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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8186454 | Apparatus and method for electrocrushing rock The present invention provides for pulsed power breaking and drilling apparatuses and methods. The present invention comprises two pulsed power systems coordinated to fire one right after the other. The first pulsed power system, comprising a spiker, may create a hi... | 05/29/2012 |
| 8172006 | Pulsed electric rock drilling apparatus with non-rotating bit 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 d... | 05/08/2012 |
| 8109345 | System and method for drilling a borehole A system and method is provided for drilling a wellbore using a rotary drill bit with a bit body having a plurality of mechanical cutters to cut away formation material as the wellbore is formed and a directed energy mechanism to direct energy into the formation. Th... | 02/07/2012 |
| 8083008 | Pressure pulse fracturing system The present invention provides for an assembly for creating a pressure pulse in a liquid-filled cavity within a fracturable material such as a boulder wherein the primary energy storage element is disposed in a transducer at the boulder to improve the coupling of en... | 12/27/2011 |
| 7784563 | Method, drilling machine, drill bit and bottom hole assembly for drilling by electrical discharge by electrical discharge pulses Machine for ground drilling, with a circulating fluid, by the utilization of electric discharge generated by high-voltage pulses between electrodes. It may comprise: —A drill-bit 1 with electrodes movable relative to each other, so that bottom-hole physical... | 08/31/2010 |
| 7559378 | Portable and directional electrocrushing drill The present invention relates to a portable, directional electrocrushing drilling apparatus and method. ... | 07/14/2009 |
| 7530406 | Method of drilling using pulsed electric drilling 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 d... | 05/12/2009 |
| 7527108 | Portable electrocrushing drill The present invention relates to a portable, electrocrushing drilling apparatus and method. ... | 05/05/2009 |
| 7416032 | Pulsed electric rock drilling apparatus 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 d... | 08/26/2008 |
| 7377593 | Continous extraction of underground narrow-vein metal-bearing deposits by thermal rock fragmentation A method for extracting minerals from a narrow-vein deposit by thermal fragmentation is provided. The method includes locating the vein and determining the extent thereof to form the boundaries of a stope. Access to the stope is prepared by forming a panel having an... | 05/27/2008 |
| 7367405 | Electric pressure actuating tool and method Disclosed herein is a downhole tool actuation arrangement. The arrangement includes a housing having a chamber, at least one piston in operable communication with the chamber and at least one electrode exposed to the chamber. The electrodes are receptive to a power ... | 05/06/2008 |
| 7334637 | Assembly and method for determining thermal properties of a formation and forming a liner A method comprises heating a formation adjacent a selected depth level within a wellbore extending into the formation, forming a temporary liner in the wellbore, measuring a first temperature of the formation at the selected depth level at a first time after heating... | 02/26/2008 |
| 7284931 | Magma evacuation systems for the prevention of explosions from supervolcanoes An apparatus controls the evacuation of volcanic magma to prevent explosions. Magma evacuation is through a single evacuation tube that heats the magma flow within the tube to prevent stickiness of the magma in the tube. The heating may use small combustion chambers... | 10/23/2007 |
| 7270195 | Plasma channel drilling process Material is removed from a body of material, e.g. to create a bore hole, by plasma channel drilling. High voltage, high energy, rapid rise time electrical pulses are delivered many times per second to an electrode assembly in contact with the material body to genera... | 09/18/2007 |
| 7246940 | Method and apparatus for managing the temperature of thermal components A temperature management system for managing the temperature of a discrete, thermal component. The temperature management system comprises a heat exchanger thermally coupled with the thermal component. The system also comprises a fluid transfer device that circulate... | 07/24/2007 |
| 7195320 | Thermal rock fragmentation application in narrow vein extraction A free-blast method for extracting ore from an ore vein deposit wherein the vein is extracted by causing the ore comprised between the rock walls bordering the vein to spall into fragments. The ore fragments are recuperated as by aspiration and subsequently processe... | 03/27/2007 |
| 7147064 | Laser spectroscopy/chromatography drill bit and methods A drilling apparatus for well-boring having a drill bit assembly which includes a laser cutting assembly and a vacuum assembly. The vacuum assembly is adapted to intake vapors generated by the laser cutting assembly proximate the drill bit assembly during operation ... | 12/12/2006 |
| 7086484 | Determination of thermal properties of a formation The present invention relates to methods and apparatus for making in situ thermal property determinations utilizing a heat source employed in wellbore stabilization procedures, well drilling, or well perforating, for example. In particular, using a heat source, such... | 08/08/2006 |
| 6969822 | Laser micromachining systems The described embodiments relate to laser micromachining a substrate. One exemplary embodiment includes a chamber configured to receive an assist gas from an assist gas source. The chamber is configured to allow a laser beam to pass through the chamber to contact a ... | 11/29/2005 |
| 6913320 | Thermal rock fragmentation application in narrow vein extraction A free-blast method for extracting ore from an ore vein deposit wherein the vein is extracted by causing the ore comprised between the rock walls bordering the vein to spall into fragments. The ore fragments are recuperated as by aspiration and subsequently processe... | 07/05/2005 |
| 6912356 | Method and apparatus for fracturing brittle materials by thermal stressing A method of fracturing or breaking rock includes the step of directing high intensity white light (radiation) at the rock to induce thermal stress sufficient to fracture the rock. The intensity of the energy source may be varied to control the manner in which the ro... | 06/28/2005 |
| 6761416 | Method and apparatus for a plasma-hydraulic continuous excavation system A plasma-hydraulic excavation system suitable for use in connection with mining operations is provided. According to the system, one or more groups of plasma-hydraulic projectors that include a reflector and a pair of electrodes are used to break an area of rock. Th... | 07/13/2004 |
| 6755262 | Downhole lens assembly for use with high power lasers for earth boring An earth boring apparatus at least partially locatable within a borehole. The apparatus includes a plurality of optical fibers, each of which has a proximal fiber light energy input end and a distal fiber light energy output end. At least one focal lens is disposed ... | 06/29/2004 |
| 6626249 | Dry geothermal drilling and recovery system A geothermal drilling and recovery system comprising a drilling rig having an elevator with a laser and a radar gun mounted on said elevator, a drill pipe, a rotating mirror mounted adjacent the lower end of said drill pipe and means for establishing a va... | 09/30/2003 |
| 6608967 | Method and apparatus for fracturing brittle materials by thermal stressing A method of fracturing or breaking rock includes the step of directing high intensity white light at the rock to induce thermal stress sufficient to fracture the rock. An approach for generating high intensity white light includes an elongate arc chamber ... | 08/19/2003 |
| 6591920 | Moulten bath drilling method A fusion drilling process and device for the placement of dimensionally accurate borings, particularly those of large diameter, in rock, in which the waste melt is pressed into the surrounding rock, which is cracked due to the effect of temperature and pr... | 07/15/2003 |
| 6457778 | Electro-power impact cell for plasma blasting An electro-power impact cell used in blasting works includes a first electrode to which a high voltage is applied, the first electrode having a plurality of conductive piece between which nonconductive pieces are disposed so that when the high voltage is ... | 10/01/2002 |
| 6283555 | Plasma blasting with coaxial electrodes A discharge breaking system and a discharge breaking method for breakage and decomposition of objects to be ruptured such as destruction of base rocks and breakage of stones into small pieces at building lands, breakage for finishing tunnels and destructi... | 09/04/2001 |
| 6164388 | Electropulse method of holes boring and boring machine This invention provides an excavator 1 for crushing a matter to be excavated, existing in an excavating hole in which a discharge liquid is fed, by electric discharge between a plurality of electrodes generated by high-voltage pulses. The excavator compri... | 12/26/2000 |
| 5896938 | Portable electrohydraulic mining drill An electrohydraulic drilling system for drilling holes in material such as rock utilizing a drill stem connected to a flexible cable. The electrical spark or plasma that creates the electrohydraulic pressure wave is powered by an electrical pulse propagat... | 04/27/1999 |
| 5735355 | Rock melting tool with annealer section A rock melting penetrator is provided with an afterbody that rapidly cools a molten geological structure formed around the melting tip of the penetrator to the glass transition temperature for the surrounding molten glass-like material. An annealing after... | 04/07/1998 |
| 5573307 | Method and apparatus for blasting hard rock A method and apparatus for blasting of hard rock using a highly insensitive energetic material ignited with a moderately high energy electrical discharge causing the fracturing and break up of the hard rock is provided. The blasting apparatus comprises a ... | 11/12/1996 |
| 5482357 | Plasma blasting probe assembly The present invention is concerned with a probe assembly for plasma blasting or fragmenting a substance such as rock, concrete and the like. The probe assembly contains a probe made of two coaxial electrodes separated by a dielectric material; a terminati... | 01/09/1996 |
| 5479994 | Method of electrothermomechanical drilling and device for its implementation The proposed invention relates to the mining industry and may be used for drilling wells in loose rock, in particular in quaternary deposits and in technogenic rocks with simultaneous durable and ecologically clean tubingless well cementing. The proposed ... | 01/02/1996 |
| 5425570 | Method and apparatus for plasma blasting Method and apparatus for plasma blasting comprises a capacitor bank for storing electrical charge to which is coupled an inductance which delivers the electric charge as a current through a switch to an explodable conductor comprising a portion of a probe... | 06/20/1995 |
| 5211156 | Method and apparatus for treating a surface of granite with a high temperature plasma jet The method and apparatus treat a surface of natural rock or artificial stone-like material to give to this surface an attractive finish. A high temperature jet of plasma and a high speed jet of cooling fluid are projected onto the surface to be treated. T... | 05/18/1993 |
| 5168939 | Electromagnetically accelerated impact oil well drill The electromagnetically accelerated impact oil well drill uses magnetic interaction of a ringing circuit formed in each of multiple accelerating coils with the electromagnetic field of charge rings around an expendable ice filled plastic drill head to acc... | 12/08/1992 |
| 5107936 | Rock melting excavation process In a heat drilling process for tunnels, deep well and exploration boreholes, only a gap defining the outer profile of the tunnel or borehole is melted down. The drill core surrounded by this gap initially remains and is then extracted at intervals via the... | 04/28/1992 |
| 5106164 | Plasma blasting method A blasting method which comprises delivering electrical energy at a rate of at least 100 megawatts per microsecond until a peak power of at least 3 gigawatts is reached across the gap of two poles of a coaxial electrode assembly immersed in an electrolyte... | 04/21/1992 |
| 5060287 | Heater utilizing copper-nickel alloy core An electrical resistance heater is provided which utilizes a copper-nickel alloy heating cable. This metallurgy heating cable is significantly less prone to failure due to localized overheating because the alloy has a low temperature coefficient of resist... | 10/22/1991 |
