发明名称 |
Methods of using a laser to spall and drill holes in rocks |
摘要 |
Apparatus and methods of using lasers are provided for spalling and drilling holes into rocks. A rock removal process is provided that utilizes a combination of laser-induced thermal stress and laser induced superheated steam explosions just below the surface of the laser/rock interaction to spall the rock into small fragments that can then be easily removed by a purging flow. Single laser beams of given irradiance spall rock and create holes having diameter and depth approximately equal to the beam spot size. A group of the single laser beams are steered in a controllable manner by an electro-optic laser beam switch to locations on the surface of the rock, creating multiple overlapping spalled holes thereby removing a layer of rock of a desired diameter. Drilling of a deep hole is achieved by spalling consecutive layers with an intermittent feed motion of the laser head perpendicular to the rock surface. |
申请公布号 |
US7416258(B2) |
申请公布日期 |
2008.08.26 |
申请号 |
US20060404698 |
申请日期 |
2006.04.14 |
申请人 |
UCHICAGO ARGONNE, LLC |
发明人 |
REED CLAUDE B.;XU ZHIYUE;PARKER RICHARD A.;GRAVES RAMONA M.;STONE THOMAS W. |
分类号 |
E21B7/14;E21B7/15;E21C35/24;E21C37/16 |
主分类号 |
E21B7/14 |
代理机构 |
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代理人 |
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主权项 |
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地址 |
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