Modeling and computer simulation of ultrasonic/sonic driller/corer (USDC).
Simulation and analytical models for the ultrasonic/sonic drill/corer (USDC) are described in this paper. The USDC was developed as a tool for in-situ rock sampling and analysis in support of the NASA planetary exploration program. The USDC uses a novel drive mechanism, which transfers ultrasonic vibrations of a piezoelectric actuator into larger oscillations of a free-flying mass (free-mass). The free-mass impact on the drill bit creates a stress pulse at the drill tip/rock interface causing fracture in the rock. The main parts of the device (transducer, free-mass, bit, and rock) and the interactions between them were analyzed and numerically modeled to explore the drive mechanism. Each of these interactions is normally described by a time-dependent 2- or 3-D model involving slowly converging solutions, which makes the conventional approach unsuitable for USDC optimization studies. A simplified integrated model using tabulated data was developed to simulate the operation of the USDC on desktop PC and successfully predicted the characteristics of the device under a variety of conditions. The simulated results of the model and the experimental data used to verify the model are presented.
Bao
Xiaoqi
X
Jet Propulsion Lab, Pasadena, CA 91109, USA. xbao@jpl.nasa.gov
Bar-Cohen
Yoseph
Y
Chang
Zensheu
Z
Dolgin
Benjamin P
BP
Sherrit
Stewart
S
Pal
Dharmendra S
DS
Du
Shu
S
Peterson
Thomas
T