RESEARCH PROGRAM

Title: Characterizing Flow Fields at the Drill Bit Tip to Enhance Heat Transfer

 

Name: Jason Parker

E-Mail: jtparker@berkeley.edu

Phone: +1 (540)-514-0420

 

Project description:

 

Starting situation

The starting situation is a basic experimental rig, approximate water mass flow rates, and

hypotheses regarding cooling improvements and potential cavitation.

 

Approach

Our approach is to use high speed videos to track particles near the tip of the drill bit. The

ultimate goal is to use Particle Tracking Velocimetry (PTV), Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV),

or X-ray PIV in order to measure the flow field.

 

Expected Results

It is possible that as fluid is injected from the drill bit into the cavity between the wall and the

bit, cavitation may occur. This could cause damage to the bit and reduce heat transfer. Our

expectation is that cavitation does not occur, but one goal of the collaboration is to

empirically show that it does not. Our second expected result is that by directly injected fluid

through the drill bit, the heat transfer near the bit tip will improve, and thus the temperature

will decrease.