Induction infiltration and cooling of matrix drill bits
AssigneeHalliburton Energy Services, Inc.
InventorsDaniel Brendan Voglewede, Seth Garrett Anderle
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Zonal heating and cooling during the production of matrix drill bits may be achieved with a system that includes a cavity defined within a mold assembly having a central axis; reinforcing particles and a binder material disposed within the cavity; and a plurality of induction coils about a periphery of the mold assembly, each induction coil being spaced from each other along the height of the mold assembly, wherein a first induction coil of the plurality of induction coils is arranged proximal to a portion of mold assembly containing a portion of the reinforcing particles and a second induction coil of the plurality of induction coils is arranged proximal to a portion of the mold assembly containing a portion of the binder material.
Claims8
A method comprising:
- placing reinforcing particles in a cavity defined within a mold assembly having a height;
- placing a binder material in the mold assembly;
- arranging a plurality of induction coils about a periphery of the mold assembly, the plurality of induction coils being spaced from each other along the height of the mold assembly;
- heating a first portion of the reinforcing particles with a first induction coil of the plurality of induction coils to a temperature greater than a melting point of the binder material, the first portion of the reinforcing particles being disposed in a first cross-sectional zone of the mold assembly adjacent the first induction coil;
- heating a portion of the binder material with a second induction coil of the plurality of induction coils to a temperature greater than a melting point of the binder material, the portion of the binder material being disposed in a second cross-sectional zone of the mold assembly adjacent the second induction coil;
- liquefying the binder material;
- and
- infiltrating the reinforcing particles with the liquefied binder material after heating the first portion of the reinforcing particles to the temperature greater than the melting point of the binder material.
A method comprising:
- placing reinforcing particles in a cavity defined within a mold assembly having a height;
- placing a binder material in the mold assembly;
- arranging a plurality of induction coils about a periphery of the mold assembly, each induction coil being spaced from each other along the height of the mold assembly, wherein a first induction coil of the plurality of induction coils is arranged proximal to a portion of the mold assembly containing a first portion of the reinforcing particles, a second induction coil of the plurality of induction coils is arranged proximal to a portion of the mold assembly containing a portion of the binder material, and a third induction coil of the plurality of induction coils interposes the first and second induction coils;
- applying current to the plurality of induction coils;
- liquefying the binder material;
- infiltrating the reinforcing particles with the liquefied binder material after heating the first portion of the reinforcing particles to a temperature greater than a melting point of the binder material;
- reducing the current applied to the first induction coil to cool the first portion of the reinforcing particles to a temperature below the melting point of the binder material;
- and
- maintaining the current applied to the third induction coil to maintain a second portion of the reinforcing particles at a temperature above the melting point of the binder material, the second portion of the reinforcing particles being disposed in a second cross-sectional zone of the mold assembly defined by proximity to the third induction coil.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.