A flame jet drill is a type of drilling equipment whereby there is no contact with the drilling surface, therefore the drill never wears down.
The tool expels an ultra hot hydrogen flame (~4000 °C)[1] which causes small inconsistencies in the rock to fracture and fly away and thus "drill" surface.
Another prototype drill called a Hydro Jet Drill is able to work in hot damp conditions by superheating water and spraying the rock with the fluid.
The devices were featured in a National Geographic documentary "MegaStructures: Deep Earth Drillers" about geothermal energy.[1]
References
edit- freepatentsonline.com - Flame Jet Drill Patent
- Flame Jet Drilling and Chambering to Great Depths in Crystalline Rock
- US Patent 4066137
- Journal of Mining Science
- ^ a b "National Geographic Channel Australia and New Zealand - Megastructures". Archived from the original on July 20, 2008. 080712 natgeotv.com.au List of National Geographic MegaStructures series.
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