Effects of abrasive particles on the kinetic response and damage behavior of PDC cutters

Abstract

The intrusion of rock debris and sand into the PDC bits results in abrasive wear during geo-drilling. A comprehensive study of this wear mechanism is crucial for enhancing the performance and prolonging the service life of PDC cutters. In this study, a kinetic energy-controlled impact wear tester was utilized to systematically investigate the effects of abrasive type and size on the kinetic response and damage behavior of PDCs. The abrasive type had a significant influence on the impact force. The peak impact force decreased by 60.89 %, 72.44 %, and 80.89 % with corundum, quartz sand, and calcite abrasive particles, respectively. The abrasive size was also critical in affecting the dynamic response of PDC cutters. The peak impact force increased by 30.68 % with increasing corundum abrasive size, while the kinetic energy absorption rate decreased by 3.61 %. For quartz sand, the impact force initially rose with the abrasive size and then declined, whereas the kinetic energy absorption rate first decreased and subsequently increased. In contrast, as the calcite abrasive size increased, the peak impact force decreased by 49.41 %, while the energy absorption rate increased by 0.94 %. The PDC surface was damaged by impact and friction wear, primarily in the form of abrasive and adhesive wear. The damage form of PDC is a type of brittle fracture, which includes both intergranular and transcrystalline fractures. This work provides valuable primary research data to understand and optimize the performance of PDC cutters in complex wear environments.