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Drilling

Drilling involves using a drill bit to cut holes in solid materials. There are two main types of drilling: percussive drilling which uses impacts to break rock, and rotary drilling where bits are rotated to crush or abrade rock. A third method is rotary-percussive drilling which combines both rotation and impacts. Drilling machines can be classified based on their power source and transmission method, and are used to blast overburden and extract materials from mining and construction projects.

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Hardik Karkar
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151 views

Drilling

Drilling involves using a drill bit to cut holes in solid materials. There are two main types of drilling: percussive drilling which uses impacts to break rock, and rotary drilling where bits are rotated to crush or abrade rock. A third method is rotary-percussive drilling which combines both rotation and impacts. Drilling machines can be classified based on their power source and transmission method, and are used to blast overburden and extract materials from mining and construction projects.

Uploaded by

Hardik Karkar
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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DRILLING

1. Drilling
Drilling is a cutting process that uses a drill bit to cut a hole of circular cross-section
in solid materials.

There are two forms of rock breakage viz., rock penetration and rock fragmentation.
The term rock penetration is preferred for all methods of forming a directional hole in the
rock.

There are many types of rock penetration depending on the form of energy
application, viz. mechanical, thermal, chemical etc. The mechanical energy, of course,
encompasses the majority (about 98%) of rock penetration applications today.

The application of mechanical energy to rock can be performed basically in only one
of the two ways: by percussive or rotary action. Combining the two results in hybrid methods
termed roller-bit rotary and rotary-percussion drilling.

Drilling is performed in order to blast the overburden, ore deposit, coal seams etc., so
that the power requirement for excavators to extract the materials becomes less. This also
reduces the wear and tear of the excavators, increases their life, reduces clearing time of
materials, and decreases operation cost.

Drilling holes are usually made in a zig-zag pattern .The spacing between the rows
and column is of equal length.

Certain empirical rules are followed for this spacing and the depth of holes as
indicated below.

For hard rock: 1 : 4

Where, 1 = horizontal space, 4 = vertical drill depth.

For loose material: 1 : 6 ratio

1.1 Classification of Drilling Systems


Drilling machines used in surface mining projects, construction work, etc., can be
classified in the following ways:

1) Depending upon the principle of working

i) Percussive Drilling
ii) Rotary Drilling

iii) Rotary-percussive Drilling

2) Depending upon types of prime mover

i) Used diesel driven drilling machine

ii) Electrically driven drilling machine

3) Depending upon the means of power transmission

i) Pneumatically operated machine

ii) Hydraulically operated machine

iii) Electrically operated machine in combination with hydraulic and

pneumatic system.

1.1.1 Percussion Drilling


Percussion drilling penetrates rock by the effects of successive impacts applied
through the bit which is typically of chisel type. The bit/tool rebounds and impacts again after
rotating slightly thus every time hammering a new surface and also to maintain a circular
shape of hole.

The stress effective in breaking the rock acts essentially in an axial direction and in a
pulsating manner.

The rotational torque applied is not responsible for breakage of rock by the tool. This
torque is usually small in magnitude and operates during rebound only.

The two predominant mechanisms in percussion drilling are CRUSHING and


CHIPPING.

There are two main types of drill mounting. The smaller machines utilize drifter-type
drills placed on self-propelled mountings designed to tow the required air compressor.
Typical hole sizes are in the 63 to 150mm (2.5 to 6 in.) range.

The larger machines are crawler-mounted and self contained. Drill towers permit
single pass drilling from 7.6 to 15.2m with hole sizes in the range of 120 to 229mm. These
larger machines are almost exclusively operated using down the hole hammers. For many
years these machines were exclusively operated using pneumatic hammers. But in the last 20
years hydraulic machines have been introduced in the smaller size range.

1.1.2 Rotary Drilling


As the name suggests, the boring tools used in this method are rotated and they
crush, cut or abrade the rock. The rate of drilling depends on
 Nature of the rock
 Pressure exerted by drilling bits and rods
 The rpm of the bit
 Type of drilling bit

The simplest form is the hand augur. These are attached to rods and rotated by means
of a simple cross bar. In this method hollow drill rods of steel or aluminum are used. These
are thread connected and transmit torque and feed pressure to the drilling bit or drilling tool,
which is attached at the end of column of the drill rods. Rotation of the drill rods is through
gearing driven by a prime mover at the surface.

The drill bit attacks the rock with energy supplied to it by a rotating drill rod, while a
thrust is applied to it by a pull down mechanism using upto 65% of the weight of the
machine, forcing the bit into the rock.

As the rods rotate, the drilling tool/bit breaks the rock and the cuttings are cleared by
pumping water under pressure or compressed air down the hole through the hollow drill rods.
The air both cools the bit and provides a medium for flushing the cuttings from the hole. The
water or air, along with the cuttings, comes to the surface through the space between the drill
rods and the sides of the drill hole.

The bit moves forward by the effect of torque and thrust simultaneously applied to the
rock surface. The mechanism of penetration rate are related to shearing and friction
processes.

The shearing action of the leading edge of the cutting component produces chipping,
whereas friction creates wear of the bit-rock interface.

Blast hole sizes produced by rotary machines vary in the size range of 100 to 445mm
diameter with the most common sizes being 200, 250, 311, and 381mm in diameter.

These drills usually operate in the vertical position although many types can drill up
to 25 or 300 off the vertical.

To achieve high drilling speeds, and to drill holes to greater depths, three power
driven rotary methods are available viz., hydraulic rotary drilling, diamond drilling, and
chilled –shot drilling

1.1.3 Rotary –Percussion Drilling


This is a hybrid form of drilling. In a rotary- percussive machine the advantages of
both rotary and percussive principles are used for making the hole. Here blows are imparted
and the tool is also rotated during drilling action.

Generally, percussion bits or sometimes roller bits are used. The superimposing of
percussion on a rotary system means that higher impact forces are realized than in straight
rotary drilling, but thrust and torque induced forces are still operative.
In rotary-percussion drilling, rock failure occurs by crushing and chipping, the
proportion being a function of the drilling action.

Table: Comparison of pneumatic, hydraulic and electrically operated drilling machines.

Pneumatic Hydraulic Electric


 The machine is compact,  It is more compact,  Pollution is less, power
rugged in nature, high having precise control is loss.
power-to-weight ratio, possible, low noise
Pollution is less. level, High rate of
penetration.

 Moisture in compressed  Possibility of pollution  Requires more space,


air may freeze in low in case of leakage in oil Creates noise.
temperature operating line. They required
zone. Moisture may cor- greater maintenance.
rode the exposed metal
Surfaces.

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