Grout injection device and method for injecting grout into a longitudinal hole

Abstract

The present invention concerns a grout injection device ( 10 ) and a method for injecting grout into a longitudinal hole, e.g. a borehole. The grout injection device ( 10 ) comprises a hose ( 11 ) having at least three separate lines ( 12,13,14 ) defined in the interior of said hose ( 11 ); a packer system ( 16 ) arranged at one end ( 15 ) of said hose ( 11 ), said packer system comprising a chamber ( 17 ), said chamber ( 17 ) being provided with an inlet opening ( 18 ) into which said at least three lines ( 12,13,24 ) of said hose ( 11 ) lead and one or more discharge openings ( 22,23,24 ) for releasing fluid from said chamber ( 17 ) into the surrounding of the packer system; and a pump system ( 30 ) arranged at the opposite end ( 28 ) of said hose ( 11 ), configured to inject fluids into said at least three lines ( 12,13,14 ) of said hose ( 11 ).

1 . A grout injection device comprising
 a hose having at least three separate lines defined in the interior of said hose;   a packer system arranged at one end of said hose, said packer system comprising a chamber, said chamber being provided with an inlet opening into which said at least three lines of said hose lead and one or more discharge openings for releasing fluid from said chamber into the surrounding of the packer system; and   a pump system arranged at the opposite end of said hose, configured to inject fluids into said at least three lines of said hose.   
     
     
         2 . The grout injection device according to  claim 1 , wherein said hose is made from an extruded plastic material with said at least three separate lines being defined by smooth interior walls of said plastic material. 
     
     
         3 . The grout injection device according to  claim 1 , wherein said chamber of said packer system comprises at least four circumferentially arranged discharge openings. 
     
     
         4 . The grout injection device according to  claim 1 , wherein said chamber of said packer system is made from a plastic material or from a metallic material. 
     
     
         5 . The grout injection device according to  claim 1 , wherein said packer system comprises an upper seal above said discharge openings of said chamber and a lower seal below said discharge openings of said chamber. 
     
     
         6 . The grout injection device according to  claim 5 , wherein said upper and lower seals are selected from inflatable seals and mechanical seals. 
     
     
         7 . The grout injection device according to  claim 1 , wherein said chamber comprises a static mixer. 
     
     
         8 . The grout injection device according to  claim 1 , wherein said pump system comprises a multi-piston pump having each of said at least three lines of said hose associated with a dedicated piston of said multi-piston pump. 
     
     
         9 . The grout injection device according to  claim 1 , wherein said pump system comprises a PLC-controller, configured to control pressure and flow rate of said fluids injected into said at least three lines of said hose. 
     
     
         10 . The grout injection device according to  claim 1 , wherein said pump system is connectable to at least three different fluid sources. 
     
     
         11 . The grout injection device according to  claim 10 , wherein said at least three different fluid sources comprise at least two components of a multi-component grouting material and at least one cleaning solution. 
     
     
         12 . The grout injection device according to  claim 1 , further comprising a motorized hose-transporting system. 
     
     
         13 . The grout injection device according to  claim 12 , wherein said motorized hose-transporting system comprises a rotatable hose reel for storing said hose and a motorized puller-roller for winding and unwinding said hose from said reel. 
     
     
         14 . A method for injecting grout into a longitudinal hole comprising the steps of:
 (a) feeding a hose comprising at least three separate lines and a packer system arranged at a free end of said hose into said hole to a first injection site;   (b) optionally, injecting a cleaning solution into a first of said at least three lines of said hose;   (c) injecting at least two components of a grouting material into a second and third of said at least three lines of said hose;   (d) mixing said at least two components of said grouting material in a chamber of said packer system at the injection site to form a grout;   (e) injecting said grout from said chamber into the injection site;   (f) injecting a cleaning solution into said first of said at least three lines of said hose to clean said chamber and the immediate surrounding of said packer system;   (g) withdrawing said hose partially or completely from said hole.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein said hole is lined with a TAM (Tube a Manchette) pipe defining multiple injections sites and wherein, in step (a), said hose is fed into the TAM pipe until the injection site farthest from a pipe entrance is reached and, after optionally completing step (b) and steps (c) to (f), the hose is partially withdrawn until a nearer injection site is reached and optional step (b) and steps (c) to (g) are repeated one or more times.