Pulsed Electric Rock Drilling Apparatus with Non-Rotating Bit and Directional Control
First Claim
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1. A pulsed power drilling apparatus for passing a pulsed electrical current through a substrate to break the substrate, the apparatus comprising:
- a non-rotatable drill bit comprising an electrocrushing drill;
a pulsed power generator linked to said drill bit for delivering high voltage pulses; and
at least one set of at least two electrodes disposed on said drill bit defining therebetween at least one electrode gap, said electrodes of each said set oriented substantially along a front of said drill bit, at least one of said electrodes disposed so that it touches the substrate and another of said electrodes disposed so that it functions in close proximity to the substrate for current to pass through the substrate.
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Abstract
The present invention provides for pulsed powered drilling apparatuses and methods. A drilling apparatus is provided comprising a bit having one or more sets of electrodes through which a pulsed voltage is passed through a mineral substrate to create a crushing or drilling action. The electrocrushing drilling process may have, but does not require, rotation of the bit. The electrocrushing drilling process is capable of excavating the hole out beyond the edges of the bit with or without the need of mechanical teeth.
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Citations
35 Claims
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1. A pulsed power drilling apparatus for passing a pulsed electrical current through a substrate to break the substrate, the apparatus comprising:
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a non-rotatable drill bit comprising an electrocrushing drill; a pulsed power generator linked to said drill bit for delivering high voltage pulses; and at least one set of at least two electrodes disposed on said drill bit defining therebetween at least one electrode gap, said electrodes of each said set oriented substantially along a front of said drill bit, at least one of said electrodes disposed so that it touches the substrate and another of said electrodes disposed so that it functions in close proximity to the substrate for current to pass through the substrate. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method for breaking and drilling a substrate comprising:
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providing a non-rotating drill bit comprising an electrocrushing drill bit; disposing at least one set of two electrodes on the drill bit, at least one set of at least two electrodes disposed on the drill bit defining therebetween at least one electrode gap; orienting the electrodes of each said set substantially along a front face of said drill bit; disposing at least one of the electrodes so that it touches the substrate and disposing another of the electrodes so that it functions in close proximity to the substrate for current to pass through the substrate; and delivering a pulsed power current between the electrodes and through the substrate, breaking the substrate; - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for differentially excavating a substrate comprising:
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arranging multiple electrode sets at the front of a bit; delivering a high voltage; differentially operating electrode sets or groups of electrode sets varying a pulse repetition rate or pulse energy to the different electrode sets; and steering the bit through the substrate by excavating more substrate from one side of the bit than another side. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A pulsed power drilling apparatus for passing a pulsed electrical current through a substrate to break the substrate, the apparatus comprising:
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an electrocrushing drill comprising a non-rotating bit; a main power cable inside a fluid pipe for powering said non-rotating bit electrocrushing drill; and a main power cable on an outside of said fluid pipe for powering said non-rotating bit electrocrushing drill. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30)
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31. A method of backwards excavation comprising:
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locating electrohydraulic projectors or electrocrushing electrode sets or both electrohydraulic projectors and electrocrushing electrode sets on a backside of a bottom hole assembly; drilling out backwards; diverting electrical pulses from a main forward electrocrushing bit to the back electrohydraulic projectors/electrocrushing electrode sets; using a controllable valve; and diverting more flow from the main electrocrushing bit to the back electrohydraulic/electrocrushing bits when backwards drill-out is required.
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32. An apparatus to drill out backwards comprising:
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electrohydraulic projectors or electrocrushing electrode sets or both electrohydraulic projectors and electrocrushing electrode sets located on a back side of a bottom hole assembly; switches inside said bottom hole assembly diverting electrical pulses from a main forward electrocrushing bit to back electrohydraulic projectors/electrocrushing electrode sets; and a controllable valve diverting more flow from said main electrocrushing bit to said back electrohydraulic/electrocrushing sets when backwards drill-out is required. - View Dependent Claims (33)
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34. A method of backwards excavation comprising:
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rotating a bottom hole assembly to assist an electrohydraulic or electrocrushing projector in cleaning substrate from behind a bottom hole assembly; pulling out the bottom hole assembly; rotating the bottom hole assembly as it is pulled out; fracturing the substrate behind the bottom hole assembly with the projectors; and flushing particles of the substrate up the hole. - View Dependent Claims (35)
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Specification