Simulation Study on Temperature Field and Rock Breaking Characteristics of the Bionic PDC Cutter in Rotating State

Some drawbacks exist in conventional polycrystalline diamond compact (PDC) bits such as low rock breaking efficiency, bit balling, and short service life. To solve these problems, a new coupling bionic PDC cutter was designed by taking the scales of pangolins, claw toes of mole crickets, shark teeth, and scallop shells as bionic prototypes to construct bionic structures in multi-dimensions. Finite element and elastoplastic mechanics were employed to build rock breaking simulation model of bionic PDC cutters. The finite element software ABAQUS was used to study the variation law of the temperature field and rock breaking modes of bionic PDC cutters during rock breaking by temperature-displacement coupled explicit penetration contact algorithm and explicit dynamics module. The comparative simulation shows that bionic PDC cutters differed greatly with the conventional PDC cutters in the temperature transfer process during rock breaking. Bionic PDC cutters could prevent bit balling, reduce the accumulation of friction heat, avoid high-temperature thermal failure, and prolong the service life. Moreover, Bionic PDC cutters featured fast speed and thorough rock breaking. The research verifies that bionic PDC bits have good practicability and show great values in promotion and application in the field.