The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 07, 2012
Filed:
Oct. 08, 2009
Thomas W. Wideman, Milton, MA (US);
Jared M. Potter, Redwood City, CA (US);
Donald Dreesen, Los Alamos, NM (US);
Robert M. Potter, Rio Rancho, NM (US);
Thomas W. Wideman, Milton, MA (US);
Jared M. Potter, Redwood City, CA (US);
Donald Dreesen, Los Alamos, NM (US);
Robert M. Potter, Rio Rancho, NM (US);
Potter Drilling, Inc., Redwood City, CA (US);
Abstract
Methods and apparatus for spalling a material, for example to thermally drill a wellhole, are provided. Such methods may include directing a fluid having a temperature greater than about 500° C. above the ambient temperature of the material and less than about the temperature of the brittle-ductile transition temperature of the material to a target location on the surface of the material, wherein the fluid produces a heat flux of about 0.1 to about 50 MW/mat an interface between the fluid and the target location, and thereby creating spalls of the material.