Robotic Excavation Platform

Abstract

The systems and techniques described herein illustrate elements of a non-contact boring system. Such elements include configurations for operation of a movable robotic excavation system that includes a non-contact boring element, and techniques for operation thereof. In certain embodiments, the system provides for automated or semi-automated control and, thus, provide for an automated excavation system that includes automated or semi-automated contact and/or non-contact boring tools. Additionally, a conical head may be disposed on an end of the non-contact boring system. The conical head may be utilized for spoil evacuation and may cause air to circulate in a manner that causes spoil to be airborne in front of the bore face, allowing for improved excavation of spoil generated by the non-contact boring. The conical head may also be utilized for determining the position of the non-contact boring system within the borehole.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system comprising
 a chassis, configured to perform excavation operations within a borehole, the chassis comprising:
 a non-contact boring element, configured to perform a boring process comprising thermal spallation within the borehole; 
   a conical head;   a first sensor, coupled to conical head; and   a controller, communicatively coupled to the first sensor and configured to receive first data from the first sensor and determine, from the first data, that the conical head is contacting a portion of a borehole.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first sensor is a deflection sensor. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first sensor is an accelerometer. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a second sensor, configured to sense an aspect of the boring process, wherein the thermal spallation is one of a plurality of processes of the boring process. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
 receive second data associated with a first time period from the second sensor;   operate the non-contact boring element in a first configuration;   receive second data associated with a second time period from the second sensor; and   operate the non-contact boring element in a second configuration.   
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the non-contact boring element comprises a turbine with an afterburner, and wherein the second configuration comprises adjustment of a flame front of the turbine and/or the afterburner in comparison to the first configuration. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein adjusting the flame front comprises adjusting a length, a diameter, and/or a temperature of the flame front. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the adjusting the flame front comprises adjusting a fuel flow or airflow into the turbine and/or the afterburner. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 a contact boring element, configured to perform contact boring within the borehole, wherein the controller is further configured to:   receive second data associated with a first time period from the second sensor;   operate the non-contact boring element;   receive second data associated with a second time period from the second sensor; and   operate the contact boring element.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the second data associated with the first time period indicates that excavation operations is being performed on a first portion of a bore face of the borehole, and wherein the second data associated with the second time period indicates that excavation operations is being performed on a second portion of the bore face. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the chassis is further configured to travel within the borehole. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the chassis further comprises:
 a guidance sensor, and wherein the controller is further configured to:
 receive guidance data from the guidance sensor; and 
 cause the chassis to travel within the borehole based on the guidance data. 
   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a second sensor coupled to the conical head, wherein first sensor is coupled to a first portion of the conical head and the second sensor is coupled to a second portion of the conical head, wherein the controller is further configured to receive second data from the second sensor and determine, based on relative readings of the first data and the second data, that the first portion of the conical head is contacting the portion of the borehole. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a non-contact boring positioning element, coupled to the non-contact boring element and configured to position the non-contact boring element. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the non-contact boring positioning element is configured to adjust a stand-off distance of the non-contact boring element, rotate the non-contact boring element, and/or cause the non-contact boring positioning element to move the non-contact boring element in a first pattern. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the controller is further configured to cause the non-contact boring positioning element to move the non-contact boring element to perform the boring process on the portion of the borehole contacting the conical head. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 a third sensor, configured to generate data directed to geological conditions of the borehole, wherein the controller is further configured to:
 determine that a first portion of a bore face of the borehole is a first geological condition; and 
 cause the non-contact boring positioning element to move the non-contact boring element to perform the boring process on the first portion of the bore face. 
   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
 determine that a second portion of the bore face of the borehole is a second geological condition; and   cause the non-contact boring positioning element to adjust a stand-off distance of the non-contact boring element; and   cause the non-contact boring positioning element to move the non-contact boring element to perform the boring process on the second portion of the bore face.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an on-site control communicatively coupled to the controller; and   an auxiliary system, communicatively coupled to the controller and/or the on-site control, wherein the controller is further configured to:
 determine that a condition of the borehole indicates unsuitability for non-contact boring; and 
 provide a request to the on-site control and/or the auxiliary system for auxiliary operations. 
   
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the on-site control is communicatively coupled to an off-site user and configured to receive operating instructions from the off-site user.