Downhole Plug Housing with External Fixing for Smooth Tool Passage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing downhole plug devices often leave surface irregularities on the inner circumferential surface of the housing after removal, which can hinder subsequent operations by altering the inner diameter of the housing and potentially catching other downhole tools.
Innovation Solution
A downhole plug device with a cylindrical housing, a plug that inserts into the housing to seal it, and a fixing part, such as a bolt, that secures the plug to the housing end surface, ensuring a consistent inner diameter and preventing irregularities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a shear pin is used to fix the plug to the housing, then the plug can be securely fixed during pressure testing, but broken shear pin remnants protrude from the inner circumferential surface of the housing after removal, creating surface irregularities that may hinder subsequent operations
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and removes the harmful element (fixing part remnants) from the system. The fixing part is designed to be completely removable from the housing after plug removal, leaving no protruding remnants on the inner circumferential surface. This is achieved by having the fixing part engage with external features of the housing rather than protruding into the internal space, thereby eliminating the source of surface irregularities while maintaining secure fixing during operation.
2Strength
If a protrusion on the plug fits into a recessed part of the housing, then the plug can be fixed to the housing, but the recessed part remains on the inner circumferential surface after removal, creating surface irregularities that may catch other downhole tools
Solution Approach 1:
The invention eliminates the harmful recessed part by redesigning the fixing mechanism. Instead of the fixing part engaging with internal recesses of the housing, the fixing part engages with external features of the housing. This extraction of the fixing engagement from the internal space ensures that when the fixing part is removed, no recessed parts remain on the inner circumferential surface, thereby preventing surface irregularities that could catch other downhole tools.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention inverts the traditional fixing approach by reversing where the engagement occurs. Rather than the fixing part engaging with internal features of the housing (which leaves recesses), the fixing part engages with external features of the housing. This inversion moves the fixing mechanism from the internal space to the external surface, eliminating the creation of harmful internal irregularities while maintaining effective fixing.
3Stability of the object's composition
If surface irregularities are present on the inner circumferential surface of the housing, then the housing can be structurally sound, but the inner diameter changes in the axial direction, potentially causing downhole tools to be caught on protrusions
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the source of inner diameter variation by removing the fixing part design that creates protrusions on the inner circumferential surface. By redesigning the fixing mechanism to engage externally rather than internally, the protrusions that cause inner diameter variation are eliminated. This maintains structural integrity through external engagement while preventing harmful variations in the internal diameter that could catch downhole tools.
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 solution prevents surface irregularities, maintains a consistent inner diameter of the housing, and reduces the risk of hindering subsequent operations or catching other downhole tools, thus enhancing operational efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a plug that is inserted into the housing from one end of the housing and abuts one end surface of the housing to seal the housing
Implementation Method 2
a fixing part that is inserted through the plug along an axial direction of the housing and fixes the plug to the one end surface of the housing
Implementation Method 3
by increasing an internal pressure of the tubular body with a tip of the tubular body sealed by a downhole plug device disposed at the tip of the tubular body to push the downhole plug device
Data Source
AI summary
A downhole plug device, a fixing method of a tubular body, and an inspection method of a tubular body. In a downhole plug device, a plug that seals one end of a housing having a cylindrical shape is fixed to the housing by a bolt that penetrates through the plug. The downhole plug device is connected to a tip of a tubular body inserted into a casing in a well and is used for a method of inspecting presence or absence of leakage of fluid from the tubular body in the well.