Multi-stage diffuser nozzle

A drill bit, comprising:

• a drill bit body forming an interior plenum;
• a multi-stage diffuser nozzle in fluid communication with said interior plenum, said multi-stage diffuser comprising,
• a flow restrictor component having at least one internal passage to carry fluid, said interior passage having a throat with an effective cross-sectional area A0E;
• and
• a fluidic distributor component distinct from said flow restrictor component, said fluidic distributor having a fluid entrance side connected to a fluid exit side, said fluid entrance side being in fluid communication with said interior passage of said flow restrictor, wherein said fluid exit side has an effective cross-sectional area A1E and wherein A1E is greater than A0E and
• a fluid transition region between said flow restrictor and said fluidic distributor, said fluid transition region having an effective cross-sectional area A2E, wherein A2E is greater than either A1E or A0E.

A drill bit, comprising:

• a drill bit body forming an interior plenum;
• a multi-stage diffuser nozzle in fluid communication with said interior plenum, said multi-stage diffuser comprising,
• a flow restrictor component having at least one internal passage to carry fluid, said interior passage having a throat with an effective cross-sectional area A0E;
• and
• a fluidic distributor component distinct from said flow restrictor component, said fluidic distributor having a fluid entrance side connected to a fluid exit side, said fluid entrance side being in fluid communication with said interior passage of said flow restrictor, wherein said fluid exit side has an effective cross-sectional area A1E and wherein A1E is greater than A0E and
• wherein said fluidic distributor includes at least a first exit port connected to a first fluid channel and a second exit port connected to a second fluid channel, said first fluid channel having a maximum cross-sectional area greater than said second fluid channel.

A drill bit, comprising:

• a drill bit body forming an interior plenum;
• a plurality of multi-stage diffuser nozzles in fluid communication with said interior plenum, each of said multi-stage diffuser comprising,
• a flow restrictor component having at least one internal passage to carry fluid, said interior passage having a throat with an effective cross-sectional area A0E;
• and
• a fluidic distributor component distinct from said flow restrictor component, said fluidic distributor having a fluid entrance side connected to a fluid exit side, said fluid entrance side being in fluid communication with said interior passage of said flow restrictor, wherein said fluid exit side has an effective cross-sectional area A1E and wherein A1E is greater than A0E.

A method of controlling fluid flow through a drill bit, comprising:

• a) lowering the fluid pressure of drilling fluid flowing through said drill bit from an initial pressure to a choke pressure wherein said drilling fluid is of said initial pressure while occupying a fluid plenum formed in the interior of said drill bit;
• b) raising said fluid pressure from said choke pressure to a transition pressure, said transition pressure being less than said initial pressure;
• c) dampening fluid pressure oscillations in said drilling fluid, wherein said dampening step stabilizes said fluid pressure at said transition pressure;
• and
• d) altering said fluid pressure to an exit pressure, said exit pressure being higher than said choke pressure.

A method of controlling fluid flow through a drill bit, comprising:

• a) lowering the fluid pressure of drilling fluid flowing through said drill bit from an initial pressure to a choke pressure;
• b) raising said fluid pressure from said choke pressure to a transition pressure, said transition pressure being less than said initial pressure;
• and
• c) dampening fluid pressure oscillations in said drilling fluid, wherein said dampening step stabilizes said fluid pressure at said transition pressure;
• and
• d) altering said fluid pressure to an exit pressure, said exit pressure being higher than said choke pressure and wherein the difference between said initial pressure and said transition pressure is greater than the difference of said transition pressure and said exit pressure.

A drill bit, comprising:

• a drill bit body forming an interior plenum and defining a longitudinal axis;
• a multi-stage diffuser nozzle in fluid communication with said interior plenum, said multi-stage diffuser comprising,
• a flow restrictor component having at least one internal passage to carry fluid, said at least one internal passage having a throat with an physical cross-sectional area A0P;
• and
• a fluidic distributor component distinct from said flow restrictor component, said fluidic distributor having a fluid entrance side connected to a fluid exit side, said fluid entrance side being in fluid communication with said interior passage of said flow restrictor, wherein said fluid exit side has a physical cross-sectional area A1P and wherein A1P is greater than A0P, there being a nozzle axis through said multi-stage diffuser nozzle that is parallel to said longitudinal axis, wherein said fluid exit side of said fluidic distributor at a first exit port is disposed to direct at least a portion of said fluid along a path that is non-collinear with said nozzle axis.

A multi-stage diffuser nozzle, comprising:

• means for lowering fluid pressure from an initial pressure to a choke pressure;
• means for raising said choke pressure to a transition pressure;
• means for lowing the transition pressure to a diffuser channel pressure;
• means for altering said diffuser channel pressure to an exit pressure higher than said choke pressure and lower than said initial pressure, wherein the difference between said initial pressure to said transition pressure is greater than the difference between said transition pressure and said exit pressure, said means for altering said fluid pressure directing fluid at a non-zero angle to a longitudinal axis running through said multi-stage diffuser nozzle.

A multi-stage nozzle for use with a drill bit, compromising:

• a flow restrictor having an internal passage to carry fluid, said interior passage having a throat with an effective cross-sectional area A0E;
• and
• a fluidic distributor, said fluidic distributor having at least one fluid entrance port connected to at least one fluid exit port, said at least on fluid entrance port being in fluid communication with said interior passage of said flow restrictor, wherein said fluidic distributor presents an effective cross-sectional area A1E to said fluid, said effective cross-sectional area A1E being greater than said effective cross-sectional area A0E;
• a fluid transition region between said flow restrictor and said fluidic distributor, said fluid transition region having an effective cross-sectional area A2E greater than either A1E or A0E
• wherein said at least one fluid exit port ejects at least a portion of said fluid at a non-parallel angle to a longitudinal axis defined by said drill bit.

A drill bit, comprising:

• a drill bit body forming an interior plenum;
• a multi-stage diffuser nozzle in fluid communication with said interior plenum, said multi-stage diffuser comprising,
• a flow restrictor component having at least one internal passage to carry fluid, said interior passage having a throat with an effective cross-sectional area A0E;
• and p2 a fluidic distributor component distinct from said flow restrictor component, said fluidic distributor having a fluid entrance side connected to a fluid exit side, said fluid entrance side being in fluid communication with said interior passage of said flow restrictor, wherein said fluid exit side has an effective cross-sectional area A1E and wherein A1E is greater than A0E;
• a second multi-stage diffuser nozzle in fluid communication with said interior plenum, said second multi-stage diffuser nozzle being completely distinct from said first multi-stage diffuser nozzle, said second said multi-stage diffuser comprising,
• a second flow restrictor component having at least one internal passage to carry fluid, said interior passage of said second flow restrictor having a throat with an effective cross-sectional area A2E;
• and
• a second fluidic distributor component distinct from said second flow restrictor component, said second fluidic distributor having a fluid entrance side connected to a fluid exit side, said fluid entrance side of said second fluidic distributor component being in fluid communication with said interior passage of said second flow restrictor, wherein said fluid exit side of said second fluidic distributor component having an effective cross-sectional area A3E and wherein A3E is greater than A2E.

A drill bit, comprising:

• a drill bit body;
• a nozzle body attached to said drill bit body, said nozzle body including a first set of one or more passages of a first total physical cross-sectional area at an upper end and a second set of one or more passages of a second total physical cross-sectional area at a lower end, said second set of passages being in fluid communication with said first set of passages, wherein said second total physical cross-sectional area is greater than said first total physical cross-sectional area;
• wherein said nozzle body defines a centerline, said first set of passages defining a at least one fluid inlet trajectory and said second set of passages defining at least one fluid discharge trajectory, any one or more of the fluid inlet trajectories or the fluid discharge trajectories being non-collinear with said centerline;
• a second nozzle body attached to said drill bit body, said second nozzle body including a third set of one or more passages of a third total physical cross-sectional area at an upper end and a fourth set of one or more passages of a fourth total physical cross-sectional area at a lower end, said fourth set of passages being in fluid communication with said third set of passages, wherein said fourth total physical cross-sectional area is greater than said third total physical cross-sectional area;
• wherein said second nozzle body defines a second centerline, said third set of passages defining a at least one fluid inlet trajectory and said fourth set of passages defining at least one fluid discharge trajectory, any one or more of the fluid inlet trajectories or the fluid discharge trajectories of said second nozzle body being non-collinear with said second centerline.

A drill bit, comprising:

• a drill bit body defining a bit body longitudinal axis and including an outer periphery;
• a multi-stage diffuser nozzle attached to said drill bit body, for directing drilling fluid from said drill bit body to a selected location, said nozzle comprising
• an upper restrictor portion having an effective internal cross-sectional area of A0E;
• a lower distributor portion having an effective internal cross-sectional area of A1E, where effective area A1E is greater than effective area A0E;
• wherein said multi-diffuser nozzle defines a nozzle longitudinal axis and said lower distributor portion directs at least a portion of said drilling fluid along a trajectory other than along said nozzle longitudinal axis;
• a second multi-stage diffuser nozzle attached to said drill bit body, said second multi-stage diffuser nozzle directing drilling fluid from said drill bit body to a second selected location, said second nozzle comprising
• an upper restrictor portion having an effective internal cross-sectional area of A2E;
• a lower distributor portion having an effective internal cross-sectional area of A3E, where effective area A3E is greater than effective area A2E;
• wherein said second multi-diffuser nozzle defines a nozzle longitudinal axis and said lower distributor portion directs at least a portion of said drilling fluid along a trajectory other than along said second nozzle longitudinal axis.

A drill bit, comprising:

• a drill bit body forming an interior plenum;
• a multi-stage diffuser nozzle in fluid communication with said interior plenum, said multi-stage diffuser comprising,
• a flow restrictor component having at least one internal passage to carry fluid, said at least one internal passage having a throat with an physical cross-sectional area A0P;
• and
• a fluidic distributor component distinct from said flow restrictor component, said fluidic distributor having a fluid entrance side connected to a fluid exit side, said fluid entrance side being in fluid communication with said interior passage of said flow restrictor, wherein said fluid exit side has a physical cross-sectional area A1P and wherein A1P is greater than A0P;
• a second multi-stage diffuser nozzle in fluid communication with said interior plenum, said second multi-stage diffuser comprising,
• a flow restrictor component having at least one internal passage to carry fluid, said at least one internal passage having a throat with an physical cross-sectional area A2P;
• and
• a fluidic distributor component distinct from said flow restrictor component of said second multi-stage diffuser, said fluidic distributor of said second multi-stage diffuser having a fluid entrance side and a fluid exit side, said fluid entrance side of said second multi-stage diffuser being in fluid communication with said interior passage of said flow restrictor, wherein said fluid exit side of said second multi-stage diffuser has a physical cross-sectional area A3P and wherein A3P is greater than A2P.