Method of and apparatus for plasma blasting

A blasting system comprising:

• a. a solid object having a borehole;
• b. a blast probe having a plurality of electrodes, wherein the blast probe is positioned within the borehole, wherein at least two of the plurality of electrodes are separated by a first dielectric separator and a second dielectric separator, wherein at least one of the at least two of the plurality of electrodes and the second dielectric separator constitute an adjustable probe tip;
• and
• c. a blast media comprising a fluid, wherein the fluid is characterized in that, if subjected to a shearing force in the order of tens of microseconds, the viscosity of the fluid increases substantially proportionally to the shearing force;
• wherein at least a portion of the plurality of electrodes are submerged in the fluid.

A blasting system comprising:

• a. a solid object having a borehole;
• b. a blast probe comprising:
• i. a plurality of electrodes separated by a dielectric separator, wherein the dielectric separator and at least one of the plurality of electrodes constitute an adjustable probe tip;
• and
• ii. an adjustment unit coupled with the adjustable probe tip, wherein the adjustment unit is configured to selectively move the adjustable probe tip relative to one or more of the plurality of electrodes in an axial direction;
• and
• c. a blasting media, wherein at least a portion of the plurality of electrodes are submerged in the blast media.

A method of breaking a solid with a blast probe comprising a plurality of electrodes separated by a dielectric separator, wherein the dielectric separator and at least one of the plurality of electrodes constitute an adjustable probe tip, wherein the adjustment unit is configured to selectively move the adjustable probe tip relative to one or more of the plurality of electrodes in an axial direction, the method comprising:

• a. adjusting the position of the adjustable probe tip relative to the one or more of the plurality of electrodes;
• b. inserting the blast probe into a borehole within the solid thereby submerging at least a portion of the plurality of electrodes in a blasting media;
• c. charging an electrical storage unit coupled to the blast probe with electrical energy;
• and
• d. transmitting the electrical energy to blast probe such that the electrical energy causes a plasma stream to form between the plurality of electrodes through the blast media.

A method of breaking a solid comprising:

• a. inserting a blast probe comprising a plurality of electrodes into a borehole within the solid thereby submerging at least a portion of the plurality of electrodes in a blasting media, wherein at least two of the plurality of electrodes are separated by a dielectric separator, and further wherein at least one of the at least two of the plurality of electrodes and the dielectric separator constitute an adjustable probe tip;
• b. charging an electrical storage unit coupled to the blast probe with electrical energy;
• and
• c. transmitting the electrical energy to blast probe such that the electrical energy causes a plasma stream to form between the plurality of electrodes through the blast media;
• wherein the blast media comprises a fluid characterized in that, if subjected to a shearing force in the order of tens of microseconds, the viscosity of the fluid increases substantially proportionally to the shearing force.

A method of breaking a solid comprising:

• a. inserting a blast probe comprising a plurality of electrodes into a borehole within the solid thereby submerging at least a portion of the plurality of electrodes in a blasting media, wherein at least two of the plurality of electrodes are separated by a first dielectric separator and a second dielectric separator, wherein at least one of the at least two of the plurality of electrodes and the second dielectric separator constitute an adjustable probe tip;
• b. charging an electrical storage unit coupled to the blast probe with electrical energy;
• and
• c. transmitting the electrical energy to blast probe such that the electrical energy causes a plasma stream to form between the plurality of electrodes through the blast media;
• wherein the blast media comprises a fluid characterized in that, if subjected to a shearing force in the order of tens of microseconds, the viscosity of the fluid increases substantially proportionally to the shearing force.

A blasting system comprising:

• a. a solid object having a borehole;
• b. a blast probe having a plurality of electrodes, wherein the blast probe is positioned within the borehole, wherein at least two of the plurality of electrodes are separated by a dielectric separator, and further wherein the dielectric separator and at least one of the at least two of the plurality of electrodes constitute an adjustable probe tip;
• and
• c. a blast media comprising a fluid;
• wherein at least a portion of the plurality of electrodes are submerged in the fluid.

A method of breaking a solid comprising:

• a. inserting a blast probe comprising a plurality of electrodes into a borehole within the solid thereby submerging at least a portion of the plurality of electrodes in a blasting media, wherein at least two of the plurality of electrodes are separated by a dielectric separator, and further wherein the dielectric separator and at least one of the at least two of the plurality of electrodes constitute an adjustable probe tip;
• b. charging an electrical storage unit coupled to the blast probe with electrical energy;
• and
• c. transmitting the electrical energy to blast probe such that the electrical energy causes a plasma stream to form between at least two of the plurality of electrodes through the blast media;
• wherein the blast media comprises a fluid.