Patent Application
20070011873
1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to methods for producing even wall down-hole power sections and power sections produced according to those methods.
2. Description of the Related Art
In drilling a borehole in the earth, such as for the recovery of oil, it is conventional practice to connect a drill bit on the lower end of an assembly of drill pipe sections that are connected end-to-end so as to form a “drill string”. The drill string is rotated and advanced downward, causing the drill bit to cut through the underground rock formation. A pump on the surface typically takes drilling fluid (also known as drilling mud) from a mud pit and forces it down through a passage in the center of the drill string. The drilling fluid then exits the drill bit, in the process cooling the face of the drill bit. The drilling mud returns to the surface by an area located between the borehole and the drill string, carrying with it shavings and bits of rock from downhole.
A conventional motor is typically located on the surface to rotate the drill string and thus the drill bit. Often, a drilling motor that rotates the drill bit may also be placed as part of the drill string a short distance above the drill bit. This allows directional drilling downhole, and can simplify deep drilling. One such motor is called a “Moineau motor” and uses the pressure exerted on the drilling fluid by the surface pump as a source of energy to rotate the drill bit.
In operation, drilling fluid is pumped in the chambers 147 formed between the rotor 140 and the stator 120, and causes the rotor to nutate or precess within the stator as a planetary gear would nutate within an internal ring gear. The centerline of the rotor 140 travels in a circular path around the centerline of the stator 120. The gearing action of the stator lobes 125 causes the rotor 140 to rotate as it nutates.
One drawback in such prior art motors is the stress and heat generated by the movement of the rotor 140 within the stator 120. There are several mechanisms by which heat is generated. The first is the compression of the stator rubber by the rotor, known as interference. Radial interference is necessary to seal the chambers to prevent leakage and under typical conditions may be on the order of 0.005″ to 0.030″. The sliding or rubbing movement of the rotor combined with the forces of interference generates friction.
In addition, with each cycle of compression and release of the rubber, heat is generated due to internal viscous friction among the rubber molecules. This phenomenon is known as hysteresis. Cyclic deformation of the rubber occurs due to three effects: interference, centrifugal force, and reactive forces from torque generation. The centrifugal force results from the mass of the rotor moving in the nutational path previously described. Reactive forces from torque generation are similar to those found in gears that are transmitting torque. Additional heat input may also be present from the high temperatures downhole.
Because elastomers are poor conductors of heat, the heat from these various sources builds up in the thick sections 130a-e of the stator lobes. In these areas the temperature rises higher than the temperature of the circulating fluid or the formation. This increased temperature causes rapid degradation of the elastomer. Also, the elevated temperature changes the mechanical properties of the rubber, weakening the stator lobe as a structural member and leading to cracking and tearing of sections 130a-e, as well as portions 145a-e of the rubber at the lobe crests.
This design can also produce uneven rubber strain between the major and minor diameters of the power section. The flexing of the lobes 125 also limits the pressure capability of each stage of the power section by allowing more fluid slippage from one stage to the subsequent stages below.
These forms of rubber degeneration are major drawbacks because when a downhole motor fails, not only must the motor be replaced, but the entire drillstring must be “tripped” or drawn from the borehole, section by section, and then re-inserted with a new motor. Because the operator of a drilling operation is often paying daily rental fees for his equipment, this lost time can be very expensive, especially after the substantial cost of an additional motor.
Advances in manufacturing techniques have led to the introduction of even wall power section motors 150 utilizing thin tubular structures as shown in
Several manufacturing techniques have been developed to produce these tubular members. Hydro forming has been used to produce rotor and stator geometry. This process involves forming a tube into a specific geometry by collapsing the tube onto an inner mandrel of predefined shape using external pressure. The mandrel is extracted and reused after forming. Explosive forming is done utilizing the same process as above with one exception. The external forming pressure is produced by detonating an explosive charge.
Roller forming (Extruding) utilizes rollers and a series of rams to gradually form and shape the tube onto an inner mandrel. Another variation involves a series of consecutive dies and rollers to gradually reduce the tube to final shape. These two processes require precise control of the tube and rollers to create accurate geometry. Once formed, the inner mandrel is extracted and reused as above. Pilger forming is a process where the tube is formed using hydraulic presses that beat or push the material into shape over a preformed mandrel. Investment casting has also been used to create short stator sections. These sections are aligned and joined together to form the complete stator component.
Forming operations require materials that can tolerate a large amount of deformation or cold work to produce the final geometry. Materials are usually low carbon or low strength alloys that are initially in the annealed condition. The part/material gains its final strength through cold work to final shape. The nature of this process excludes the use of high strength materials and limits the use of some non-magnetic materials. Formed parts have a non uniform stress distribution that is geometry-dependent based on varying degrees of cold work as mentioned above. This compromises overall part strength and affects secondary manufacturing operations such as welded end connections, or surface coating integrity.
The length of a formed part is determined by its support equipment, i.e. pressure vessels, fixtures, molds, etc. A large capital investment must be made to produce each unique part. Forming operations are also limited by market driven tubing sizes. Designs, fixtures, etc. must be designed around existing tube stock. The inner mandrel used during forming operations must be extracted from the finished part. This requires additional manufacturing steps that can cause damage to the finished part.
Therefore, there exists a need in the art for a method for manufacturing an even-wall rotor or stator that is economical and produces a rotor or stator that is durable and reliable in operation.
Embodiments of the present invention provide methods for manufacturing an even-wall rotor or stator that do not suffer from drawbacks of the prior art. Even-wall rotors or stators produced according to those methods are also provided.
In one embodiment, a method for manufacturing a rotor or stator for use in a mud motor is provided. The method includes providing a vacuum chamber; providing a metal electrode at least partially disposed in the vacuum chamber; providing a mold disposed in the vacuum chamber; and melting a portion of the electrode with a direct current arc, the molten metal flowing into the mold ring.
In one aspect of the embodiment, the method further includes rotating the mold. In another aspect of the embodiment, the mold includes inner and outer members and the molten metal pours into a space between the inner and outer members. In another aspect of the embodiment, the mold has a non-circular profile formed on an inner or outer surface thereof. In another aspect of the embodiment, the mold has a substantially hypocycloid profile formed on an inner or outer surface thereof.
In another embodiment, a method for manufacturing a rotor or stator for use in a mud motor is provided. The method includes providing a robot having a welding gun; depositing a layer of metal using the welding gun; moving either one of the welding gun or the layer away from the other; repeating the depositing and moving step until the rotor or stator is formed.
In one aspect of the embodiment, the layer is deposited onto a base and the method further includes rotating the base. In another aspect of the embodiment, the layer has a non-circular shape. In another aspect of the embodiment, the layer has a circular shape. In another aspect of the embodiment, the layer has a substantially hypocycloid shape. In another aspect of the embodiment, the method is performed in a chamber flooded with an inert or reactive shielding gas. In another aspect of the embodiment, the method is performed in a vacuum chamber.
In another aspect of the embodiment, the layer of metal is deposited by plasma-arc welding. In another aspect of the embodiment, the layer of metal is deposited by a step for pinch arc welding. In another aspect of the embodiment, the layer of metal is deposited by gas tungsten-arc welding. In another aspect of the embodiment, the layer of metal is deposited by flux-cored arc welding. In another aspect of the embodiment, the layer of metal is deposited by submerged arc welding.
In another embodiment, a method for manufacturing a rotor for use in a mud motor is provided. The method includes rotating a mold having a substantially helical-hypocycloid profile formed on an inner surface thereof; and pouring molten metal into the mold, wherein centrifugal force caused by the rotation of the mold will press the molten metal under sufficient pressure so that the molten metal will substantially evenly fill the profiled inner surface.
In another aspect of the embodiment, the mold is in a pressure chamber. In another aspect of the embodiment, a longitudinal centerline of the mold is substantially horizontal.
In another embodiment, a method for manufacturing a rotor or stator for use in a mud motor is provided. The method includes providing a means for manufacturing the rotor or stator; and a step for manufacturing the rotor or stator, thereby producing the rotor or stator having a substantially helical-hypocycloid shape.
In another embodiment, a rotor or stator made according to the method of the first embodiment and/or aspects thereof is provided. In another embodiment, a rotor or stator made according to the method of the second embodiment and/or aspects thereof is provided. In another embodiment, a rotor made according to the method of the third embodiment and/or aspects thereof is provided.
So that the manner in which the above recited features of the present invention can be understood in detail, a more particular description of the invention, briefly summarized above, may be had by reference to embodiments, some of which are illustrated in the appended drawings. It is to be noted, however, that the appended drawings illustrate only typical embodiments of this invention and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope, for the invention may admit to other equally effective embodiments.
A simplified schematic of a vacuum arc remelting (VAR) process 200 is shown in
As the cooling water 205 extracts heat from the crucible wall, the molten metal next to the wall solidifies. At some distance below the molten pool surface, the alloy becomes completely solidified, yielding a fully dense part 203. After a sufficient period of time has elapsed, a steady-state situation evolves consisting of a “bowl” of molten material situated on top of a fully solidified part base. As more material solidifies, the part grows. The other significant parts of a typical VAR furnace shown in
The mold members 215a,b are rotated 225 during the melting process to produce helical-hypocycloid shapes for either rotors or stators 220. As the mold members 215a,b rotate, a solidified portion (see
The upper arm 305 is rotatably connected to a wrist assembly 320. The wrist assembly 320 can be extended or retracted. Further, the wrist assembly 320 is rotatably connected to a first member 321. The first member 321 is rotatably connected to a second member 322. Also, the second member 322 can be extended from or withdrawn to the first member. The second member 322 holds a gas metal-arc welding (GMAW) gun 323b, which is fed by a wire feeder 324. Alternatively, the gun may be a plasma-arc welding (PAW) gun 323c, in which case the wire feeder 324 is not necessary; a gas tungsten-arc welding (GTAW) gun 323d, in which case the wire feeder 324 may be replaced by a filler rod feeder (not shown); a flux-cored arc welding (FCAW) gun 323e; or a submerged arc welding (SAW) gun 323f, in which case the wire feeder 324 may be replaced by flux feeder from a hopper. Each robot welder 300 may also include a microprocessor and a memory for storing a job (not shown).
One type of a GMAW process is known as pinch arc or Rapid Arc GMAW. (Rapid Arc was a trademark of Zues Corp., now believed to be out of business. RapidArc is a trademark of Lincoln Electric Co. Note, however, the two processes may not be the same.) Such a pinch arc welder is made under one or more of the following U.S. patents, incorporated herein by reference: U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,800,571, 3,136,884; 3,211,953; 3,211,990; 3,268,842; 3,316,381; 3,489,973; and 4,857,693. The former website of Zues Corp., available in an Internet archive service at http://web.archive.org/web/20040619211422/http://www.zuescorp.com, is herein incorporated by reference.
These patents and the website disclose methods and apparatus for pinch arc welding wherein in general context the length of weld wire 340 is provided for deposition 341 in molten form 337b on the workpiece 330 by the steps of electronically coupling a capacitance 343 between the workpiece 330 and the length of weld wire 340, inductively 342 charging the capacitance 343 when the end of the length of weld wire 340 is out of electrical communication with the workpiece 330, discharging the capacitance 343 through the weld wire 340 to establish an arc between the end of the length of weld wire 340 and the workpiece 330 by bringing the end of the length of weld wire 340 into electrical communication with the workpiece 330, whereby the weld wire 340 end is deposited 341 as molten weld metal 337b onto the workpiece 330 while pinching off the end from the rest of the weld wire 340, and continuously feeding weld wire 340 into the arc while shielding the arc from surrounding air.
This process capitalizes on the rapid solidification of the weld material and the low energy imparted into the part 320. Without these low temperature processes, the formation of a stable structure would be difficult. Geometric tolerances and material microstructure can be held within tight tolerances with this process. Part surfaces may require secondary machining operations to achieve a smooth surface finish.
Preferably, to guarantee proper metallurgy, this process is done in an environment that provides adequate shielding from reactive elements in the atmosphere. Preferably, each part 320 is produced within a chamber or area 358 flooded with the inert or reactive shielding gas 342 as opposed to just shielding the weld by injecting gas through the weld guns 323b-f. A reactive gas constituent has the advantage of reducing surface oxides that may be present. A vacuum chamber 358 and 358a may also be used to provide this protection. Less preferably, the inert or reactive shielding gas 342 may simply be injected through the welding guns 323b-f, however, this may not provide the one hundred percent shielding potential necessary for certified metallurgy.
Using Weld Casting or the VAR process to produce tubular shapes has many advantages over existing manufacturing techniques. The Weld Cast or VAR process allows the use of a wider range of base materials and higher strength alloys including the majority of non-magnetic materials. Weld Cast or VAR produced parts have uniform stress distribution. The Weld Cast or VAR process can produce parts of varying length with theoretically no length limitation since the Weld Cast or VAR process actually produces the stock. The Weld Cast or VAR process will produce a metallurgically superior part, free from internal stress, with good surface finish and no length limitations.
Several companies offer VAR equipment that can be customized for specialty processes and shapes. Material surface finishes resulting from the VAR process are smooth and seamless. Another advantage of the VAR process is the rate of material deposition.
The crucible 515 is adapted to melt a metal or an alloy into a liquid material through application of heat, thereby yielding the molten material 520. Examples of melting processes include resistance heating, induction heating, arc melting, and plasma arc melting. Melting and casting are performed in, for example, the atmosphere, vacuum, or an inert gas. The mold 512 may be made of steel protected with a refractory mold wash, green-sand lining, dry-sand lining, or graphite.
The mold 512 is set in rotation during pouring and the molten material 520 is pressed against the profiled inner surface by the centrifugal force under sufficient pressure to substantially evenly fill the profiled inner surface of the mold 512. Solidification of the molten material 520 progresses from the outer surface inward; thus, porosity is greatly reduced and, since inclusions tend to have a lower density, they segregate toward the center which is of little consequence because the inner surface will require post-machining clean-up. Forced movement by shearing the molten material 520 results in grain refinement. Long and large rotors of very uniform quality and wall thickness may be cast. Surface quality is good on the outside of the rotor.
Alternatively, the methods described above with reference to
While the foregoing is directed to embodiments of the present invention, other and further embodiments of the invention may be devised without departing from the basic scope thereof, and the scope thereof is determined by the claims that follow.
