Method and apparatus for penetrating hard materials using a energetic slurry
AssigneeAPTI, Inc.
InventorYeshayahu S. Goldstein
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for drilling and penetrating hard materials utilizes a high velocity gun system that fires multiple shots of a projectile and an energetic slurry at the surface of the material to be penetrated. The penetrating device includes one or more firing barrels that are loaded with a propellant, a projectile and an energetic (explosive) slurry, and are controlled to fire in a preselected firing sequence. The projectile enters the material to be penetrated generating a hole into which the energetic slurry is also fired. The energetic slurry detonates upon contact with the material causing an explosion that further fractures the material and which blows the material out of the hole. The process is repeated until a desired penetration depth is obtained.
Claims14
An apparatus comprising:
- at least one firing barrel;
- a projectile comprised of multiple projectile elements loaded in the firing barrel;
- an energetic slurry loaded rearward of the projectile in the firing barrel;
- and
- firing means for firing together the projectile and the energetic slurry from the firing barrel.
An apparatus comprising:
- a plurality of firing barrels;
- supply means for supplying a projectile comprised of multiple projectile elements, an energetic slurry rearward of said projectile, and a propellant into each of said firing barrels;
- and
- control means for controlling the firing of the projectile and the energetic slurry from each of said firing barrels.
A method of penetrating a material comprising the steps of:
- a. loading a projectile comprised of multiple projectile elements, an energetic slurry rearward of said projectile, and a propellent into a firing barrel;
- b. firing the projectile and the energetic slurry at the material to be penetrated;
- and
- c. repeating steps a and b until a desired penetration is obtained.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.