Plasma Drilling System

Abstract

A plasma drilling machine comprising a cutting head, a plurality of plasma torches on the cutting head, a plurality of nozzles on the cutting head to provide a stream to cool an area of the earth while the plasma torches are active, a plurality of vacuum inlets, and a metal tube to combine vacuum streams from the vacuum inlets to create a stream of spoils.

1 . A plasma drilling machine comprising:
 a cutting head;   a plurality of plasma torches on the cutting head;   a plurality of nozzles on the cutting head to provide a stream to cool an area of earth while the plasma torches are active;   a plurality of vacuum inlets; and   a tube to combine vacuum streams from the vacuum inlets to create a stream of spoils.   
     
     
         2 . The machine of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a tractor providing propulsion to the cutting head.   
     
     
         3 . The machine of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a chiller to chill the stream, to create a greater temperature delta between a heat of the plasma torches and the stream.   
     
     
         4 . The machine of  claim 1 , wherein the nozzles comprise a high pressure air jet nozzle to direct a stream of air. 
     
     
         5 . The machine of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the nozzles comprises a high pressure water jet nozzle to direct the stream. 
     
     
         6 . The machine of  claim 5 , wherein the stream comprises one of:
 water and steam.   
     
     
         7 . The machine of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a plurality of power units for the plasma torches, wherein a subset of the plasma torches are powered by each of the plurality of power units.   
     
     
         8 . The machine of  claim 7 , wherein the subset of the plasma torches powered by a power unit are not adjacent to each other. 
     
     
         9 . The machine of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 wherein one or more of the vacuum inlets are at a base of the cutting head.   
     
     
         10 . The machine of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 wherein the stream of spoils are moved using Venturi tube air jets blowing the spoils backward.   
     
     
         11 . The machine of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a vacuum cart to remove the spoils generated by the cutting head.   
     
     
         12 . The machine of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a cooling sleeve around the vacuum tubes circulating chilled water to cool the spoils.   
     
     
         13 . The machine of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 rapid start/stop-valves for at least a subset of the plurality of nozzles to create agitation to overcome particle inertia.   
     
     
         14 . The machine of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a paving tractor, the paving tractor to apply material to one or more of: a roof of a tunnel, walls of the tunnel, and/or a bottom of the tunnel.   
     
     
         15 . The machine of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an adjustable arm to connect the cutting head to a tractor, to move the cutting head, enabling the machine to change a drilling angle.   
     
     
         16 . The machine of  claim 1 , wherein the cutting head further comprises:
 a concave shield to reflect energy output by the plasma torches towards a drilling surface, to assist a boring rate of penetration.   
     
     
         17 . A method of plasma drilling comprising:
 utilizing a cutting head including a plurality of plasma torches to drill into an area of earth;   providing a stream to cool the area of earth being drilled while the plasma torches are active through a plurality of nozzles on the cutting head;   vacuuming spoils through a plurality of vacuum inlets; and   combining vacuum streams from the vacuum inlets to create a stream of spoils.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 propelling the cutting head using a tractor.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 chilling the stream to create a greater temperature delta between a heat of the plasma torches and the stream, wherein the chilled stream comprises one or more of: water and air.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 starting and stopping the stream using rapid start/stop-valves for at least a subset of the plurality of nozzles to create agitation to overcome particle inertia.