Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.

Design & Assembly Concepts, Inc.

Clayton Arthur Ownby

Grant O Cook, Iii

Jeffrey Gerard Thomas

Garrett T Olsen

Ronald Eugene Joy

Grant O Cook

Daniel Brendan Voglewede

Michael Clark

William Brian Atkins

Jeffrey Glenn Thomas

Gary Eugene Weaver

Seth Garrett Anderle

Jeff G Thomas

Ron Joy

Dale Wade Oberhoff

Mark Ganninger

Jose Maltez

David W Darling

Philip Courtois

Fernando Gomez

Jeffrey Gerald Thomas

Garrett T Olson

A mold assembly and method for fabricating an infiltrated drill bit may comprise a mold forming a bottom of the mold assembly, a funnel operatively coupled to the mold, an infiltration chamber defined at least partially by the mold and the funnel to receive and contain matrix reinforcement materials and a binder material used to form the infiltrated drill bit, a displacement core arranged within the infiltration chamber and having one or more legs that extend therefrom, a metal blank arranged about the displacement core within the infiltration chamber, and one or more thermal elements. A method may comprise providing a mold assembly having component parts that include a mold that forms a bottom of the mold assembly and a funnel operatively coupled to the mold, imparting thermal energy to the infiltration chamber with one or more thermal element, and heating contents contained within the infiltration chamber.

Mold assemblies that actively heat infiltrated downhole tools

An example system for fabricating an infiltrated downhole tool includes a mold assembly having one or more component parts and defining an infiltration chamber to receive and contain matrix reinforcement materials and a binder material used to form the infiltrated downhole tool. One or more thermal conduits are positioned within the one or more component parts for circulating a thermal fluid through at least one of the one or more component parts and thereby placing the thermal fluid in thermal communication with the infiltration chamber.

Heat-exchanging mold assemblies for infiltrated downhole tools

A mold transfer assembly includes a transfer housing providing an interior defined by one or more sidewalls and a top. The transfer housing is sized to receive and encapsulate a mold as the mold is moved between a furnace and a thermal heat sink. An arm is coupled to the transfer housing to move the transfer housing and the mold encapsulated within the transfer housing between the furnace and a thermal heat sink. The transfer housing exhibits one or more thermal properties to control a thermal profile of the mold.

Mold transfer assemblies and methods of use

An example mold assembly for fabricating an infiltrated downhole tool includes a mold defining a bottom of the mold assembly and a funnel operatively coupled to the mold. An infiltration chamber is defined at least partially by the mold and the funnel to receive and contain matrix reinforcement materials and a binder material used to form the infiltrated downhole tool. A thermal mass is positioned within the infiltration chamber above the infiltrated downhole tool for imparting heat to the infiltrated downhole tool following an infiltration process.

Mold assemblies with integrated thermal mass for fabricating infiltrated downhole tools

An example mold assembly for fabricating an infiltrated downhole tool includes a mold forming a bottom of the mold assembly, and a funnel operatively coupled to the mold. An infiltration chamber is defined at least partially by the mold and the funnel to receive and contain matrix reinforcement materials and a binder material used to form the infiltrated downhole tool. One or more thermal elements are positioned within at least one of the mold and the funnel, and the one or more thermal elements are in thermal communication with the infiltration chamber.

An example insulation enclosure includes a support structure having a top end, a top wall provided at the top end, a bottom end, and an opening defined at the bottom end for receiving a mold within an interior of the support structure. Rigid insulation material may be supported by the support structure and extending between the top and bottom ends and across the top end. The rigid insulation material may extend between the top and bottom ends and consist of one or more sidewall insulation loops that extend along a circumference of the insulation enclosure.

Insulation enclosure incorporating rigid insulation materials

A heat containment apparatus may include a housing having an access gap, the housing being formed of an insulating material. Alternatively, a heat containment apparatus includes a housing being an expandable structure having an access gap, the housing including an insulating material. Heat containment apparatuses may be used in conjunction with performing high temperature operations and/or low temperature operations to at least portions of substrates contained therein.

Heat containment apparatus

A drill bit includes a drill bit body and a flexible blade positioned on the drill bit body. The drill bit further may include a cutting element coupled to and extending a distance beyond a face of the flexible blade. The cutting element may have a back rake angle and a side rake angle. At least one of the distance, back rake angle, and side rake angle may depend on a flexed position of the flexible blade.

Controlled blade flex for fixed cutter drill bits

An example mold assembly for fabricating an infiltrated downhole tool includes a mold forming a bottom of the mold assembly, and a funnel operatively coupled to the mold and having an inner wall, an outer wall, and a cavity defined between the inner and outer walls. An infiltration chamber is defined at least partially by the mold and the funnel. The inner wall faces the infiltration chamber and the outer wall forms at least a portion of an outer periphery of the mold assembly.

Mold assemblies used for fabricating downhole tools

An example cooling system for a mold assembly includes a quench plate that defines one or more discharge ports and one or more recuperation ports. A fluid is circulated from the one or more discharge ports to the one or more recuperation ports to cool the mold assembly. A blocking ring is positioned on the quench plate and defines a central aperture for receiving a bottom of the mold assembly. An insulation enclosure having an interior for receiving the mold assembly is positioned on the blocking ring. The blocking ring prevents vapor generated by the fluid contacting the bottom of the mold assembly from migrating into the interior of the insulation enclosure.

Steam-blocking cooling systems that help facilitate directional solidification

An example insulation enclosure includes a support structure having a top end, a bottom end, and an opening defined at the bottom end for receiving a mold within an interior of the support structure, and a thermal mass arranged at the top end of the support structure to thermally communicate with a top of the mold and resist heat flow from the top of the mold in an axial direction.

Insulation enclosure with a thermal mass

An example insulation enclosure for cooling a mold includes a support structure having a top end, a bottom end, and an interior, the bottom end defining an opening for receiving a mold within the interior of the support structure, and insulation material supported by the support structure and extending at least from the bottom end to the top end, wherein one or more thermal properties of at least one of the support structure and the insulation material varies longitudinally from the bottom end to the top end. In some cases, the one or more thermal properties are further varied about a circumference of the support structure.

Insulation enclosure with varying thermal properties

An example insulation enclosure includes an outer shell having an open end and a top end, and an inner shell arranged within the outer shell and including a plurality of sidewall members and a top member. Each sidewall member is independently moveable relative to one another and to the top member, and the plurality of sidewall members and the top member each include a support member and insulation material positioned on the support member. One or more compliant devices arranged between the outer shell and at least one of the plurality of sidewall members and the top member, the one or more compliant devices biasing the at least one of the plurality of sidewall members and the top member against adjacent outer surfaces of a mold disposable within the inner shell.

Growing community of inventors

Houston, TX, United States of America

Clayton Arthur Ownby