HIGH POWER LASER TUNNELING MINING AND CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT AND METHODS OF USE

• Main Authors: Faircloth, Brian O, Volkmar, John F, Grubb, Daryl L, Kolachalam, Shararth K, Land, Mark S, Norton, Ryan J, De Witt, Ronald A, Zediker, Mark S
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 12.10.2023
• Subjects: CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CONSTRUCTION OF ROADS, RAILWAYS, OR BRIDGES; CONSTRUCTION OF, OR SURFACES FOR, ROADS, SPORTS GROUNDS, ORTHE LIKE; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; EARTH DRILLING; EARTH DRILLING, e.g. DEEP DRILLING; FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS; GALLERIES; LARGE UNDERGROUND CHAMBERS; MACHINE TOOLS; MACHINES OR AUXILIARY TOOLS FOR CONSTRUCTION OR REPAIR; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; MINING; MINING OR QUARRYING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR ASLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; SHAFTS; SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; TRANSPORTING; TUNNELS; WELDING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM

There are provided high power laser and laser mechanical earth removing equipment, and operations using laser cutting tools having stand off distances. These equipment provide high power laser beams, greater than kW to cut and volumetrically remove targeted materials and to remove laser affected material with gravity assistance, mechanical cutters, fluid jets, scrapers and wheels. There is also provided a method of using this equipment in mining, road resurfacing and other earth removing or working activities.