Removal of cuttings in deep ice electromechanical drills

The thorough removal of cuttings is one of the key requirements for successful drilling in ice. Otherwise cuttings can form packed ice rings above and near the drill head and can eventually result in a stuck drill. In deep ice electromechanical drilling, the cuttings are removed from the bottom of the hole by the fluid flow from a down-hole pump and collected in a chip chamber. If the cuttings are produced in excess of the capacity of the chip chamber, they will accumulate in the circulation system clearances. This can lead to the incomplete cleaning of the hole bottom resulting in some of the cuttings remaining in the hole. The pump utilized should be chosen according to two main parameters: flow rate and outlet pressure. This paper contains specific recommendations for estimating the required flow rate of the drilling fluid and the hydraulic resistances in the circulation system of electromechanical ice drills.