Classifications

• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
  • E21B—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
  • E21B10/00—Drill bits
  • E21B10/46—Drill bits characterised by wear resisting parts, e.g. diamond inserts
  • E21B10/54—Drill bits characterised by wear resisting parts, e.g. diamond inserts the bit being of the rotary drag type, e.g. fork-type bits
• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
  • E21B—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
  • E21B10/00—Drill bits
  • E21B10/46—Drill bits characterised by wear resisting parts, e.g. diamond inserts
  • E21B10/48—Drill bits characterised by wear resisting parts, e.g. diamond inserts the bit being of core type
• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
  • E21B—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
  • E21B10/00—Drill bits
  • E21B10/62—Drill bits characterised by parts, e.g. cutting elements, which are detachable or adjustable

Definitions

• This invention relates to a rotary drill bit. More specifically, this invention relates to a fully infiltrated rotary drill bit.
• Rotary drill bits are commonly used for subterranean drilling of bore holes or wells. Many types of drills and associated methods have been employed for such drilling.
• a common type of drilling employs a rotary drill bit affixed to the end of a drill string.
• Rotary drill bits typically include a plurality of cutting elements secured to a face region of a bit body.
• the drill string includes tubular pipe and equipment segments that couple the drill bit located at the bottom of the borehole to other drilling equipment at the surface.
• a rotary table or top drive may be used for rotating the drill string and the drill bit within the borehole.
• the shank of the drill bit may be coupled directly to the drive shaft of a down-hole motor, which then may be used to rotate the drill bit.
• Rotary drill bits generally have either a disk shape or a substantially cylindrical shape, particularly on the cutting end that houses the cutting elements.
• the cutting elements each have a cutting surface that is generally made from a hard, super-abrasive material, such as polycrystalline diamond, often in the form of a substantially circular end surface of the element, and are often referred to as "polycrystalline diamond compact" (PDC) cutters.
• PDC polycrystalline diamond compact
• Many forms of such bits are possible; however, the cutting elements are often fabricated separately from the bit body and then fixed into pockets formed in its outer surface.
• the cutting elements may be fixed in any suitable manner, such as, for example, by use of a bonding material, including various adhesives or, more typically, various braze alloys.
• the bit body is secured to a hardened steel shank having an American Petroleum Institute (API) thread connection for attaching the drill bit to the drill string.
• API American Petroleum Institute
• the cutting elements and their cutting surfaces are placed in contact with the earth formation to be drilled. As the bit is rotated, the cutting elements
• the bit body of a rotary drill bit may be formed from steel
• bit bodies experience abrasive wear, the rate of which can vary significantly as a function of the drilling environment.
• bit bodies In order to reduce the wear and extend their life, bit bodies have also been made from particle- matrix composite materials.
• Particle-matrix composite bit bodies have been fabricated in graphite molds with machined cavities. Additional fine features may be added to the cavity of the graphite mold by hand-held tools. Inserts or cores made from sand, clay or other materials may also be used to obtain the desired configuration of some features of the bit body. Where necessary, preform elements or displacements (which may be made from any suitable material, including ceramic components, graphite components, or resin-coated sand compact components) may be positioned within the mold and used to define various features, including internal passages, cutting element pockets, junk slots, and other external topographic or internal features of the bit body.
• the cavity of the graphite mold is filled with hard particulate carbide material (such as tungsten carbides, titanium carbides, tantalum carbides, etc.).
• hard particulate carbide material such as tungsten carbides, titanium carbides, tantalum carbides, etc.
• the preformed steel blank is then positioned in the mold at the appropriate location and orientation, which typically is at least partially submerged in the particulate carbide material within the mold.
• the mold then may be vibrated or the particles otherwise packed to increase the packing density of the carbide powder and produce the powder form.
• a matrix material such as a copper-based alloy, is melted and introduced to the carbide powder so as to cause infiltration of the powder form by the molten matrix material.
• the mold and bit body are allowed to cool to solidify the matrix material and bond the steel blank to the particle-matrix composite material forming a crown.
• the mold and any displacements are removed from the bit body. Destruction of the graphite mold typically is required to remove the bit body.
• Thread forms may be machined on an exposed surface of the steel blank to provide a threaded connection between the bit body and the steel shank.
• bit bodies that include particle-matrix composite materials offer significant advantages over all-steel bit bodies in terms of abrasion and erosion-resistance, the lower strength and toughness of such bit bodies limit their use in certain applications. Improvement of the particle-matrix composite to increase the toughness, strength or other properties would increase the applications where such bit bodies may be used.
• the invention relates to a rotary drill bit comprising a bit body that comprises at least one particle-matrix composite material and a binder material.
• each of the at least one particle-matrix composite material has a particle material composition, which also has a particle material melting temperature.
• the binder material has a binder material composition that differs from the particle material composition.
• the binder material composition has a binder material melting temperature that is lower than the particle material melting temperature.
• at least one of the particle-matrix material composition and the binder material composition can be comprised of a matrix material and a plurality of hard particles dispersed throughout the matrix materials.
• the binder material When formed, the binder material is infiltrated within and substantially encapsulates particle-matrix composite material to form a substantially uniform particle grain microstructure.
• the particle-matrix composite material is substantially non- melted in the formation process of the drill bit.
• Figure 1 is a schematic partial cross-sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of a rotary drill bit disclosed herein.
• Figure 2 is a schematic partial cross-sectional view of a second exemplary embodiment of a rotary drill bit disclosed herein.
• Ranges can be expressed herein as from “about” one particular value, and/or to “about” another particular value. When such a range is expressed, another aspect includes from the one particular value and/or to the other particular value. Similarly, when values are expressed as
• the terms “optional” or “optionally” mean that the subsequently described event or circumstance may or may not occur, and that the description includes instances where said event or circumstance occurs and instances where it does not.
• [metal]-based alloy (where [metal] is any metal) means commercially pure [metal] in addition to metal alloys wherein the weight percentage of [metal] in the alloy is greater than the weight percentage of any other component of the alloy. Where two or more metals are listed in this manner, the weight percentage of the listed metals in combination is greater than the weight percentage of any other component of the alloy.
• the term "material composition” means the chemical composition and microstructure of a material. In other words, materials having the same chemical composition but a different microstructure are considered to have different material compositions.
• tungsten carbide means any material composition that contains chemical compounds of tungsten and carbon in any stoichiometric or non-stoichiometric ratio or proportion, such as, for example, WC, W 2 C, and combinations of WC and W 2 C.
• Tungsten carbide includes any morphological form of this material, for example, cast tungsten carbide, sintered tungsten carbide, monocrystalline tungsten carbide, and
• FIG. 1 An exemplary embodiment of an earth-boring rotary drill bit 10 having a bit body 20 is illustrated in Figure 1 .
• the bit body 20 has a distal cutting region 22 configured to engage a subterranean earth formation and a proximal treaded region 24 configured to be selectively coupled to a drill sting.
• the proximal treaded region defines an open internal cavity 26 extending along a longitudinal axis of the bit body.
• a helical thread 28 which is configured to matingly engage and attach to the drill string, can be formed on an interior wall surface of the open internal cavity.
• the bit body is fully infiltrated and, as such, will not be required to be conventionally secured to an underlying support shank.
• the bit body 20 comprises at least one particle-matrix composite material that is infiltrated by a binder material so that the at least one particle-matrix composite material is fully infiltrated by and is substantially encapsulated by the binder material to form a substantially uniform particle grain microstructure.
• each particle-matrix composite material has a particle material composition that has a particle material melting temperature.
• the binder material has a binder material composition that has a binder material melting temperature that is lower than the particle material melting temperature. Further, the particle material composition and the binder material composition are different material compositions.
• At least one of the particle-matrix material composition and the binder material composition is comprised of a matrix material and a plurality of hard particles dispersed throughout the matrix materials.
• the plurality of hard particles can be dispersed substantially randomly throughout the matrix material.
• each particle- matrix composite material is substantially comprised of the matrix material having the plurality of hard particles dispersed throughout.
• the binder material can comprises a second particle-matrix composite material.
• the second particle-matrix composite material is substantially comprised of a matrix material having a plurality of hard particles dispersed throughout.
• the binder material can comprises non-magnetic materials and/or wear resistant materials.
• the matrix material in the particle-matrix composition material can comprise non-magnetic materials and/or wear resistant materials.
• the formed drill bit would be entirely formed from non-magnetic materials and/or wear resistant materials.
• the matrix material of the binder composite material may include, for example, cobalt-based, iron-based, nickel-based, iron and nickel- based, cobalt and nickel-based, iron and cobalt-based, aluminum-based, copper-based, magnesium-based, molybdenum based, and titanium-based alloys.
• the alloying elements can include, but are not limited to, one or more of the following elements-manganese (Mn), nickel (Ni), tin (Sn) zinc (In), silicon (Si), molybdenum (Mo), tungsten (W), boron (B) and phosphorous (P).
• the matrix material of the binder composite material can also be selected from commercially pure elements such as cobalt, aluminum, copper, magnesium, titanium, iron, and nickel.
• the matrix material of the binder composite material may include carbon steel, alloy steel, stainless steel, tool steel, Hadfield manganese steel, nickel or cobalt superalloy material, and low thermal expansion iron or nickel based alloys.
• the hard particles can comprise the hard particles can comprise diamond, or metal or semi-metal carbides, nitrides, oxides, or borides.
• the hard particles can comprise diamond or ceramic materials such as carbides, nitrides, oxides, and borides (including boron carbide (B 4 C)) and combinations of them, such as carbonitrides.
• the hard particles can comprise carbides and borides made from elements such as W, Ti, Mo, Nb, V, Hf, Ta, Cr, Zr, Al, and Si.
• materials that may be used to form hard particles include tungsten carbide (WC, W 2 C), titanium carbide (TiC), tantalum carbide (TaC), titanium diboride (TiB 2 ), chromium carbides, titanium nitride (TiN), vanadium carbide (VC), aluminium oxide (AI 2 O 3 ), aluminium nitride (AIN), boron nitride (BN), and silicon carbide (SiC).
• tungsten carbide WC, W 2 C
• TiC titanium carbide
• TaC tantalum carbide
• TiB 2 titanium diboride
• chromium carbides titanium nitride
• TiN titanium nitride
• VC vanadium carbide
• AI 2 O 3 aluminium oxide
• AIN aluminium nitride
• BN boron nitride
• SiC silicon carbide
• hard particles may be used to tailor the physical properties and characteristics of the particle-matrix composite material.
• the hard particles may be formed using techniques known to those of ordinary skill in the art. Most suitable materials for hard particles are commercially available and the formation of the remainder is within the ability of one of ordinary skill in the art.
• the matrix of the particle-matrix composite composition can comprise a tungsten-based alloy and the matrix of the binder material composition can be selected from a group comprising a copper based alloy, a zinc based alloy, and a nickel based alloy.
• the matrix of the particle-matrix composite composition can comprise a tungsten carbide-based alloy and the matrix of the binder material composition can be selected from a group comprising a copper based alloy, a zinc based alloy, and a nickel based alloy.
• the use of tungsten and or tungsten carbide is desirable for use because of its higher hardness, which allows the use of smaller particles due to its high melting point, and suitability for use in an infiltration process because of the generally shorter times at high temperature prior to
• the binder material has a binder material composition that has a binder material melting temperature that is lower than the particle material melting temperature
• the at least one particle-matrix composite material is in an unmelted state in the formed substantially uniform particle grain microstructure of the drill bit.
• the difference between the binder material melting temperature and the particle material melting temperature is greater than 500° F, preferably greater than 1000° F, and more preferred being greater than 1 ,500° F.
• the at least one particle-matrix composite material can comprise a plurality of particle-matrix composite materials.
• each particle-matrix composite material can be disposed in a layer positioned transverse to a longitudinal axis of the bit body. This layered approach allows for a fully infiltrated bit body using a common binder material that can have separate desired mechanical properties for the respective layers.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Geology (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Mining & Mineral Resources (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Environmental & Geological Engineering (AREA)
• Fluid Mechanics (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• General Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Geochemistry & Mineralogy (AREA)
• Manufacture Of Alloys Or Alloy Compounds (AREA)
• Earth Drilling (AREA)
• Drilling Tools (AREA)
• Processing Of Stones Or Stones Resemblance Materials (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

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Family Applications (1)

Country Status (8)

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• 2015
  • 2015-05-13 PE PE2016002188A patent/PE20170018A1/es not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 2015-05-13 US US14/710,997 patent/US20150330154A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2015-05-13 CA CA2948825A patent/CA2948825A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2015-05-13 CN CN201580024457.9A patent/CN106471207A/zh active Pending
  • 2015-05-13 WO PCT/US2015/030535 patent/WO2015175641A1/en active Application Filing
  • 2015-05-13 AU AU2015259190A patent/AU2015259190A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2015-05-13 EP EP15793275.7A patent/EP3143236A1/de not_active Withdrawn
• 2016
  • 2016-11-14 CL CL2016002889A patent/CL2016002889A1/es unknown

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