Jarrid in a small team of engineers and scientists assemble an unassuming piece
scientists assemble an unassuming piece
scientists assemble an unassuming piece of equipment all right there we go again
they claim that this metal comb will
they claim that this metal comb will somehow bore a hole without any digging
somehow bore a hole without any digging
somehow bore a hole without any digging or grinding they call it the flame jet
or grinding they call it the flame jet
or grinding they call it the flame jet drill
the drill was first conceived over 30
the drill was first conceived over 30 years ago by Jarrod’s father Robert
years ago by Jarrod’s father Robert
years ago by Jarrod’s father Robert Potter a pioneer in geothermal science
Potter a pioneer in geothermal science
Potter a pioneer in geothermal science at the Los Alamos National Laboratory in
at the Los Alamos National Laboratory in
at the Los Alamos National Laboratory in the 1970s now Jarrod has completed
the 1970s now Jarrod has completed
the 1970s now Jarrod has completed several prototypes designed to put the
several prototypes designed to put the
several prototypes designed to put the technology to its ultimate test
technology to its ultimate test
technology to its ultimate test if the flame jet drill succeeds it could
if the flame jet drill succeeds it could
if the flame jet drill succeeds it could be the holy grail for geothermal
be the holy grail for geothermal
be the holy grail for geothermal technology and one of the keys to
technology and one of the keys to
technology and one of the keys to lessening our dependence on fossil fuels
lessening our dependence on fossil fuels
lessening our dependence on fossil fuels this technology could drill as fast as
and since you’re not contacting the rock
and since you’re not contacting the rock you’re not wearing out the bit
you’re not wearing out the bit
you’re not wearing out the bit however powder must first prove his
however powder must first prove his
however powder must first prove his prototype works everything is in place
prototype works everything is in place
prototype works everything is in place for the test
hydrogen gas feeds into the drill head
hydrogen gas feeds into the drill head once lit it must reach 1800 degrees
once lit it must reach 1800 degrees
once lit it must reach 1800 degrees Celsius hotter than lava a barely
Celsius hotter than lava a barely
Celsius hotter than lava a barely visible high-velocity flame shoots out
visible high-velocity flame shoots out
visible high-velocity flame shoots out of the drill tip super heating the block
of the drill tip super heating the block
of the drill tip super heating the block of granite soon tiny rock fragments
of granite soon tiny rock fragments
of granite soon tiny rock fragments begin flying off into the air
begin flying off into the air
begin flying off into the air the intense flame causes flaws in the
the intense flame causes flaws in the
the intense flame causes flaws in the mineral structure to breakdown
the test is complete the interest of the
the test is complete the interest of the whole is about four inches a little
whole is about four inches a little
whole is about four inches a little under four inches and the hole itself
under four inches and the hole itself
under four inches and the hole itself now is about nearly 10 inches deep and
now is about nearly 10 inches deep and
now is about nearly 10 inches deep and we drilled that in about three minutes
we drilled that in about three minutes
we drilled that in about three minutes the prototype achieved its primary goal
the prototype achieved its primary goal
the prototype achieved its primary goal to pass quickly through Rock however
to pass quickly through Rock however
to pass quickly through Rock however Potter must also prove that the fling
Potter must also prove that the fling
Potter must also prove that the fling jet technology works in the wet
jet technology works in the wet
jet technology works in the wet high-pressure environment inside a deep
high-pressure environment inside a deep
high-pressure environment inside a deep well that’s where this machine comes in
well that’s where this machine comes in
well that’s where this machine comes in it’s another prototype called a
it’s another prototype called a
it’s another prototype called a hydrothermal drill that simulates the
hydrothermal drill that simulates the
hydrothermal drill that simulates the wet pipe pressurized conditions at the
wet pipe pressurized conditions at the
wet pipe pressurized conditions at the most hostile subterranean environment
most hostile subterranean environment
most hostile subterranean environment the hydrothermal drill should allow us
the hydrothermal drill should allow us
the hydrothermal drill should allow us to drill the depths of 30 to 40 50 even
to drill the depths of 30 to 40 50 even
to drill the depths of 30 to 40 50 even 50,000 feet by 12 inches in diameter
50,000 feet by 12 inches in diameter
50,000 feet by 12 inches in diameter sounds kind of crazy
sounds kind of crazy
sounds kind of crazy okay Jim go ahead and give us some juice
okay Jim go ahead and give us some juice
okay Jim go ahead and give us some juice there igniting the bit on the
there igniting the bit on the
there igniting the bit on the hydrothermal drill is a 4000 degrees
hydrothermal drill is a 4000 degrees
hydrothermal drill is a 4000 degrees Celsius flame but unlike a conventional
Celsius flame but unlike a conventional
Celsius flame but unlike a conventional drill it never touches rock instead the
drill it never touches rock instead the
drill it never touches rock instead the flames super heats a jet of water and it
flames super heats a jet of water and it
flames super heats a jet of water and it fragments the rock it also flushes the
fragments the rock it also flushes the
fragments the rock it also flushes the fragments out of the area
Potter pulls out the small granite
Potter pulls out the small granite sample to check the results the drill
sample to check the results the drill
sample to check the results the drill succeeded in making a perfect borehole
succeeded in making a perfect borehole
succeeded in making a perfect borehole once Potter tests the drill on a rig
once Potter tests the drill on a rig
once Potter tests the drill on a rig design for his invention could go to
design for his invention could go to
design for his invention could go to market it’s still got quite a ways if
market it’s still got quite a ways if
market it’s still got quite a ways if they succeed Wells could be drilled
they succeed Wells could be drilled
they succeed Wells could be drilled faster cheaper and deeper and geothermal
faster cheaper and deeper and geothermal
faster cheaper and deeper and geothermal plants could be built almost anywhere on
plants could be built almost anywhere on
plants could be built almost anywhere on the planet however until a working flame
the planet however until a working flame
the planet however until a working flame drill appears the drilling industry will
drill appears the drilling industry will
drill appears the drilling industry will continue to slowly grind away
continue to slowly grind away
continue to slowly grind away I don’t think drilling deep holes is a
I don’t think drilling deep holes is a
I don’t think drilling deep holes is a pipe dream but more importantly it’s
pipe dream but more importantly it’s
pipe dream but more importantly it’s still in the research phase and yet to
still in the research phase and yet to
still in the research phase and yet to be proven commercial
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