12/31/2023 0 Comments Liquid notes 1.5.3.4 crack![]() ![]() ![]() It was demonstrated that rock properties are affected (weakening then strengthened) by exposure to high temperatures. New methods to encapsulate larger rock specimens must be developed and higher power intensities are needed to overcome these limitations. Therefore, this limited drill rate and rock strength data were not able to be determined experimentally. All rock samples subjected to high peak temperature by MMW beams developed fractures due to thermal stresses, although the peak temperature was thermodynamically limited by radiative losses. To refine those transmission losses closer, to allow extrapolation to very great distances, will require a new test cell design and higher sensitivity instruments. The project also demonstrated that MMW beam transmission losses through high temperature more » (260☌, 500oF), high pressure (34.5 MPa, 5000 psi) nitrogen gas was below the error range of the meter long path length test equipment and instruments utilized. Full bore drilling up to 2” diameter (size limited by the available MMW power) was demonstrated through granite and basalt samples. Then the technical capability of using only high power intense millimeter waves to melt (with some vaporization) four different rock types (granite, basalt, sandstone, limestone) was demonstrated through 36 bench tests. Real-time monitoring of the drilling process was also demonstrated. Low waveguide efficiency, plasma generation and reflected power challenges were overcome. To demonstrate MMW beam drilling capabilities a lab bench waveguide delivery, monitoring and instrument system was designed, built and tested around an existing (but non-optimal) 28 GHz frequency, 10 kilowatt (kW) gyrotron. A new region of the electromagnetic spectrum, millimeter wave (MMW) wavelengths at 30-300 giga-hertz (GHz) frequency was used to accomplish this feat. Conventional drilling methods are very mature, but still have difficulty drilling through very deep,very hard and hot rocks for geothermal, nuclear waste entombment and oil and gas applications.This project demonstrated the capabilities of utilizing only high energy beams to drill such rocks,commonly called ‘Direct Energy Drilling’, which has been the dream of industry since the invention of the laser in the 1960s. ![]()
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