The present application is generally related to inground operations and, more particularly, to an apparatus and method for electrically coupling an electrical signal onto an electrically conductive drill string for purposes of transferring the signal.
Generally, an inground operation such as, for example, drilling to form a borehole, subsequent reaming of a borehole for purposes of installing a utility line, borehole mapping and the like use an electrically conductive drill string which extends from an above ground drill rig. The prior art includes examples of the use of an electrically conductive drill string as an electrical conductor for serving to electrically conduct a data signal from an inground tool to the drill rig. The surrounding earth itself serves as a signal return path for purposes of detecting the signal at the drill rig. This type of system is often referred to as a Measurement While Drilling, MWD, system.
An example of an attempt to use the drill string as an electrical conductor in an MWD system is seen, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,864,293 (hereinafter, the '293 patent). In one embodiment, the patent teaches an electrically isolated collar that is fitted around the drill string. Applicants recognize that the use of such an electrically isolated collar (FIG. 2, item 32) is problematic at least with respect to durability in what can be an extremely hostile inground environment. In another embodiment, shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a suitable dielectric separator 40 is diagrammatically shown and asserted to electrically isolate a front section of the drill string from the remainder of the drill string. No detail is provided that would reasonably teach one how to fabricate this separator, but it is reasonable to assume that the isolator would simply be inserted into a break in the drill string for co-rotation therewith. Unfortunately, the isolator would then be subject to the same rigorous mechanical stresses during the drilling operation as the drill pipe sections of the drill string including pure tension force during pullback operations and high shear forces due to rotational torque that is applied to the drill string by the drill rig. While the drill string is generally formed from high strength steel that can readily endure these forces, Applicants are unaware of any currently available non electrically conductive material that is capable of enduring all these different forces with a reliability that Applicants consider as acceptable. It should be appreciated that the consequences of breaking off the end of the drill string during a drilling operation are extremely severe. Thus, the risk introduced through the use of an isolator in the suggested manner is submitted to be unacceptable.
An even earlier approach is seen in U.S. Pat. No. 4,348,672 in which an attempt is made to introduce an electrically isolating break in the drill string using various layers of dielectric material that are interposed between the components of what the patent refers to as an “insulated gap sub assembly” that is made up of first and second annular sub members. One embodiment is illustrated by FIGS. 5 and 6 while another embodiment is illustrated by FIGS. 7 and 8 of the patent. Unfortunately, the practice of interposing relatively thin dielectric layers in a gap defined between adjacent high-strength metal components, that are competent to withstand extreme forces as well as a hostile downhole environment, is unlikely to provide an acceptable level of performance. In particular, these dielectric layers are subjected to the same severe forces as the first and second annular sub members such that durability in a hostile downhole environment is most likely to be limited. That is, the desired electrical isolation will be compromised at the moment that one of the relatively thin dielectric layers is worn through.
Practical approaches with respect to coupling an electrical signal onto a drill string in the context of an MWD system are seen, for example, in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/035,774 (hereinafter the '774 Application), U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/035,833 (hereinafter, the '833 Application) and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/593,439 (hereinafter, the '439 Application), each of which is commonly owned with the present application and each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. While the '774, '833 and '439 Applications provided sweeping advantages over the then-existing state of the art, Applicants have discovered yet another other highly advantageous approach, as will be described hereinafter.
The foregoing examples of the related art and limitations related therewith are intended to be illustrative and not exclusive. Other limitations of the related art will become apparent to those of skill in the art upon a reading of the specification and a study of the drawings.
The following embodiments and aspects thereof are described and illustrated in conjunction with systems, tools and methods which are meant to be exemplary and illustrative, not limiting in scope. In various embodiments, one or more of the above-described problems have been reduced or eliminated, while other embodiments are directed to other improvements.
In general, an apparatus and associated method are disclosed for use in combination with a drill string that is electrically conductive and extends from an inground distal end, that includes an inground tool, to a drill rig. In one aspect of the disclosure, a housing defines a through passage along a length thereof and the housing is configured to support a group of electrical isolators surrounding the through passage to form an electrically isolating break in the drill string such that, responsive to the drill rig pushing on the drill string and responsive to the drill rig pulling on the drill string, each isolator of the group of isolators is subject to no more than a compressive force. The housing defines a housing cavity to receive an electronics package having a signal port and configured for electrical connection of the signal port across the electrically isolating break.
In another aspect of the present disclosure, a housing arrangement and associated method are disclosed for use as part of an inground tool for receiving a transmitter to transmit a locating signal from the inground tool. A main housing supports the transmitter in an operating position while emanating the locating signal. A lid is configured for removable installation on the housing such that at least a portion of the main housing and a portion of the lid are disposed in a confronting relationship to cooperatively define at least one elongated slot leading from an exterior of the housing arrangement to the transmitter.
In still another aspect of the present disclosure, a housing and associated method are described for use as part of an inground tool for supporting an electronics package having an output cable for carrying an output signal. A housing body is electrically conductive and defines a cavity for receiving the electronics package such that the electronics package forms a first electrical connection to the housing body. An intermediate housing is electrically conductive and is receivable on one end of the housing body to cooperate with the housing body in a way that forms an electrical isolation gap between the intermediate housing and the housing body while supporting the cable so as to extend across the gap for electrical connection to the intermediate housing such that the electronics package is electrically bridged across the gap.
Exemplary embodiments are illustrated in referenced figures of the drawings. It is intended that the embodiments and figures disclosed herein are to be illustrative rather than limiting.
The following description is presented to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to make and use the invention and is provided in the context of a patent application and its requirements. Various modifications to the described embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art and the generic principles taught herein may be applied to other embodiments. Thus, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and features described herein including modifications and equivalents, as defined within the scope of the appended claims. It is noted that the drawings are not to scale and are diagrammatic in nature in a way that is thought to best illustrate features of interest. Descriptive terminology may be used with respect to these descriptions, however, this terminology has been adopted with the intent of facilitating the reader's understanding and is not intended as being limiting.
Turning now to the figures wherein like components are indicated by like reference numbers throughout the various figures, attention is immediately directed to
With continuing reference to
Each drill pipe section defines a through opening 34 (one of which is indicated) extending between opposing ends of the pipe section. The drill pipe sections can be fitted with what are commonly referred to as box and pin fittings such that each end of a given drill pipe section can threadingly engage an adjacent end of another drill pipe section in the drill string in a well-known manner. Once the drill pipe sections are engaged to make up the drill string, the through openings of adjacent ones of the drill pipe sections align to form an overall pathway 36 that is indicated by an arrow. Pathway 36 can provide for a pressurized flow of drilling fluid or mud, consistent with the direction of the arrow, from the drill rig to the drill head or other inground tool, as will be further described.
The location of the boring tool within region 12 as well as the underground path followed by the boring tool may be established and displayed at drill rig 14, for example, on a console 42 using a display 44. The console can include a processing arrangement 46 and a control actuator arrangement 47. In some embodiments, control and monitoring of operational parameters can be automated.
Boring tool 20 can include a drill head 50 having an angled face for use in steering based on roll orientation. That is, the drill head when pushed ahead without rotation will generally be deflected on the basis of the roll orientation of its angled face. On the other hand, the drill head can generally be caused to travel in a straight line by rotating the drill string as it is pushed, as indicated by a double-headed arrow 51. Of course, predictable steering is premised upon suitable soil conditions. It is noted that the aforementioned drilling fluid can be emitted as jets 52 under high pressure for purposes of cutting through the ground immediately in front of the drill head as well as providing for cooling and lubrication of the drill head. Boring tool 20 includes an inground housing 54 that receives an electronics package 56. The inground housing is configured to provide for the flow of drilling fluid to drill head 50 around the electronics package. For example, the electronics package can include a cylindrical housing configuration that is supported in a centered manner within housing 54. Drill head 50 can include a pin fitting that is received in a box fitting of inground housing 54. An opposing end of the inground housing can include a box fitting that receives a pin fitting of an inground, distal end of drill string 16. For purposes of the discussions herein and the appended claims, the boring tool can be considered as part of the drill string so as to define a distal, inground end of the drill string. It is noted that the box and pin fittings of the drill head and the inground housing can be the same box and pin fittings as those found on the drill pipe sections of the drill string for facilitating removable attachment of the drill pipe sections to one another in forming the drill string. Of course, the fittings on the ends of the inground housing can readily be changed to suit particular needs. Inground electronics package 56 can include a drill string transceiver 64 and a locating transceiver 65. Further details with respect to the drill string transceiver will be provided at appropriate points hereinafter. Locating transceiver 65, in some embodiments, can transmit a ground penetrating signal 66 such as, for example, a dipole locating signal and can receive an electromagnetic signal that is generated by other inground components as will be described at an appropriate point below. In other embodiments, transceiver 65 can be replaced by a transmitter or may not be needed. In still other embodiments, transceiver 65 can be configured to receive a magnetic locating signal that is transmitted from aboveground using magnetometers for purposes of sensing the magnetic field, as will be further described. The present example assumes that electromagnetic signal 66 is a locating signal in the form of a dipole signal for descriptive purposes. Accordingly, electromagnetic signal 66 may be referred to as a locating signal. It should be appreciated that the electromagnetic locating signal can be modulated like any other electromagnetic signal and that the modulation data is thereafter recoverable from the signal. The locating functionality of the signal can depend, at least in part, on the characteristic shape of the flux field and its signal strength rather than its ability to carry modulation. Thus, modulation is not required. Information regarding certain parameters of the boring tool such as, for example, pitch and roll (orientation parameters), temperature, drilling fluid pressure and annular pressure surrounding the boring tool can be measured by a suitable sensor arrangement 68 located within the boring tool which may include, for example, a pitch sensor, a roll sensor, a temperature sensor, an AC field sensor for sensing proximity of 50/60 Hz utility lines and any other sensors that are desired such as, for example, a DC magnetic field sensor for sensing yaw orientation (a tri-axial magnetometer and/or a magnetic locating signal, with a three axis accelerometer to form an electronic compass in cooperation with the magnetometer to measure yaw orientation) and one or more pressure sensors. Drill string transceiver 64 can include a processor that is interfaced as necessary with sensor arrangement 68 and locating transceiver 65. In some embodiments, one or more accelerometers can be used to measure orientation parameters such as pitch and roll orientation. A battery (not shown) can be provided within the housing for providing electrical power.
A portable locator 80 can be used to detect electromagnetic signal 66. One suitable and highly advanced portable locater is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,496,008, entitled FLUX PLANE LOCATING IN AN UNDERGROUND DRILLING SYSTEM, which is commonly owned with the present application and is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. As mentioned above, the present descriptions apply to a variety of inground operations and are not intended as being limiting, although the framework of horizontal directional drilling has been employed for descriptive purposes. As discussed above, electromagnetic signal 66 can carry information including orientation parameters such as, for example, pitch and roll. Other information can also be carried by the electromagnetic signal. Such information can include, by way of example, parameters that can be measured proximate to or internal to the boring tool including temperatures, pressures and voltages such as a battery or power supply voltage. Locator 80 includes an electronics package 82. It is noted that the electronics package is interfaced for electrical communication with the various components of the locator and can perform data processing. Information of interest can be modulated on electromagnetic signal 66 in any suitable manner and transmitted to locator 80 and/or an antenna 84 at the drill rig, although this is not required. Any suitable form of modulation may be used either currently available or yet to be developed. Examples of currently available and suitable types of modulation include amplitude modulation, frequency modulation, phase modulation and variants thereof. Any parameter of interest in relation to drilling such as, for example, pitch may be displayed on display 44 and/or on a display 86 of locator 80 as recovered from the locating signal. Locator 80 can transmit a telemetry signal 92. Drill rig 14 can transmit a telemetry signal 98 that can be received by locator 80. The telemetry components provide for bidirectional signaling between the drill rig and locator 80. As one example of such signaling, based on status provided by drill rig monitoring unit 32, the drill rig can transmit an indication that the drill string is in a stationary state because a drill pipe section is being added to or removed from the drill string.
Still referring to
Attention is now directed to
Attention is now directed to
Still referring to
Attention is now directed to
With reference to
Having described the structure of inground housing 54 in detail above, attention is now directed to details with regard to aspects of its operation. During installation, preload bolts 268 can be torqued to a significant value such as, for example, 2500 foot-pounds to apply compressive force to isolators 272 such that a compressive preload is applied to all of the isolators. In other words, the compressive preload attempts to stretch main assembly bolt 264 responsive to compressing the isolators between main housing 200 and intermediate housing 220. The amount of compressive force, on an individual one of the electrical isolators can be based on the amount of retraction and/or thrust (push and/or pull) force that any given drill rig is capable of generating. The present embodiment is capable of withstanding 100,000 pounds of push or retraction force with 12,000 pound-feet of torque applied by the drill rig.
Referring to
It should be appreciated that isolators 272 can be subjected to very high compressive loading during an inground operation, however, the isolators are subject to no more than compression responsive to the drill rig extending and/or retracting the drill string. Flexural loading is applied to the isolators only in response to rotation of the drill string. In this regard, however, such flexural loading has been found by Applicants to be significantly lower that the compressive loading. That said, a suitable material is needed in order to endure such compression. Suitable materials can include ceramic materials that are either currently available or yet to be developed. By way of non-limiting example, suitable materials include silicon nitride and transformation toughened zirconia. Empirical testing performed by Applicants has demonstrated that an arrangement of only three spherical silicon nitride electrical isolators can be capable of withstanding three times the rated torque of a typical drill pipe section. In other embodiments, isolators 272 can include peripheral outlines that can be other than spherical. In such embodiments, the recesses that capture the electrical isolators can include a complementary shape. By way of non-limiting example, other suitable shapes can comprise a wide range of geometric shapes including but not limited to elongated such as cylindrical and ortho-rectangular. Further, the layout and/or overall number of the electrical isolators can be changed in any suitable manner. With regard to layout, for example, concentric rings of electrical isolators can be provided.
Still referring to
Referring to
Still referring to
Attention is now directed to
Referring to
The foregoing descriptions are not intended as being limiting with respect to the specific forms and/or features of inground housings that have been utilized for purposes of forming an electrically isolating break or gap in the drill string. In this regard, any suitable modifications for purposes of forming an electrically isolating drill string gap are considered to be within the scope of the present disclosure so long as the teachings that have been brought to light herein are being practiced. Accordingly, embodiments of an inground housing have been provided which, in any of its various forms, facilitates communication using the drill string as an electrical conductor while maintaining robust mechanical performance characteristics that measure up to or can even exceed the performance characteristics of the drill rods themselves which make up the drill string. It is submitted that such an inground housing, associated components and methods have not been seen heretofore. The present disclosure is submitted to sweep aside the limitations of prior art approaches that attempt to provide an electrically isolating break in the drill string by introducing what is, in effect, a weakened annular connection that is formed using an electrical insulator but which is nevertheless subject to full operational loading or other prior art approaches that attempt to use relatively thin layers of insulating/dielectric material that are subject to compromise by being worn through.
The foregoing description of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. For example, in another embodiment, inground electronics package and the inground housing can be configured to receive a locating signal rather than transmitting a locating signal. In such an embodiment, the locating signal can be a magnetic dipole field that is emanated by a permanent magnet being rotated about a rotational axis that is transverse to an axis that extends between the north and south poles of the magnet. The rotating magnet field can be received by magnetometers serving as sensors that form part of the electronics package. For purposes of receiving a magnetic signal, the inground housing of the present disclosure and associated components can be formed from non-magnetic materials. Further, it may not be necessary to form slots in the housing and housing lid for this embodiment. Such a system is described in detail, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 7,775,301 which is commonly owned with the present application and incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Accordingly, the present disclosure is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form or forms disclosed, and other embodiments, modifications and variations may be possible in light of the above teachings wherein those of skill in the art will recognize certain modifications, permutations, additions and sub-combinations thereof.
This application is a continuation application of copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/450,778, filed on Jun. 24, 2019, which is a continuation application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/231,750, filed on Aug. 8, 2016 and issued as U.S. Pat. No. 10,329,895 on Jun. 25, 2019, which is a divisional application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/827,945 filed on Mar. 14, 2013 and issued as U.S. Pat. No. 9,422,802 on Aug. 23, 2016, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.
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20210301645 A1 | Sep 2021 | US |
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Parent | 13827945 | Mar 2013 | US |
Child | 15231750 | US |
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Parent | 15231750 | Aug 2016 | US |
Child | 16450778 | US |