Air Bladder Isolation for Drilling Vibration Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing drilling systems face issues with undesirable shaking and damage due to high-frequency vibratory forces transmitted from the drill bit to other parts of the drilling equipment, leading to fatigue and wear.
Innovation Solution
An isolation system utilizing air bladder assemblies to counter and dissipate vibratory energy from the drill head, reducing the transmission of oscillating forces to the drill mast and rig, while allowing these forces to be utilized in sampling operations or drilling processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If high-frequency vibratory forces are transmitted to the drill bit to slice through formations, then drilling efficiency is improved, but undesirable shaking and damage occur to other parts of the drilling systems
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an isolation system comprising isolators positioned between the drill string and the drill rig mast. These isolators act as intermediary elements that selectively transmit certain forces while isolating harmful vibratory forces. The isolators include elements such as rubber isolators, spring isolators, or viscous isolators that provide mechanical isolation to protect the rig mast from high-frequency vibrations generated during sonic drilling operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the harmful vibratory forces from the overall drilling system by implementing an isolation system that separates the drill string from the rig mast. This extraction allows the beneficial drilling forces to be transmitted to the drill bit while the harmful high-frequency vibrations are isolated and prevented from propagating to the rig mast and other sensitive components.
2Adaptability or versatility
If vibratory forces are transmitted through the drill string to enable core sampling, then sampling capability is improved, but fatigue and wear increase in the drilling equipment
Solution Approach 1:
The isolation system serves as a mediator between the drill string and the rig mast, allowing the transmission of necessary forces for core sampling while filtering out the harmful high-frequency vibrations that cause fatigue and wear. The isolators protect the rig mast and other equipment from cumulative damage while maintaining the operational capability for sampling operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The isolators provide beforehand cushioning by being pre-installed in the isolation system to absorb and dampen vibratory forces before they can propagate to and damage the rig mast and other equipment. This preventive measure protects the equipment from fatigue and wear that would otherwise occur during repeated drilling and sampling operations.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The isolation system effectively reduces the transmission of vibratory forces to the drill mast and rig, preventing fatigue and wear, while maintaining the use of vibratory energy for drilling operations, thereby extending the lifespan of the equipment.
Implementation Method 1
An isolation system utilized air bladder assemblies to counter and dissipate vibratory energy from the drill head, reducing the transmission of oscillating forces to the drill mast and rig
Implementation Method 2
The isolation system includes air bladder assemblies positioned between the drill head and the drill mast
Data Source
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AI summary
In at least one example, an isolation system includes at least one air bladder assembly including at least one air bladder and at least one coupling member coupling the air bladder to a drill head, wherein the air bladder is configured to compress and expand to counter oscillating forces generated by the drill head.