Method of removing materials by their disintegration by action of electric plasma

Abstract

A method of removing materials by their disintegration, especially metal tubes and non-metal materials, particularly in an area of a borehole, by thermal disintegration of materials by action of plasma created in a plasma generator, by hydrodynamic and/or gravitational removing of disintegrated materials from the area of the borehole, characterized in that a directed flow of water vapour-based plasma acts on material being disintegrated and disintegrates it by synergetic simultaneous effect of thermal action and exothermic chemical reactions.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of removing materials in an area of a borehole by disintegration of the materials by action of plasma created in a plasma generator, by hydrodynamic action and/or gravitational removing of disintegrated materials from the area of the borehole,
 wherein an electric arc generated between a first electrode and a second electrode is rotationally distributed along the perimeter of the first electrode, 
 wherein a plasma-forming medium bypasses the electric arc and the electric arc generates a planary shaped and spatially directed flow of generated water vapour based plasma, whereby a hydrodynamic stream of the plasma-forming medium pushes the generated water vapour based plasma to materials being removed and the generated water vapour based plasma by its movement in an annular sheet acts on the materials being disintegrated and disintegrates the materials by synergetic simultaneous effect of thermal action and exothermic chemical reactions, 
 wherein the flow of the generated water vapour based plasma and the movement of a root of the electric arc over the surface of the material being disintegrated are also directed by a directing magnetic field. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of removing materials according to  claim 1 , wherein assisting additives are admixed into the plasma-forming medium. 
     
     
       3. The method of removing materials according to  claim 2 , wherein the assisting additives are fed together with the plasma-forming medium directly into the plasma generator, are fed into the flow of the generated water vapour based plasma, and/or are fed into an outflow channel. 
     
     
       4. The method of removing materials according to  claim 3 , wherein the assisting additives contain an electrically conductive material comprising Fe, Al, and/or Cu, and wherein the assisting additives continually create an electric conductive layer at an exposed surface of the material being removed. 
     
     
       5. The method of removing materials according to  claim 1 , wherein the hydrodynamic stream of the plasma-forming medium, generated water vapour based plasma, and water vapour generated in the plasma generator, removes by dynamical effect the attenuated and degraded material in a casing of the borehole. 
     
     
       6. The method of removing materials according to  claim 1 , wherein the resulting disintegrated and degraded material is removed gravitationally. 
     
     
       7. The method of removing materials according to  claim 1 , wherein the materials comprise metal tubes and the metal tubes comprise a coaxial system of tubes, wherein the coaxial system of tubes is removed in such manner that the root of the electric arc is moved continuously from one tube of the coaxial system towards another tube of the coaxial system with a larger diameter. 
     
     
       8. The method of removing materials according to  claim 1 , wherein a pulsating voltage is conveyed into the electric arc by the plasma generator. 
     
     
       9. The method of removing materials according to  claim 1 , wherein the method is performed in water and/or a vapour-based environment. 
     
     
       10. A method of removing materials in an area of a borehole by disintegration of the materials by action of plasma created in a plasma generator, by hydrodynamic action and/or gravitational removing of disintegrated materials from the area of the borehole,
 wherein an electric arc generated between a first electrode and a second electrode is rotationally distributed along the perimeter of the first electrode, 
 wherein a plasma-forming medium bypasses the electric arc and the electric arc generates a planary shaped and spatially directed flow of generated water vapour based plasma, whereby a hydrodynamic stream of the plasma-forming medium pushes the generated water vapour based plasma to materials being removed and the generated water vapour based plasma by its movement in an annular sheet acts on the materials being disintegrated and disintegrates the materials by synergetic simultaneous effect of thermal action and exothermic chemical reactions, 
 wherein the hydrodynamic stream of the plasma-forming medium, generated water vapour based plasma, and water vapour generated in the plasma generator, removes by dynamical effect the attenuated and degraded material in a casing of the borehole. 
 
     
     
       11. The method of removing materials according to  claim 10 , wherein assisting additives are admixed into the plasma-forming medium. 
     
     
       12. The method of removing materials according to  claim 11 , wherein the assisting additives are fed together with the plasma-forming medium directly into the plasma generator, are fed into the flow of the generated water vapour based plasma, and/or are fed into an outflow channel. 
     
     
       13. A method of removing materials in an area of a borehole by disintegration of the materials by action of plasma created in a plasma generator, by hydrodynamic action and/or gravitational removing of disintegrated materials from the area of the borehole,
 wherein an electric arc generated between a first electrode and a second electrode is rotationally distributed along the perimeter of the first electrode, 
 wherein a plasma-forming medium bypasses the electric arc and the electric arc generates a planary shaped and spatially directed flow of generated water vapour based plasma, whereby a hydrodynamic stream of the plasma-forming medium pushes the generated water vapour based plasma to materials being removed and the generated water vapour based plasma by its movement in an annular sheet acts on the materials being disintegrated and disintegrates the materials by synergetic simultaneous effect of thermal action and exothermic chemical reactions, 
 wherein the resulting disintegrated and degraded material is removed gravitationally. 
 
     
     
       14. The method of removing materials according to  claim 13 , wherein assisting additives are admixed into the plasma-forming medium. 
     
     
       15. The method of removing materials according to  claim 14 , wherein the assisting additives are fed together with the plasma-forming medium directly into the plasma generator, are fed into the flow of the generated water vapour based plasma, and/or are fed into an outflow channel. 
     
     
       16. A method of removing materials in an area of a borehole by disintegration of the materials by action of plasma created in a plasma generator, by hydrodynamic action and/or gravitational removing of disintegrated materials from the area of the borehole,
 wherein an electric arc generated between a first electrode and a second electrode is rotationally distributed along the perimeter of the first electrode, 
 wherein a plasma-forming medium bypasses the electric arc and the electric arc generates a planary shaped and spatially directed flow of generated water vapour based plasma, whereby a hydrodynamic stream of the plasma-forming medium pushes the generated water vapour based plasma to materials being removed and the generated water vapour based plasma by its movement in an annular sheet acts on the materials being disintegrated and disintegrates the materials by synergetic simultaneous effect of thermal action and exothermic chemical reactions, 
 wherein the materials comprise metal tubes and the metal tubes comprise a coaxial system of tubes, wherein the coaxial system of tubes is removed in such manner that the root of the electric arc is moved continuously from one tube of the coaxial system towards another tube of the coaxial system with a larger diameter. 
 
     
     
       17. The method of removing materials according to  claim 16 , wherein assisting additives are admixed into the plasma-forming medium. 
     
     
       18. The method of removing materials according to  claim 17 , wherein the assisting additives are fed together with the plasma-forming medium directly into the plasma generator, are fed into the flow of the generated water vapour based plasma, and/or are fed into an outflow channel.