Ram Accelerator Drilling with Combustible Gas Baffles
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional drilling and excavation methods are slow, costly, and environmentally impactful due to tool wear, mechanical limitations, and the need for significant water supplies, especially in arid regions, and they impose additional safety and regulatory burdens.
Innovation Solution
A ram accelerator system that propels projectiles at hypervelocity or non-hypervelocity to penetrate geological materials, using combustible gases for acceleration, which forms holes efficiently and reduces environmental impact by minimizing water usage and tool wear.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional drilling and excavation methods are used, then material can be removed to form excavations, but the process is slow and requires significant time (many minutes to hours to days per linear foot)
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces conventional mechanical drilling systems with a ram accelerator system that uses combustible gas expansion and projectile impact to penetrate material. The ram accelerator propels a projectile through a launch tube using combustion of combustible gas, achieving hypervelocity impact that rapidly penetrates rock and forms holes much faster than mechanical drilling methods.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operational parameters from mechanical force and gradual cutting to hypervelocity impact and shock wave penetration. By using projectile velocities exceeding 500 meters per second (hypervelocity regime), the system achieves instantaneous material removal through shock-induced spallation and fracture, dramatically reducing the time per linear foot compared to conventional mechanical drilling.
2Productivity
If conventional drilling methods are used, then holes can be formed, but tool wear occurs and requires frequent maintenance and replacement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates mechanical cutting tools by using a ram accelerator projectile that penetrates material through hypervelocity impact rather than gradual mechanical cutting. The projectile, typically made of hardened steel or diamond, experiences minimal wear because it removes material through shock wave-induced spallation and fracture rather than abrasive cutting, significantly reducing tool wear and maintenance requirements.
3Productivity
If conventional drilling methods are used, then material can be removed, but significant water supplies are required especially in arid regions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces water-dependent mechanical drilling with a dry ram accelerator system that uses combustible gas expansion and projectile impact to penetrate material. The process requires no water for cooling or lubrication, making it ideal for arid regions. Combustible gases (such as hydrogen, methane, or acetylene mixed with oxygen or air) are used instead of water, eliminating the need for significant water supplies.
4Productivity
If conventional drilling and blasting methods are used, then material can be broken apart, but additional safety and regulatory burdens increase operational cost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces conventional blasting operations with controlled ram accelerator projectile impact. Instead of using explosives that require extensive safety permits, regulatory compliance, and specialized handling procedures, the system uses combustible gas expansion to propel a projectile that breaks material through controlled hypervelocity impact. This eliminates the need for blasting permits and reduces safety regulatory burdens while maintaining high excavation rates.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the energy delivery mechanism from chemical explosion to controlled combustion-driven projectile impact. By using combustible gases (hydrogen, methane, acetylene) mixed with oxygen or air and igniting them within a controlled launch tube, the system achieves material breakdown through mechanical impact rather than uncontrolled chemical explosion, significantly reducing safety and regulatory complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The ram accelerator system significantly reduces the time and cost of resource extraction, enables deeper exploration, and minimizes environmental impact by accelerating the drilling process and reducing the need for water, while allowing for deeper and more efficient resource recovery.
Implementation Method 1
A ram accelerator propels a projectile which is accelerated by combustion of one or more combustible gasses in a ram effect to reach velocities exceeding 500 meters per second
Implementation Method 2
These holes may be used for drilling, tunnel boring, excavation, and so forth
Data Source
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AI summary
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 includes one or more baffles that are downhole. 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. The endcap may be maintained in place within the hole at least in part by the one or more baffles. During operation the projectile penetrates the endcap and at least a portion thereof impact a working face.