Nd:YAG Laser Assisted Drilling and Spallation of Rocks
High-energy and high peak power laser pulses have the unique ability to drill and spall the rock. Here we investigated laser rock drilling and its spallation using an optical fiber coupled, long pulse Nd:YAG laser with 537 J pulse energy and 20 kW peak power. Different rock samples
of sandstone, marble and shale were prepared to study the effect of laser pulse duration and number of laser shots on drilling. It was observed that 10 laser shots can destroy the small size rock at 40 ms laser pulse duration. A laser-drilling nozzle with coaxial gas jet was developed for
this study. We have performed rock spallation to drill the holes on its upper surface for stress generation in the rock material and beaks the complete rocks without melting. We have found that this laser technique is cost effective and time saving as compared other conventional drilling methods.
The potential application of this work was found in petroleum industries to destroy the rock for oil and natural gas well.
Keywords: AVERAGE POWER; LASER DRILLING; PEAK POWER; PULSED ND:YAG LASER
Document Type: Research Article
Publication date: 01 September 2013
- Advanced Science, Engineering and Medicine (ASEM) is a science, engineering, technical and medical journal focused on the publishing of peer-reviewed multi-disciplinary research articles dealing with all fundamental and applied research aspects in the areas of (1) Physical Sciences, (2) Engineering, (3) Biological Sciences/Health Sciences, (4) Medicine, (5) Computer and Information Sciences, (6) Mathematical Sciences, (7) Agriculture Science and Engineering, (8) Geosciences, and (9) Energy/Fuels/Environmental/Green Science and Engineering.
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