ventilation gondola 51 is connected to the capsule 40 by a ventilation hose 53. A person (operator) riding in the ventilation gondola 51 maintains the air pressure inside the capsule 40 while ventilating the capsule.

(Step S7) Decompress to the first decompression stop:
Furthermore, in order to shorten the time required to complete the decompression, the pressure inside the capsule 40 can be reduced at this point to the first decompression stop point. This step can also be performed in a later step S11.

(Step S8) Lift the capsule together with the gondola:
The capsule 40 is lifted up together with the ventilation gondola 51 by a crane. That is, a wire is hung on the hanging piece of the ventilation gondola 51 on which the capsule 40 is placed and fixed, and the capsule 40 is lifted up by a crane. Note that, although the case where the capsule 40 is lifted together with the ventilation gondola 51 has been described here, this is not limited to this, and only the capsule 40 may be lifted up by attaching an air cylinder.

(Step S9) The capsule is lowered near the Hospital Lock:
The capsule 40, which has been lifted up together with the ventilation gondola 51, is lowered near the hospital lock 30. After that, the capsule 40 alone is lifted up again by the crane or moved manually, and placed on the platform (rollers) 33 as shown in Fig. 8. The hatches 35 and 34 at the entrances of the hospital lock 30 are left open.

(Step S10) Store only the capsule in the hospital lock:
The capsule 40 is moved on a platform (rollers) 33 and manually carried into the main room 31 in the hospital lock 30. Thereafter, the hatch 34 at the entrance to the main room 31 in the hospital lock 30 is closed.

(Step S11) Extract the operator (subject):
An assistant (P2) and, if necessary, a doctor enter the hospital lock 30 and pressurize the hospital lock 30 to the same air pressure as the air pressure inside the capsule 40. Next, the hatch 41 of the capsule 40 is opened and the subject P1 is pulled out.

(Afterwards) If first aid is required, administer first aid and slowly depressurize to atmospheric pressure. The order of treatment and depressurization is selected appropriately depending on the degree of injury and pressure. When oxygen depressurization is performed, a caregiver (P2) will assist with putting on and taking off the mask as necessary. After depressurization is complete, remove the subject P1 from inside the hospital lock 30 and transport him/her to a medical institution.

By performing each of the above steps, when escaping a subject (injured person), safe breathing of the subject can be maintained even if the capsule 40 itself does not have a ventilation system. Here, the following two times are assumed as time periods when ventilation is not possible inside the capsule 40.
・First time:
From the time the subject is placed in the capsule 40 in the working room 14 and closed, to the time the ventilation hose 53 is connected to the ventilation gondola 51 and ventilation begins.
・Second time:
From the time when the ventilation hose 53 is removed in order to accommodate the inside of the hospital lock 30 to the time when the inside of the hospital lock 30 is pressurized and the capsule 40 is opened.
If the capsule 40 is connected to a cylinder and housed together in the hospital lock 30, this second time period will not be necessary.
Each of these two times is assumed to last several minutes. The air volume within the capsule 40 is sufficient for one subject to breathe safely for the assumed times.

(effect)
Next, the effects achieved by the worker escape system S of this embodiment will be listed and explained.

(1) As described above, the escape system S of this embodiment is an escape system S for workers used in a pneumatic caisson 10, and includes a material shaft 21 extending from the work room 14, a material lock 22 installed midway along the material shaft 21, a hospital lock 30 formed to be pressurized and depressurized, a capsule 40 for accommodating a worker in the work room 14, the capsule 40 formed to be transportable to the outside through the escape shaft 21 and the escape lock 22 while still in a pressurized state and formed to be stored in the hospital lock 30, and a ventilation system 50 for ventilating the air inside the capsule 40 from the outside. With this configuration, the escape system S is one in which the subject can move to the hospital lock 30 without any burden while still being accommodated in the capsule 40. Furthermore, since the air inside the capsule 40 can be ventilated from the outside using the ventilation system 50, the inside of the capsule 40 can be ventilated without an operator riding on board. In addition, since the capsule 40 can be stored in the hospital lock 30 as it is, the subject can be quickly rescued.

Therefore, there is no need to install a breathing gas cylinder or the like inside the capsule 40. Furthermore, by providing a dedicated escape system S, only the subject is placed in a high-pressure environment, and the caregiver (operator) is not placed in a high-pressure environment.

(2) In addition, the ventilation equipment 50 is composed of a ventilation gondola 51 placed at the top of the escape shaft 21 and an air cylinder 52 mounted on the ventilation gondola 51. By placing the capsule 40 on the ventilation gondola 51 and connecting the air cylinder 52 with a hose, a caregiver can ventilate while adjusting the pressure inside the capsule 40 from the outside. By using the ventilation gondola 51 in this way, ventilation can be performed from the outside in a location very close to the work room 14 without preparing a special work yard.

(3) Furthermore, because the escape lock 22 is located adjacent to and directly above the working chamber 14, the time from closing the capsule 40 to returning the air pressure inside the lock to atmospheric pressure and removing the capsule is shortened. In addition, the time until pressure reduction inside the capsule 40 begins is also shortened.

(4) Furthermore, since the capsule 40 is formed to a size that can accommodate only one person, the capsule 40 itself can be made small. In addition, if the capsule can be made smaller, the escape lock 22 and other components can be made smaller, thereby reducing costs.

(5) The method for escaping the worker in this embodiment includes the steps of accommodating the subject P1 in the capsule 40 in the working room 14 and closing the capsule 40, transporting the capsule 40 to the outside through the escape shaft 21 and the escape lock 22, ventilating the air in the capsule 40 from the outside using the ventilation equipment 50, transporting the capsule 40 into the hospital lock 30, pressurizing the inside of the hospital lock 30, and opening the capsule 40 in the hospital lock 30. According to this procedure, the subject can be moved to the hospital lock 30 while still accommodated in the capsule 40 without any burden. Furthermore, since the air in the capsule 40 can be ventilated from the outside using the ventilation equipment 50, the capsule 40 can be ventilated without the operator riding on board. In addition, since the capsule 40 can be stored in the hospital lock 30 as it is, the subject can be rescued quickly.

(6) In addition, the ventilation process includes a step of placing the capsule 40 on the ventilation gondola 51 located at the top of the escape shaft 21, and a step of ventilating using the air cylinder 52 mounted on the ventilation gondola 51. By placing the capsule 40 on the ventilation gondola 51 and connecting the air cylinder 52 with a hose, a caregiver can ventilate while adjusting the pressure inside the capsule 40 from the outside. By using the ventilation gondola 51 in this way, ventilation can be performed from the outside in a location very close to the work room 14, without preparing a special work yard.

(7) Furthermore, in the ventilation process, it is preferable to carry out a process of depressurizing the air inside the capsule 40 to the first decompression stop point. If the air can be depressurized partway while ventilating on the ventilation gondola 51 in this way, the time under high pressure can be shortened. Furthermore, the pressurization time inside the hospital lock 30 can also be shortened, so the time during which ventilation is not possible (see "Second Time:" above) can be shortened.

(8) In addition, since the transport process includes a process of transporting the capsule 40 together with the ventilation gondola 51, the inside of the capsule 40 can be ventilated even during transport. Furthermore, the caregiver who is aboard the ventilation gondola 51 can also be transported to a safe location.

(9) Furthermore, in the process of transporting the capsule 40 together with the ventilation gondola 51, it is preferable to ventilate the inside of the capsule 40 even during transport.

(10) Furthermore, as another method of escaping the worker, it is also possible to perform decompression directly after connecting the ventilation hose 53 on the ventilation gondola 51. That is, the method includes the steps of accommodating the worker P1 in the capsule 40 in the working room 14 of the pneumatic caisson 10 and closing the capsule 40, transporting the capsule 40 to the outside through the escape shaft 21 and the escape lock 22, and decompressing the air in the capsule 40 from the outside using the ventilation equipment 50. This decompression step includes the steps of placing the capsule 40 on the ventilation gondola 51 arranged at the top of the escape shaft 21 and decompressing the inside of the capsule 40 using the air cylinder 52 mounted on the ventilation gondola 51. In this way, the hospital lock 30 becomes unnecessary. In this way, if the capsule 40 is always mounted on the ventilation gondola 51, a quick response is possible in the event of an emergency.

The above describes an embodiment of the present invention in detail with reference to the drawings, but the specific configuration is not limited to this embodiment, and design changes that do not deviate from the gist of the present invention are included in the present invention.

10: Pneumatic caisson 11: Side wall 12: Working room ceiling slab 13: Cutter tip 14: Working room 21: Escape shaft 21a: Anchor hatch 22: Escape lock 30: Hospital lock 31: Main room 32: Subroom 33: Platform 34: Hatch 35: Hatch 36: Compressed air equipment 40: Capsule 41: Hatch (lid)
50: Ventilation equipment 51: Ventilation gondola 51a: Stage 51b: Fence (handrail)
51c: Circular hole 51d: Lid 52: Air cylinder 53: Ventilation hose G: Natural ground P1: Subject P2: Assistant S: Escape system

Claims (10)

1. A worker escape system for use in a pneumatic caisson, comprising:
A shaft extending from the working chamber;
A lock mounted on the shaft;
A hospital lock formed to be capable of being pressurized and depressurized;
a capsule for accommodating a worker in the working chamber, the capsule being formed so as to be transportable to the outside through the shaft and the lock while remaining in a pressurized state, and being formed so as to be storable within the hospital lock;
a ventilation system for ventilating the air inside the capsule from the outside;
Escape system. The escape system according to claim 1, wherein the ventilation equipment includes a ventilation gondola disposed at the top of the shaft and an air cylinder mounted on the ventilation gondola. An escape system as described in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the lock is disposed adjacent to and directly above the working chamber. An escape system as described in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the capsule is sized to accommodate only one person. a step of housing a worker in a capsule in a working chamber of the pneumatic caisson and closing the capsule;
conveying the capsule out through a shaft and a lock;
ventilating the air in the capsule from the outside using a ventilation system;
transferring the capsule into a hospital lock;
pressurizing the inside of the hospital lock;
opening the capsule within the hospital lock;
A method of escape for workers. The method for escaping workers according to claim 5, wherein the step of ventilating includes a step of placing the capsule on a ventilation gondola arranged at the top of the shaft, and a step of ventilating using an air cylinder mounted on the ventilation gondola. The method for escaping a worker according to claim 6, wherein the step of ventilating includes a step of reducing the pressure of the air in the capsule to a first reduced pressure point. The method for escaping a worker according to claim 6 or claim 7, wherein the transporting step includes a step of transporting the capsule together with the ventilation gondola. The method for escaping workers according to claim 8, in which the capsule is ventilated during the process of transporting the capsule together with the ventilation gondola. a step of housing a worker in a capsule in a working chamber of the pneumatic caisson and closing the capsule;
conveying the capsule out through a shaft and a lock;
and reducing the pressure of the air in the capsule from the outside using a ventilation system.
The method for escaping workers, wherein the depressurizing step includes the steps of: placing the capsule on a ventilation gondola located at the top of the shaft; and depressurizing the inside of the capsule using an air cylinder mounted on the ventilation gondola.

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