External research and development

2000
Title: Dredging components Client: De Beers Marine The objective of this study was to establish the most suitable pump and pipeline configuration given a number of requirements and specifications. Furthermore this study describes and evaluates a number of concepts for the draghead-type tool.

1998/1999
Title: Design, construction and testing of prototype of Synchrocrusher Client: IHC Holland, in association with Ankerpoort and Novem This project was carried out as a follow up on earlier projects for the design and testing of the Synchrocrusher. After a design phase which included an initial technical evaluation, the pilot unit was constructed and commissioned at MTI. After some modifications the test unit was installed at Ankerpoort for start up and further testing.

1998/1999

Title: Design, construction and testing of prototype of Synchrocrusher

Client: IHC Holland, in association with Ankerpoort and Novem
This project was carried out as a follow up on earlier projects for the design and testing of the Synchrocrusher. After a design phase which included an initial technical evaluation, the pilot unit was constructed and commissioned at MTI. After some modifications the test unit was installed at Ankerpoort for start up and further testing.

1998-present
Title: Wear of teeth Client: CUR/COB Study on the wear of the teeth of a tunnelboring machine used in soft soil.

1998
Title: Alternative method of tunnelboring Client: COB Conceptual design of an method for the building a steel-walled tunnel by means of a continuous process involving a cutter suction dredger.

1997/1998
Title: Pre-design for a deep sea diamond harvester Client: De Beers Marine Mining Pre-design for deep sea harvester for marine diamonds mining.

1997
Title: "Track draw-bar pull and sinkage design study Client: De Beers Industrial Diamond Division The objectives of the study were to establish the possible draw-bar pull on a tracked vehicle and the sinkage to be expected. The expected soil and track response is given as well as slippage. Recommendations on the designs of the grousers are given to maximise the draw-bar pull for soil conditions given.

1997

Title: "Track draw-bar pull and sinkage design study

Client: De Beers Industrial Diamond Division
The objectives of the study were to establish the possible draw-bar pull on a tracked vehicle and the sinkage to be expected. The expected soil and track response is given as well as slippage. Recommendations on the designs of the grousers are given to maximise the draw-bar pull for soil conditions given.

1997
Title: Laminar and turbulent flow of drilling fluid in non-circular pipe geometry Client: Commission for drilling of tunnels and pipelines, the Netherlands Verification was done on the applicability of the non-Newtonian flow models in relation to the consistency characteristics determined with rotoviscometry. For modelling sediment transport it is required to know local flow velocities and bottom shear stresses. These were measured in relation to various parameters. Laboratory flow tests were done in the MTI laboratory, in co-operation with Delft Hydraulics.

1997

Title: Laminar and turbulent flow of drilling fluid in non-circular pipe geometry

Client: Commission for drilling of tunnels and pipelines, the Netherlands
Verification was done on the applicability of the non-Newtonian flow models in relation to the consistency characteristics determined with rotoviscometry.
For modelling sediment transport it is required to know local flow velocities and bottom shear stresses. These were measured in relation to various parameters.
Laboratory flow tests were done in the MTI laboratory, in co-operation with Delft
Hydraulics.

1997
Title: "Blade penetration forces" Client: De Beers Industrial Diamond Division In the study forces on a plough blade through a consolidated gravel sediment layer were determined for a number of specified conditions.

1996/1997
Title: Reducing the cut point of upstream classification in soil clean up Client: Novem - Netherlands Research project to evaluate the possibilities of classification methods in environmental clean up of contaminated soils in general and application for small cut points in particular. Modern high capacity upstream classification methods make use of an autogeneous fluid bed, which is effected by adding water at the bottom of the process chamber. Besides classification also density separation takes place. Density is related to the upstream water volume and particle size distribution of the added material. A low cut point is only possible with a minimum of water, which will limit the maximum size of particles added and maximum density that can be maintained. The investigation was directed at testing this phenomena, getting a low cut point while keeping a proper clean up efficiency. Besides a theoretical investigation also tests were carried out. The project was carried out in co-operation with BioSoil and Tauw.

1996/1997

Title: Reducing the cut point of upstream classification in soil clean up

Client: Novem - Netherlands
Research project to evaluate the possibilities of classification methods in environmental clean up of contaminated soils in general and application for small cut points in particular. Modern high capacity upstream classification methods make use of an autogeneous fluid bed, which is effected by adding water at the bottom of the process chamber. Besides classification also density separation takes place. Density is related to the upstream water volume and particle size distribution of the added material. A low cut point is only possible with a minimum of water, which will limit the maximum size of particles added and maximum density that can be maintained. The investigation was directed at testing this phenomena, getting a low cut point while keeping a proper clean up efficiency. Besides a theoretical investigation also tests were carried out.
The project was carried out in co-operation with BioSoil and Tauw.

1996/1997
Title: Improved clean up efficiency with a pulsated bed for contaminatedsoils Client: Novem - Netherlands Research project to develop a proper insight in the operation of jigs as a pulsated bed process in clean-up of contaminated materials like sieve sand, contaminated soils, building rubble and material from polluted waterways. In this study the possible use of a jig for clean up of contaminated materials was compared with cyclones and classification. A first test with one sample was carried out with the jig and compared with a cyclone operation used as reference process. Based on a positive outcome for the jig as pulsated bed in this comparison, 5 more sample materials were tested with the jig test operation. The project was carried out in co-operation with Kema and BioSoil.

1996/1997

Title: Improved clean up efficiency with a pulsated bed for contaminatedsoils

Client: Novem - Netherlands
Research project to develop a proper insight in the operation of jigs as a pulsated bed process in clean-up of contaminated materials like sieve sand, contaminated soils, building rubble and material from polluted waterways. In this study the possible use of a jig for clean up of contaminated materials was compared with cyclones and classification. A first test with one sample was carried out with the jig and compared with a cyclone operation used as reference process. Based on a positive outcome for the jig as pulsated bed in this comparison, 5 more sample materials were tested with the jig test operation.
The project was carried out in co-operation with Kema and BioSoil.

1996/1997
Title: Design and testing of anvironmental auger type of cutting head Client: Kisilidjan Hf - Iceland Evaluation, design and testing of the possible solutions to minimise the environmental impact of dredge mining on the biolayer of a diatomite deposit. Based on an earlier evaluation in 1995 some dredging methods were selected for further evaluation and testing. An auger type of cutting head was designed and a testmodel constructed to be tested under laboratory circumstances with site material in a undercutting mode.

1996/1997

Title: Design and testing of anvironmental auger type of cutting head

Client: Kisilidjan Hf - Iceland
Evaluation, design and testing of the possible solutions to minimise the environmental impact of dredge mining on the biolayer of a diatomite deposit. Based on an earlier evaluation in 1995 some dredging methods were selected for further evaluation and testing. An auger type of cutting head was designed and a testmodel constructed to be tested under laboratory circumstances with site material in a undercutting mode.

1995/1996
Title: Development project for an innovative low energy vertical shaft impact crusher Client: IHC Holland in association with: Van der Zanden, Krupp and Novem This project was directed at the development of a new type of vertical shaft impact crusher, based on earlier research carried out by MTI and van der Zanden. After a first technical evaluation, a commercial crusher of Krupp was redesigned and rebuilt to be used for single particle testing at MTI. More than 1000 test were carried out with pre-sized particles of different mineral qualities. The test results verified the earlier established simulation software predicting the behaviour of the particles in the crushing chamber.

1995/1996

Title: Development project for an innovative low energy vertical shaft impact crusher

Client: IHC Holland in association with: Van der Zanden, Krupp and Novem
This project was directed at the development of a new type of vertical shaft impact crusher, based on earlier research carried out by MTI and van der Zanden. After a first technical evaluation, a commercial crusher of Krupp was redesigned and rebuilt to be used for single particle testing at MTI. More than 1000 test were carried out with pre-sized particles of different mineral qualities. The test results verified the earlier established simulation software predicting the behaviour of the particles in the crushing chamber.

1995
Title: Measurement of mass transport of magnesium hydroxide in a pipeline Client: Nedmag, the Netherlands The process control for the transport and washing of magnesium hydroxide was almost fully hand operated. In order to come to a higher degree of automation a study was carried out on the possibility to measure the mass content of magnesium hydroxide in a salt mixture in a washing/settling tank as well as the mass flowrate during pipeline transport.

1995

Title: Measurement of mass transport of magnesium hydroxide in a pipeline

Client: Nedmag, the Netherlands
The process control for the transport and washing of magnesium hydroxide was almost fully hand operated. In order to come to a higher degree of automation a study was carried out on the possibility to measure the mass content of magnesium hydroxide in a salt mixture in a washing/settling tank as well as the mass flowrate during pipeline transport.

1992-1995
Title: Development, design and tests of an oil draghead to sweep crude oil from the sea surface by means of the dredging installation of trailing suction hopper dredgers Client: Dutch State Waterways Board, North Sea Directory. After initial desk studies a system was developed which can turn a dredger in a short time into an oil combat vessel. The system was first applied on the dredgers Cosmos and Prof. Gorjunov. Further research to improve the oil recovery system has led to the development of a special oil recovery head which floats on the waterline. Through this head the oil is sucked off the surface by the available dredge pump. The dredger is equipped with a sweeping arm to direct the oil to the oilhead. The Dutch State Waterways Board successfully tested this system.

1992-1995

Title: Development, design and tests of an oil draghead to sweep crude oil from the sea surface by means of the dredging installation of trailing suction hopper dredgers

Client: Dutch State Waterways Board, North Sea Directory.
After initial desk studies a system was developed which can turn a dredger in a short time into an oil combat vessel. The system was first applied on the dredgers Cosmos and Prof. Gorjunov. Further research to improve the oil recovery system has led to the development of a special oil recovery head which floats on the waterline. Through this head the oil is sucked off the surface by the available dredge pump. The dredger is equipped with a sweeping arm to direct the oil to the oilhead. The Dutch State Waterways Board successfully tested this system.

1994
Title: Evaluation of design parameters for an underwater screening application in a bulk sampling program for marine diamond deposits Client: Royal Boskalis Westminster The study consisted of investigating the layout and possible operation of the underwater unit, design topics for the underwater screen, alternative solutions for a trommel screen in particular and the total layout of the unit in general.

1994

Title: Evaluation of design parameters for an underwater screening application in a bulk sampling program for marine diamond deposits

Client: Royal Boskalis Westminster
The study consisted of investigating the layout and possible operation of the underwater unit, design topics for the underwater screen, alternative solutions for a trommel screen in particular and the total layout of the unit in general.

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