High pressure jets for leaching catalysts from a polycrystalline diamond compact
Apparatuses and methods for leaching catalysts from a polycrystalline diamond compact (PDC) may utilize a high pressure jet. For example, a method may include impinging a jet of leaching fluid, including one or both of an acid and a caustic material, on a surface of a PDC disposed on a substrate at a fluid pressure ranging between 125 psi and 10,000.
1. A method comprising:
impinging a jet of leaching fluid, including one or both of an acid or a caustic material, on a surface of a polycrystalline diamond compact (PDC) disposed on a substrate, wherein the jet of leaching fluid comprises a fluid pressure between 125 psi and 10,000 psi and the jet of leaching fluid comprises a speed of 150 ft/s or greater.
2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
impinging the jet on the surface of the PDC at an angle of between 30° and 80° relative to the surface of the PDC.
3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
providing the leaching fluid with a viscosity of between 0.5 cP and 20 cP.
4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
providing the leaching fluid at a temperature of between room temperature and a boiling point of the leaching fluid.
5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
introducing cavitation into the jet.
6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
submerging the surface of the PDC in a fluid.
7. The method of claim 6 further comprising:
providing the fluid in which the PDC is submerged includes the leaching fluid.
8. The method of claim 7 further comprising:
cycling the fluid through a fluid handling system of a jet system that produces the jet.
9. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
generating the jet with a nozzle having a nozzle tip; and
submerging the surface of the PDC and the nozzle tip in a fluid.
10. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
generating the jet with a nozzle having a nozzle tip and jet orifice that has a nozzle orifice diameter and is defined in the nozzle tip; and
arranging the nozzle tip within twenty nozzle orifice diameters of the surface of the PDC.
11. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
providing an air pressure greater than atmospheric pressure around the surface of the PDC and the jet.
12. A method comprising:
impinging a jet of leaching fluid, including one or both of an acid or a caustic material, on a surface of a polycrystalline diamond compact (PDC) disposed on a substrate, wherein the jet of leaching fluid comprises a speed of 150 ft/s or greater.
13. A method comprising:
impinging a jet of leaching fluid, including one or both of an acid or a caustic material, on a surface of a polycrystalline diamond compact (PDC) disposed on a substrate, wherein the jet of leaching fluid comprises a fluid pressure between 125 psi and 10,000 psi;
generating the jet with a nozzle having a nozzle tip; and
submerging the surface of the PDC and the nozzle tip in a fluid.
14. The method of claim 13 further comprising:
impinging the jet on the surface of the PDC at an angle of between 30° and 80° relative to the surface of the PDC.
15. The method of claim 13 further comprising:
providing the leaching fluid with a viscosity of between 0.5 cP and 20 cP.
16. The method of claim 13 further comprising:
providing the leaching fluid at a temperature of between room temperature and a boiling point of the leaching fluid.
17. The method of claim 13 further comprising:
introducing cavitation into the jet.
18. The method of claim 13 further comprising:
providing an air pressure greater than atmospheric pressure around the surface of the PDC and the jet.