Research and Development of Improved Cavitating Jets for Deep-Hole Drilling

摘要

Improved cavitating nozzles have been developed as part of an on-going program to increase the rate of penetration of deep-hole drill bits. Based on the four criteria of: incipient cavitation number, amplitude of pressure fluctuation (and hence enhanced structuring of the jet flow), rock cutting, and cleaning chips from the hole bottom - these new, STRATOJET (STRuctured Acoustically Tuned Oscillating JET) cavitating nozzle systems have out-performed both conventional drill bit nozzles and the basic CAVIJET cavitating jets. Although nozzle designs which provide large amplitude pressure modulations are now available for the operation in water, additional research is needed to optimize self-resonating jets for use: (a) in mud, (b) in specific drill bit designs, and (c) at higher system pressures than now currently used for deep-hole drilling. (ERA citation 09:016220)