In well bore operations, including drilling, pressurized fluid is pumped into coil tubing inserted into the well. The pressurized fluid can power drilling operations through a mud motor placed at the bottom hole assembly (BHA). It can also power tools placed along the drill string which can assist in freeing the drill bit or other portions of the tubing which become bound during drilling. At depths beyond about 17,000 feet, subterranean pressures are significant and frequently cause binding of the BHA or drill string, especially in directional drilling or any extended reach operations (where the drill string is turned from the vertical).
Thus, the drill string often includes jars or tools which generate hammering impacts or vibrations, to help free the stuck drill string or stuck equipment. See e.g. U.S. Pat. No. 10,508,495. Nevertheless, there is a need for tools generating stronger, longer and more frequent shock waves, for deep or extended reach drilling operations. Moreover, where coiled tubing is used as the drill string, its flexibility dampens the shock waves—increasing the need stronger, longer and more frequent shock waves in coiled tubing operations.
When pressurized fluid flow is suddenly obstructed, e.g., by valve closure, the kinetic energy of the fluid causes the fluid to be compressed in the immediate vicinity of the obstruction. The local expansion of the fluid which follows the maximum compression appears as a reversely directed pressure or shock wave that then propagates through the fluid, as a series of high and low pressure zones. This phenomenon is commonly referred to as a water hammer, even though any carrier fluids (e.g., oil) can be used to generate the same effect. Rapid opening and closing of valve(s) in a pressurized system or selectively restricting flow can generate successive, pulsating water hammering effects.
For tools which operate as successive, pulsating water hammers for drilling operations and otherwise, there is an ongoing need for such tools which exhibit an increased wave amplitude, duration and/or frequency.
The invention is an improved water hammer which continuously generates strong, long and frequent shock waves when water or fluid pressure is applied by a pump, preferably from the surface.
The invention relies on a poppet valve which prevents fluid flow directly from the interiors of two sliding valves assemblies (one inside the other) to the upper portion of the poppet valve, though there is remaining fluid communication from the upper portion of the poppet valve to the interiors of the two sliding valves assemblies through vents in the valve assemblies; and a lower flow regulator which communicates with the upper portion of the poppet valve through two separate flow paths, and wherein the flow regulator can be selectively contacted by the outer valve assembly to prevent fluid communication with the poppet valve other than through the vents in the two sliding valves assemblies. Selective interruptions of the various flow paths described above and closing of the poppet valve generates back pressure fluid shock waves which induce opening of the poppet valve and opening and closing of the inner and outer valve assembly vents, and contact by the outer valve assembly with the flow regulator. Some of the shock waves generated by the two sliding valves and the lower flow regulator also combine with the fluid shock waves generated by the upper poppet valve resulting in constructive interference, and form waves with increased amplitude.
The frequency of the shock waves generated by the two sliding valves can be controlled by lengthening the valve and/or wash pipes attached above and below each of the sliding valves, thereby affecting their travel distance, or by other adjustments to fluid pressure or number and size of vents.
Other features of the invention are set forth in the drawings and detailed description which follow.
The figures are to be viewed in conjunction with following detailed description and may not necessarily be drawn to scale. Also, the term “upper” or “up” or “upward” denotes an upstream direction, and term “lower” or “down” or “downward” denotes a downstream direction.
Referring to
In the assembled tool 10, the upper end 7 of the outer barrel 21 screws over the threaded portion at the lower end of the upper sub 11, and the lower end 111 screws over the threaded portion at the upper end of lower sub 92. Further, within the outer barrel 21, a poppet valve 12, outer and inner valve assemblies (described below) and a vented sleeve 94 are positioned in the longitudinal space between lower end of the upper sub 11 and the upper end of the lower sub 92. The vented sleeve 94 also includes a series of inclined (or skewed) vents 96, and its lower edge abuts the upper edge of the lower sub 92. Tesla valve 60 (with flow regulator caps 68 and 90 at either end) is located within lower sub 92.
Poppet valve 12 includes two upper springs (i.e. inner spring 14 and outer spring 16) which surround a valve stem 15. Spring 14 and 16 are both compressed between the upper side of a divider 20 (included in the poppet valve 12) and washer 18 which is held by nut 120. The valve stem 15 extends through the divider 20 and is surrounded by lower spring 9 on its lower side, such that spring 9 it is compressed between the lower side of divider 20 and valve seat 22. The divider 20 includes multiple flow channels 236 and the valve seat 22 includes multiple flow channels 238 which respectively permit fluid flow across divider 20 and valve seat 22. Valve seat 22 is preferably formed from an aluminum bronze alloy, which is more preferably 85% Cu, 10.80% Al, 3.67% Fe, 0.42% Mn and 0.11% Ni.
A sleeve 166 of poppet valve 12 (lying on the upper side of divider 20) includes multiple longitudinally extended inclined (or skewed) vents 122. Vents 122 permit fluid flow into sleeve 166 whereby back pressure waves access the region on the upper side of divider 20 and facilitate intermittent opening and closing of poppet valve 12 during operation of tool 10 (as described further below). At its upper end, sleeve 166 has a narrowed region to tightly abut and seal against a mating region at the lower edge of upper sub 11. Upper sub 11 further includes a fluid passage 254 with filter 256 held in place with a screw 252.
When inner spring 14 and outer spring 16 are uncompressed, the upper portions of the valve stem 15, inner spring 14 and outer spring 16 (along with washer 18 and nut 120) extend into the lower portion of the upper sub 11, as in
The outer and inner valve assemblies (the inner valve assembly lying inside the outer valve assembly) are positioned within the outer barrel 21 in the longitudinal space between the lower end of poppet valve 12 and the upper end of vented sleeve 94. The outer valve assembly includes a vented upper sleeve 100, a vented lower sleeve 102, a vented middle barrel 51, an outer cylindrical valve 30, an upper outer wash pipe 52, a lower outer wash pipe 40, an upper flanged wash pipe 108, a lower flanged wash pipe 106, an upper stabilizer ring 98, and a lower stabilizer ring 104.
The outer surface of outer valve 30 has upper and lower regions of larger and equal outer diameters, the middle portion (where two opposed vents 138 lie) has a reduced outer diameter. The upper outer wash pipe 52 includes two sets of vents 130 and 132 (where there are preferably six vents 130 and two vents 132 in total), the lower outer wash pipe 40 includes two sets of vents 134 and 136 (where there are preferably two vents 134 and six vents 136 in total), and all vents, i.e. vents 130, 132, 134 and 136 facilitate fluid flow during operation of tool 10. Vents 134 and 132 are inclined (or skewed) to generate axial force component during the flow of fluid through them.
Similarly, while the vented upper sleeve 100 and the vented lower sleeve 102 each include a series of (preferably) six vents 126 and 128 respectively, the vented middle barrel 51 includes a circumferential array of inclined (or skewed) vents 124 lying in the middle of its axial length. Vents 124, 126 and 128 all facilitate fluid flow during operation of tool 10. Inclined (or skewed) vents 124 generate an axial force component from the flow of fluid through them.
While the lower end 182 of vented upper sleeve 100 mates with the upper end of vented middle barrel 51, the upper end of vented upper sleeve 100 mates with the lower end of poppet valve 12. Similarly, while the upper end of vented lower sleeve 102 mates with the lower end of vented middle barrel 51, the lower end of vented lower sleeve 102 mates with the upper end of vented sleeve 94. The assembly of the vented upper sleeve 100, vented middle barrel 51 and the vented lower sleeve 102 is fixed within the space between the lower end of poppet valve 12 and the upper end of vented sleeve 94.
The inner diameter of the vented middle barrel 51 is larger than the inner diameters of the vented upper sleeve 100 and the vented lower sleeve 102. Outer valve 30 lies within the vented middle barrel 51 and slides within the space between the lower end of vented upper sleeve 100 and the upper end of vented lower sleeve 102. The upper end of outer valve 30 is screwed over the threaded lower end of upper outer wash pipe 52 (such that upper flange 224 of upper outer wash pipe 52 abuts upper end of outer valve 30). Similarly, lower end 200 of outer valve 30 is screwed over the threaded upper end 176 (illustrated in
The threaded lower end of upper flanged wash pipe 108 screws into internal threads on the upper side of ledge 242 in upper outer wash pipe 52 in a manner such that such that its flange 112 abuts the threaded upper end of upper outer wash pipe 52. The upper stabilizer ring 98 screws over the threaded upper end of the upper outer wash pipe 52 to hold upper flanged wash pipe 108 in place. Similarly, longer arm 114 of the lower flanged wash pipe 106 threads into internal threads on the lower side of the ledge 240 within lower outer wash pipe 40. The lower stabilizer ring 104 screws over the threaded lower end of lower outer wash pipe 40. Once in position, the vented arm 118 of lower flanged wash pipe 106 extends downstream beyond the lower stabilizer ring 104. The vented arm 118 further includes a pair of inclined (or skewed) vents 144 (lying diametrically opposed on the surface of the vented arm 118), which facilitate fluid flow during operation of tool 10.
The inner valve assembly the includes an inner valve 31, an upper inner wash pipe 29, and a lower inner wash pipe 28. The upper end of inner valve 31 screws over threaded lower end of the upper inner wash pipe 29, the lower end of inner valve 31 screws over threaded upper end of lower inner wash pipe 28. The inner valve assembly is positioned inside the outer valve assembly (more particularly within the outer valve 30, the upper outer wash pipe 52, and the lower outer wash pipe 40), and is slidable within the outer valve assembly downwardly to where the lower edge of inner valve 31 contacts the upper edge of ledge 240 in lower outer wash pipe 40. The inner valve assembly is slidable upwardly to where the upper edge of inner valve 31 contacts the lower edge of ledge 242 in upper outer wash pipe 52.
Inner valve 31 includes an array of flow channels through vents 228 near each of its ends. Though in the current embodiment the vents 228 are illustrated to be transverse to the axis of inner valve 31, based on requirements, in other embodiments of the invention vents 228 may be inclined (or skewed) to the axis of inner valve 31.
In assembled tool 10, the upper and lower threaded ends of outer barrel 21 mate, respectively, with upper sub 11 and lower sub 92 to form a sealed chamber formed by its inner surface wherein the inner diameter of this chamber is larger than the outer diameters of any of the components within it — and fluid can flow between the outer surface of the components and the inner surface of outer barrel 21. Similarly, in the assembled tool 10, the dimensions of all components of outer and inner valve assemblies are kept such that both the outer and inner valve assemblies are slidable longitudinally within their designated longitudinal limits as described above.
During the operation, increased fluid pressure in tool 10 may cause temporary reduction in axial length and an increase in the outer diameters of the outer valve 30 and/or the inner valve 31. Such expansion of outer valve 30 may cause the outer surfaces of the upper portion 234 and lower portion 230 to touch the internal surface of vented middle barrel 51, and inhibit sliding of the outer cylindrical valve 30 within the vented middle barrel 51. Similarly, expansion of inner valve 31 may cause it to contact the inner surfaces of the outer valve assembly. Outer valve 30 and inner valve 31 are preferably formed from an aluminum bronze alloy, which is more preferably 85% Cu, 10.80% Al, 3.67% Fe, 0.42% Mn and 0.11% Ni.
In operation, tool 10 is connected to a fluid pressure source, not shown.
In an operating tool 10, it is to be noted that among multiple flow passages, only those through which flow of fluid has significant impact on operation of the tool 10 are described herein below. Other flow paths, through which flow of fluid has a limited impact on operation of tool 10 are not discussed.
Pressurized fluid flows into the tool 10 from the upper sub 11 (through the open end 13 attached to a drill string or tubing, not illustrated) and gets delivered into the poppet valve 12. Fluid flows through flow channels 236 and vents 122, and also through channels 238 when they are open, as illustrated e.g., in
As shown in
Further back pressure waves are generated upon movement of the inner and outer valve assemblies. In certain positions of the of the inner and outer valve assemblies, there can be an open fluid flow path from the inner valve assembly, through vents 228, then through vents 130, 132 and 138, and then through vents 124, 126 and 128 and into the restricted space just inside outer barrel 21. Movement of the inner and outer valve assemblies opens and closes some of the vents, generating back pressure waves upon certain closings.
All back pressure waves can follow any of the open flow paths upwards, and then enter vents 122 in poppet valve 12. As each back pressure wave is also immediately adjacent to a following low pressure wave, the low pressure waves entering the upper part of the poppet valve 12 through vents 122 is sufficient such that springs 14, 16 force valve stem 15 upwardly and momentarily open valve seat 22 (see
The frequency of upstrokes and downstrokes of the inner and outer valve assemblies, which also affects the frequency of opening and closing of poppet valve 12, is affected by adjusting the length of inner wash pipes 28, 29 and inner valve 31, and/or outer wash pipes 40, 52 and outer valve 30. The oscillation frequency of poppet valve 12 can also be changed by selecting springs 9, 14, 16 with different compression strengths, or by changing the pressure of the fluid supplied to tool 10.
The foregoing description and embodiments are intended to merely illustrate and not limit the scope of the invention. Other embodiments, modifications, variations and equivalents of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art and are also within the scope of the invention, which is only described and limited in the claims which follow, and not elsewhere.
Number | Date | Country | |
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63183349 | May 2021 | US | |
63147036 | Feb 2021 | US |