Ram accelerator system with endcap
AssigneeHypersciences, Inc.
InventorMark C. Russell
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
One or more ram accelerator devices may be used to form one or more holes in geologic or other material. These holes may be used for drilling, tunnel boring, excavation, and so forth. The ram accelerator devices propel projectiles which are accelerated by combustion of one or more combustible gasses in a ram effect to reach velocities exceeding 500 meters per second. An endcap may be deployed within a tube of the ram accelerator device to prevent incursion of formation pressure products such as oil, water, mud, gas, and so forth into a guide tube of the ram accelerator. During operation the projectile penetrates the endcap and at least a portion thereof impact a working face. In some implementations a purge gas may be used to form a ullage between the endcap and the working face.
Claims15
A method for forming a hole, the method comprising:
- inserting an endcap into a first end of a guide tube;
- placing the endcap at a position proximate to a second end of the guide tube, wherein the second end is proximate to a working face comprising a geologic material;
- loading a projectile into a ram accelerator, wherein:
- the projectile is configured to produce a ram-effect combustion reaction in one or more combustible gasses within the ram accelerator;
- and
- an output of the ram accelerator is coupled to the first end of the guide tube;
- boosting the projectile to a ram velocity;
- accelerating the projectile along at least a portion of the ram accelerator by combusting one or more combustible gasses in a ram combustion effect;
- and
- prior to exit from the guide tube, penetrating the endcap with the projectile.
A method comprising:
- deploying a tube in a hole, the tube comprising a first end proximate to an entry of the hole and a second end proximate to a working face;
- deploying an endcap proximate to the second end of the tube;
- and
- propelling a projectile through the endcap, using a ram-effect between the projectile and one or more combustible gasses within at least a portion of the tube, at a velocity greater than or equal to two kilometers per second.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.