Downhole O-Ring Gland Geometry for Shorter Seal Assemblies
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Solution Overview
Problem
In the resource exploration and recovery industry, tools with sealed external sleeves require stress relief grooves to manage stress concentrations around seal grooves, increasing the tool's size due to the need for larger form factors.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates O-ring glands with contours having radii greater than 0.035″ (R0.89 mm) and complimentary backup rings within these glands, eliminating the need for additional stress relief elements by distributing stress effectively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If stress relief grooves are added to accommodate seal grooves with small radius corners, then stress concentration is reduced and seal reliability is improved, but tool length increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the geometric parameters of the seal groove by using large radius corners (greater than 0.035 inches) instead of traditional small radius corners. This parameter change eliminates stress concentration at the groove corners, removing the need for additional stress relief grooves and thereby reducing tool length while maintaining seal reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts and removes the stress relief groove feature from the tool design. By changing the seal groove geometry to use large radius corners, the stress relief groove becomes unnecessary, allowing its removal from the design and resulting in a more compact tool with reduced length
2Stability of the object's composition
If stress relief grooves are included in the tool design, then stress distribution is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention modifies the geometric parameters of the seal groove by implementing large radius corners (greater than 0.035 inches) throughout the groove design. This parameter change inherently provides stress distribution without requiring additional stress relief grooves, thereby improving stress distribution while reducing device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The invention merges the stress distribution function into the seal groove geometry itself by using large radius corners. Instead of having separate stress relief grooves as additional features, the stress distribution capability is integrated directly into the seal groove design, simplifying the overall tool structure
Data Source
AI summary
A downhole tool body includes an outer surface having at least one O-ring gland. The at least one O-ring gland includes a first contour having a first radius greater than about 0.035″ (R0.89 mm) and a second contour having a second radius greater than about 0.035″ (R0.89 mm). A backup ring is arranged in the O-ring gland. The backup ring includes a gland contour having a radius that is complimentary to the first radius.