Electric Impulse Technology – Breaking Rock

Hard rock destruction and comminution is directly linked with a high energy demand and high costs. Conventional tools are working against the compression strength of the rock. This results in an intense wear of the used tools due to the high forces needed to destroy hard rock. In times of scarcity of resources and climate change new technologies to destroy hard rock, more efficiently have to be developed. Besides other non-mechanical technologies, like flame jet drills, high pressure fluid jet, hydrothermal spallation and drilling high power laser [1], the Electric Impulse Technology represents an alternative procedure to destroy hard rock and conglomerates with less energy and power than conventional mechanical tools. An impulse voltage generator delivers fast rising high voltage impulses to break and weaken the material structure of the rock. This effect can be used, for example, for hard rock drilling and ore comminution. Advantages are, among others, the low forces, less wear and a reduced energy demand. The paper deals with the physical basics of the Electric Impulse Technology and its fields of application. Furthermore, the behavior of the used impulse voltage generators under changed conditions in comparison with conventional impulse voltage generators will be investigated.