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Tag Archives: geothermal

Exploring explosives for expanding geothermal energy

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Why are scientists setting off small-scale explosions inside 1-foot cubes of plexiglass? They’re watching how fractures form and grow in a rock-like substance to see if explosives or propellants, similar to jet fuel, can connect geothermal wells in a predictable manner. Geothermal energy has a lot of promise as a renewable energy […]

Designing a geothermal drilling tool that can take the heat

Sandia Labs worked on new type of downhole hammer ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Sandia National Laboratories and a commercial firm have designed a drilling tool that will withstand the heat of geothermal drilling. The downhole hammer attaches to the end of a column of drill pipe and cuts through rock with a rapid hammering action similar […]