Downhole Oil Level Detection via Balance Piston Displacement
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Solution Overview
Problem
In downhole rotary coring instruments, high temperature and pressure environments cause significant volume changes in hydraulic oil, leading to mechanical sealing failures and potential accidents due to excessive leakage, which can result in instrument damage or mud invasion.
Innovation Solution
A device comprising a balance cylinder with a moving piston, piston tension spring, moving rod, compression spring, displacement sensor, limiting structure, and clamping structure is used to detect the oil level in real-time, allowing for accurate determination of leakage and preventing accidents by monitoring piston displacement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If a balance piston is used for compensation to reduce the influence of temperature and pressure on hydraulic oil volume, then the system stability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The balance piston assembly is integrated within the existing hydraulic system structure, with the piston nested inside the hydraulic chamber. This allows the compensation function to be added without requiring a completely separate external system, thereby improving stability while limiting the increase in overall device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The balance piston serves multiple functions: it compensates for hydraulic oil volume changes due to temperature and pressure, maintains system pressure balance, and provides a mechanical indication of oil level. This multi-functionality improves system stability while avoiding the need for multiple separate components.
2Reliability
If mechanical rotary dynamic sealing technology is used in high-temperature and high-pressure downhole environment, then the sealing performance is improved, but the reliability deteriorates due to frequent sealing failure
Solution Approach 1:
The displacement sensor continuously monitors the position of the balance piston and provides real-time feedback on hydraulic oil volume changes. This early warning system allows operators to detect sealing degradation trends and take preventive measures before complete sealing failure occurs, thereby improving overall reliability despite the harsh environment.
Solution Approach 2:
The balance piston and displacement sensor system detects oil level changes and potential sealing issues before they lead to catastrophic failure. By providing advance warning, the system enables preliminary maintenance actions to be taken, preventing complete sealing failure and improving reliability in the harsh downhole environment.
3Reliability
If the hydraulic oil leakage is monitored to prevent instrument damage, then the safety is improved, but the measurement precision requirement increases
Solution Approach 1:
The balance piston acts as a mechanical intermediary that converts small volume changes in the hydraulic oil into larger linear displacement movements. This mechanical amplification effect makes the oil level changes more easily detectable by the displacement sensor, thereby improving safety monitoring capability while reducing the stringent requirements for direct oil level measurement precision.
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 device effectively prevents instrument damage and mud invasion by accurately measuring hydraulic oil levels and leakage, ensuring reliable operation and long service life with a simple and maintainable design.
Implementation Method 1
a piston tension spring, a moving rod compression spring
Implementation Method 2
One end of the piston tension spring is fixed at one end of the cylinder body, and the other end of the piston tension spring is connected with a first side of the moving piston
Data Source
AI summary
A downhole oil level detection device includes a mounting housing (1) and a balance cylinder (2) installed on the mounting housing (1). The balance cylinder (2) includes a cylinder body (25) and a moving piston (21), a piston tension spring (22), a moving rod (23), a moving rod compression spring (24) and a displacement sensor (3) installed in the cylinder body (25). One end of the piston tension spring (22) is fixed to one end of the cylinder body (25), the other end thereof is connected to one side of the moving piston (21); one side of the moving piston (21) is also connected to one end of the moving rod compression spring (24), the other end of the moving rod compression spring (24) is connected to one end of the moving rod (23), the other end of the moving rod (23) is provided with the displacement sensor (3).