Performance of high-power lasers for rock excavation

Daichi Sugimoto; Hayato Tanaka; Masamori Endo; Shuzaburo Takeda; Kenzo Nanri; Tomoo Fujioka

doi:10.1117/12.375195

14 January 2000 Performance of high-power lasers for rock excavation

Daichi Sugimoto, Hayato Tanaka, Masamori Endo, Shuzaburo Takeda, Kenzo Nanri, Tomoo Fujioka

Proceedings Volume 3887, High-Power Lasers in Civil Engineering and Architecture; (2000) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.375195
Event: Advanced High-Power Lasers and Applications, 1999, Osaka, Japan

Abstract

Rock excavation experiment with a 10kW-class CO₂ laser was demonstrated as a basic study for field application of high power lasers. Sample rocks used in this experiment as a workpiece were tuff breccia and granite. Effect of assist gases on the excavation rate was surveyed. Oxygen, nitrogen, and air were examined and found not to be useful. It was because the gas flow could not blow the molten rocks off, but only helps to cool in case the hole races certain depth. Excavation rate on both rocks for a various output powers was measured to determine thermal constants inherent to each rock. It was found that the excavation rate resulted in slower, as the hole becomes deeper, because of the deterioration in evacuation efficiency of the molten rock. Thermal parameters of the both rocks were derived from the experimental results. Using simplified thermal balance model, it was estimated that a 50 kW-class mobile laser system has a potential to outperform the conventional mechanical excavation technique.

Citation Download Citation

Daichi Sugimoto, Hayato Tanaka, Masamori Endo, Shuzaburo Takeda, Kenzo Nanri, and Tomoo Fujioka "Performance of high-power lasers for rock excavation", Proc. SPIE 3887, High-Power Lasers in Civil Engineering and Architecture, (14 January 2000); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.375195

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