The Thermal Stability of The PDC Cutter

Throughout the history of oilfield drilling, workers have tried to improve drill bit mechanical efficiency. Various cutting theories, designs, and materials have been implemented to increase the Rate of Penetration (ROP), wear resistance, and overall bit life. The advent of PDC cutter (Polycrystalline Diamond Compact Cutter ) in the mid-1970s started the gradual movement away from the roller cone bit to the shear cutter bit. 

Characteristics of PDC cutter like impact resistance and abrasion resistance are important. The temperature limitations and impact resistance of the PDC cutter were highlighted as areas for improvement.  

Thermal stability is the stability of a molecule at high temperatures. At the laboratory, we put PDC cutters under 700-750 ℃ for 10-15 minutes and inspect diamond layer conditions after natural cooling in the air to see if PDC Cutters are thermal stable enough under high-temperature working conditions. Usually, this process would compare the PDC cutter’s quality before the test and after the test, such as wear-resistance and impact resistance; Cooling the PDC cutter during VTL testing allows the cutter to dissipate heat away from the cutting surface to the fluid. Dry or hot testing requires the cutter to dissipate the heat by conduction through itself to the WC substrate and typically leads quickly to mechanical breakdown, oxidation, and graphitization of the diamond. The laboratory dry or hot test better simulates conditions of deep, hot, and abrasive drilling such as may be encountered in many geothermal applications.

Many people start to realize that uncontrolled temperatures during brazing negatively affect the internal residual stresses of the PDC cutters. This leads to early failure in service. Many people will blame the PDC cutter for this because they are not aware of the problems brazing temperature can cause. They blame the PDC cutter manufacturer, when in fact it was their brazing process that caused the problem. A PDC cutter that had good thermal stability during the brazing process will be very good to keep the property, especially for the repair market. 

ZZbetter customers deserve the best. That's why we offer you an A+ customer experience, our advantages:

1. High thermal stability, wear resistance, and impact resistance

2. Fast delivery within 5 days

3. Customized size acceptable

4. Sample order available

ZZbetter team works extremely hard to manufacture quality products. We look forward to serving your business.

Email us at irene@zzbetter.com for brazing technical support.

More info:www.zzbetter.com