EP3784865A1

EP3784865A1 - Melting head for an ice melting apparatus

Info

Publication number: EP3784865A1
Application number: EP19720527.1A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Peter Linder; Simon ZIERKE; Dirk Heinen; Christoph WIEBUSCH
Original assignee: Rheinisch Westlische Technische Hochschuke RWTH
Current assignee: Rheinisch Westlische Technische Hochschuke RWTH
Priority date: 2018-04-25
Filing date: 2019-04-25
Publication date: 2021-03-03
Anticipated expiration: 2039-04-25
Also published as: US20210071478A1; RU2020132998A; CN112135955A; CN112135955B; EP3784865C0; WO2019207045A1; DE102018003378A1; US11629558B2; EP3784865B1

Abstract

The invention relates to a melting head (1) for an ice melting apparatus (1, 8) comprising a rear, in relation to the propagation direction, attachment region (4) for attaching to a drilling apparatus (8) or a drilling rod assembly, and a forward, in relation to the propagation direction, heatable front region (1c), wherein the front region (1c) has a radially outer face region (1a) in which the front region (1c) has an outer cross section that tapers in the propagation direction (3) up to the forward axial melting head end (1d), in particular with a tapering outer diameter, and the radially outer face region (1a) surrounds an inner cavity (5), the free inner cross section of which reduces from the axial melting head end (1d) counter to the propagation direction (3). The invention also relates to an ice melting apparatus (1, 8) formed with the melting head (1).

Description

Melting head of an ice-melting device

The invention relates to a melting head of an ice melting device, comprising a rear attachment region with respect to the propagation direction for attachment to a drilling device or a drill string and a front region which can be heated with respect to the propagation direction. A created connection from such a fusion head and the drilling device or a linkage can then preferably form an ice melting device.

The propagation direction is understood to mean the direction in which the melting head or an ice melting device formed therewith is enclosed

intended use melting away in the ice. The

Propagation direction is preferably coincident with a center axis, in particular center longitudinal axis of the melting head and / or an ice melting device formed therewith.

Melting heads of this type are generally known in the art and are used to perform drilling in ice, especially in that the ice surrounding the melting head is melted by the heated front portion of the melt head and the melting head together with the associated drilling device or the drill pipe in

Gravity direction penetrates by the acting weight in the depth. If necessary, an additional driving force can be exerted by means of a drill rod. The prior art, as well as the invention further described herein, may provide for energizing heating elements within the fusion head provided by the drilling apparatus or the linkage.

For example, It can be provided that a drilling device forms a cylindrical housing, is fastened to the front end in the propagation direction of the melting head with its rear mounting portion. Of the

Melting head preferably has a maximum outer cross section, in particular diameter, which corresponds to the cross section, in particular diameter of the cylindrical drilling device. Inside the drilling device, e.g. a

Power source, if necessary, also carry a further electronics, in particular, for. also an unwindable cable supply to provide communication capability and / or power transfer via the cable between the drilling device and the over-surface surface.

One possible application is e.g. the creation of holes in water ice, e.g. in glacial areas or even arctic areas of the earth. A

Application is also given when creating holes in the

Ice surface of distant astronomical bodies (e.g., planets, moons, comets, etc.). In particular, it should be noted that the term "ice cream" is not limited to water ice. Under ice in the context of the invention, any other substance is understood that is in the solid state and can be converted by means of the heat of the Schmelzbohrkopfes in another state of matter, in particular in the liquid state or even gaseous state.

Melting heads of melt drills, as mentioned in the beginning, have heating elements with which heat is generated, e.g. by

Resistance heating, which is transported by thermal conduction between the heating element and the material of the melting head on the outer surface, there to cause the melting process. As a rule, heat transport is not only carried out from the typically several heating elements outwards to the surface of the area heated thereby

Front area of the enamel head, but also in the interior of the

Melting head and the entire drilling device, which can lead to problems.

For example, it can come to a heat accumulation inside, which can react on the entrained electronics or energy storage. Furthermore, the heat released to the interior is effectively not or only with reduced efficiency for the heating of the fusible head available and thus possibly goes beyond the rear portions of the melt head or the

Drilling device lost without having contributed to the melt drilling progress.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide an improved melting head, which makes it possible to overcome the disadvantages mentioned, in particular to make the heat released by heating elements in the melting head to the outside and inward heat more usable.

This object is achieved in that the front portion of the melting head has a radially outer surface area in which the front region in the propagation direction to the front axial

Melting head end in the outer cross-section is tapered, in particular in the outer diameter is tapered, and the radially outer surface area surrounds an inner recess, in particular in the propagation direction open inner recess whose free

Inner cross-section extending from the axial end of the melting head opposite to the

Propagation direction reduced. The plane in which the axial front

Melting head end lies here, preferably also forms the plane of the opening of the inner recess. Preferably, a normal vector lies on this (opening) plane parallel to the propagation direction.

The outer and inner cross-sections mentioned here are considered perpendicular to the propagation direction. By means of this embodiment according to the invention, it is achieved that the heated front region has both a heated surface lying radially in the radial direction and a heated surface lying in the radial direction, namely that of the inner recess.

In particular, the radial direction is understood to be perpendicular to the propagation direction or center longitudinal axis of the melting head. Radially inboard and outboard means, in conjunction with the so-called surfaces, that the inner surface has a smaller radial distance from the center axis than the outer surface.

Both the inner and the outer surface of the front area are by the respective tapers in and counter to the axial direction

Propagation not parallel or inclined to the direction of propagation, so that by the movement of the melting head in the propagation direction is an effective application of force to the surrounding ice through this

Area areas results.

These inclinations of the inner and outer surfaces result, when considering an imaginary projection of these surfaces in the direction of the

Propagation or the center axis of the fusion head respective

Projection surfaces which are thus perpendicular to the Propagation and are acted upon by the ice.

The inner projection surface actually corresponds to the inner free one

Cross section of the inner recess in the plane of the front axial

Melting head end. The outer projection surface forms one of the inner

Projecting surface surrounding ring whose outer cross section, in particular outer diameter corresponds to the maximum outer cross section of the melting head and preferably the entire drilling device.

The heat released by the heat transport from the Fleizelementen outwardly and inwardly amount of heat can thus be much better dissipated to the environment and that according to the invention in each case over the front of the Melting head which contributes to improved Bohrfortschritt and prevents internal heat accumulation.

By the described embodiment, the front axial melting head end forms a frame, in particular a ring, over which the radially outer surface area and the surface of the inner recess merge into one another. The propagating direction end face of this ring may be e.g.

sharp-edged or crowned (or rounded) or flattened be formed.

Due to the outer cross-sectional enlargement of the radially outer

Surface area starting from the front melting head end opposite to the propagation direction and the inner cross-section reduction of the recess against the propagation direction, it is found that the front portion of the melt head forms an axially extending annular region, the ring width, ie the difference of outer to inner cross-section of the front axial end of the melting head opposite Propagation increases, especially up to the axial position of the bottom of the bottom of the inner

Recess.

It represents a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, when the Fleizelemente at least partially, in particular at least with their heat-emitting tip regions are arranged in the material of the front portion of the melting head, which between the tapered

Outer surface and the surface of the inner recess is arranged, so in fact in the material of the designated ring area of the front area. Flierdurch is particularly well ensured that the heat emitted by the heating elements heat can be dissipated both over the tapered outer surface region and the inner surface of the recess by a particularly short, in particular almost radial transport to the environment and contributes to the melting.

Particularly preferably, the melting head may comprise a plurality of heating elements, in particular those in each case in the rear, in particular opposite

Propagation direction open recesses of the fusion head are used, wherein the heating elements and / or recesses each have a radial distance from the center axis of the melting head, at least in the radial distance of the frame or annular axially front end of the melting head

Substantially corresponds, in particular the radial distance of

Melting end corresponds. This achieves that the transport path to the inner surface and the transport path to the outer surface at least in

Is essentially the same length.

In particular, it may also be provided that the axial length of the tapered radially outer surface area and the axial depth of the inner recess are equal. This also contributes to the homogenization of the heat transfer.

Particularly preferably, it is provided that in a region between the intersection of the inner recess with the center axis of the melting head and the front axial melting head end, the surface sizes of the radially outer surface and the surface of the inner recess are equal. This ensures that at least substantially the same amount of heat can be removed by these respective surfaces per unit of time, in particular which in turn homogenizes the heat transfer to the inside and to the outside.

Furthermore, it is particularly preferred if, in particular in combination with the aforementioned embodiment, the areas projected in the propagation direction of the outer surface area and the inner recess are the same size, in particular because then by the propagation on the inner and outer surface of an at least substantially equal application of force he follows.

In all possible embodiments, the invention may preferably provide that the outer surface area and the inner recess are n-fold around a central axis of the melting head that is in the propagation direction

rotationally symmetrical, preferably rotationally symmetrical. For n-fold rotational symmetry is the outer or inner cross section of the melt head (considered perpendicular to the propagation) n-polygonal, or the respective outer and inner surfaces faceted and in rotationally symmetrical design of the respective cross section is thus circular.

A preferred, in particular rotationally symmetrical geometry of

Melting head may provide that the outer surface region and the surface of the inner recess each have a cone portion or a

Section of a paraboloid corresponds.

The invention may further provide that the tapered front region corresponds to a rotation body, in particular a conical section or paraboloid section, which is rotationally symmetrical about the center axis, the tip region of which is folded over to form the recess to the interior of the fusion head on the plane in which the front axial fusion head end lies.

In particular, the shape, in particular the cross-sectional shape considered along the center axis of the outer surface area and the inner recess apart from the sign and an axial displacement, in particular an axial displacement of double axial length of the front region, the same mathematical function as a function of the radial distance from the

Obey center axis.

Embodiments of the invention will be described in more detail with reference to FIGS.

Figures 1A to 1 D show different geometries of the outer surface 1 a and inner surface 1 b of a melting head 1 according to the invention in cross-section, i. cut in a plane in which the center axis 2 of the melting head 1 is located.

The propagation direction 3 is visualized for all figures 1 with reference to the arrow to the left of the figures 1.

It can be seen for all embodiments of FIGS. 1 that the front region 1 c of the melt head 1 comprises the radially outer surface area 1 a. This surface area is designed to be tapered in cross-section perpendicular to the center axis 2 in the direction of the propagation. At the present here Rotational symmetry thus decreases the outer diameter of the outer

Surface area 1 a in a direction from the rear mounting portion 4 to the axially front melting head end 1 d. The beginning of the taper on the collar 1 e preferably defines the axial beginning of the front region and the melting head end 1 d the end of the front region.

The upper circular area representations on FIGS. 1A to 1D visualize the areas of the radially outer surface area and the inner area 1b of the respective recess 5 projected in the propagation direction or direction of the center axis 2. According to the information about the projected areas p1a and p1b the embodiments represent the possibilities of making the sizes of the surfaces 1 a and 1 b or the sizes of the projections p1 a and p1 b the same or different sizes, in particular with the special advantages, as they are called in the general description part.

FIG. 1A here represents an embodiment in which the inner surface 1 b and the outer surface 1 a in the cross section shown here are each described by a parabola. The two parabolas differ only in sign and an offset along the center axis 2 and are otherwise the same

parameterized. Thus the mathematical description obeys the

Cross-sectional shape of both surfaces of the same function as a function of the radial distance to the center axis 2 apart from the offset and an inversion. Due to the rotational symmetry results in Figure 1A in space the shape of a

Paraboloid portion of both surfaces.

The same can be true for the figures 1 B to 1 D, where the function describes a straight line, which in the rotational symmetry in space to a

Conic section shape of both surfaces leads.

FIGS. 2 show different embodiments of the melting head 1 according to FIG. 1A, that is to say with a respective paraboloid shape of the inner and outer surfaces 1 b and 1 a. In FIG. 2A, the front axial fuselage end 1d forms at the axial one

Front side of a sharp-edged form, in Figure 2B, the melting head end 1d forms a rounded or spherical shape and in Figure 2C a flattened shape.

The figures further visualize recesses 6 which serve to receive Fleizelementen, or the Fleizelemente 6 ^' itself. This is shown in addition in Figure 3 more clearly. Here it can be seen that the recesses 6 or Fleizelemente 6 ^'are all arranged on a circle with that radius which corresponds to the radial distance of the melting head end 1 d of the central axis 2.

Flierdurch are at least the heat-emitting tips of the Fleizelemente 6 ^' , preferably centered, in the annular region 7 of the front portion of the melting head, so that their heat dissipation can be done both outwards and inwards on a short path.

The right side in the figure 3 is shown that at the rear

Attachment 4 a drilling device 8 with a cylindrical housing connects to the rear, which, for example, here only symbolically represented energy sources (9) for the Fleizelemente (6 ^' ) or other electronics (9) or cable (10) can accommodate. The melting head (1) thus forms an ice melting device together with this drilling device (8).

FIG. 4 illustrates that, in a preferred embodiment, both the outer surface 1 a and the inner surface 1 b of the recess 5 are described by the same parabolic formula P and only differ by an inversion I and an offset O along the center axis 2.

The axially front annular end of the melt head is shown here

Parameterization at the position r = Here go the inner surfaces and

Outer surfaces 1 a, 1 b in each other. R is the maximum

Outer diameter of the melting head 1 and h the depth of the recess 5 or fleas of the tapered front portion or ring area 7.

Claims

claims

1. Melting head (1) of an ice-melting device (1, 8) comprising a

with respect to the propagation direction rear attachment region (4) for attachment to a drilling device (8) or a drill string and a front with respect to the propagation direction heatable front region (1 c), characterized in that the front region (1 c) a radially outer surface area (1 a ), in which the front region (1 c) in the propagation direction (3) to the front axial melting head end (1 d) in the outer cross section is tapered, in particular in

Outer diameter is tapered, and the radially outer surface area (1 a) surrounds an inner recess (5) whose free inner cross-section of the axial Schmelzkopfende (1d) against the propagation direction (3) decreases.

2. Melting head according to claim 1, characterized in that the

Melting head end (1d) forms a frame, in particular ring, over which the radially outer surface area (1 a) and the surface (1 b) of the inner recess (5) merge into one another and its front side pointing in the propagation direction (3) is sharp-edged or crowned or is flattened.

3. Melting head according to one of the preceding claims, characterized

in that the outer surface area (1a) and the inner recess (5) lie around a propagation direction (3)

Center axis (2) n-fold rotationally symmetrical, preferably rotationally symmetrical.

4. Melting head according to one of the preceding claims, characterized

characterized in that the axial length (h) of the tapering radially outer surface portion (1 a) and the axial depth (h) of the inner recess (5) are equal.

5. Melting head according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that in a region between the intersection of the inner recess (5) with the central axis (2) and the axial

Melting head end (1 d), the surface sizes of the radially outer surface area (1 a) and the surface (1 b) of the inner recess (5) are equal.

6. Melting head according to one of the preceding claims, characterized

in that the areas (p1a, p1b) projected in the propagation direction (3) are of equal size from the outer area (1a) and the area (1b) of the inner recess (5).

7. Melting head according to one of the preceding claims, characterized

characterized in that it comprises a plurality of Fleizelemente (6 ^' ) which are at least partially disposed in the material of the front region (1 c), which between the tapered radially outer

Surface region (1 a) and the surface (1 b) of the inner recess (5) is arranged, in particular in the material of an axially extending

Ring area (7) of the front area (1 c).

8. Melting head according to one of the preceding claims, characterized

characterized in that it comprises a plurality of Fleizelemente (6 ^' ), in particular the respectively in the rear recesses (6) are used, wherein the Fleizelemente (6 ^' ) and / or recesses (6) each have a radial distance from the center axis (2), the corresponds at least substantially to the radial distance of the annular melting head end (1d), in particular corresponds to the radial distance of the melting head end (1d).

9. Melting head according to one of the preceding claims, characterized

in that the outer area (1 a) and the area (1 b) of the inner recess (5) each have a cone section or a

Section of a paraboloid corresponds.

10. Melting head according to one of the preceding claims, characterized

in that the tapered front region (1 c) has a rotational body which is rotationally symmetrical about the center axis (2), in particular Cone portion or Paraboloidabschnitt forms whose tip region on the plane in which the melting head end (1d), to form the

Recess (5) is folded inwards.

11.Schmelzkopf according to one of the preceding claims, characterized

characterized in that the shape, in particular the cross-sectional shape along the center axis (2) of the outer surface region (1 a) and the surface (1 b) of the inner recess (5) apart from the sign (I) and an axial displacement (O), in particular of double axial length of the

Obey the same mathematical function (P) as a function of the radial distance from the center axis (2).

12. ice melting device comprising a melting head (1) according to one of the preceding claims which is connected at its in propagation direction (3) rear mounting portion (4) with a drilling device (8), in particular wherein the drilling device (8) has an axially extending cylindrical housing (8), in which an energy store (9) for heating heating elements (6) of the melting head (1) and / or a pay-off

Cable supply (10) is included.