METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DRILLING A HOLE IN A BODY OF ICE AND FOR THE DESTRUCTION OF A OF ICE

摘要

A method and apparatus for drilling a hole in a body of ice and for destroying a body of ice. The method comprises the steps of providing a source of reactant gas of a type which will react chemically with ice to form solid compounds which are unstable and which break down rapidly to water and a dissolved gas. The reaction product which is formed is removed quickly in order to avoid a secondary and initially undesirable exothermic reaction of gas dissolution into the water so formed. The reactant gas is directed through a nozzle to generate a stream of reactant gas. The nozzle is located in close proximity to a body of ice, and the stream of reactant gas is directed against a localized area of the surface of said body of ice at a velocity and flow rate to obtain an optimum phase change reaction with the ice and to quickly remove water formed from the ice in the localized area. The nozzle is advanced towards the body of ice to continue to direct the stream of reactant gas against the receding surface of the body of ice in the localized area as the ice undergoes a phase change to the liquid state to destroy the body of ice or to form a hole in the localized area in the body of ice.