Licensable Technologies : Security & Defense

Rock Melting Tool With Annealer Section

Abstract
A rock melting penetrator is provided with an afterbody that rapidly cools a molten geological structure formed around the melting tip of the penetrator to the glass transition temperature for the surrounding molten glass-like material. An annealing afterbody then cools the glass slowly from the glass transition temperature through the annealing temperature range to form a solid self-supporting glass casing. This allows thermally induced strains to relax by viscous deformations as the molten glass cools and prevents fracturing of the resulting glass liner. The quality of the glass lining is improved, along with its ability to provide a rigid impermeable casing in unstable rock formations.

IP Status: Available both Exclusively and Non Exclusively

Reference Number: 124

S Number: DOE reference no.(s): 82,604

Patents & Applications:
United States National Patent Number 5735355 Issued on 04/07/1998

Posted: 09-17-2004

Contact
John Russell
Technology Transfer Division
Los Alamos National Laboratory
P.O. Box 1663, MailStop C334
(505) 665-3941
jrussell@lanl.gov