Drilling and rock cutting operations are carried out in various industries (mining, laying underground utilities, construction, space projects). Nevertheless, during horizontal directional drilling of wells, there is a need to overcome inclusions or rocks of high hardness. This requires the use of a rational method of their destruction.

Professor Lev Saruev from the TPU Division for Oil and Gas Engineering explained that the shock mechanisms ensured by modern drilling rigs generate irrational power pulses that does not take into account the rock’s resistance to destruction. In his opinion, such shape of power pulses and the short duration of their impact on the rock reduce the depth of penetration of the crown into the rock and form a tensile wave that destroys the drilling tool.

In this regard, there was a need to develop a fundamentally new power pulse shaper corresponding to the rock resistance process.

‘The proposed development has obvious advantages, i.e. smaller weight and seizes, better energy efficiency, and explosion safety,’ emphasized the scientist.

Evgeniy Pashkov, an associate professor at the Division of General Technical Subjects of the School of Core Engineering Education added: "The new drilling rig is based on the shaping and transmission of power pulses (based on the wave theory of impact) and special threaded joints of drilling pipes that provide effective transmission of shock power to the rock destruction zone."

According to the authors of the development, the technology will make it possible to cut the cost of drilling operations and increase time between overhauls (due to the absence of colliding parts in the drive mechanism). The mobility of the facility is ensured by the absence of a compressor or oil station.

Further, the scientists are going to carry out a series of practical experiments to create an industrial prototype of a fundamentally new class of rock destructing machines.