Systems, apparatuses, devices, and methods for initiating or detonating tertiary explosive media by way of photonic energy

Abstract

In an embodiment, a photoinitiation apparatus includes: a set of illumination sources or elements configured for outputting optical energy; a body structure having a proximal body structure portion confining a proximal volume of explosive medium, an intermediate body structure portion confining an intermediate volume of explosive medium, and a distal body structure portion confining a distal volume of explosive medium, wherein the proximal volume of explosive medium is optically coupled to portions of the first volume of explosive medium, at least one of the proximal volume of explosive medium and the distal volume of explosive medium is a tertiary explosive medium, and (a) the body structure does not carry a primary explosive composition and does not carry a secondary explosive composition, and/or (b) each of the proximal, intermediate, and distal volumes of explosive media has an initiation sensitivity that is less than cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine (RDX) based explosive compositions.

1 . A photoinitiation apparatus configured for photoinitiating an explosive medium carried thereby, the photoinitiation apparatus comprising:
 a set of illumination sources or elements coupled to a power source, the set of illumination sources or elements configured to output electromagnetic energy having at least one wavelength within or between ultraviolet (UV) and infrared (IR) portions of the electromagnetic spectrum, and comprising a lens array; and   a body structure that internally carries at least one explosive medium, and which provides a confinement structure for the at least one explosive medium carried thereby,   wherein the body structure (i) excludes each of a primary explosive composition and a secondary explosive composition and (ii) confines at least a first volume of tertiary explosive in a first portion of the body structure,   wherein the first volume of tertiary explosive in the first portion of the body structure (i) is photonically coupled to the set of illumination sources or elements, and (ii) contains a photoexcitation transfer agent or a photothermal absorber comprising bitumen, crude oil, gilsonite, bunker oil, or coal dust,   wherein the body structure is configured for each of (a) residing in a borehole that has been loaded with a column of an additional or adjunctive tertiary explosive medium that resides external to the body structure, and (b) coupling a detonation front into the column of additional or adjunctive tertiary explosive medium to detonate the additional or adjunctive tertiary explosives medium.   
     
     
         2 . The photoinitiation apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the lens array comprises a multi-point lens structure providing a base lens element and an array of additional lens elements formed thereon and/or therein. 
     
     
         3 . The photoinitiation apparatus of  claim 1  or  2 , wherein the set of illumination sources further comprises a set of laser diodes or a set of light emitting diodes (LEDs). 
     
     
         4 . The photoinitiation apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a local control unit configured for managing and controlling the operation of the set of illumination sources, and which is configured for electromagnetic signal communication with a master control unit remote from the photoinitiation apparatus. 
     
     
         5 . The photoinitiation apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein electromagnetic signal communication involves one or more of wireless electrical signal transfer, wire-based electrical signal transfer, magnetic induction based signal transfer, optical fibre based optical signal transfer, and free space based optical signal transfer. 
     
     
         6 . The photoinitiation apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the set of illumination sources or elements and the local control unit reside within the borehole. 
     
     
         7 . The photoinitiation apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the set of illumination sources or elements resides within the borehole, and the local control unit resides external to the borehole. 
     
     
         8 . The photoinitiation apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the set of illumination sources or elements and the local control unit reside external to the borehole.