AT518022A1 - Plasma rock drill - Google Patents

Abstract

The plasma rock drill consists essentially of the combustion tubes of iron (1) which are filled with iron and other metal wires (15) to obtain a large surface area and a stable combustion. In this tube bundle oxygen is injected through the oxygen tube (7) and distributed by means of the distributor bell (6) on all combustion tubes (1). The combustion tubes are ignited with the help of thermite charge (8), or by means of ignition sleeves (16) and burn with a temperature of> 5500 ° C. At this high temperature, all rock compositions (molecules) are decomposed into their atomic components then, as a plasma cloud (12), leave the borehole up under high pressure. In the marginal zone, the rock is melted depending on the temperature gradient (lava temperature about 1200 o C) and forms, like a lava flow in the volcano, a glassy, impenetrable layer. The combustion tubes sink deeper and deeper into the borehole, consuming themselves. The penetration speed for granite is about 3m per hour. The diameter of the borehole and the depth of the hole depend on the load capacity of the crane and the strength of the oxygen supply pipes (7). It can be achieved with this method hole diameter of cm to several m, and drilling depths of several km.

Description

PATENT APPLICATION for a PLASMA rock drill

The invention relates to a drilling device which decomposes the rock molecules at a temperature of> 5500 ° C and puts the rock in a plasma-like state.

Due to the generated overpressure in the borehole, the now gas- and dust-shaped rock is blown to the surface of the borehole and can be reused in the stone processing industry.

This drill can penetrate at depths of> 5000 m, whereby the diameter of the drill hole depends only on the carrying capacity of the drill holder and the stability of the gas supply.

With this drill, it will be possible to tap into geothermal energy at low cost and effort, and • deposit radioactive waste safely and permanently in depths of> 5000 m in granite rock, • perform all other drilling for which the conventional method so far was too expensive.

STATE OF THE ART

The increasing shortage of fossil fuels and the growing problems of nuclear energy (disposal of radioactive residues, etc.) are increasing the importance of renewable energy resources. Geothermal energy has an important position within these, because unlike other renewable energy resources, its potential is global, continuous and sustainable.

The effective use of geothermal energy could significantly contribute to solving the current economic and environmental problems.

Experience from deep wells has shown that at some depth (5 to 10 km and below), the Earth's crust is an inexhaustible reservoir of steam energy that could theoretically provide energy to all countries on Earth. The risk of earthquakes is no longer present at these depths, because the rock is already in a plastic state due to the high pressure.

The primary bottleneck for the realization of such geothermal systems is still an economical drilling technique.

Whether geothermal energy will be economically competitive in the foreseeable future compared to existing technologies depends on two main factors: a) the price development of fossil fuels and b) the use of an economical, simple drilling technique.

DISADVANTAGES OF THE PRIOR ART

The main drawbacks of current drilling techniques are the very high drilling costs caused by: • expensive drill heads with frequent drill head changes and 'drill pipe round trip', • cuttings removal by flushing, • cementing, or sealing and securing of the drilling walls, • Directional deviations and jamming of the drill head, • Tensile strength of the linkage material, • Progressive increase in drilling time with increasing drilling depth and rock temperature, • Small borehole diameter of approx. 100 to 300 mm.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The object of the invention is to provide a cheap, simple drilling method for drilling diameter to> 5 m and drilling depths of> 5 km. DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (see Fig. 1)

The Piasma rock drill consists essentially of the combustion tubes of iron (1), which are filled with iron and other metal wires to obtain a large surface area and a stable firing process. In this tube bundle oxygen is injected through the oxygen tube (7) and distributed by means of the distributor bell (6) on all combustion tubes

The combustion tubes are ignited either with the help of • the thermite charge (8), or • with attached ignition tubes with zirconium, fig. 2, (16), which immediately start to burn with approx.> 4000 ° C on contact with oxygen.

In both cases, the combustion tubes are ignited; they burn with a temperature of> 5500 ° C and transform the surrounding rock into a plasma gas, which is ejected upwards by the resulting overpressure. In the marginal zone, the rock is melted depending on the temperature gradient (lava temperature about 1200 ° C) and forms, like a lava flow in the volcano, a glassy, impenetrable layer.

The plasma cloud is cooled at the exit of the well and forms powdery constituents of the plutonic rock that can be reused.

ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION 1.) For energy production

The plasma rock drill consists of cheap, simple components that are available worldwide; The drill can therefore be used anywhere to exploit the geothermal energy source.

It could be an important contribution to sustainable, environmentally friendly and unlimited energy production. Further advantages are: • No mechanical comminution of the rock and therefore omission of the very expensive drill head and its frequent change. • The rock is melted at the edge zones of the well, hermetically sealing the well; the molten rock is used as a working medium and it is therefore • no cementation or support of the borehole wall more necessary, • no chemical or microbiological precipitation, • very low use of equipment and energy. • Use at each site, • No generation of waste and emissions, • Utilization of virtually inexhaustible geothermal energy over very long periods of time. 2.) For the safe and permanent elimination of radioactive and energy production by decay heat

To date, the world lacks a functioning, safe repository for radioactive nuclear waste. Light and medium-level waste is today, e.g. poured with concrete, high-level radioactive waste, however, bound in a molten glass (mold) and sealed gas-tight in stainless steel containers.

Worldwide, the storage of such containers in deep and dense geological formations is considered to be the safest disposal option.

The plasma drilling technique could create the possibility to solve the problem of disposal cheap and durable. An ideal rock formation would be the "Canadian Shield" (see Appendix 2), a rock formation over 3 billion years old, earthquake-proof and largely uninhabited.

As the well is melted (similar to the lava caves in volcanoes), it is automatically stable and watertight during the drilling process.

If the drill diameter is e.g. 10 m and the repository depth e.g. 1000 m, this results in a recording capacity of 41 800 m3. This repository could be e.g. WER 1000 fuel rods are stored and sealed. The heat generated by the further radioactive decay could be used for further energy production.

Example:

Dimension of a fuel rod WER 1000: 0.3 x 0.5 x 4.5 m = 0.7 m3 41 800 m3: 0.7 m3 = approx. 60 000 containers.

Output per container 0.2 MW; Efficiency (assumed) 50%:

Total power: 60 000 x 0.2 x 0.5 = 6 000 MW for at least 100 years. EMBODIMENT EXAMPLE of the PLASMA rock drill

An example embodiment is shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

A bundle of combustion tubes (1) is held together by a retaining ring (3). The spacer tube sleeves (2) are pushed onto the upper end of the combustion tubes, so that the retaining ring fixed by the cone formed all tubes firmly, the wooden planks (la) provide thermal protection against the hot melt gases from the outside. Wood is a very good thermal protection even used as a heat shield for space capsules.

On the upper end of the tube bundle, an oxygen bell (6) is placed, which distributes the oxygen from the tube (7) evenly on all combustion tubes. With the help of the ropes (10), the device is then sunk into the well, turned on the oxygen, ignited the bundle, and thus started the drilling process. DESCRIPTION OF A DRILLING PROCEDURE (see Fig. 3)

A bundle of combustion tubes (1) is lowered by means of a crane on the surface of the hole to be drilled and the Sauersoff feed (7) turned on.

The ignition takes place with the help of the ignition sleeves (16). Over each fuel rod is pushed an ignition sleeve which is filled with a zirconium powder and aluminum-iron oxide. As soon as pure oxygen reaches the zirconium, it starts to burn with a temperature of> 4000 ° C and ignites the fuel rods.

The oxygen is liquid to cool the feed tube; its temperature is approx. - 180 ° C. At the ambient temperature in the positive range, it is immediately gaseous and via the distributor bell (6), it passes with a pressure of about 10 bar in the interior of the combustion tubes (1).

The rock begins to melt through the high temperature of> 5500 ° C (11) and is transformed into a gaseous plasma (12); Due to the resulting overpressure, it flows upwards, cools down and is stored as a dust-like precipitate (12). The combustion tubes sink deeper and deeper into the borehole, consuming themselves. The combustion tubes are replaced by e.g. Wooden planks (la) protected from premature melting by the passing hot plasma.

To increase the outflow pressure in the well at great depths, a gas generator (15) can be used to propel the rock particles to the surface.

The penetration rate is determined by measuring (14) the amount of precipitate, e.g. through a laser beam, regulated; For granite it is about 3 meters per hour.

The diameter of the borehole depends on the load capacity of the crane and the strength of the oxygen supply pipes (7) at large drilling depths (> 5 km).

When the first combustion tubes are exhausted, a new firing process is started as follows: 1.) The oxygen is turned off as soon as no material flows out of the borehole (combustion tubes are exhausted). 2.) The oxygen tube (7) is lowered to the bottom of the well. 3.) A new set of combustion tubes (1) is using the crane along the leadership of the

Lowered oxygen tube down to the bottom of the wellbore and unlocked the crane ropes (10). 4.) The oxygen tube is raised by x ... meters until it is the upper third of the

Bell (6) reached. 5.) The oxygen is turned on, the ignition sleeves start to burn and ignite the

fuel rods; a new burning process begins.

These processes are repeated until the desired drilling depth is reached.

DRAWINGS AND DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Fig. 1: Drill hole with fuel rods Fig. 2: Feeding of new fuel rods Fig. 3: Overall view Drilling process

Fig. 4: Combustible tube bundle and cross-section of a combustion tube Fig. 4a: Ignition sleeve with zirconium App. 1: Costs of energy production App. 2: Canadian shield

REFERENCE LIST

See Fig. 1, 2, 3,4. (I) Furnace tubes made of iron (la) Heat protection, e.g. Wooden boards (lb) Iron bars or wires (2) Distance pipe pieces (to create conical shape of the tube bundle) (3) Transport ring (4) Transport hook (5) Guide tube (6) Distributor bell for oxygen (7) Oxygen delivery pipe (8) Thermit ignition charge (9) Rope for thermite ignition charge (10) Supporting cables for combustion tubes (II) Liquid and gaseous rocks (12) Rock plasma - (dust) (13) Collection Bell (14) Measuring device (15) Gas generator (16) Ignition caps with zirconium or titanium ignition powder PATENTING REQUIREMENTS (10) 1. Method of making deep holes (»1000 m horizontally and vertically) through an iron-iron oxide plasma at one temperature of> 5500 ° C, characterized in that the rock material is melted or vaporized by this high temperature and a. ) forms a molten rock layer on the wall of the borehole, thus sealing the borehole and b. ) the remainder in the center of the borehole is blown out of the borehole as rock dust by the pressure of the resulting combustion gases. 2. The method according to claim 1, characterized

Combustor pipes are combined into a bundle. The diameter of the bundle and the number of combustion tubes depend on the desired wellbore

Diameter down (from a few inches to several meters). 3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the combustion tubes are filled with thin iron rods and other metal rods to obtain a large surface area and a stable firing process. 4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that a bell is used over the combustion tubes for oxygen supply in order to optimally supply the combustion tubes with oxygen. 5. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the combustion tube bundle completely burns; After burning, a new bundle is sunk into the borehole with the help of a crane and ropes, u.s.f.f. 6. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that spacer pipe pieces are pushed onto the upper end of the combustion tubes to form the bundle conical. 7. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that a transport ring is pushed over the Bundei, which fixes itself by the conical shape of the bundle and holds the combustion tubes together. 8. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the combustion tubes are protected by wooden planks from premature melting by the passing rock plasma. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that an additional gas generator is used to increase the discharge pressure in the borehole for the rock dust at great depths. 10. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that a thermite ignition charge in the oxygen tube can be sunk to the bottom of the wellbore, possibly to re-ignite the combustion tubes.

Claims (10)

(15) Gas generator (16) Ignition sleeves with zirconium or titanium ignition powder PATENT CLAIMS (10) 1. A method for producing deep boreholes (»1000 m horizontal and vertical) by an iron-iron oxide plasma with a temperature of> 5500 ° C, characterized in that the rock material is melted or vaporized by this high temperature and a , ) forms a molten rock layer on the wall of the borehole, thus sealing the borehole and b. ) the remainder in the center of the borehole is blown out of the borehole as rock dust by the pressure of the resulting combustion gases. 2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that combustion tubes are combined into a bundle. The diameter of the bundle and the number of combustion tubes depend on the desired diameter of the borehole (from a few centimeters to several meters). 3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the combustion tubes are filled with thin iron rods and other metal rods to obtain a large surface area and a stable firing process. 4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that a bell is used over the combustion tubes for oxygen supply in order to optimally supply the combustion tubes with oxygen. 5. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the combustion tube bundle completely burns; After burning, a new bundle is sunk into the borehole with the help of a crane and ropes, u.s.f.f. 6. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that spacer pipe pieces are pushed onto the upper end of the combustion tubes to form the bundle conical. 7. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that a transport ring is pushed over the bundle, which is fixed by the conical Γογιιι the bundle itself and holds the combustion tubes together. 8. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the combustion tubes are protected by wooden planks from premature melting by the passing rock plasma. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that an additional gas generator is used to increase the discharge pressure in the borehole for the rock dust at great depths. 10. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that a thermite ignition charge in the oxygen tube can be sunk to the bottom of the wellbore, possibly to re-ignite the combustion tubes.