Numerical electric breakdown model of heterogeneous granite for electro-pulse-boring

• Published in: International journal of rock mechanics and mining sciences (Oxford, England : 1997) England : 1997), 2022-06, Vol.154, p.105128, Article 105128
• Main Authors: Zhu, Xiaohua, Luo, Yunxu, Liu, Weiji, Hu, Hai, Chen, Mengqiu
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Ablation; Boring; Breakdown; Circuits; Discharge channel; Drilling; Electric breakdown; Electric pulses; Electric strength; Electrodes; Energy consumption; Environmental protection; EPB and rock fragmentation; Fragmentation; Heat transfer; Heterogeneity; Impulse generators; Mathematical models; Numerical simulation model; Oil and gas exploration; Oil exploration; Optimization; Parameters; Pulse voltage rise time; Rock fragmentation mode; Rocks; Temperature distribution; Thermal stress; Voltage
• ISSN: 1365-1609; 1873-4545
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijrmms.2022.105128

The problems of cost, environmental protection and efficiency of hard rock fragmentation in petroleum exploration, drilling and other projects need to be solved urgently. Electro-pulse-boring (EPB) technology has attracted attention due to its advantages of low rock breaking energy consumption, low wear and low time cost. However, there is still no more accurate description model for EPB and rock fragmentation, and the existing models have limited guidance on the parameter optimization of EPB tools. This paper introduces an electric breakdown model, which realizes the whole electric breakdown process under a single high-voltage pulse by coupling the five fields: circuit field, current field, breakdown field, heat transfer field and solid mechanical field. The multi physics model comprehensively considers the circuit structure parameters of the electric impulse generator (EIG), the initiation and development of electric breakdown, the dependence of electric breakdown strength and time, and the heterogeneity of rock. The model results found that the breakdown channel originates from the weak electric strength in the rock, and the development of the channel is highly dependent on the heterogeneity of the rock medium. The rock fragmentation process with a single pulse is accompanied by local electric fragmentation and hydroelectric fragmentation, When the pulse voltage rise time (PVRT) is greater than 500 ns, the hydroelectric fragmentation mode is dominant. The temperature and thermal stress values of the discharge channel are consistent with the previous studies results, and the temperature distribution at the electrode tip is the highest, which shows that the ablation problem of the electrode in EPB process can not be ignored. This model has the potential to establish the relationship between rock-breakingparameters and rock-breaking efficiency of EPB, and can provide a practical method for the development and parameter optimization of EPB and rock breaking tools.