The Effect of Dynamical Parameters on Precession in Rotary Drilling

Precession, which is the rolling motion of the drillstring on the walls of the borehole, is investigated by considering the various possible motions of a rotating disk in a circular hole. Due to the simplicity of the model, closed-form results are derived on the stability of precession and on the evolution of impacting motions towards precession. It is found that increasing coefficients of friction and contact damping have a favoring effect on precession, while the stiffness and damping of the drillstring bending mode have an opposing effect.