Cartridge for generating high-pressure gases in a drill hole
AssigneeSunburst Excavation, Inc.
InventorsJohn David Watson, Paul Michael Krogh
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention is directed to a cartridge for use in fracturing materials, such as rock. The cartridge includes a base member, a body member, a propellant, and a device for sealing a surface of the cartridge to the surface of a hole in the material. Upon ignition of the propellant, gas pressure rapidly rises in the hole due to the sealing device. The gas pressure causes the material to form a penetrating cone fracture. Various cartridge configurations are presented depending upon the specific needs of each application.
Claims24
In a system for fracturing a material, including an elongated member for insertion into a hole in said material and a cartridge engaging said elongated member, the cartridge comprising:
- a base member;
- a body member connected to said base member to define a space for containing a propellant;
- means for igniting said propellant located within said body member, wherein said igniting means ignites a sufficient amount of said propellant to produce a propellant burn rate ranging from about 20,000 to about 100,000 psi/millisecond;
- and
- means for sealing a surface of the cartridge to a surface of a hole in the material.
A cartridge for fracturing a material, the cartridge being inserted into a hole in the material, comprising:
- means for generating a gas;
- a base member;
- a body member connected to said base member to define a space for containing the means for generating a gas;
- means for igniting said means for generating a gas;
- and
- means for sealing a surface of the cartridge to a surface of the hole.
In a system for fracturing a material, including an elongated member for insertion into a hole in said material and a cartridge engaging said elongated member, the cartridge comprising:
- means for generating a gas;
- a base member;
- a body member connected to said base member to define a space for containing the gas generating means;
- and
- means for igniting said gas generating means;
- and the system further comprising:
- means for sealing the cartridge in the bottom of the hole, wherein the cartridge engages a downhole portion of the elongated member such that, when the elongated member is inserted into the hole, the cartridge is inserted into the hole with the elongated member.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.