A bearing testing fixture

Abstract

This invention provides a bearing testing fixture, relating to the field of bearing technology for downhole tools used in drilling and completion operations. The fixture includes a simulator, a centralizer, a mandrel, and a drive mechanism. The simulator is hollow and forms a testing cavity. One end of the mandrel passes through the testing cavity, and the other end is connected to the drive mechanism. The drive mechanism drives the mandrel to rotate around its axis. The centralizer is located within the testing cavity, and an inner sleeve for fixing the bearing under test is fitted inside the centralizer. The outer wall of the mandrel has a mounting groove that aligns with the centralizer, and an inner sleeve for fixing the bearing under test is fitted inside the mounting groove. The drive mechanism drives the mandrel and the inner sleeve to rotate. The bearing testing fixture proposed in this invention can verify the performance of bearings in wellbore cleaning tools under extreme downhole conditions.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of bearing technology for downhole tools used in drilling and completion operations, and particularly to a bearing testing fixture for key components of oil extraction equipment. Background Technology

[0002] Wellbore cleaning is a crucial step in oil drilling, completion, and other operations. Uncleaned wellbore debris and impurities can cause premature tool failure, leading to serious problems such as reduced production. The composition of impurities in the wellbore is diverse, including rock debris generated during drilling, mud cake from drilling mud, metal fragments from milling, cement sheaths or blocks from cementing processes, as well as burrs and flash from perforation, and rust on the casing and tubing.

[0003] In extended reach wells, the wellbore is typically inclined, and directional drilling technology allows the drill bit to reach deeper into the subsurface. Directional drilling usually involves a directional head, which controls the drilling direction by adjusting rotational speed and weight parameters. If the direction is adjusted too quickly, the drilled section of the wellbore may have an excessively large dogleg (too small a turning radius) or be restricted. When subsequent tools, such as wellbore cleaning tools, are run into the build-up point or restricted area, the tool's centralizer is subjected to significant lateral loads. Wellbore cleaning tool strings include centralizers to keep the tool centered downhole and in the casing, improving the efficiency of impurity recirculation, but they also experience higher lateral loads compared to conventional tools.

[0004] Existing wellbore cleaning tools typically utilize high-speed rotating bearing technology. However, because these tools are submerged in a mixture of working fluid and bottom debris during operation, the working environment for moving parts like bearings is harsh, leading to premature failure. Therefore, verifying the stability of wellbore cleaning tools, especially their bearing components, under extreme downhole conditions is crucial.

[0005] In view of this, based on years of experience in production and design in this and related fields, the inventor has designed a bearing testing fixture through repeated experiments in order to solve the problems existing in the prior art. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of this invention is to provide a bearing testing fixture that can verify the performance of bearings in wellbore cleaning tools under extreme downhole conditions.

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, this invention proposes a bearing testing fixture, comprising a simulator, a centralizer, a mandrel, and a drive mechanism. The simulator is hollow and forms a test cavity. One end of the mandrel passes through the test cavity, and the other end of the mandrel is connected to the drive mechanism. The drive mechanism drives the mandrel to rotate around its axis. The centralizer is disposed within the test cavity, and an inner sleeve for fixing the bearing under test is fitted inside the centralizer. The outer wall of the mandrel has a mounting groove that aligns with the centralizer, and an inner sleeve for fixing the bearing under test is fitted inside the mounting groove. The drive mechanism drives the mandrel and the inner sleeve to rotate.

[0008] The bearing testing fixture described above further includes a heating system for heating the mandrel and the bearing to be tested.

[0009] The bearing testing fixture described above includes a temperature sensor mounted on the mandrel.

[0010] The bearing testing fixture described above further includes a lateral load loading system, which is connected to the centralizer and applies a lateral load to the bearing under test through the centralizer.

[0011] The bearing testing fixture described above further includes a pressure sensor in the lateral load loading system.

[0012] The bearing testing fixture described above includes a drive mechanism comprising a motor, a transmission chain, and two sprockets. The output shaft of the motor is arranged parallel to the spindle, and the two sprockets are respectively mounted on the spindle and the output shaft of the motor. The two sprockets are engaged by the transmission chain.

[0013] The bearing testing fixture described above includes a speed sensor mounted on the mandrel.

[0014] The bearing testing fixture described above further includes a mounting base plate and two support components. The simulator and the two support components are respectively mounted on the mounting base plate, and the two support components are respectively supported at both ends of the mandrel and rotate in cooperation with the mandrel.

[0015] The bearing testing fixture described above has an inlet and an outlet on the outer wall of the simulator that communicate with the test chamber.

[0016] The bearing testing fixture described above includes a simulator comprising a simulator sleeve and two end caps. The test cavity extends axially through the simulator sleeve, and the two end caps are respectively placed over both ends of the test cavity. The end caps are sealed to the simulator sleeve. The mandrel is arranged axially along the simulator sleeve, and both ends of the mandrel extend through the end caps. The mandrel and the end caps are in a sealed rotational fit.

[0017] The bearing testing fixture described above has an observation window on the side wall of the simulation sleeve for observing the condition of the bearing under test.

[0018] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following features and advantages:

[0019] When using the bearing testing fixture proposed in this invention, the bearing to be tested is placed in the test chamber. The outer ring of the bearing to be tested is fixed by the mounting sleeve and the stabilizer, while the inner ring of the bearing to be tested is fixed by the mounting inner sleeve and rotates synchronously with the mandrel under the drive of the mounting inner sleeve. By injecting liquid and impurities into the test chamber, the working condition test of the bearing to be tested is simulated, thereby more accurately verifying the stability of the bearing under extreme downhole conditions. Attached Figure Description

[0020] The accompanying drawings described herein are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way. Furthermore, the shapes and proportions of the components in the drawings are merely illustrative to aid in understanding the invention and do not specifically limit the shapes and proportions of the components. Those skilled in the art, guided by the teachings of this invention, can select various possible shapes and proportions to implement the invention according to specific circumstances.

[0021] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the bearing testing fixture proposed in this invention;

[0022] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the drive mechanism in this invention;

[0023] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the heating system in this invention.

[0024] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0025] 100. Bearing testing fixture; 200. Bearing to be tested;

[0026] 10. Simulator; 11. Test chamber;

[0027] 14. Simulated sleeve; 15. End cap;

[0028] 16. Anti-rotation support; 20. Centralizer;

[0029] 30. Mandrel; 35. Flange connector;

[0030] 36. C-ring; 37. Center tube cap;

[0031] 38. Gladley ring; 39. Fastening screw;

[0032] 40. Drive mechanism; 41. Motor;

[0033] 42. Drive chain; 43. Sprockets;

[0034] 44. Key block; 50. Heating system;

[0035] 60. Lateral load loading system; 61. Loading piston;

[0036] 62. Piston cylinder; 63. Piston cylinder end cap;

[0037] 64. O-ring; 67. Pressure pump;

[0038] 70. Install the base plate;

[0039] 71. Base plate body; 72. Mounting bracket;

[0040] 75. Rollers; 80. Support components;

[0041] 81. Sliding bearing; 82. Sliding bearing pad;

[0042] 91. Install the inner sleeve; 92. Install the outer sleeve;

[0043] 93. Gladley ring; 94. Fastening screw. Detailed Implementation

[0044] The details of the present invention can be more clearly understood by referring to the accompanying drawings and the description of specific embodiments. However, the specific embodiments of the present invention described herein are for illustrative purposes only and should not be construed as limiting the invention in any way. Under the teachings of this invention, those skilled in the art can conceive of any possible modifications based on the invention, and these should all be considered to fall within the scope of the invention.

[0045] like Figures 1 to 3As shown, the present invention proposes a bearing testing fixture 100, which includes a simulator 10, a centralizer 20, a mandrel 30, and a drive mechanism 40. The simulator 10 is hollow inside and forms a test cavity 11. One end of the mandrel 30 passes through the test cavity 11, and the other end (input end) of the mandrel 30 is connected to the drive mechanism 40. The drive mechanism 40 drives the mandrel 30 to rotate around the axis of the mandrel 30. The centralizer 20 is disposed in the test cavity 11. The centralizer 20 is fitted with a mounting sleeve 92 for fixing the bearing 200 to be tested. The outer wall of the mandrel 30 is provided with a mounting groove that aligns with the centralizer 20. The mounting groove is fitted with a mounting inner sleeve 91 for fixing the bearing 200 to be tested. The drive mechanism 40 drives the mandrel 30 and the mounting inner sleeve 91 to rotate.

[0046] When using the bearing testing fixture 100 proposed in this invention, the bearing 200 to be tested is placed in the test chamber 11. The outer ring of the bearing 200 to be tested is fixed by the mounting sleeve 92 and the stabilizer 20. The inner ring of the bearing 200 to be tested is fixed by the mounting inner sleeve 91 and rotates synchronously with the mandrel 30 under the drive of the mounting inner sleeve 91. By injecting liquid and impurities into the test chamber 11, the working environment of the downhole medium is simulated. The working condition test of the bearing 200 to be tested can be performed in this way, which can more accurately verify the stability of the bearing 200 to be tested under extreme downhole conditions.

[0047] The bearing testing fixture 100 proposed in this invention simulates the liquid environment of the bearing 200 under test in the well. Impurities simulating well conditions can be added to the liquid to more realistically simulate well working conditions.

[0048] In an optional embodiment of the present invention, the bearing testing fixture 100 further includes a heating system 50, which is used to heat the mandrel 30 and the bearing 200 to be tested, thereby simulating the temperature environment downhole and thus more comprehensively simulating downhole working conditions.

[0049] In an optional example of this implementation, a temperature sensor is mounted on the mandrel 30, which can more accurately collect the experimental temperature of the bearing 200 under test during testing.

[0050] In an optional example of this embodiment, the heating system 50 is an oil bath circulating heating system. This system has an oil supply end and an oil return end. An axially penetrating oil guide channel is formed inside the mandrel 30, with its two ends connected to the oil supply end and the oil return end, respectively. Using this structure, the heating oil, after being heated by the oil bath circulating heating system, flows from the oil supply end into the oil guide channel to heat the mandrel 30 and the bearing 200 under test. After flowing through the oil guide channel, the heating oil returns to the oil bath circulating heating system from the oil return end for further circulating heating. The heating temperature provided by the oil bath circulating heating system is stable, preventing uncontrollable or inaccurate simulation temperatures due to frictional heating of the bearing during the experiment.

[0051] In an optional example, such as Figure 3 As shown, the oil bath circulating heating system can use existing technology, which will not be elaborated here.

[0052] Furthermore, flange joints 35 are respectively installed at both ends of the mandrel 30. The mandrel 30 is connected to the oil supply end (or oil return end) through the flange joints 35, and the flange joints 35 form a rotary sealing system through the C-ring 36, the central tube cap 37, and the Glyd ring 38. Fastening screws 39 are installed on the central tube cap 37. With the above structure, when the mandrel 30 rotates under the drive mechanism 40, the flange joints 35 will not rotate, avoiding the connection with the oil bath circulating heating system caused by the rotation of the mandrel 30.

[0053] Furthermore, an anti-rotation bracket 16 is also connected to the flange joint 35 to further ensure that the flange joint 35 will not rotate.

[0054] In an optional embodiment of the present invention, the bearing testing fixture 100 further includes a lateral load loading system 60, which is connected to the centralizer 20 and applies a lateral load to the bearing 200 under test through the centralizer 20, thereby simulating the working condition of the bearing 200 under test when subjected to a lateral load downhole, and increasing the comprehensiveness and completeness of the bearing test.

[0055] In an optional example of this implementation, the lateral load loading system 60 also includes a pressure sensor to more accurately acquire the lateral load on the bearing 200 under test.

[0056] In an optional example, the lateral load loading system 60 consists of a loading piston 61, a piston cylinder 62, and a piston cylinder end cap 63. The loading piston 61, piston cylinder 62, and piston cylinder end cap 63 are sealed by an O-ring 64. A pressure-pressurizing hole is provided on the piston cylinder end cap 63, through which a pressure pump 67 is connected. The pressure pump 67 provides pressure to the lateral load loading system 60, thereby pushing the loading piston 61 to apply a lateral load to the centralizer 20. Using the aforementioned loading piston 61 and pressure conversion method to provide the load makes the lateral load force more precise and controllable.

[0057] In an optional embodiment of the present invention, the drive mechanism 40 includes a motor 41, a transmission chain 42 and two sprockets 43. The output shaft of the motor 41 is arranged parallel to the spindle 30. The two sprockets 43 are respectively mounted on the spindle 30 and the output shaft of the motor 41. The two sprockets 43 are engaged by the transmission chain 42.

[0058] In an optional example of this embodiment, motor 41 is a geared motor. A sprocket 43 is mounted on the output shaft of motor 41 via a key block 44 and fastening screws. The input shaft end of spindle 30 ( Figure 1 The right end of the spindle 40 is also equipped with a sprocket 43 via a key block 44 and fastening screws. The sprocket 43 is engaged with the transmission chain 42. At this time, the power of the motor 41 can be input to the spindle 30. The speed of the spindle 30 can be adjusted accordingly by controlling the gear ratio of the sprocket 43. The opening and closing of the motor 41 is controlled by the electrical control box.

[0059] In this embodiment, the bearing under test 200 is rotated by the drive mechanism 40 and the mandrel 30, simulating the rotation of the bearing downhole. The rotation speed of the mandrel 30 is controllable, and the required rotation speed can be easily adjusted by changing the gear ratio of the sprocket 43.

[0060] In an optional example of this implementation, a speed sensor is mounted on the mandrel 30. The speed sensor allows for more precise acquisition of the rotational speed of the mandrel 30, improving the accuracy of the test results.

[0061] In an optional embodiment of the present invention, the bearing testing fixture 100 further includes a mounting base plate 70 and two support components 80. The simulator 10 and the two support components 80 are respectively mounted on the mounting base plate 70, and the two support components 80 are respectively supported at both ends of the mandrel 30 and rotate in cooperation with the mandrel 30.

[0062] In an optional example of this embodiment, the support assembly 80 includes a sliding bearing 81 and a sliding bearing pad 82. The sliding bearing 81 is sleeved on the end of the spindle 30 to ensure that the spindle 30 can rotate smoothly. The sliding bearing pad 82 is used to support the sliding bearing 81. The sliding bearing 81 and the sliding bearing pad 82 are fixed to the mounting base plate 70 by hex bolts and hex nuts.

[0063] In an optional embodiment of this implementation, the motor 41 and piston cylinder 62 are also mounted on the mounting base plate 70. Specifically, the motor 41 and piston cylinder 62 are also fixed to the mounting base plate 70 by hex bolts and hex nuts.

[0064] In an optional example, the piston cylinder 62 is fixedly connected to the lower surface of the mounting base plate 70. Specifically, the piston cylinder 62 is vertically arranged, and the top end of the piston cylinder 62 is fixedly connected to the lower surface of the mounting base plate 70 by hexagonal bolts and hexagonal nuts. The top end of the piston rod passes through the bottom of the mounting base plate 70 and the simulator 10 in sequence, enters the test chamber 11, and is then connected to the centralizer 20.

[0065] In an optional example of this embodiment, the mounting base 70 includes a base plate body 71 and four mounting brackets 72. The base plate body 71 is a rectangular plate, and the four mounting brackets 72 are located at the four corners of the bottom surface of the base plate body 71. The apex of each mounting bracket 72 is fixedly connected to the base plate body 71 by hexagonal bolts and hexagonal nuts to form the main skeleton of the test fixture. The bottom end of each mounting bracket 72 is equipped with a roller 75 by hexagonal bolts and hexagonal nuts, so that the entire test fixture can be moved easily.

[0066] Furthermore, of the four wheels 75, three can be configured as omnidirectional wheels and the other as a directional wheel.

[0067] In an optional embodiment of the present invention, the outer wall of the simulator 10 is provided with a liquid inlet and a liquid outlet communicating with the test chamber 11. The liquid inlet allows for the convenient injection of liquid and impurities simulating the field conditions into the test chamber 11, so that the test conditions of the bearing under test are consistent with those downhole. The liquid outlet is used to discharge the liquid and impurities after the test is completed. A liquid outlet valve can be installed at the liquid outlet to control the opening and closing of the liquid outlet.

[0068] In one optional example of this implementation, the drain outlet is a threaded hole.

[0069] In an optional embodiment of the present invention, the simulator 10 includes a simulation sleeve 14 and two end caps 15. The test chamber 11 axially penetrates the simulation sleeve 14, and the two end caps 15 are respectively covered at both ends of the test chamber 11. The end caps 15 are sealed to the simulation sleeve 14. The mandrel 30 is arranged along the axial direction of the simulation sleeve 14, and the mandrel 30 sequentially penetrates the two end caps 15. The mandrel 30 and the end caps 15 are sealed and rotated together.

[0070] In an optional example of this embodiment, a rotary seal is formed between the mandrel 30 and the end cap 15 by a rotary sealing Glyd ring to prevent liquid leakage from the test chamber 11.

[0071] In an optional embodiment of the present invention, the relevant components of the bearing to be tested 200 are all mounted on the mandrel 30. The bearing to be tested 200 and the mounting inner sleeve 91 are respectively installed in the mounting groove of the mandrel 30. The two are fixed to the mandrel 30 by the mounting outer sleeve 92 which is divided into two halves and the concave cap screw 93. The mounting inner sleeve 91 and the mandrel 30 are equipped with a rotary sealing Glyd ring. The mounting outer sleeve 92 and the stabilizer 20 are connected together by threads. The stabilizer 20 is equipped with a fastening screw 94 to prevent the threads from loosening.

[0072] In one optional embodiment of this implementation, the mounting sleeve 92 is formed by two interlocking semi-cylindrical parts, which facilitates disassembly. When testing different bearings 200, the bearings 200 under test can be replaced by simply disassembling the two halves of the mounting sleeve, which is very convenient.

[0073] In one optional example of this implementation, the bearing to be tested 200 is a needle roller bearing.

[0074] In an optional example of this implementation, an observation window is provided on the side wall of the simulation sleeve 14 for observing the condition of the bearing under test, so that the test process can be observed in real time.

[0075] In an optional embodiment of this implementation, the inlet and outlet are also provided on the simulated sleeve 14.

[0076] In an optional embodiment of the present invention, the bearing testing fixture 100 further includes a control unit. The control unit includes at least a data acquisition unit and a display panel. The motor 41, pressure sensor, temperature sensor, and speed sensor are connected to the data acquisition unit. The data from the speed sensor, pressure sensor, and temperature sensor is collected by the data acquisition unit and displayed on the display panel. This allows for convenient observation of the entire system's experimental status under different speeds, temperatures, and loads, and enables data recording. With this structure, all experimental data is displayed on the screen, making the test results intuitive and convenient.

[0077] The bearing testing fixture 100 proposed in this invention can verify the stability of the bearing 200 under extreme downhole conditions, realize simulated working condition tests such as temperature, tubing rotation speed, liquid medium, and lateral load, and can completely record these experimental data.

[0078] The detailed explanations of the above embodiments are intended only to explain the present invention so as to facilitate a better understanding of the present invention. However, these descriptions should not be construed as limiting the present invention for any reason. In particular, the various features described in different embodiments can be arbitrarily combined with each other to form other embodiments. Unless there is an explicit description to the contrary, these features should be understood to be applicable to any embodiment, and not limited to the described embodiments.

Claims

1. A bearing testing fixture, characterized in that, The bearing testing fixture includes a simulator, a centralizer, a mandrel, and a drive mechanism. The simulator is hollow and forms a test cavity. One end of the mandrel passes through the test cavity, and the other end of the mandrel is connected to the drive mechanism. The drive mechanism drives the mandrel to rotate around its axis. The centralizer is located inside the test cavity, and a mounting sleeve for fixing the bearing under test is fitted inside the centralizer. The outer wall of the mandrel has a mounting groove that aligns with the centralizer. A mounting inner sleeve for fixing the bearing under test is fitted inside the mounting groove. The drive mechanism drives the mandrel and the mounting inner sleeve to rotate. The bearing testing fixture also includes a lateral load loading system, which is connected to the centralizer and applies a lateral load to the bearing under test through the centralizer.

2. The bearing testing fixture as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The bearing testing fixture also includes a heating system, which is used to heat the mandrel and the bearing to be tested.

3. The bearing testing fixture as described in claim 2, characterized in that, A temperature sensor is mounted on the mandrel.

4. The bearing testing fixture as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The lateral load loading system also includes a pressure sensor.

5. The bearing testing fixture as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The drive mechanism includes a motor, a transmission chain, and two sprockets. The output shaft of the motor is arranged parallel to the spindle. The two sprockets are respectively mounted on the spindle and the output shaft of the motor, and the two sprockets are engaged by the transmission chain.

6. The bearing testing fixture as described in claim 1 or 5, characterized in that, A speed sensor is mounted on the spindle.

7. The bearing testing fixture as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The bearing testing fixture also includes a mounting base plate and two support components. The simulator and the two support components are respectively mounted on the mounting base plate, and the two support components are respectively supported at both ends of the mandrel and rotate in cooperation with the mandrel.

8. The bearing testing fixture as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The simulator includes a simulated sleeve and two end caps. The test chamber extends axially through the simulated sleeve. The two end caps are respectively placed on both ends of the test chamber and are sealed to the simulated sleeve. The mandrel is arranged axially along the simulated sleeve, and both ends of the mandrel pass through the end caps. The mandrel and the end caps are in a sealed rotational fit.

9. The bearing testing fixture as described in claim 8, characterized in that, The simulated sleeve has an observation window on its side wall for observing the condition of the bearing under test.

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