The invention relates to a drilling tool and a method for producing a bore in the ground, in which method ground material is carried away by a removal device on the underside of a main body of the drilling tool, flushing air is supplied by a feeding device into the bore, which is filled with drilling fluid, in the area of the removal device and ground material carried away by means of the flushing air is transported away through a discharge line. According to the invention, the ground material is transported to a receiving area in an upper section of the main body. A collecting hood is provided above the receiving area, which closes off the receiving area at the top, forming an air collecting space in which air collects. An outlet valve by means of which air is discharged from the air collecting space is arranged on the collecting hood.

An excavating machine includes an actuation unit for moving the excavator, a main winch and secondary winch for lifting and lowering the actuation unit. A closed hydraulic circuit or an electric circuit drives the main winch. An open hydraulic circuit drives the secondary winch. A first pressure or current sensor measures fluid pressure or, electric current intensity in the hydraulic or electric driving circuit. A second pressure sensor measures fluid pressure in the open hydraulic circuit. A pressure regulator regulates fluid pressure in the open hydraulic circuit. A control unit executes a combined operating condition with the winches applying a force simultaneously and based on values sensed, controls the pressure regulator so the fluid pressure in the open hydraulic circuit, during the combined operating condition, has a target value that is a function of: the fluid pressure in the closed hydraulic circuit or the current in the electric circuit.

A method of drilling vertical and horizontal pathways to mine for solid natural resources involves a drill bit, at least one reamer, a first plugging material, and a second plugging material; drilling a testing wellbore to a specific vertical depth with the drill bit and identifying at least one desired mining section wherein the desired mining section is associated with a corresponding vertical depth; creating a new bottom end for the testing wellbore by filling the testing wellbore up to an offset distance with the first plugging material; drilling a horizontal access hole from the new bottom end into the desired mining section with the drill bit and enlarging it with a reamer; excavating cuttings from the desired mining section through the horizontal access hole; filling the horizontal access hole with the second plugging material; and repeating the drilling, enlarging, and filling process to create a plurality of lateral holes.

In order to install a ground loop for a geothermal heating and/or cooling system in ground material, a drilling machine having a drill bit connected to an end of first tubing may be used to create an borehole in the ground material. After the borehole is created, grout may be pumped into the borehole through the first tubing as the first tubing is removed from the borehole. This allows the borehole to be grouted from the bottom towards the top. Thereafter, second tubing may be inserted into the grout in order to create the ground loop. This eliminates the need for a tremie pipe to insert the ground loop and pump grout into the borehole, while still allowing for the borehole to be grouted from the bottom towards the top to reduce the likelihood of voids.

A method for monitoring and controlling a downhole pressure of a well during formation of a borehole of a well is provided. The method can include monitoring a downhole pressure of a well during formation of a borehole of the well using a millimeter wave drilling apparatus including a waveguide configured for insertion into the borehole. The monitoring can include determining the downhole pressure. The downhole pressure can include an amount of pressure present at a bottom of the well. The method can also include determining a lithostatic pressure of rock surrounding the well at the bottom of the well. The method can further include controlling the downhole pressure relative to the lithostatic pressure of the rock surrounding the well at the bottom of the well. Related systems performing the methods are also provided.

An auger-suction type metro jet system (MJS) device for aerated and lightweight cement soil includes a multi-pipe device, an outer sleeve, an integrated device, a spiral conveyor, a reamer head, a pressure monitoring system, a mass measuring device, and a control console. The multi-pipe device integrates a backup pipe, a negative-pressure gas pipe, a hydraulic pipe, a negative-pressure water pipe, a pressure sensor wire pipe, a pressure water pipe, a backup gas pipe, a power wire pipe, and at least one grouting tremie unit. The spiral conveyor includes a shaft-type spiral conveying belt and a negative-pressure device. A construction method for foundation reinforcement construction includes: cutting soil by the reamer head; crushing gravel by a gravel crusher; transporting, by the shaft-type spiral conveying belt, a soil-water mixture to a waste liquid tank; monitoring, by the mass measuring device, a mass of the soil-water mixture discharged; and injecting equal-mass cement.

A method for monitoring and controlling a downhole pressure of a well during formation of a borehole of a well is provided. The method can include monitoring a downhole pressure of a well during formation of a borehole of the well using a millimeter wave drilling apparatus including a waveguide configured for insertion into the borehole. The monitoring can include determining the downhole pressure. The downhole pressure can include an amount of pressure present at a bottom of the well. The method can also include determining a lithostatic pressure of rock surrounding the well at the bottom of the well. The method can further include controlling the downhole pressure relative to the lithostatic pressure of the rock surrounding the well at the bottom of the well. Related systems performing the methods are also provided.

There is provided an Axially separating drill bucket for drilling large holes in the earth by which a drilling operator can perform the drilling operation with the Axially Separating Drill Bucket, incorporating a spring loaded latching mechanism and a hydraulic cylinder within a drill head casing, and remove the excavated material in one operation. The unit can be raised to the surface where the bucket portion is moved up or down from the drill head to empty the excavated material. A spring loaded latching mechanism is disclosed having a pushrod which activates the latch by making contact with an external force. A centrally located hydraulic cylinder power assists the drill head to be raised and lowered to remove the material collected within the drill bucket.

The invention relates to a drilling tool for producing a bore in the ground, comprising a rotatably drivable basic body, a removal means at a lower end of the basic body for removing soil material, and at least one adjustable removal element, which is adjustable between a radially inner retraction position and a radially outer extension position in which the removal element protrudes radially outwards relative to the basic body in order to widen a bore diameter. According to the invention it is provided that for adjusting the removal element, an adjustment mechanism with a rotary member is provided, which is rotatable on the basic body about the drilling axis between a first rotary position and second rotary position, that at least one removal element is arranged on a pivot arm which is pivotable relative to the basic body between a first pivot position, in which the at least one removal element is in its retraction position, and a second pivot position, in which the at least one removal element is in its extension position, and that an actuating cam is provided on the rotary member and/or on the at least one pivot arm, by means of which actuating cam a rotary movement of the rotary member can be converted into a pivot movement of the at least one pivot arm.

A drilling bucket for drilling a bore hole in the ground including a hollow cylindrical body and at least one cutting tool arranged at a lower side of the hollow cylindrical body for cutting soil material. The hollow cylindrical body has a lower opening for receiving soil material cut by the at least one cutting tool. For guiding the hollow cylindrical body in the bore hole an upper guiding device is provided which is arranged above the hollow cylindrical body and fixed to the hollow cylindrical body. The upper guiding device is configured to abut on a side wall of the bore hole.