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Nuclear powered drilling method and system

  • US 3,280,923 A
  • Filed: 09/21/1962
  • Issued: 10/25/1966
  • Est. Priority Date: 09/21/1962
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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5. A DRILLING APPARATUS CAPABLE OF DRILLING A BOREHOLE AND OF BEING SUSPENDED ON A NONCONDUCTOR CABLE IN SAID BOREHOLE COMPRISING:

  • A DRILL MEMBER ADAPTED TO DRILL SAID BOREHOLE WHEN ACTUATED;

    AN ELECTRIC MOTOR CONNECTED TO SAID DRILL MEMBER ADAPTED TO ACTUATE SAID DRILL MEMBER;

    MEANS COUPLED TO SAID ELECTRIC MOTOR ADAPTED TO GENERATE ELECTRICAL ENERGY TO OPERATE SAID ELECTRIC MOTOR COMPRISING A NUCLEAR REACTOR FOR GENERATING HEAT, A HOT JUNCTION COMPRISING DISSIMILAR METALS LOCATED IN SAID REACTOR, A COLD JUNCTION COMPRISING DISSIMILAR METAL SEPARATED FROM SAID HOT JUNCTION, ELECTRICCL CONDUCTORS CONNECTING SAID HOT AND COLD JUNCTIONS;

    AND COOLING MEANS PROVIDED ADJACENT SAID COLD JUNCTION TO FACILITATE HEAT TRANSFER FROM SAID COLD JUNCTION THROUGH THE DRILLING FLUID SURROUNDING SAID APPARATUS INTO THE EARTH FORMATION WHICH SERVES AS A HEAT SINK.

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