Recessed Superabrasive Cutting Elements for Earth-Boring Tools

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional earth-boring tools face challenges in efficiently cutting and removing formation material, particularly in managing stress concentrations and chip formation, which affects drilling efficiency and durability.

Innovation Solution

The use of cutting elements with superabrasive tables featuring recessed surfaces on a substrate, strategically designed to distribute stress and prevent chip formation, enhances cutting efficiency and durability by reducing stress concentrations and facilitating granular removal of formation material.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If conventional cutting elements with flat surfaces are used, then chip formation occurs which reduces drilling efficiency, but modifying the surface geometry adds complexity to the cutting element design

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedrilling efficiencyVSAvoidcutting element geometry

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The cutting element incorporates a concave recessed surface instead of a flat surface. This curved geometry causes formation material to fracture and fall away as granular material rather than forming chips, thereby improving drilling efficiency without requiring complex additional components

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

2Productivity

If aggressive cutting is employed to increase drilling speed, then stress concentrations increase which reduces tool durability, but reducing cutting aggressiveness lowers productivity

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedrilling speedVSAvoidtool durability

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The cutting element features a localized concave recessed surface geometry that specifically addresses stress concentration at the cutting interface. This local geometric modification allows aggressive cutting to proceed while the recessed area distributes stresses, preventing catastrophic failure and extending tool life despite high-speed operation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

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 cutting elements with recessed surfaces improve drilling efficiency by reducing work required to penetrate formations and preventing chip formation, allowing for more aggressive and efficient cutting while maintaining tool durability.

Implementation Method 1

strategically designed to distribute stress and prevent chip formation

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectStress distribution:

Implementation Method 2

superabrasive table positioned on a substrate

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAbrasion: Abrasion

Data Source

PatentUS10428590B2Cutting elements for earth-boring tools and earth-boring tools including such cutting elements

Publication Date: 2019.10.01 BAKER HUGHES CO

AI summary

Cutting elements, earth-boring drill bits having such cutting elements and related methods include a cutting element having a superabrasive table positioned on a substrate, and at least one recessed surface in a cutting face of the superabrasive table.