Dust conveying and collecting system and method

A method for separating particulate material from an air flow stream emanating from a drillhole comprising:

• providing enclosed means for receiving said flow stream and conducting said flow stream to a point removed from the vicinity of said drillhole, said enclosed means including,
• means for collecting material from said flow stream and discharge means responsive to the pressure differential within said enclosed means to retain said material in said enclosed means,
• providing suction pump means for receiving said flow stream and maintaining a pressure in said enclosed means less than atmospheric pressure;
• and
• periodically increasing the fluid pressure in said enclosed means to cause said discharge means to discharge material from said enclosed means which has been separated from said flow stream.

Apparatus for conveying and collecting particulate material entrained in a moving air stream emanating from a drillhole comprising:

• means for receiving said air stream and for separating relatively coarse material from finer material at a point removed from the vicinity of said drillhole utilizing the inertia of said coarse material and the velocity of said air stream entering said receiving means, said receiving means including a material lifting head including means forming a seal between said receiving means and the ground surface around said drillhole and means for deflecting said air stream to redirect the flow of said air stream and said particulate material without materially reducing the momentum of said coarse material;
• means for collecting said finer material from said air stream without materially interfering with the separation of said coarse material;
• and
• means forming an enclosure in flow receiving communication with said receiving means and defining a chamber for separating said coarse material from said air stream by at least partially utilizing gravitational forces acting on said coarse material, said enclosure being disposed in the flow path of said air stream between said head and said means for collecting said finer material, said chamber including a material receiving hopper and a flow stream discharge portion disposed laterally spaced from and above said hopper, and means for discharging said material from said hopper in response to a change in the pressure within said hopper with respect to the ambient atmospheric pressure.

Apparatus for conveying and collecting particulate material entrained in a moving air stream emanating from a drillhole comprising:

• means for receiving said air stream and for separating relatively coarse material from finer material at a point removed from the vicinity of said drillhole utilizing the inertia of said coarse material and the velocity of said air stream entering said receiving means, said receiving means including a material lifting head including means forming a seal between said receiving means and the ground surface around said drillhole and means for deflecting said air stream to redirect the flow of said air stream and said particulate material without materially reducing the momentum of said coarse material;
• means for collecting said finer material from said air stream without materially interfering with the separation of said coarse material;
• means forming an enclosure in flow receiving communication with said receiving means and defining a chamber for separating said coarse material from said air stream by at least partially utilizing gravitational forces acting on said coarse material, said means forming said enclosure being disposed in the flow path of said air stream between said head and said means for collecting said finer material;
• and
• mechanical conveying means disposed within said means forming said enclosure and adapted to convey said coarse material to conveyor discharge means substantially remote from the vicinity of said drillhole.

Apparatus for conveying and collecting particulate material entrained in a moving air stream emanating from a drillhole comprising:

• means for receiving said air stream and for separating relatively coarse material from finer material at a point removed from the vicinity of said drillhole utilizing the inertia of said coarse material and the velocity of said air stream entering said receiving means, said receiving means including a material lifting head including means forming a seal between said receiving means and the ground surface around said drillhole, and means for deflecting said air stream to redirect the flow of said air stream and said particulate material without materially reducing the momentum of said coarse material;
• means for collecting said finer material from said air stream without materially interfering with the separation of said coarse material;
• and
• means for mounting said head on a drill rig, said mounting means including power operated means for moving said head between an extended position wherein said means forming said seal is in engagement with the ground surface around said drillhole and a retracted position, said power operated means including means for yieldably biasing said head in engagement with the ground surface around said drillhole.

Apparatus for conveying and collecting particulate material entrained in a moving air stream emanating from a drillhole comprising:

• means for receiving said air stream and for separating releatively coarse material from finer material at a point removed from the vicinity of said drillhole utilizing the inertia of said coarse material and the velocity of said air stream entering said receiving means, said receiving means including a material lifting head including means forming a seal between said receiving means and the ground surface around said drillhole, and means for deflecting said air stream to redirect the flow of said air stream and said particulate material without materially reducing the momentum of said coarse material, and means for collecting said finer material from said air stream without materially interfering with the separation of said coarse material including a housing defining a plurality of chambers including an air inlet chamber in flow communication with at least one filter element chamber, an inlet opening into said inlet chamber, a transverse wall surface disposed at one end of said inlet chamber opposite said inlet opening and defining, in part, an enlarged area of said inlet chamber comprising a gravity separation chamber for relatively coarse material entrained in said air stream entering said inlet chamber, porous media filter element means disposed in said filter element chamber, and a clean air outlet chamber in flow communication with said filter element means.

Apparatus for conveying and collecting particulate material entrained in a moving air stream emanating from a drillhole comprising:

• means for receiving said air stream and for separating relatively coarse material from finer material at a point removed from the vicinity of said drillhole utilizing the inertia of said coarse material and the velocity of said air stream entering said receiving means, said receiving means including a material lifting head including means forming a seal between said receiving means and the ground surface around said drillhole, and means for deflecting said air stream to redirect the flow of said air stream and said particulate material without materially reducing the momentum of said coarse material, and means for collecting said finer material from said air stream without materially interfering with the separation of said coarse material including a housing including an air inlet chamber, an air inlet opening into said inlet chamber, wall means in said housing defining a filter element chamber for enclosing a substantially cylindrical impingement filter element, an opening between said inlet chamber and said filter element chamber for admitting a flow stream of air having said finer material entrained therewith into said filter element chamber, said wall means being curved to cause said air entering said filter element chamber to flow around said filter element in a vortiginous manner to provide for inertial separation of material.

In combination with an earth drilling rig including a drill stem and means for providing drill cuttings bailing air to said drill stem, apparatus for conveying and collecting particulate material generated by said drilling rig in forming a drillhole wherein the particulate material comprises coarse and fine drill cuttings which are ejected from the drillhole by a bailing air flow stream, said apparatus including:

• means for receiving said material being ejected from said drillhole comprising a material conveying head including means adapted to be disposed around said drillhole in substantial sealing engagement with the earth's surface;
• an enclosure in flow receiving communication with said head and defining a chamber for separating coarse drill cuttings from said flow stream by utilizing gravitational and inertial forces acting on said material, said enclosure including means for discharging said coarse drill cuttings from said enclosure at a point remote from said drillhole;
• means in flow receiving communication with said enclosure for collecting said fine cuttings;
• suction producing pump means including an inlet port in flow receiving communication with said means for collecting fine cuttings for inducing said air flow stream to flow through said enclosure and said means for collecting said fine cuttings without injection of any substantial quantity of air from a source other than said drillhole;
• and
• means for varying the volumetric displacement of said pump means for controlling the pressure of said air flow stream within said apparatus at least between said head and the inlet of said pump means, said means for varying the volumetric displacement of said pump means including a pressure fluid operated drive motor and control valve means operable to vary the speed of said drive motor by varying the quantity of pressure fluid conducted to said drive motor.

A head adapted for use on a portable earth drilling rig for conveying particulate material entrained in a bailing air flow stream emanating from a drillhole, said head comprising:

• means forming an enclosure surrounding said drillhole and including a lower peripheral edge;
• means forming an opening in said head for a drill stem projecting through said head and into said drillhole;
• flow deflecting surface means disposed in the flow path of said bailing air emanating from said drillhole for deflecting said flow stream and said particulate material into conveying duct means connected to said head without permitting a significant amount of said particulate material to collect on the ground surface between said drillhole and said lower peripheral edge of said head;
• pressure fluid operated actuating means connected to said head for moving said head between an extended position toward the ground surface and a retracted position;
• and
• control means associated with said actuating means including a control valve operable to supply pressure fluid to said actuating means to extend said head in response to supplying bailing air from said drilling rig to convey said particulate material out of said drillhole.

A head adapted for use on a portable earth drilling rig for conveying particulate material entrained in a bailing air flow stream emanating from a drillhole, said head comprising:

• means forming an enclosure surrounding said drillhole and including a lower peripheral edge;
• means forming an opening in said head for a drill stem projecting through said head and into said drillhole;
• flow deflecting surface means disposed in the flow path of said flow stream emanating from said drillhole for deflecting said flow stream and said particulate material into conveying duct means connected to said head without permitting a significant amount of said particulate material to collect on the ground surface between said drillhole and said lower peripheral edge of said head;
• means connected to said head for moving said head between ann extended position toward the ground surface and a retracted position, said means for moving said head between said extended and retracted positions including actuator means;
• and
• a bracket pivotally connected to said head and to said actuator means and operable to provide movement of said head with respect to said actuator means about two mutually perpendicular pivot axes.

Apparatus for use on a portable earth drilling rig for conveying drill cuttings entrained in a bailing air flow stream emanating from a drillhole away from the immediate vicinity of said drillhole and separating relatively coarse cuttings from said flow stream, said apparatus comprising:

• a conveying head adapted to be disposed around a drill stem at the entrance to said drillhole and including means forming a passage for receiving and conveying said flow stream away from drillhole without permitting a significant deposit of drill cuttings on the surface around said drillhole;
• means forming an enclosure in flow receiving communication with said head and forming an enlarged chamber for separating coarse drill cuttings from said flow stream, said means forming said enclosure including flow deflecting surface means interposed in the flow path of said flow stream for deflecting drill cuttings entering said enclosure, and a hopper portion for receiving coarse drilling cuttings separated from said flow stream by impingement against said flow deflecting surface means, said means forming said enclosure being connected to said head by elongated conveying duct means in flow receiving communication with said passage and adapted to support said means forming said enclosure at a point remote from said drillhole;
• and
• means for discharging said coarse drill cuttings from said chamber at a point remote from said drillhole.

Apparatus for use on a portable earth drilling rig for conveying drill cuttings entrained in a bailing air flow stream emanating from a drillhole away from the immediate vicinity of said drillhole and separating relatively coarse cuttings from said flow stream, said apparatus comprising:

• a conveying head adapted to be disposed around a drill stem at the entrance to said drillhole and including means forming a passage for receiving and conveying said flow stream away from said drillhole without permitting a significant deposit of drill cuttings on the ground surface around said drillhole;
• means forming an enclosure in flow receiving communication with said head and forming an enlarged chamber for separating coarse drill cuttings from said flow stream, said means forming said enclosure including mechanical conveying means for conveying said coarse drill cuttings separated from said flow stream in said chamber to a point remote from said drillhole;
• and
• means for discharging said coarse drill cuttings from said chamber at a point remote from said drillhole.

A method for separating particulate material from an air flow stream emanating from a drillhole comprising:

• providing means for receiving said flow stream and conducting said flow stream to a point removed from the vicinity of said drillhole,
• providing mechanical conveying means in said receiving means;
• providing means for collecting finer material from said flow stream and being in flow communication with said receiving means;
• passing said flow stream through said receiving means and separating relatively coarse material from said flow stream at a point removed from the vicinity of said drillhole utilizing the inertia of said coarse material as provided by said flow stream emanating from said drillhole;
• and
• mechanically conveying said coarse material away from said drillhole after separation from said flow stream.

Apparatus for conveying and collecting particulate material entrained in a moving air stream emanating from a drillhole comprising:

• means for receiving said air stream and for separating relatively coarse material from finer material at a point removed from the vicinity of said drillhole utilizing the inertia of said coarse material and the velocity of said air stream entering said receiving means, said receiving means including a head member adapted to be disposed around the mouth of said drillhole and forming passage and means for directing the flow of said air stream and said particulate material without materially reducing the momentum of said coarse material;
• means for collecting said finer material from said air stream without materially interfering with the separation of said coarse material;
• and
• means forming an enclosure in flow receiving communication with said passage means in said head member and defining a chamber for separating said coarse material from said air stream by at least partially utilizing gravitational forces acting on said coarse material, said chamber including a material receiving hopper portion and a flow stream discharge portion, and means for discharging said material from said hopper portion in response to a change in the pressure within said hopper portion with respect to ambient atmospheric pressure.

Apparatus for use on a portable earth drilling rig for conveying drill cuttings entrained in a bailing air flow stream emanating from a drillhole away from the immediate vicinity of said drillhole and separating relatively coarse cuttings from said flow stream, said apparatus comprising:

• a head adapted to be disposed around a drill stem at the mouth of said drillhole and including means forming a passage for receiving and conveying said flow stream away from drillhole without permitting a significant deposit of drill cuttings on the ground surface around said drillhole;
• means forming an enclosure in flow receiving communication with said head and including a chamber for separating coarse drill cuttings from said flow stream, said means forming said enclosure including a hopper portion for receiving coarse drilling cuttings separated from said flow stream, said means forming said enclosure being connected to said head by elongated conveying duct means in flow receiving communication with said passage and adapted to support said means forming said enclosure with respect to said head;
• and
• means for discharging said coarse drill cuttings from said chamber at a point away from the immediate vicinity of said drillhole.

Apparatus for use on an earth drill rig for conveying and collecting drill cuttings comprising coarse and fine particulate material generated during the formation of a generally downwardly directed drillhole, said drill cuttings being entrained in a bailing air flow stream emanating from the bottom of said drillhole, said apparatus comprising:

• a head including means engageable with the ground surface around said drillhole to form a substantial seal between said head and said ground surface, and means forming a substantial seal between said head and a drill stem extending through said head, said head defining an interior passageway only slightly larger in diameter than the diameter of said drillhole, and flow deflecting surface means in said head for guiding said flow stream emanating from said drillhole without materially reducing the momentum of said coarse material;
• means for mounting said head on said drill rig;
• means forming an enclosure disposed at a point removed from the immediate vicinity of said drillhole including a duct portion in communication with said passageway and including means for separating said coarse material from said fine material utilizing the inertia of said coarse material and the velocity of said flow stream, said means forming said enclosure defining a chamber for collecting said coarse material by at least partially utilizing gravitational forces acting on said coarse material as said coarse material enters said chamber;
• means in communication with said chamber for separating and collecting substantially all of said fine material from said flow stream;
• and
• suction producing pump means for maintaining the velocity of said flow stream emanating from said drillhole sufficient to carry substantially all of said coarse and fine material into said chamber utilizing the flow stream of air from said drillhole, said pump means being required to operate at a nominal volumetric inlet flow capacity less than approximately two times the volumetric flow rate of bailing air emanating from said drillhole.

A method for separating particulate material comprising coarse and fine drill cuttings from an air flow stream emanating from a drillhole comprising:

• providing means for receiving said flow stream and conducting said flow stream to a point removed from the vicinity of said drillhole;
• providing means for collecting substantially all of the fine cuttings from said flow stream and being in flow communication with said receiving means;
• providing suction pump means for receiving said flow stream from said means for collecting said fine cuttings;
• passing said flow stream through said receiving means and separating relatively coarse cuttings from said flow stream at a point removed from the vicinity of said drillhole utilizing the inertia of said coarse cuttings as provided by said bailing air flow stream emanating from said drillhole;
• and
• passing said flow stream through said means for collecting fine cuttings by operating said pump means at a volumetric flow capacity of less than two times the volumetric flow rate of bailing air emanating from said drillhole.

Apparatus for use on an earth drill rig for conveying and collecting drill cuttings comprising coarse and fine particulate material generated during the formation of a generally downwardly directed drillhole, said drill cuttings comprising particle sizes ranging from a maximum dimension of several millimeters to 4 to 5 microns and being entrained in a flow stream utilizing substantially only bailing air emanating from the bottom of said drillhole, said apparatus comprising:

• a head including means defining an interior passageway only slightly larger in diameter than the diameter of said drillhole, means forming a flow deflecting surface in said head for guiding said flow stream emanating from said drillhole through said passageway and out of said head without materially reducing the momentum of said coarse material, means engageable with the ground surface around said drillhole to form a substantial seal between said head and said ground surface, and means forming a substantial seal between said head and a drill stem extending through said head;
• means for mounting said head on said drill rig;
• means forming an enclosure disposed at a point removed from the immediate vicinity of said drillhole including a duct portion extending upward at an acute angle with respect to the axis of said passageway and in communication with said passageway, said means forming said enclosure including means for separating said coarse material from said fine material utilizing the inertia of said coarse material and the velocity of said flow stream, said means forming said enclosure defining a chamber for collecting said coarse material by at least partially utilizing gravitational forces acting on said coarse material as said coarse material enters said chamber;
• means in communication with said chamber for separating and collecting substantially all of said fine material from said flow stream;
• and
• suction producing pump means for maintaining the velocity of said flow stream emanating from said drillhole sufficient to carry substantially all of said coarse and fine material into said chamber utilizing the flow stream of air from said drillhole by operating said pump means to produce a static pressure condition in said chamber, said duct portion and said passageway less than atmospheric pressure.