Drilling motor valve and method of using same

A downhole tool positionable in a wellbore penetrating a subterranean formation, the downhole drilling tool having a drill string with drill bit at an end thereof and a drilling fluid passing therethrough, the downhole tool comprising:

• a drilling motor positionable in the drill string, the drilling motor comprising:
• a housing;
• a rotor movable in a rotor channel in the housing as the drilling fluid passes therethrough, the rotor having a bypass channel for bypassing a portion the drilling fluid therethrough;
• and
• a valve positionable upstream of the motor for controlling the flow of the drilling fluid therethrough, the valve comprising:
• a valve plate positionable upstream of the motor, the valve plate having at least one flow passage and at least one bypass passage therethrough, the at least one flow passage in fluid communication with the rotor channel for passing the drilling fluid therethrough whereby the rotor is rotatable in the housing, the at least one bypass passage in selective fluid communication with the bypass channel when the rotor moves about the housing and the bypass channel selectively moves into and out of alignment with at least a portion of the at least one bypass passage for bypassing a portion of the drilling fluid therethrough whereby a hammering effect is generated on the bit.

A method of controlling the flow of a drilling fluid through a downhole tool positionable in a wellbore penetrating a subterranean formation, the downhole tool comprising a drill bit at an end thereof and a drilling motor, the drilling motor comprising a housing with a rotor movable in a rotor channel in the housing as the drilling fluid passes therethrough, the rotor having a bypass channel for bypassing a portion of the drilling fluid therethrough, the method comprising:

• positioning a valve plate upstream of the motor, the valve plate having at least one flow passage and at least one bypass passage therethrough, the at least one flow passage in fluid communication with the rotor channel, the at least one bypass passage in selective fluid communication with the bypass channel when the rotor rotates about the housing;
• rotating the rotor by passing the drilling fluid through the at least one flow passage and into the rotor channel;
• moving the bypass channel into and out of alignment with the at least one bypass passage while rotating the rotor;
• and
• creating a hammering effect by bypassing a portion of the drilling fluid through the at least one plate bypass and into the bypass channel when the bypass channel moves into alignment with at least a portion of the at least one bypass passage.