Bifurcated Converging-Diverging Nozzle for Drill Bit Erosion Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional nozzles for subterranean earth-boring rotary drill bits lack the ability to effectively control drilling fluid distribution, leading to inefficient cleaning and cooling functions and excessive erosion of the drill bit due to high-velocity fluid impingement.
Innovation Solution
A nozzle design featuring a converging-diverging geometry with a substantially bifurcated fluid passageway that secures within a drill bit, directing drilling fluid through a converging region to a throat and then diverging into two distinct streams, reducing erosion and enhancing fluid distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional nozzles direct drilling fluid in a single direction at high velocity, then cuttings removal impetus is provided, but excessive erosion and wear occur on the drill bit structures
Solution Approach 1:
The nozzle passageway is segmented into multiple flow paths within the diverging region, dividing the single high-velocity stream into multiple lower-velocity streams. This segmentation reduces the erosive impact on any single location while maintaining overall cuttings removal effectiveness through distributed fluid delivery.
2Productivity
If conventional nozzles direct drilling fluid along a single path, then high velocity impetus is achieved, but fluid distribution becomes uneven and inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The diverging region of the nozzle passageway is configured to segment the fluid flow into multiple distinct paths, ensuring more uniform distribution of drilling fluid across the drill bit face. This segmentation allows the fluid to reach multiple areas simultaneously, improving overall cleaning and cooling efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The nozzle design provides different flow characteristics in different regions of the diverging passageway, with each flow path optimized for its specific destination. This local quality variation ensures that each region of the drill bit receives appropriate fluid flow for effective cuttings removal and cooling.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The nozzle design improves drilling fluid distribution, reducing erosion and enhancing the efficiency of cuttings removal while maintaining the drill bit's integrity by evenly distributing the fluid and reducing high-velocity impingement.
Implementation Method 1
The fluid passageway has a converging region that extends from a converging region entrance to a throat... The cross-sectional area of the fluid passageway is a minimum at the throat
Implementation Method 2
a diverging region that extends from the throat to the exit aperture. The cross-sectional area of the fluid passageway is a minimum at the throat
Data Source
AI summary
A nozzle for use on a rotary drill bit for forming a subterranean borehole includes a body and at least one passageway extending through the body from an inlet to an exit aperture. The passageway has a converging region and a diverging region. At least a portion of the diverging region of the fluid passageway is substantially bifurcated. A rotary drill bit for forming a borehole in a subterranean formation includes at least one such nozzle installed within a body of the bit and configured for communicating drilling fluid to a face of the body. A method of communicating fluid to a face of a drill bit includes introducing fluid into a passageway, causing the fluid to flow through a converging region, causing the drilling fluid to flow through a diverging region, and substantially bifurcating the drilling fluid at least within a portion of the diverging region.