Compact Direct-Drive Drilling Turbine for Tight Directional Radii
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing drilling turbines have a large overall length, limiting the minimum radius of directional drill holes and making them unsuitable for use in water-filled drill holes due to hydrostatic pressure.
Innovation Solution
A compact drilling turbine design with a direct connection between the turbine impeller and drive shaft, allowing for high rotational speed and low torque, and the use of a drive fluid system with multiple supply and return lines to control feed force and torque, enabling operation in water-bearing rock strata and hard rock.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If a traditional drilling turbine design is used, then the turbine can operate with sufficient torque, but the overall length becomes large, limiting the minimum radius of directional drill holes
Solution Approach 1:
The drilling turbine is divided into separate functional modules: a turbine impeller for power generation, a drive shaft for power transmission, and a drilling tool for rock penetration. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently, resulting in a compact overall design that can navigate tight curvature radii while maintaining operational effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical gear systems with a direct-drive configuration where the turbine impeller connects directly to the drive shaft. This elimination of intermediate mechanical transmission components reduces the overall length of the system and enables the drilling turbine to achieve the required torque at higher rotational speeds, thereby allowing operation at smaller curvature radii.
2Reliability
If a traditional drilling turbine design is used, then the turbine structure is robust, but it becomes difficult or impossible to use in deep, water-filled drill holes due to hydrostatic pressure
Solution Approach 1:
The drilling turbine employs materials and structural designs optimized for high-temperature and high-pressure environments. The turbine impeller and drive shaft are constructed from heat-resistant alloys that maintain their mechanical properties under the extreme conditions of deep water-filled wells, enabling reliable operation where traditional turbines fail.
Solution Approach 2:
The system utilizes hydraulic principles by employing a turbine impeller that converts hydraulic energy from water or other drive fluids into rotational mechanical energy. This direct hydraulic-to-mechanical energy conversion eliminates the need for complex mechanical transmission systems that would be vulnerable to hydrostatic pressure, thereby improving reliability in water-filled drill holes.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a traditional drilling turbine design is used, then the turbine can handle various rock types, but it cannot efficiently drill hard rock or water-bearing strata
Solution Approach 1:
The drilling turbine employs a direct-drive configuration that enables dynamic adjustment of rotational speed and torque. The turbine impeller can operate at variable rotational speeds, allowing the system to adapt to different rock formations. When encountering hard rock or water-bearing strata, the system can increase torque output while maintaining appropriate rotational speeds to prevent bit wear and ensure efficient drilling.
Solution Approach 2:
The system utilizes materials and structural designs optimized for high-temperature and high-pressure environments. The turbine impeller and drive shaft are constructed from heat-resistant alloys that maintain their mechanical properties under the extreme conditions of deep water-filled wells, enabling reliable operation where traditional turbines fail.
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 compact design allows for small deflection radii and uniform drill hole walls, facilitating fine drill cuttings removal and stable directional drilling, even in challenging environments.
Implementation Method 1
a turbine impeller (3) which is designed to set the drive shaft (6) in rotation
Data Source
AI summary
A drilling turbine (1) comprises a housing (2) in which a drive shaft (6) is rotatably mounted, and a turbine impeller (3) designed to set the drive shaft (6) in rotation. The drive shaft (6) is connectable to a drilling tool (4, 5). The housing has at least one drive line (9, 12) with at least one drive mouth (19), through which a drive fluid can be directed onto the turbine impeller (3). The turbine impeller (3) is connected directly to the drive shaft (6) such that, during operation, the turbine impeller (3), the drive shaft (6) and the drilling tool (4, 5) rotate at the same rotational speed. The housing (2) has a diameter of about 2.5 to about 15 cm and/or a length of about 3 cm to about 15 cm. A method for directional drilling uses a drilling turbine of this type.