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US 11,624,235 B2Granted
Ram accelerator augmented drilling system
AssigneeHypersciences, Inc.
InventorsMark C. Russell, Lance D. Underwood, Tristen Cutshall
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Systems for drilling or tunneling include an assembly for accelerating a projectile into a region of geologic material. An interaction between the projectile and the geologic material extends a borehole and forms debris. The debris may be reduced in size by moving the debris to a crushing device. The reduced-size debris is then moved toward the surface using fluid movement. Water jets or other types of devices may be used to cut or deform a perimeter of a region of geologic material before the projectile is accelerated to control the shape of the borehole and the manner in which debris is broken from the geologic material.
Claims20
A system comprising:
- a projectile assembly comprising:
- a first launch tube having a first end oriented toward a region of geologic material;
- a first projectile within the first launch tube;
- and
- a first propellant material within the first launch tube, wherein ignition of the first propellant material applies a force to the first projectile to accelerate the first projectile out from the first launch tube and into contact with the region of the geologic material to extend a borehole within the geologic material, wherein an interaction between the first projectile and the geologic material generates debris proximate to the region of the geologic material, and wherein at least a portion of the debris has a first size that at least partially impedes movement of the debris using a fluid;
- a crushing assembly comprising:
- a crushing device within the borehole, wherein the crushing device reduces the at least a portion of the debris from the first size to a second size;
- and
- a first conduit within the borehole, wherein the fluid within the first conduit moves the at least a portion of the debris having the second size away from the region of geologic material;
- and
- one or more third devices that are oriented to accelerate a pre-conditioning material into contact with at least a portion of a perimeter of at least a portion of the region of geologic material, wherein an interaction between the pre-conditioning material and the region of geologic material causes the interaction between the first projectile and the geologic material to generate the debris from the at least a portion of the region within the perimeter.
8 more elements
A method comprising:
- positioning a projectile within a tube having a first end oriented toward a region of geologic material, wherein the projectile comprises:
- a first portion having a first diameter less than or equal to a diameter of the tube;
- a second portion having a second diameter greater than the diameter of the tube, wherein the second portion is removable from the first portion;
- and a first sealing device associated with the second portion;
- applying a pressure to the projectile to accelerate the projectile toward the region of geologic material to extend a borehole, wherein;
- an interaction between the first sealing device and the tube causes pressure associated with the projectile to increase to a threshold pressure, application of the threshold pressure to the second portion of the projectile causes the second portion to be removed from the first portion and causes acceleration of the first portion toward the region of the geologic material, and an interaction between the projectile and the geologic material forms debris having a first size that at least partially impedes movement of the debris away from the region of geologic material;
- crushing the debris with a crushing device to reduce the debris from the first size to a second size;
- and
- moving the debris having the second size away from the region of geologic material.
6 more elements
A system comprising:
- a first conduit having a first end and a second end opposite the first end;
- a first projectile comprising:
- a first portion having a first diameter less than or equal to a diameter of the first conduit;
- a second portion having a second diameter greater than the diameter of the first conduit, wherein the second portion is removable from the first portion;
- and
- a first sealing device associated with the second portion;
- a first propellant material, wherein:
- the first propellant material applies a force to the first projectile to accelerate the first projectile into contact with a region of geologic material, an interaction between the first sealing device and the first conduit causes pressure associated with the first propellant material to increase to a threshold pressure, application of the threshold pressure to the second portion of the first projectile causes the second portion to be removed from the first portion and causes acceleration of the first portion toward the region of the geologic material, and an interaction between the first projectile and the geologic material generates debris having a first size that at least partially impedes movement of the debris;
- and
- a crushing device, wherein the crushing device reduces the debris having the first size to form debris having a second size smaller than the first size.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.