Ram Accelerator Drilling System for Hard Rock Excavation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional drilling and excavation methods are slow, costly, and environmentally impactful, particularly when dealing with hard materials like rock, due to tool wear, high operational costs, and significant water requirements, which can be prohibitive in arid regions.
Innovation Solution
A ram accelerator system that uses a launch tube with combustible gases to propel projectiles at hypervelocity or non-hypervelocity towards a working face, creating holes through a ram combustion effect, allowing for faster drilling and excavation with reduced environmental impact by minimizing water usage and tool wear.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional drilling methods are used, then tool wear and environmental impact increase, but drilling speed and efficiency decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces conventional mechanical drilling systems with a ram accelerator system that uses controlled combustion of combustible gas mixtures to propel projectiles at hypervelocity. This substitution of mechanical drilling with combustion-driven projectile impact achieves significantly higher drilling speeds while reducing tool wear and environmental impact.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the fundamental operating parameters by using hypervelocity projectiles (achieved through combustible gas combustion) instead of conventional mechanical bits. This parameter change from mechanical force to kinetic energy impact enables faster material removal rates and reduced drilling time.
2Productivity
If conventional drilling methods are used, then operational costs increase, but drilling efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical drilling systems with a combustion-based ram accelerator system, eliminating the need for expensive mechanical drill bits and associated maintenance. This substitution reduces operational costs while significantly improving drilling efficiency.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If conventional drilling methods are used, then water consumption increases, but environmental impact worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces water-dependent mechanical drilling with a combustion-driven projectile impact system. This substitution eliminates the need for large quantities of water for cooling and lubrication, thereby reducing environmental impact especially in arid regions.
4Speed
If mechanical drill bits are used, then tool wear increases, but drilling speed decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical drill bits that suffer from wear with hypervelocity projectiles that create holes through kinetic energy impact and shock wave formation. This substitution eliminates tool wear while dramatically increasing drilling speed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes phase transitions of combustible gases during combustion to generate hypervelocity projectiles. The rapid phase change from gas to high-velocity projectile creates the necessary kinetic energy for efficient material removal without mechanical tool wear.
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 drilling time and costs, enhances drilling speed by minimizing work stoppages, and reduces environmental impact by using less water and minimizing tool wear, enabling deeper resource extraction and exploration.
Implementation Method 1
a ram compression effect provided at least in part by a shape of the projectile initiates combustion
Implementation Method 2
a ram combustion effect, accelerating the projectile
Implementation Method 3
The projectile is accelerated to a hypervelocity and ejected from the ram accelerator towards a working face of the material
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 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.