Pulsed electric rock drilling apparatus
AssigneeTetra Corporation
InventorsWilliam Moeny, Gilman Hill
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention provides for pulsed powered drilling apparatuses and methods. A drilling apparatus is provided comprising a bit having one or more sets of electrodes through which a pulsed voltage is passed through a mineral substrate to create a crushing or drilling action.
Claims45
A pulsed power drilling apparatus for passing a pulsed electrical current through a mineral substrate to break a substrate, the apparatus comprising:
- a rotatable drill bit;
- a pulsed power generator linked to said drill bit for delivering high voltage pulses;
- and
- at least one set of at least two electrodes disposed on said drill bit defining there between at least one electrode gap, said electrodes of each said set oriented substantially along a face of said drill bit, at least one of said electrodes disposed so that it touches the substrate and another of said electrodes is disposed so that it functions in close proximity to the substrate for current to pass through the substrate.
A pulsed power drilling apparatus for passing a pulsed electrical current through a mineral substrate to break the substrate, the apparatus comprising:
- a drill bit;
- a pulsed power generator linked to said drill bit for delivering high voltage pulses;
- at least one set of at least two electrodes disposed on said drill bit defining therebetween at least one electrode gap, said electrodes of each said set oriented substantially parallel to one another along a face of said drill bit;
- and
- an insulating drilling fluid having an electrical conductivity less than that of water.
A pulsed power drilling apparatus for passing a pulsed electrical current through a mineral substrate to break a substrate, the apparatus comprising:
- a drill bit;
- at least one set of at least two electrodes disposed on said drill bit defining therebetween at least one electrode gap;
- a pulsed power generator linked to said drill bit for delivering high voltage pulses;
- and
- a passage for delivering water down said drilling apparatus.
An apparatus for mining rock comprising a plurality of electrocrushing drill bits arranged in an array.
A method for breaking and drilling a mineral substrate comprising:
- providing a drill bit;
- disposing at least one set of electrodes on the drill bit;
- rotating the drill bit;
- and
- delivering a pulsed power current between the electrodes and through the substrate to break the substrate, at least one set of at least two electrodes disposed on the drill bit defining there between at least one electrode gap, orienting the electrodes of each said set substantially along a face of said drill bit, disposing at least one of the electrodes so that it touches the substrate and another of the electrodes is disposed so that it functions in close proximity to the substrate for current to pass through the substrate.
A method for breaking and drilling a mineral substrate comprising:
- providing a drill bit;
- disposing at least one set of electrodes on the drill bit;
- disposing a drilling fluid about the substrate to be acted upon by the drill bit;
- rotating the drill bit;
- and
- delivering a pulsed power current between the electrodes and through the substrate to break the substrate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.