# US 10,767,479 B2 · Method and apparatus for removing pavement structures using plasma blasting > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,767,479 B2 - Document ID: US10767479B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/287,016 - Filed: 2019-02-27 - Published: 2019-06-27 - Granted: 2020-09-08 - Earliest claimed: 2018-04-03 - Assignees: Petram Technologies, Inc. - Applicants: Petram Technologies, Inc. - Inventors: Frank A. Magnotti; Igor S. Alexandrov - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10767479B2 ## CPC - E21C 37/18: by electricity - E01C 23/12: for taking-up, tearing-up, or {full-depth} breaking-up paving, {e.g. sett extractor}(adapted to both placing and removing {preformed} paving {elements} E01C19/52) - E01C 23/122: {with power-driven tools, e.g. oscillated hammer apparatus (hand-held breakers: percussion tools B25D)} - E21B 7/007: {Drilling by use of explosives (underwater drilling using explosives E21B7/1245)} - E21B 7/15: of electrically generated heat - F42D 3/04: for rock blasting - E21C: MINING OR QUARRYING - E01C: CONSTRUCTION OF, OR SURFACES FOR, ROADS, SPORTS GROUNDS, OR THE LIKE; MACHINES OR AUXILIARY TOOLS FOR CONSTRUCTION OR REPAIR (forming roads or like surfaces by compacting or grading snow or ice E01H) - E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS - F42D: BLASTING (fuses, e.g. fuse cords, C06C5/00; {for obtaining fluid from wells E21B43/00; for mining or quarrying E21C37/00; for making tunnels or galleries E21D9/006}; cartridges F42B3/00) ## Abstract A method, system and apparatus for plasma blasting pavement comprises an apparatus having a set of diamond cutting tools for creating a boreholes, a diamond saw, and a set of blast probes comprising a high voltage electrode and a ground electrode separated by a dielectric separator, wherein the high voltage electrode and the dielectric separator constitute an adjustable probe tip, and an adjustment unit coupled to the adjustable probe tip, wherein the adjustment unit is configured to selectively extend or retract the adjustable probe tip relative to the ground electrode and a blasting media, wherein at least a portion of the high voltage electrode and the ground electrode are submerged in the blast media. The apparatus saws the pavement at the parameter of the area to be removed, drills holes in the pavement, and inserts blast probes in the holes. The plasma blast breaks up the pavement in between the saw cuts. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for fracturing pavement, the method comprising: drilling a borehole in the pavement using a drill; removing the drill; inserting a directional plasma blast probe into the borehole, where the blast probe focuses a blast horizontally and upwards by locating a gap between a plurality of electrodes enclosed in a cylindrical cage below a center point of one or more openings in the cylindrical cage of the blast probe; initiating a plasma blast in the plasma blast probe by creating a plasma spark between the electrodes, the plasma blast fracturing the pavement; removing the plasma blast probe from the borehole. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising vacuuming pavement debris from the borehole before inserting the plasma blast probe. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising flushing pavement debris from the borehole with water before inserting the plasma blast probe. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising cutting the pavement with a saw. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein a plurality of drills drill simultaneously and a plurality of plasma blast probes blast simultaneously. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the drill and plasma probe are mounted on a platform. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6 further comprising moving the platform; and repeating the method at a new location. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6 further comprising drilling one borehole and inserting the blast probe in a second borehole simultaneously. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising filling the borehole with blast media. ### Claim 10 An apparatus for fracturing pavement, the apparatus comprising: a platform mounted on a plurality of wheels, where the wheels are in contact with the pavement; a power source; a plurality of pavement drills electrically connected to the power source and mechanically mounted on the platform such that each of the plurality of the pavement drills can drill a borehole to a bottom surface of the pavement; a plurality of plasma blast probes, mounted on the platform such that each of the plurality of the plasma blast probes can be inserted in the borehole to the bottom surface of the pavement, the plasma blast probes comprising a plurality of electrodes in a cylindrical cage, wherein the plurality of the electrodes have a gap located below a center point of one or more openings in the cylindrical cage; a power storage device, electrically connected to the power source and mechanically mounted on the platform and connected to the plurality of the plasma blast probes; the plurality of electrodes mounted inside of each of the plurality of the plasma blast probes and electrically connected to the power storage device. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The apparatus of claim 10 further comprising a saw electrically connected to the power source and mechanically connected to the platform such that the saw can cut the pavement from a top surface to the bottom surface. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the saw has a diamond tipped saw blade. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The apparatus of claim 10 further comprising a special purpose controller electrically connected to the power source and to the plurality of plasma blast probes to control characteristics of the plasma blast. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the special purpose controller is electrically connected to each of the plurality of pavement drills to control a depth of the borehole.