Impact Excavation System And Method With Particle Separation

Abstract

A system and method for excavating a subterranean formation, according to which a suspension of liquid and a plurality of impactors are introduced into at least one cavity formed in a body member and are discharging from the cavity so that the impactors remove a portion of the formation. The impactors are separated from at least a portion of the fluid, and are passed to a conduit so that the impactors accumulate in the conduit before being removed from the conduit.

1 . A system for excavating a subterranean formation, the system comprising:
 a body member for receiving a suspension of liquid and a plurality of impactors and discharging the suspension so that the impactors remove a portion of the formation;   a first conduit for receiving the suspension after the removal;   a separator in the first conduit for separating the impactors from at least a portion of the fluid;   a second conduit for receiving the separated impactors from the separator; and   at least one controller to control the flow of impactors into the second conduit so that a substantial portion of the impactors can accumulate in the second conduit.   
     
     
         2 . A system of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one controller to control the flow of the impactors from the second conduit. 
     
     
         3 . A system of  claim 1 , wherein the first-mentioned controller comprises a first valve, and the second-mentioned controller comprises a second valve, the impactors accumulating the second conduit when the first valve is open and the second valve is closed, and the impactors discharge from the second conduit when the second valve is open. 
     
     
         4 . A system of  claim 1 , further comprising a pressure relief portion associated with the second conduit. 
     
     
         5 . A system of  claim 4 , wherein the pressure relief includes a third conduit registering the second conduit and at least one valve disposed in the third conduit to control the relief of the pressure in the second conduit. 
     
     
         6 . A system of  claim 5 , further comprising at least one valve positioned to prevent the flow of the impactors into the third conduit. 
     
     
         7 . A system of  claim 1 , further comprising a nozzle disposed in the body member to discharge the suspension therefrom. 
     
     
         8 . A method for excavating a subterranean formation, the system comprising:
 introducing a suspension of liquid and a plurality of impactors into at least one cavity formed in a body member;   discharging the suspension from the cavity so that the impactors remove a portion of the formation;   separating the impactors from at least a portion of the fluid; and   passing the impactors to a conduit so that a substantial portion of the impactors accumulate in the conduit.   
     
     
         9 . A method of  claim 8 , further comprising discharging the accumulated impactors from the conduit. 
     
     
         10 . A method of  claim 8 , further comprising relieving the pressure in the conduit. 
     
     
         11 . A method of  claim 9 , wherein the step of relieving comprises connecting another conduit to the first-mentioned conduit and adjusting a valve in the other conduit. 
     
     
         12 . A method of  claim 11 , wherein another portion of the fluid is received in the first-mentioned conduit with the impactors and is relieved from the first-mentioned conduit by flowing into the other conduit under the control of the valve. 
     
     
         13 . A method of  claim 12 , further comprising blocking the flow of the impactors into the other conduit. 
     
     
         14 . A system for excavating a subterranean formation, the system comprising:
 a body member;   at least one receiver portion disposed in the body member to receive a suspension of liquid and a plurality of impactors and discharging the suspension so that the impactors remove a portion of the formation;   a first conduit for receiving the suspension after the removal;   a separator positioned in the first conduit to separate the impactors from at least a portion of the fluid;   a second conduit for receiving the separated impactors from the separator; and   at least a first valve positioned to control the flow of impactors to the second conduit so that a substantial portion of the impactors can accumulate in the second conduit.   
     
     
         15 . A system of  claim 14 , further comprising at least a second valve positioned to control the flow of the impactors from the second conduit. 
     
     
         16 . A system of  claim 15 , wherein the impactors accumulate in the second conduit when the first valve is open and the second valve is closed; and wherein the impactors discharge from the second conduit when the second valve is open. 
     
     
         17 . A system of  claim 14 , further comprising a pressure relief portion positioned to relieve the pressure in the second conduit. 
     
     
         18 . A system of  claim 17 , wherein the pressure relief portion includes a third conduit registering with the second conduit and a third valve disposed in the third conduit to control the relief of the pressure. 
     
     
         19 . A system of  claim 18 , further comprising at least one valve positioned to prevent the flow of the impactors into the third conduit. 
     
     
         20 . A system of  claim 18 , wherein another portion of the fluid is received in the second conduit with the impactors and flows out of the second conduit and through third conduit when the second valve is in its closed position and the third valve is at least partially open.