Enhancement of Geothermal Well Drilling and Brine Pumping Efficiency using TiC/Ti Composites
- Key words
- Geothermal energy; drill bit cutters; submersible-pump bearings; efficiency; carbide-metal composites; corrosive wear; resistance
- Conference
- Geothermal Resources Council Transactions
- Year
- 2011
- Session
- Corrosion; Drill bits; Well pumps; Bearings; Titanium carbid
- Language
- English
Abstract
The efficiency of drilling and pumping can be improved by substituting Titanium Carbide/Titanium (TiC/Ti) composites for Tungsten Carbide/Cobalt (WC/Co) composites, for the following reasons. First, since TiC is harder than WC, TiC/Ti composites offer significant improvements in cutting performance. Second, oxidation and hot corrosion resistance of TiC/Ti composites are better than their WC/Co counterparts. Thus, corrosive-wear resistance of drill bits and sliding bearing components may be improved. Third, the cost of replacing WC/Co components with TiC/Ti components should be relatively low, since TiC and Ti powders are readily available in the US. A pressure-assistant sintering (PAS) method has been developed to fabricate hard particle-dispersed composites. In a serried of PAS tests, various mixtures of TiC and Ti powders were consolidated at 0.2-2.0 GPa/600-1200oC. The properties of TiC/ Ti samples were investigated and compared with that of other materials, industrial composites and alloys.
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