Biodegradable Hole Support Tube for Drilling Cost Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
The industrial drilling industry faces high costs and inefficiencies due to the use of expensive, non-biodegradable steel rods and polymer tubes, which require powerful drill rigs for extraction and lead to cumulative wear and limited innovation in material and data extraction.
Innovation Solution
Biodegradable hole support tubes made from materials like cardboard or cellulose-based composites, which are disposable and less expensive, can be used as liners or in blasting operations, and may incorporate electronic components for monitoring, reducing the need for costly steel rods and polymer tubes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If steel rods and polymer tubes are used as drill rods and hole liners, then structural strength and durability are improved, but material cost, handling cost, and capital cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies disposable drill rods made from inexpensive materials such as wood, bamboo, or composite materials that can be discarded after a single use. This eliminates the need for expensive steel rods and polymer tubes while maintaining sufficient structural strength for the drilling operation. The disposable nature removes costs associated with retrieval, refurbishment, and repeated handling of expensive equipment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite materials combining natural fibers (wood, bamboo) with binding agents to create drill rods that achieve adequate structural strength at lower cost. These composite structures provide the necessary mechanical properties for drilling while being significantly cheaper than traditional steel or polymer alternatives.
2Productivity
If steel rods are reused repeatedly, then productivity is maintained, but cumulative wear increases until catastrophic failure occurs
Solution Approach 1:
By using disposable drill rods, the patent eliminates the reliability degradation problem associated with repeated reuse. Each new drill rod starts with full structural integrity, eliminating cumulative wear and the risk of catastrophic failure. The low cost of disposable rods makes this approach economically viable despite not reusing the same physical objects.
3Power
If powerful drill rigs are used for pullback operations, then the ability to extract steel rods is improved, but energy consumption and capital cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates the need for powerful pullback operations by using disposable drill rods that are left in the ground or easily removed without requiring high-power extraction equipment. This dramatically reduces energy consumption and eliminates the need for capital-intensive drill rigs designed for pullback operations.
4Strength
If non-biodegradable polymer tubes are used as hole liners, then hole support is improved, but environmental harm and disposal cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses biodegradable hole liners made from natural materials that provide sufficient temporary support during drilling operations but then decompose naturally in the environment. This eliminates the environmental harm associated with non-biodegradable polymer tubes while maintaining adequate hole support functionality during the drilling process.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the material composition parameter from synthetic polymers to biodegradable natural materials, transforming the environmental behavior of hole liners from persistent pollution to natural decomposition while maintaining structural support capabilities during operation.
Data Source
AI summary
A hole support tube for use in an industrial drilling operation has an elongated body sized, shaped, and adapted to fit within a geological hole. The body has a wall extending from a first end of the body to a second end of the body, the wall having an outer surface and an inner surface with the inner surface defining a hollow interior of the body. The wall is made of a biodegradable material, such as cardboard. In one version, the hole support tube is an electronic hole support tube having a fiber optic cable spirally wound around or within the wall.