Methods and systems for adaptive non-contact / contact boring
AssigneePhoenix Boring, Inc.
InventorsShivani Torres, Thomas Egan, Barzin Moridian
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The systems and techniques described herein may allow for optimized boring through a variety of geologies. A plurality of different boring techniques may be utilized for boring through a geological formation, in order to suit the characteristics of various portions of the geological formation. The systems and techniques described herein includes determining geological features and adjusting operation of boring based on the geological features. In certain such embodiments, boring systems may include a bore head that includes a plurality of boring elements. Such boring elements may be contact and/or non-contact boring elements.
Claims18
A system comprising:
- a bore head comprising a chassis, a contact boring mechanism and a non-contact boring mechanism selected from the group consisting of a jet engine, a plasma torch, a combustor, and a flame jet, wherein the non-contact boring mechanism is configured to retract away from a bore face when the contact boring mechanism is in operation;
- a first sensor, configured to generate first data corresponding to a first boring parameter associated with boring operations of the non-contact boring mechanism;
- a non-contact boring positioning element configured to advance and retract the non-contact boring element longitudinally, laterally, and/or vertically relative to the chassis and configured to tilt the non-contact boring element in pitch and yaw on the chassis;
- a translational slot, wherein the contact boring mechanism and a non-contact boring mechanism slide within the translational slot to reposition vertically and/or laterally;
- and
- a controller, communicatively coupled to the first sensor and configured to:
- cause the non-contact boring mechanism to operate in a first manner,
- receive the first data from the first sensor,
- determine the first boring parameter from the first data, and
- cause, based on the first boring parameter, the non-contact boring mechanism to operate in a second manner, different from the first manner.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.