Auto-bleeding Well Tool with Floating Piston
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing downhole setting tools require manual and cumbersome procedures for bleeding high-pressure gas, which is dangerous and time-consuming, and often result in contamination of oil used for actuation, necessitating disassembly and reassembly for reuse.
Innovation Solution
An auto-bleeding setting tool with a floating piston assembly and isolation valve assembly, featuring a frangible disc that prevents high-pressure gas from mixing with oil, allowing for automatic venting of gas through a side port during the tool's operation, thereby isolating the gas from the oil and enabling safer and more efficient operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual bleeding procedure is used to vent high-pressure gas, then gas can be released, but the procedure is dangerous and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The frangible disc is pre-installed in the floating piston assembly to automatically isolate and contain the high-pressure gas upon activation. This preliminary positioning of the disc eliminates the need for manual intervention during the bleeding process, as the system is already configured to contain and vent gas automatically when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The floating piston assembly with frangible disc automatically isolates and vents the high-pressure gas without requiring manual disassembly or intervention. The system serves itself by using the frangible disc to break and release gas pressure automatically, eliminating the need for workers to manually disassemble and reassemble components.
2Ease of operation
If high-pressure gas is vented manually, then gas can be released, but it contaminates the oil used for actuation
Solution Approach 1:
The setting tool is divided into separate compartments: the power charge chamber for generating high-pressure gas and the hydraulic chamber for storing actuation oil. The frangible disc and floating piston assembly act as a separator between these chambers, preventing gas from contaminating the oil by physically segmenting the two fluid systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The frangible disc serves as an intermediary barrier between the high-pressure gas and the actuation oil. When intact, it prevents gas from mixing with oil; when it breaks, it allows controlled gas release without contaminating the oil, thus mediating the interaction between gas and oil phases.
3Reliability
If frangible disc is used to isolate high-pressure gas, then gas and oil are separated, but the disc must be replaced after use
Solution Approach 1:
The frangible disc is designed as a disposable component that breaks after single use to release gas pressure. This intentional design allows the disc to be replaced easily after each operation, prioritizing safety and reliability over long-term durability. The low cost and simple replacement process make this acceptable.
Solution Approach 2:
The frangible disc is discarded after use when it breaks to release gas pressure. The floating piston assembly and other components are recovered and reused after replacing the frangible disc and cleaning the power charge chamber, optimizing resource utilization while maintaining safety.
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 auto-bleeding mechanism effectively separates and vents high-pressure gas from the oil, preventing contamination and allowing for easier tool reuse by simply washing out the power charge chamber and replacing components upon retrieval, enhancing safety and efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a frangible disc located to prevent a high-pressure gas to pass through a bore of the floating piston assembly
Implementation Method 2
translating the floating piston assembly along the housing under pressure from the pressured gas to force a hydraulic liquid to move past the isolation valve assembly
Implementation Method 3
breaking the frangible disc to expel the pressured gas outside the housing
Data Source
AI summary
A setting tool for setting an auxiliary tool in a well includes a housing holding a floating piston assembly, the floating piston assembly having a first end and a second end, which is opposite to the first end, an isolation valve assembly in fluid communication with an interior of the housing, where the isolation valve assembly is facing the second end of the floating piston assembly, and a frangible disc located at the first end of the floating piston assembly, to prevent a high-pressure gas to pass through a bore of the floating piston assembly. The floating piston assembly separates the frangible disc from the isolation valve assembly.