Annular piston pile driver
AssigneeDig Energy, Inc.
InventorsThomas Lipoma, Thomas Michael Ikuss, III
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An annular piston pile driver for use with a fluid jet drill system for boring holes in both residential and non-residential areas for geothermal energy shafts. The annular piston pile driver having an inner cylinder, an outer cylinder, a piston, a driver coupling, an upper sealing component, and a lower sealing component. The outer cylinder circumscribing the inner cylinder such that the inner cylinder and the outer cylinder form an annular space therebetween. The piston comprising a piston shaft and a piston head, wherein the piston is disposed within the annular space and configured to travel along an axis.
Claims12
A system for drilling a borehole, the system comprising:
- an inner cylinder extending along a first axis;
- an outer cylinder circumscribing the inner cylinder and extending along the first axis, wherein
- the outer cylinder is concentrically spaced from the inner cylinder defining an annular space therebetween;
- a piston having,
- a piston shaft extending along the first axis between the inner cylinder and the outer cylinder;
- and
- a piston head coupled to the piston shaft, wherein the piston is configured to translate within the annular space;
- a driver coupling coupled to the piston shaft;
- a driver assembly having a motor, the driver assembly releasably coupled to the driver coupling;
- a drill string coupled to the driver assembly, the drill string extending along the first axis and within the inner cylinder, piston, and outer cylinder;
- a fluid source in fluid communication with the annular space and the piston head;
- and
- a frame fixed to the outer cylinder, wherein the frame comprises:
- at least one member extending along the first axis;
- and a sliding carriage coupled to the at least one member, the sliding carriage configured to translate along the first axis.
A method for drilling a borehole, the method comprising:
- installing an annular piston pile driver within a borehole having a first depth, wherein the annular piston pile driver comprises:
- an inner cylinder;
- an outer cylinder circumscribing the inner cylinder forming an annular space therebetween;
- a frame fixed to the outer cylinder, wherein the frame comprises:
- at least one member extending along a first axis;
- and a sliding carriage coupled to the at least one member, the sliding carriage configured to translate along the first axis;
- a piston configured to translate between an upper position and a lower position within the annular space;
- and
- a driver assembly;
- installing a first drill string length within the annular piston pile driver, and coupling the driver assembly to the first drill string length;
- retracting the piston from a lower position to an upper position, and coupling the piston to the driver assembly;
- advancing the piston from the upper position to the lower position, thereby drilling a borehole to a second depth;
- disconnecting the piston from the driver assembly and the driver assembly from the first drill string length;
- coupling a second drill string length to the first drill string length;
- coupling the driver assembly to the second drill string length;
- retracting the piston from the lower position to the upper position and coupling the piston to the driver assembly;
- and
- readvancing the piston from the upper position to the lower position, thereby drilling the borehole to a third depth.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.