The Water Wonder Discoverer is an optimised development of our 2014 Australian Mining Prospect Award WIN in innovative mining solutions with a 3D down-the-hole high water pressure drilling/cutting technology.

The initial package is an environmentally better alternative to extract shale oil and gas without fracking. The same technology can have input in heat pumps, renewable geothermal energy and chasing narrow gold seams.

In targeting water, the Water Wonder Discoverer can use its onboard assaying capability with the built in pseudolite guidance to focus where to seek out the shallow and/or deep water reservoirs, driving the drilling head, and blending the water with grit assistance to achieve the outcome.

To get the job done, there are 5 major sections of the drilling head.(See attached pic)

The prime drilling function is handled by a smart logic hammer and rotating head with controlled blended extreme high water pressure and appropriate grit. Medium pressure water and the grit are separately fed to the cutting head from the surface. Onboard pumps develop the extreme pressures.

Onboard software monitors the actual drilling performance and compares progress with desired parameters. Autonomously, the software can change the integrated hammering and water cutting setup to increase penetration. Also changeable are the sideways fissures in number, size and depth. This opens up the strata for water reserve capture and/or aquifer recharge injection.

An installed 3D printer can also inject a cotton wool like material to keep the newly cut fissures open. This material can be secured as the drilling head moves on with just-in-time 3D printed micro rockbolts that act like staples.

To drive the Water Wonder Discoverer forward and even turn corners, a twin set of expanding bands wriggle about, move up and down and even rotate to reorientate the cutting system into a prescribed heading under the pseudolite guidance specification. This works well underground, even where normal GPS will not.

The heart of the whole system is the central pump unit and UV LED disinfectant package. Water can be increased in pressure for the cutting and drilling process, diverted to lift waste material to the surface, pump accumulated and cleaned water to the surface or accept waste water like stormwater for cleaning then injection into the aquifer.

The recharging of the aquifer at depth can be a way of surface flood mitigation. When flooding normally occurs, there is water everywhere with a long wait until the unwanted water recedes. With the Water Wonder Discoverer, this stormwater can be proactively cleaned and pumped away or down into the aquifer so recharging or ‘water banking’ the resource, for a time when water is not as plentiful.

In normal operation, the Water Wonder Discovered is connected by a tri-axial cable for the up and down water feeds plus separately fed grits and low voltage power feeds and data exchange systems located at the surface. Depths up to 1000 metres are possible to secure a reliable, clean and sustaining water supply, almost anywhere in the world.