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Title: Conceptual design of a coring Subterrene Geoprospector

Abstract

A rock-melting Subterrene system is described that can obtain a continuous core along the projected route of a tunnel. System specifications, individual component functions, preliminary design concepts, and design alternatives are included; and subcomponents that can be assembled from commercially available hardware are indicated. The device requires 150 kW of electric power to melt an accurate 300-mm (1-ft)-dia glass-lined hole and removes a 200-mm (8-in.)-dia glass-cased core at an advance rate of 0.4 mm/s (5 ft/h). The accurate hole diameter and stable hole lining allow the use of a packer- thruster located at the heated holemelting and hole-forming penetrator assembly. An orientation sensor and a guidance unit can also be located in this assembly. A hollow, flexible stem trailing behind the assembly contains the electric-power, coolant, and instrumentation lines, and provides a passage for debris removal. Core sections are removed through the flexible stem intermittently with wire-line core-retrieval hardware. This Subterrene system, named Geoprospector, is essentially a self-propelled and surface-guided minitunneler. It is a logical major development step in the Subterrene prograrm, directed toward a larger- diameter tunneling machine. Other practical Geoprospector applications are the forming of holes under obstacles such as rivers, highways, buildings, or other structures to accommodatemore » utility lines or cables; the implantation of urban utilities; and the installation of underground pipelines or power-transmission lines without ditching. (auth)« less

Authors:
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
4329019
Report Number(s):
LA-5517-MS
NSA Number:
NSA-29-026788
DOE Contract Number:  
W-7405-ENG-36
Resource Type:
Technical Report
Resource Relation:
Other Information: Orig. Receipt Date: 30-JUN-74
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
N42200* -Engineering-Facilities & Equipment; *ROCK DRILLING; *SUBTERRENE PENETRATORS- DESIGN; DRILL CORES; FABRICATION; OPERATION; PROSPECTING

Citation Formats

Neudecker, J W. Conceptual design of a coring Subterrene Geoprospector. United States: N. p., 1974. Web. doi:10.2172/4329019.
Neudecker, J W. Conceptual design of a coring Subterrene Geoprospector. United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/4329019
Neudecker, J W. 1974. "Conceptual design of a coring Subterrene Geoprospector". United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/4329019. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/4329019.
@article{osti_4329019,
title = {Conceptual design of a coring Subterrene Geoprospector},
author = {Neudecker, J W},
abstractNote = {A rock-melting Subterrene system is described that can obtain a continuous core along the projected route of a tunnel. System specifications, individual component functions, preliminary design concepts, and design alternatives are included; and subcomponents that can be assembled from commercially available hardware are indicated. The device requires 150 kW of electric power to melt an accurate 300-mm (1-ft)-dia glass-lined hole and removes a 200-mm (8-in.)-dia glass-cased core at an advance rate of 0.4 mm/s (5 ft/h). The accurate hole diameter and stable hole lining allow the use of a packer- thruster located at the heated holemelting and hole-forming penetrator assembly. An orientation sensor and a guidance unit can also be located in this assembly. A hollow, flexible stem trailing behind the assembly contains the electric-power, coolant, and instrumentation lines, and provides a passage for debris removal. Core sections are removed through the flexible stem intermittently with wire-line core-retrieval hardware. This Subterrene system, named Geoprospector, is essentially a self-propelled and surface-guided minitunneler. It is a logical major development step in the Subterrene prograrm, directed toward a larger- diameter tunneling machine. Other practical Geoprospector applications are the forming of holes under obstacles such as rivers, highways, buildings, or other structures to accommodate utility lines or cables; the implantation of urban utilities; and the installation of underground pipelines or power-transmission lines without ditching. (auth)},
doi = {10.2172/4329019},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/4329019}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri Feb 01 00:00:00 EDT 1974},
month = {Fri Feb 01 00:00:00 EDT 1974}
}