High power laser-mechanical drilling bit and methods of use
An apparatus with a high power laser-mechanical bit for use with a laser drilling system and a method for advancing a borehole. The laser-mechanical bit has a beam path and mechanical removal devices that provide for the removal of laser-affected rock to advance a borehole.
1. A flat bottom fixed cutter laser-mechanical bit comprising:
a. a bottom section having a central axis, a width and a flat bottom end, wherein the bottom end is configured to engage a borehole surface;
b. a beam path channel defined, in part, by a plurality of beam blades, wherein the beam path channel forming a shape, wherein the shape includes at least one member of a group comprising: a rectangle and an ellipse extends across the width of the flat bottom end of the bottom section and through the central axis;
c. a plurality of cutter blades; and,
d. the cutter blades and the beam blades each having a lower end;
e. wherein, the lower ends are configured to be essentially coplanar, thereby defining the flat bottom end;
f. whereby, the bit is capable of laser-mechanical drilling an essentially flat bottom borehole; and,
g. a beam blade having a passage in fluid communication with a junk slot, the junk slot being located on the exterior surface of the bit.
2. The laser-mechanical bit of claim 1 , wherein the beam blades comprise a first and second pair of blades.
3. The laser-mechanical bit of claim 1 , comprising a means for limiting the depth of cut.
4. The laser-mechanical bit of claim 3 , wherein the means for limiting the depth of cut, the beam blades and the cutter blades have substantially the same height.
5. The laser-mechanical bit of claim 3 , the means for limiting the depth of cut has a greater height than the beam blades and the cutter blades.
6. The laser-mechanical bit of claim 5 , wherein the beam path channel comprises a beam path slot in a side surface of the bottom section.
7. The laser-mechanical bit of claim 3 , wherein the bottom section width is at least about 4 inches; and the beam blades have a height of at least about 1;4 inch and a width of at least about 1% inches.
8. The laser-mechanical bit of claim 7 , wherein the beam path channel comprises a beam path slot in a side surface of the bottom section.
9. The laser-mechanical bit of claim 1 , wherein the bottom section width is at least about 6 inches; and the beam blades have a height of at least about 1h inch and a width of at least about 2% inches.
10. The laser-mechanical bit of claim 9 , having a beam path angle of greater than 90 degrees.
11. The laser-mechanical bit of claim 9 , having a beam path angle of from about 90 degrees to about 135 degrees.
12. The laser-mechanical bit of claim 9 , having a beam path angle of about 90 degrees.
13. The laser-mechanical bit of claim 9 , having a beam path angle of about 135 degrees.
14. The laser-mechanical bit of claim 9 , having a beam path angle of less than about 150 degrees.
15. The laser-mechanical bit of claim 1 , wherein the beam path channel comprises a beam path slot in a side surface of the bottom section.
16. The laser-mechanical bit of claim 15 , having a beam path angle of greater than 90 degrees.
17. The laser-mechanical bit of claim 15 , having a beam path angle of from about 90 degrees to about 135 degrees.
18. The laser-mechanical bit of claim 15 , having a beam path angle of less than about 150 degrees.
19. The laser-mechanical bit of claim 1 , comprising a body section associated with the bottom section; and a beam path slot in a side surface of the bottom section and extending into a side surface of the body section.
20. The laser-mechanical bit of claim 1 , wherein the beam path channel comprises a beam path slot in a side surface of the bottom section.
21. The laser-mechanical bit of claim 1 , wherein the beam path channel comprises a beam path slot in a side surface of the bottom section.
22. The laser-mechanical bit of claim 1 , having a beam path angle of greater than about 90 degrees.
23. The laser-mechanical bit of claim 1 , having a beam path angle of from about 90 degrees to about 135 degrees.
24. The laser-mechanical bit of claim 1 , having a beam path angle of about 90 degrees.
25. The laser-mechanical bit of claim 1 , having a beam path angle of about 135 degrees.
26. The laser-mechanical bit of claim 1 , having a beam path angle of less than about 150 degrees.
27. The laser-mechanical bit of claim 1 , having a beam path angle of from about 90 degrees to about 135 degrees.
28. The laser-mechanical bit of claim 1 , having a beam path angle of less than about 150 degrees.
29. A laser-mechanical bit comprising:
a. a bit body section and bottom section;
b. the bottom section comprising two beam blades, the bottom section defining a 1) portion of a beam path channel and 2) a portion of a beam path slot forming a shape, wherein the shape formed by the beam blades includes at least one member of a group comprising: a rectangle and an ellipse, and wherein the beam path slot is in fluid communication with the beam blades and the beam path channel;
c. a means for boring with mechanical force; and,
d. at least one beam blade has a passage in fluid communication with a junk slot, the junk slot being located along the exterior surface of the bit; and
e. wherein the beam path channel extends across the width of the bottom section; and
f. wherein the means for boring comprises a pair of blades each comprising a cutter; the beam blade comprises an inner surface and an outer surface, wherein the inner surface defines an inner plane and outer surface defines an outer plane; wherein the inner plane is adjacent a laser beam path and wherein the outer plane is removed from the laser beam path; and at least a portion of the cutter is positioned within the inner plane.
30. The bit of claim 29 , wherein the beam path slot extends into the bit body section.
31. The bit of claim 29 , wherein the beam blades extend along an outer side of the bottom section and along at least a portion of an outer side of the bit body section.
32. The bit of claim 29 , comprising four beam blades.
33. The bit of claim 29 , wherein the means for boring's cutters are juxtaposed.
34. A laser-mechanical drilling bit for advancing a borehole in the earth, the bit comprising:
a. a body characterized by a bottom end configured for engagement with a borehole surface;
b. a beam path channel containing a laser beam path; wherein the beam path channel divides the bottom end into a first and a second section;
c. the first bottom end section having a beam blade, a cutter blade, and a means for limiting the depth of cut; and,
d. the second bottom end section having a beam blade, a cutter blade, and a means for limiting the depth of cut,
e. the bottom section comprising two beam blades, the bottom section defining both 1) a portion of a beam path channel and 2) a portion of a beam path slot, forming a shape, wherein the shape formed by the beam blades includes at least one member of a group comprising: a rectangle and an ellipse, and wherein the beam path slot is in fluid communication with the beam blades and the beam path channel;
f. a means for boring with mechanical force; and,
g. a beam blade has a passage in fluid communication with a junk slot, the junk slot being located along the exterior surface of the bit.
35. The bit of claim 34 , wherein the means for limiting the depth of cut comprises a blade having depth limiters along a bottom end of the blade.
36. The bit of claim 34 , wherein the means for limiting the depth of cut comprises depth limiters positioned on a beam blade.
37. The bit of claim 34 , wherein the first bottom end section has a beam path angle of from about 90 degrees to about 135 degrees.
38. The bit of claim 34 , wherein the first bottom end section and the second bottom end section have beam path angles from about 90 degrees to about 135 degrees.
39. The bit of claim 38 , wherein the first bottom end section beam path angle is substantially the same as the second bottom end section beam path angle.
40. The bit of claim 34 , having a beam path angle of less than about 150 degrees.
41. The bit of claim 34 , the beam blade passage in fluid communication with a helical shaped junk slot.
42. The bit of claim 41 , wherein the junk slot is defined at least in party by the beam blade.
43. The bit of claim 34 , wherein the junk slot is defined at least in party by the beam blade.
44. A laser-mechanical drilling bit for advancing a borehole in the earth, the bit comprising:
a. a body characterized by a bottom end configured for engagement with a borehole surface;
b. a beam path channel; wherein the beam path channel divides the bottom end into a first and a second section;
c. a beam path slot having an angled end, and forming a shape, wherein the shape includes at least one member of a group comprising: a rectangle and an ellipse, wherein the beam path slot is in optical and fluid communication with the beam path channel and a junk slot, the junk slot being located along the exterior surface of the bit;
d. the first bottom end section having a beam blade, a plurality of cutter blades, and a means for limiting the depth of cut; and,
e. the second bottom end section having a beam blade, a plurality of cutter blades, and a means for limiting the depth of cut.
45. The bit of claim 44 , wherein the first bottom end section has a beam path angle of from about 90 degrees to about 135 degrees.
46. The bit of claim 44 , wherein the first bottom end section and the second bottom end section have beam path angles from about 90 degrees to about 135 degrees.
47. The bit of claim 46 , wherein the first bottom end section beam path angle is substantially the same as the second bottom end section beam path angle.
48. A laser-mechanical drilling bit for advancing a borehole in the earth, the bit comprising:
a. a body characterized by a bottom end and a central axis of rotation, wherein the bottom end is configured for engagement with a borehole surface;
b. a beam path contained within a channel; wherein the beam path, wherein the beam path is in fluid communication with a junk slot, the junk slot being located along the exterior surface of the bit, and divides the bottom end into a first and a second section;
c. the first bottom end section having a beam blade, a cutter blade, and a means for limiting the depth of cut;
d. the second bottom end section having a beam blade, a cutter blade, and a means for limiting the depth of cut;
e. the first bottom end section cutter blade comprising a plurality of cutters, and the second bottom end section cutter blade comprising a plurality of cutters; and,
f. the cutters positioned with respect to the central axis of rotation, whereby during rotation and deliver of a laser beam through the beam path to a surface of the borehole, each cutter will contact a laser-affected surface.
49. The bit of claim 48 , comprising a plurality of first bottom end section cutter blades and a plurality of second bottom end section cutter blades.
50. The bit of claim 49 , comprising at least 10 cutters.
51. The bit of claim 49 , comprising at least 12 cutters.
52. The bit of claim 48 , comprising at least 6 cutters.