Process and apparatus for fragmenting rock and like material using explosion-free high pressure shock waves
US4669783A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 27, 1985 |
| Grant date | Jun 2, 1987 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 27, 2005 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC E)Fixed Constructions
- CPC primaryE21C37/12
- WIPO fieldCivil engineering
- WIPO sectorOther fields
Abstract
A technique for fragmenting rock or other relatively hard and/or compact material without the use of explosives is disclosed herein. In accordance with this technique, an elongated, blind opening is provided in the rock or other material to be fragmented and a pulse of water having a relatively high peak pressure and a relatively rapid rise time is directed into the elongated opening without the use of explosives to produce the pulse, whereby to produce a shock wave in the rock or other material sufficient to fragment it. In an actual embodiment, this explosion free pulse of water has a peak pressure of about 80,000 psi and a rise time of about one millisecond.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.