Bypass Plunger 360-Degree Crimp Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional bypass plungers face inefficiencies such as slow operation, susceptibility to impact and high pressures, rapid wear, clutch failures, and fluid flow obstructions, leading to increased maintenance costs and production losses in well bore operations.
Innovation Solution
A bypass plunger design featuring a hollow cylindrical body with external threads, a one-piece pushrod with a valve head, and a clutch assembly including a collet with kerfs for frictional engagement, along with fluid ingress and egress ports, which enhances reliability and fluid flow efficiency by eliminating the need for pins or screws and reducing manufacturing complexity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional bypass plungers use pins and screws to retain head and tail pieces, then assembly is straightforward, but the pins and screws may be sheared when the plunger impacts the bottom of the well bore or may loosen over time
Solution Approach 1:
The head and tail pieces are merged with the body portion through a 360-degree crimp that deforms the skirts into the external threads, creating an integrated structure that eliminates separate fasteners and prevents loosening or shearing under impact
2Ease of operation
If conventional plungers use clutch assemblies with multiple operative components, then positioning mechanisms are provided, but additional components increase the risk of failure and require time-consuming retrieval procedures
Solution Approach 1:
The clutch assembly is merged into a single one-piece clutch component that integrates the positioning function, eliminating multiple separate operative components and reducing failure points while maintaining the ability to retain the pushrod or valve in position
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional plungers have rough or protruding features in the flow path, then manufacturing may be simpler, but debris accumulates and restricts fluid flow causing erratic descent
Solution Approach 1:
The flow path through the body portion is provided with a smooth interior surface that is free of roughness or protruding features, specifically optimizing this local area for smooth fluid flow while other areas may have different surface characteristics
4Adaptability or versatility
If conventional plungers use multiple parts for assembly, then functionality can be divided into components, but additional operations during manufacturing or repair result in higher costs
Solution Approach 1:
The head and tail pieces are merged with the body portion through the 360-degree crimp process, reducing the number of separate parts and manufacturing operations while maintaining the functional modularity needed for different plunger configurations and applications
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 design improves operational efficiency, extends the plunger's useful life, reduces maintenance costs, and ensures reliable fluid flow and descent in well bore operations by providing a robust and efficient mechanism for fluid cycling.
Implementation Method 1
a 360 degree crimp that deforms the skirts of the head and tail pieces into a first preformed recess in the external threads of the hollow cylindrical body
Implementation Method 2
a clutch assembly including a collet with kerfs for frictional engagement
Data Source
AI summary
A minimum parts bypass plunger includes a main shaft or pushrod extending through a hollow plunger body that incorporates flow passages formed in the adjacent surfaces of the pushrod or the internal bore of the plunger body. The pushrod is retained within the plunger body by respective head and tail pieces or caps that are locked to the plunger body by 360 degree crimps around the head and tail pieces. A one piece clutch is supported in the head piece. The pushrod, has an integral valve head that closes the flow passages when seated against a seat in the plunger body.