Mold assemblies that actively heat infiltrated downhole tools

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10807152-B2
Application number	US-201916425493-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 29, 2019
Priority date	Dec 2, 2014
Publication date	Oct 20, 2020
Grant date	Oct 20, 2020

Abstract

A mold assembly and method for fabricating an infiltrated drill bit may comprise a mold forming a bottom of the mold assembly, a funnel operatively coupled to the mold, an infiltration chamber defined at least partially by the mold and the funnel to receive and contain matrix reinforcement materials and a binder material used to form the infiltrated drill bit, a displacement core arranged within the infiltration chamber and having one or more legs that extend therefrom, a metal blank arranged about the displacement core within the infiltration chamber, and one or more thermal elements. A method may comprise providing a mold assembly having component parts that include a mold that forms a bottom of the mold assembly and a funnel operatively coupled to the mold, imparting thermal energy to the infiltration chamber with one or more thermal element, and heating contents contained within the infiltration chamber.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for fabricating an infiltrated downhole tool, comprising:
providing a mold assembly having component parts comprising a mold that forms a bottom of the mold assembly and a funnel operatively coupled to the mold, wherein the mold and the funnel at least partially define an infiltration chamber in the mold assembly;
imparting thermal energy to the infiltration chamber with one or more thermal element;
heating contents contained within the infiltration chamber with the one or more thermal elements;
monitoring a real-time temperature of the contents contained within the infiltration chamber with one or more thermocouples positioned within the infiltration chamber; and
selectively controlling the output of thermal energy from the one or more thermal elements based on the real-time temperature of the contents.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the contents comprise matrix reinforcement materials and a binder material, and wherein heating the contents contained within the infiltration chamber comprises heating the matrix reinforcement materials and the binder material and thereby infiltrating the binder material into the matrix reinforcement materials.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the component parts further comprise one or more of a gauge ring interposing the mold and the funnel, a binder bowl positioned above the funnel, a cap positionable on the binder bowl or funnel, a displacement core arranged within the infiltration chamber and having one or more legs that extend therefrom, and a metal blank arranged about the displacement core within the infiltration chamber, and wherein imparting thermal energy to the infiltration chamber.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:
placing the mold assembly within a furnace;
removing the mold assembly from the furnace;
varying a thermal profile of the contents contained within the infiltration chamber and thereby facilitating directional solidification of the contents.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
varying a thermal profile of the contents contained within the infiltration chamber and thereby facilitating directional solidification of the contents.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein selectively controlling the output of the thermal energy from the one or more thermal elements comprises generating a thermal gradient along an axial height of the mold assembly with the one or more thermal elements.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the one or more thermal elements include at least a first array of thermal elements and a second array of thermal elements, the method further comprising controlling the first and second arrays of thermal elements independently.

8. The method of claim 5 , wherein the one or more thermal elements include a collection of thermal elements that are controlled together.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more thermal elements are looped and arranged in a double array within a cavity formed within the funnel, wherein a first portion of the one or more thermal elements are radially offset from a second portion of the one or more thermal elements with respect to a central axis within the cavity.

10. A method for fabricating an infiltrated downhole tool, comprising:
providing a mold assembly having component parts comprising a mold that forms a bottom of the mold assembly and a funnel operatively coupled to the mold, wherein the mold and the funnel at least partially define an infiltration chamber in the mold assembly;
positioning one or more thermal elements within at least one of the mold, the funnel, or a metal blank;
selectively controlling an output of thermal energy from the one or more thermal elements;
imparting the thermal energy to the infiltration chamber;
heating contents contained within the infiltration chamber with the one or more thermal elements; and
monitoring a real-time temperature of the contents contained within the infiltration chamber with one or more thermocouples positioned within the infiltration chamber.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the component parts further comprise one or more of a gauge ring interposing the mold and the funnel, one or more blanks at least partially connected to the infiltration chamber, a binder bowl positioned above the funnel, and a cap positionable on the binder bowl or funnel, and a displacement core arranged within the infiltration chamber and having one or more legs that extend therefrom.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the contents contained within the infiltration chamber comprise matrix reinforcement materials and binder material, and wherein heating the contents contained within the infiltration chamber comprises heating matrix reinforcement materials and the binder material and thereby infiltrating the binder material into the matrix reinforcement materials.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the one or more thermal elements are looped and arranged in a double array within a cavity formed within the funnel, the one or more blanks, the binder bowl, and the cap.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein a first portion of the one or more thermal elements are radially offset from a second portion of the one or more thermal elements with respect to a central axis within the cavity.

15. The method of claim 10 , wherein selectively controlling the output of the thermal energy from the one or more thermal elements comprises generating a thermal gradient along an axial height of the mold assembly with the one or more thermal elements.

16. The method of claim 10 , wherein the one or more thermal elements include at least a first array of thermal elements and a second array of thermal elements, the method further comprising operating the first and second arrays of thermal elements independently.

17. The method of claim 10 further comprising varying a thermal profile of the contents contained within the infiltration chamber and thereby facilitating directional solidification of the contents.

18. The method of claim 10 , further comprising selectively controlling the output of thermal energy from the one or more thermal elements based on the real-time temperature of the contents.

19. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
placing the mold assembly within a furnace; and
removing the mold assembly from the furnace.

20. The method of claim 10 , wherein selectively controlling an output of thermal energy from the one or more thermal elements comprises controlling a collection of the thermal elements together.

Assignees

• Halliburton Energy Services Inc

Inventors

• Ownby Clayton A
• Cook Iii Grant O
• Thomas Jeffrey G
• Joy Ronald Eugene
• Olsen Garrett T
• Voglewede Daniel Brendan

Classifications

• E21B10/42

  Rotary drag type drill bits with teeth, blades or like cutting elements, e.g. fork-type bits, fish tail bits (characterised by wear resisting parts E21B10/46; by conduits or nozzles for drilling fluid E21B10/60; by detachable or adjustable parts E21B10/62) · CPC title

• B22F2999/00

  Aspects linked to processes or compositions used in powder metallurgy · CPC title

• B22F2005/001

  Cutting tools, earth boring or grinding tool other than table ware · CPC title

• C22C29/06

  based on carbides, but not containing other metal compounds · CPC title

• B22D27/045

  Directionally solidified castings · CPC title