Boring or penetrating the earth – Automatic control
Patent
1996-03-13
1998-05-05
Neuder, William P.
Boring or penetrating the earth
Automatic control
175 27, 175 48, E21B 4400
Patent
active
057462780
ABSTRACT:
An apparatus and method for controlling an underground boring machine during boring or reaming operations. A boring tool is displaced along an underground path while being rotated at a selected rate of rotation. In response to variations in underground conditions impacting boring tool progress along the underground path, a control system concurrently modifies the rate of boring tool displacement along the underground path while rotating the boring tool at the selected rotation rate. The controller monitors the rate at which liquid is pumped through the borehole and automatically adjusts the rate of displacement and/or the liquid flow rate so that sufficient liquid is flowing through the borehole to remove the cuttings and debris generated by the boring tool. Sensors are provided to sense pressure levels in the rotation, displacement, and liquid dispensing pumps and an electronic controller continuously monitors the levels detected by the sensors. When the controller detects a rise in rotation pump pressure above an unacceptable level, the controller disengages the boring tool by reducing the rate of boring tool displacement along the underground path, while maintaining rotation of the boring tool at a pre-selected rate. Such disengagement reduces the load on the rotation pump and allows the pressures to recover to an acceptable level. The controller re-engages the boring tool after detecting that the rotation pump pressure has fallen below a set level.
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Kathage, A.F., Proceedings of the Fourth International Conference on Ground Penetrating Radar, Geological Survey of Finland, A Challenge: GPR in Advance of Horizontal Drilling, Special Paper 16, Jun., 1992, pp. 119-124.
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Bischel Brian John
Rankin James Richard
Neuder William P.
Vermeer Manufacturing Company
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