Ball Seat Support Member for High-Pressure Frac Applications
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Solution Overview
Problem
Ball seats in oil and gas wells face limitations due to high contact stresses on plastic balls, leading to premature failure, as the contact area is minimized to accommodate larger balls, restricting the number of actuations and producible zones in frac systems.
Innovation Solution
A plug element support member that extends into the bore of the ball seat to provide additional support to the ball, distributing the pressure over a larger surface area, allowing higher pressures to be withstood without ball failure, and enabling larger seat inner diameters for more balls to pass through the conduit.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If the contact area between the ball and seat is minimized to maximize the seat inner diameter, then the seat inner diameter is increased allowing larger balls to pass through, but the contact stress on the ball increases causing premature ball failure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a single-plane contact interface to a multi-dimensional support system by introducing a ball support member with multiple contact points distributed around the ball's equator. This dimensional expansion of the contact interface allows the seat inner diameter to remain large while distributing contact stresses across multiple locations, preventing ball failure.
Solution Approach 2:
The ball support member acts as an intermediary element between the ball and the seat. Instead of the ball directly contacting the seat inner surface, the support member intercepts and distributes the contact forces, mediating the interaction to reduce peak stresses on the ball while maintaining the required seat inner diameter.
2Strength
If the contact area between the ball and seat is increased to decrease contact stress, then the ball can withstand higher pressures, but the seat inner diameter is reduced restricting passage of balls and tools
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the contact interface by introducing multiple discrete contact points around the ball's equator rather than a single continuous contact area. This segmentation distributes the load across multiple locations, increasing the ball's effective load-bearing capacity while maintaining a large seat inner diameter for tool passage.
Solution Approach 2:
The ball support member adds a circumferential dimension to the contact interface, distributing forces around the ball's equator. This dimensional expansion allows increased load-bearing capacity without compromising the seat inner diameter, as the support structure engages the ball in a distributed manner rather than concentrating forces.
3Quantity of substance
If larger balls are used to increase the number of producible zones, then more zones can be isolated, but the contact stress increases causing ball failure
Solution Approach 1:
The ball support member segments the contact forces into multiple discrete points around the ball, allowing larger diameter balls to be used without exceeding contact stress limits. This segmentation enables the use of larger balls that can isolate more producible zones while distributing the increased loads across multiple contact locations.
Solution Approach 2:
The ball support member serves as an intermediary that enables the use of larger balls by intercepting and distributing their contact forces. This intermediary structure allows larger balls to be employed to increase the number of isolatable zones while preventing ball failure through force distribution.
4Stress or pressure
If the seat inner diameter is reduced to increase the contact area, then contact stress is decreased, but fewer balls can pass through the conduit
Solution Approach 1:
The ball support member acts as an intermediary that enables large seat inner diameters to coexist with low contact stresses. By distributing forces through multiple contact points, the support member allows the seat inner diameter to remain large for ball passage while maintaining acceptable contact stress levels.
Solution Approach 2:
The contact interface is segmented into multiple points by the ball support member, allowing the seat inner diameter to remain large while achieving sufficient load distribution. This segmentation enables both large ball passage and acceptable contact stresses to be achieved simultaneously.
Data Source
AI summary
Apparatuses for restricting fluid flow through a well conduit comprise a tubular member having an inner wall surface defining a bore and a seat in sliding engagement with the inner wall surface. Operatively associated with the seat is a plug element support member having an expanded position when the apparatus is in a run-in position and a contracted position when the apparatus is in a set position. A plug element adapted to be disposed into the bore and landed on the seat to restrict fluid flow through the bore and the well conduit is used to move the seat which in turn moves the plug element support member from the expanded position to the contracted position, thereby providing support to the plug member landed on the seat.