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US 5,879,057 AGranted
Horizontal remote mining system, and method
AssigneeAmvest Corporation
InventorsJeffrey J. Schwoebel, Carl W. Smith, William J. Peters
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A horizontal remote mining system comprising a water jet cutting head, down hole crusher, jet pump, and guidance system for orchestrating select excavation of a horizontal borehole. The system is assembled on the end of a drill string comprised of multiple compartments accommodating various water pressures and functions in association with the remote excavation process. Selective tubing is also utilized to facilitate movement of air and ventilation of the borehole. In this manner, relatively thin coal seams can be economically mined.
Claims81
A horizontal mining system for excavating from a remote wellhead a generally horizontal borehole in a seam of material to be mined, said system comprising:
- at least one water jet cutting head including a plurality of water jet nozzles mounted through a shield;
- a drill string including a high pressure water supply extending from said wellhead for said at least one cutting head and a discharge pipe for conveying water and said mined material back to said wellhead;
- a crawler adapted for supporting an end of said drill string and said at least one cutting head thereon for generation of said borehole;
- at least one mined material crusher disposed upon said crawler for crushing said mined material excavated by said cutting head;
- at least one jet pump disposed upon said crawler in flow communication with said crusher for propelling crushed, mined material into said discharge pipe;
- and
- means for guiding said cutting head in said excavation of said borehole.
4 more elements
A horizontal mining system for excavating from a remote wellhead a generally horizontal borehole in a seam of material to be mined said system comprising:
- at least one water jet cutting head;
- a drill string including a high pressure water supply extending from said wellhead for said at least one cutting head, a discharge pipe for conveying water and said mined material back to said wellhead, ventilation intake and exhaust lines, and a jet pump water line for activating at least one jet pump;
- a crawler adapted for supporting an end of said drill string and said at least one cutting head thereon for generation of said borehole,
- at least one mined material crusher disposed upon said crawler for crushing said mined material excavated by said cutting head;
- said at least one jet pump being disposed upon said crawler in flow communication with said crusher for propelling crushed, mined material into said discharge pipe;
- and
- means for guiding said cutting head in said excavation of said borehole.
4 more elements
A horizontal mining system for excavating from a remote wellhead a generally horizontal borehole in a seam of material to be mined, said system comprising:
- at least one water jet cutting head;
- a drill string including a high pressure water supply extending from said wellhead for said at least one cutting head and a discharge pipe for conveying water and said mined material back to said wellhead;
- a crawler adapted for supporting an end of said drill string and said at least one cutting head thereon for generation of said borehole;
- at least one mined material crusher disposed upon said crawler for crushing said mined material excavated by said cutting head;
- at least one jet pump disposed upon said crawler in flow communication with said crusher for propelling crushed, mined material into said discharge pipe;
- and
- means for guiding said cutting head in said excavation of said borehole including a pilot borehole drilling system extending forward of said crawler.
4 more elements
A method of mining for excavating from a remote wellhead a generally horizontal borehole in a seam of material to be mined, said method comprising the steps of:
- providing at least one water jet cutting head;
- assembling said cutting head with a plurality of water jet nozzles;
- providing a shield and mounting said water jet nozzles through said shield;
- providing a drill string including a high pressure water supply extending from said wellhead for said at least one cutting head and a discharge pipe for conveying water and said mined material back to said wellhead;
- providing a crawler adapted for supporting an end of said drill string and said at least one cutting head thereon for generation of said borehole;
- providing at least one mined material crusher upon said crawler for crushing said mined material excavated by said cutting head;
- providing at least one jet pump upon said crawler in flow communication with said crusher for propelling crushed, mined material through said discharge pipe;
- positioning said cutting head for excavation of said borehole;
- discharging water through said cutting head to create said borehole;
- and
- guiding said crawler along said borehole in excavation of said material to be mined.
8 more elements
A method of mining for excavating from a remote wellhead a generally horizontal borehole in a seam of material to be mined, said method comprising the steps of:
- providing at least one water jet cutting head;
- providing a drill string including a high pressure water supply extending from said wellhead for said at least one cutting head and a discharge pipe for conveying water and said mined material back to said wellhead;
- assembling said drill string with ventilation intake and exhaust lines;
- providing a crawler adapted for supporting an end of said drill string and said at least one cutting head thereon for generation of said borehole;
- providing at least one mined material crusher upon said crawler for crushing said mined material excavated by said cutting head;
- providing at least one jet pump upon said crawler in flow communication with said crusher for propelling crushed mined material through said discharge pipe;
- assembling said drill string with a jet pump water line for activating said at least one jet pump;
- positioning said cutting head for excavation of said borehole;
- discharging water through said cutting head to create said borehole;
- and
- guiding said crawler along said borehole in excavation of said material to be mined.
8 more elements
A method of mining for excavating from a remote wellhead a generally horizontal borehole in a seam of material to be mined, said method comprising the steps of:
- providing at least one water jet cutting head;
- providing a drill string including a high pressure water supply extending from said wellhead for said at least one cutting head and a discharge pipe for conveying water and said mined material back to said wellhead;
- providing a crawler adapted for supporting an end of said drill string and said at least one cutting head thereon for generation of said borehole;
- providing at least one mined material crusher upon said crawler for crushing said mined material excavated by said cutting head;
- providing at least one jet pump upon said crawler in flow communication with said crusher for propelling crushed, mined material through said discharge pipe;
- positioning said cutting head for excavation of said borehole;
- discharging water through said cutting head to create said borehole;
- guiding said crawler along said borehole in excavation of said material to be mined;
- and excavating a pilot borehole extending forward of said crawler.
6 more elements
A coal mining system for substantially horizontal excavation of a borehole in a coal seam, said system comprising:
- at least one water jet cutting head including a plurality of water jet nozzles mounted through a shield;
- a drill string including a high pressure water supply for said at least one cutting head and a discharge pipe for conveying water and mined coal;
- a crawler adapted for supporting an end of said drill string and said at least one cutting head thereon for generation of said borehole;
- at least one crusher disposed upon said crawler for crushing said mined coal excavated by said cutting head;
- and
- at least one jet pump disposed upon said crawler in flow communication with said crusher for propelling crushed, mined coal into said discharge pipe.
3 more elements
A method of mining for excavating a generally horizontal borehole in a coal seam, said method comprising the steps of:
- providing at least one water jet cutting head;
- assembling said cutting head with a plurality of water jet nozzles;
- providing a shield and mounting said water jet nozzles through said shield;
- providing a drill string including a high pressure water supply for said at least one cutting head and a discharge pipe for conveying water and mined coal;
- providing a crawler adapted for supporting an end of said drill string and said at least one cutting head thereon for generation of said borehole;
- providing at least one crusher upon said crawler for crushing said mined coal excavated by said cutting head;
- providing at least one jet pump upon said crawler in flow communication with said crusher for propelling crushed, mined coal through said discharge pipe;
- positioning said cutting head for excavation of said borehole;
- and
- discharging water through said cutting head to create said borehole.
7 more elements
A method of mining a relatively thin seam of coal comprising the steps of:
- defining a generally horizontal area of coal to be mined;
- forming a first array of access tunnels around said area to be mined for exposing the coal seam therein;
- providing at least one water jet cutting head in one of said access tunnels;
- assembling said cutting head with a plurality of water jet nozzles;
- providing a shield and mounting said water jet nozzles through said shield;
- providing a drill string including a high pressure water supply for said at least one cutting head and a discharge pipe for conveying water and said mined coal back to said access tunnel;
- providing a crawler adapted for supporting an end of said drill string and said at least one cutting head thereon for generation of said borehole;
- providing at least one mined coal crusher upon said crawler for crushing said mined coal excavated by said cutting head;
- providing at least one jet pump upon said crawler in flow communication with said crusher for propelling crushed, mined coal through said discharge pipe;
- positioning said cutting head for excavation of said borehole;
- discharging water through said cutting head to create said borehole;
- and
- guiding said crawler along said borehole in excavation of said coal to be mined.
10 more elements
A method of mining a relatively thin seam of coal comprising the steps of:
- defining a generally horizontal area of coal to be mined;
- forming a first array of access tunnels around said area to be mined for exposing the coal seam therein;
- providing at least one water jet cutting head in one of said access tunnels;
- providing a drill string including a high pressure water supply for said at least one cutting head and a discharge pipe for conveying water and said mined coal back to said access tunnel;
- assembling said drill string with ventilation intake and exhaust lines;
- providing a crawler adapted for supporting an end of said drill string and said at least one cutting head thereon for generation of said borehole;
- providing at least one mined coal crusher upon said crawler for crushing said mined coal excavated by said cutting head;
- providing at least one jet pump upon said crawler in flow communication with said crusher for propelling crushed mined coal through said discharge pipe;
- assembling said drill string with a jet pump water line for activating said at least one jet pump;
- positioning said cutting head for excavation of said borehole;
- discharging water through said cutting head to create said borehole;
- and
- guiding said crawler along said borehole in excavation of said coal to be mined.
10 more elements
A method of mining a relatively thin seam of coal comprising the steps of:
- defining a generally horizontal area of coal to be mined;
- forming a first array of access tunnels around said area to be mined for exposing the coal seam therein;
- providing at least one water jet cutting head in one of said access tunnels;
- providing a drill string including a high pressure water supply for said at least one cutting head and a discharge pipe for conveying water and said mined coal back to said access tunnel;
- providing a crawler adapted for supporting an end of said drill string and said at least one cutting head thereon for generation of said borehole;
- providing at least one mined coal crusher upon said crawler for crushing said mined coal excavated by said cutting head;
- providing at least one jet pump upon said crawler in flow communication with said crusher for propelling crushed mined coal through said discharge pipe;
- positioning said cutting head for excavation of said borehole;
- discharging water through said cutting head to create said borehole;
- guiding said crawler along said borehole in excavation of said coal to be mined;
- and
- excavating a pilot borehole extending forward of said crawler.
9 more elements
A horizontal mining system for excavating from a remote wellhead a generally horizontal borehole in a seam of material to be mined, said system comprising:
- a water jet cutting head;
- a rigid drill string coupled to said cutting head and enclosing;
- a high pressure water supply extending from said wellhead for said cutting head;
- and
- a discharge pipe for conveying water and said mined material back to said wellhead;
- and
- means for guiding said cutting head while excavating said borehole.
4 more elements
A method of mining for excavating from a remote wellhead a generally horizontal borehole in a seam of material to be mined, said method comprising the steps of:
- providing a water jet cutting head;
- providing a rigid drill string coupled to said cutting head and enclosing:
- a high pressure water supply extending from said wellhead for said cutting head;
- and
- a discharge pipe for conveying water and said mined material back to said wellhead;
- discharging water through said cutting head to create said borehole;
- and
- guiding said cutting head while excavating said borehole.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.