Nuclear Fusion tunneling

[Sniperexpert]

Hi all,
I was reading some articles on tunnel construction on the Internet and had this brilliant idea instead of a Tunnel Boring Machine with the usual rotating shield with grinders that slowly chew the rock and dirt up.Nuclear Fusion,specifically Helium-3 fusion could be used in a circular formation of 4-8 small fusion rockets to melt and vaporize the rock sealing the tunnel walls at the same time much faster than currently possible.

 

[Thaluikhain]

We should probably get controlled nuclear fusion to work first before worrying about this sort of thing.

 

[DefunctTheory]

Fusion drills are a staple of science fiction, and when we do master fusion, the US government will, without hesitation, look into using it for stuff like this (Just like they explored Fission to its full, absolutely mad extent).

Honestly though, I question how useful this would be. Would it be energy efficient? Wouldn't the heat back wash kill any person manipulating the machine, or, if drone operated, render the machine extremely prone to fault? Besides speed, what advantages would this drill have over an electrically power drill, hooked into a power grid that runs off of fusion? Would the extreme temperature shifts destabilize the tunnel?

 

[KyuubiNoKitsune-Hime]

Fusion drills are a staple of science fiction, and when we do master fusion, the US government will, without hesitation, look into using it for stuff like this (Just like they explored Fission to its full, absolutely mad extent).

Honestly though, I question how useful this would be. Would it be energy efficient? Wouldn't the heat back wash kill any person manipulating the machine, or, if drone operated, render the machine extremely prone to fault? Besides speed, what advantages would this drill have over an electrically power drill, hooked into a power grid that runs off of fusion?

I'd say that because you're vaporizing material it makes it far easier to clear the tunnel of debris, also it would glass the inside of the tunnel into a rigid, but brittle material.

 

[DefunctTheory]

Fusion drills are a staple of science fiction, and when we do master fusion, the US government will, without hesitation, look into using it for stuff like this (Just like they explored Fission to its full, absolutely mad extent).

Honestly though, I question how useful this would be. Would it be energy efficient? Wouldn't the heat back wash kill any person manipulating the machine, or, if drone operated, render the machine extremely prone to fault? Besides speed, what advantages would this drill have over an electrically power drill, hooked into a power grid that runs off of fusion?

I'd say that because you're vaporizing material it makes it far easier to clear the tunnel of debris, also it would glass the inside of the tunnel into a rigid, but brittle material.

But would it be easier? Vaporizing rock would result in a vapor of rock, that would rapidly expand and become a hazard to workers and the drill itself. Once it begins to cool, it re-solidifies, probably as either a solid or some sort of molten rock, and likely all over the place.

Seems like solid rock is easier to manage.

 

[KyuubiNoKitsune-Hime]

Fusion drills are a staple of science fiction, and when we do master fusion, the US government will, without hesitation, look into using it for stuff like this (Just like they explored Fission to its full, absolutely mad extent).

Honestly though, I question how useful this would be. Would it be energy efficient? Wouldn't the heat back wash kill any person manipulating the machine, or, if drone operated, render the machine extremely prone to fault? Besides speed, what advantages would this drill have over an electrically power drill, hooked into a power grid that runs off of fusion?

I'd say that because you're vaporizing material it makes it far easier to clear the tunnel of debris, also it would glass the inside of the tunnel into a rigid, but brittle material.

But would it be easier? Vaporizing rock would result in a vapor of rock, that would rapidly expand and become a hazard to workers and the drill itself. Once it begins to cool, it re-solidifies, probably as either a solid or some sort of molten rock, and likely all over the place.

Seems like solid rock is easier to manage.

Rock in heated gas form might be hard to deal with if the tunnel saturates with it, but if the drill has a good shield on it then there options. Like taking the material out via heat resistant ducts and dumping it into cooling tanks. There it could be used later for other things.

 

[Addendum_Forthcoming]

I know they experimented with ideas of deep ground nulear blasting to examine the effects of ground level resonance destruction. Trying to go for a means that would pulverize people and building foundations, but reduce incidents of fire damage, irradiation, etc?

Basically a megabunker buster. The cavern remaining would form this super crystalline surface due to the immense heatand pressure, and super heated rock remaining would actually be pushed out in these magnificant spurts of plasma-like substances.

I'm not super science-y, but if you wanted presealed caverns, nuclear blasting sounds kuind of cool.