What is presented is a combustible pellet for creating heated gas. The combustible pellet is insertable into a cutting apparatus or a high power igniter or both. The combustible pellet is compacted to be resistant to mechanical damage and is resistant to unintentional ignition. The combustible pellet is ignitable without a loose powdered form of combustible material when the combustible pellet is in the cutting apparatus or the high power igniter.

The present development includes a non-explosive, programmable electronic initiation system, whose objective is to initiate rock blasting in a controlled and safe manner. Its application is mainly in the area of Mining and Civil Works. This system solves a sensitive issue in the industry, such as the non-activation of the devices at the time of blasting (shots left behind) and reduces the risks of operation in the fragmentation work, providing continuity to field work. The above is based on the fact that this system allows precise operation times for vibration control, through previously defined delays, immediately identifying non-operational initiators due to line or connection failures; since there are no explosive components, they can be programmed remotely if so required by the user; finally, each initiator is programmed to be unique and unrepeatable.

Ethernet systems, methods and blasting machines are presented for remote turn on of the blasting machine and reliable fire and arm commands issuance. Systems, methods, blasting machines and wireless bridge units are presented for wireless blasting for safe firing of detonators under control of a remote wireless master controller in which the blasting machine is connected by cabling to the wireless bridge unit and power to a firing circuit of the blasting machine is remotely controlled via the bridge unit. The bridge unit or Ethernet primary controller selectively provides first and second firing messages to the blasting machine contingent upon acknowledgment of safe receipt of the first firing message by the blasting machine, and the blasting machine fires the connected detonators only if the first and second firing messages are correctly received from the bridge unit.

An ignitor for an electronic detonator, the ignitor including a microcontroller and a capacitor mounted on a printed circuit board (PCB) and electrically connected to one another, the microcontroller configured to discharge the capacitor in response to an actuation signal received by the microcontroller, a pair of conductive traces extending from the capacitor, a resistive element extending between the conductive traces and configured to radiate heat in response to current flowing therethrough, and a shroud disposed over the resistive element, the shroud containing a pyrotechnic composition that at least partially covers the resistive element.

Ethernet systems, methods and blasting machines are presented for remote turn on of the blasting machine and reliable fire and arm commands issuance. Systems, methods, blasting machines and wireless bridge units are presented for wireless blasting for safe firing of detonators under control of a remote wireless master controller in which the blasting machine is connected by cabling to the wireless bridge unit and power to a firing circuit of the blasting machine is remotely controlled via the bridge unit. The bridge unit or Ethernet primary controller selectively provides first and second firing messages to the blasting machine contingent upon acknowledgment of safe receipt of the first firing message by the blasting machine, and the blasting machine fires the connected detonators only if the first and second firing messages are correctly received from the bridge unit.

An electronic initiation system for use with a firing panel may include an input connector, a plurality of electronic ignition circuits (EICs) operably coupled together in series, and an indicator operably coupled to an output of each EIC of the plurality of EICs. A first EIC of the plurality of EICs may be operably coupled to the input connector. The indicator is configured to generate an indication in response to an output of an EIC of the plurality of EICs satisfying a predetermined condition.

A system and a method of providing a reliable and consistent time delay in an oil and gas exploration/recovery device inserted in a bore hole is presented. The reliability and consistency of the time delay is a result of the use of electronic circuitry in determining the length of time delay. The system and method presented provide a time delay unit that is modular/commoditized, facilitating quick and easy integration of each component of the time delay unit in the field. Further, assembly and disassembly of the time delay unit is easily accomplished in the field and may be designed to operate with standard percussion and detonation elements.

A system and a method of providing a reliable and consistent time delay in an oil and gas exploration/recovery device inserted in a bore hole is presented. The reliability and consistency of the time delay is a result of the use of electronic circuitry in determining the length of time delay. The system and method presented provide a time delay unit that is modular/commoditized, facilitating quick and easy integration of each component of the time delay unit in the field. Further, assembly and disassembly of the time delay unit is easily accomplished in the field and may be designed to operate with standard percussion and detonation elements.

An electronic ignition circuit for use with a fuse head may include a microcontroller; a firing capacitor operably coupled to the fuse head; a voltage measuring circuit operably coupled to the microcontroller and configured to measure a voltage across the firing capacitor; and a switch operably coupled to the microcontroller, the switch being provided in series with the fuse head and a ground. The microcontroller may be configured control the voltage measuring circuit to measure a first voltage across the firing capacitor; actuate the switch to discharge the firing capacitor across the fuse head in response to a firing signal; control the voltage measuring circuit to measure a second voltage across the firing capacitor; and output a shot detection signal based on the first voltage and the second voltage.

The present disclosure describes an electronic ignition circuit (EIC) for controlling at least one detonator. The EIC may include a protection circuit, an input circuit coupled to the protection circuit, a logic circuit electrically coupled to the input circuit, and an ignition circuit electrically coupled to the logic circuit. The protection circuit may include at least one of a fuse, a circuit breaker and an automatic switch. The logic circuit may include an answer back circuit, and a switching circuit adapted to switch to the next detonator or igniter. The ignition circuit may include a capacitor charging circuit, a capacitor discharge circuit to discharge a firing capacitor through a fuse head, and a shot detection circuit adapted to measure a voltage across the firing capacitor before discharging through the fuse head and to measure a voltage after discharging through the fuse head.