Drilling Mud Circulation Valve With Magnetic Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing devices with a single shut-off member for regulating drilling mud circulation during drill string insertion or removal face challenges in ensuring proper positioning and sealing due to processing tolerances, leading to imperfect closure under high pressures.
Innovation Solution
A device with a tubular body, axial and lateral conduits, and a flapper valve with a diaphragm shut-off member, supported by a tubular support and positioning means, ensures precise axial and angular alignment through a pin and blind hole system, and magnetic means to maintain the shut-off member in pressure-tight positions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a single shut-off member is used to alternatively close either the central axial conduit or the lateral passage, then operation simplicity is improved, but positioning precision and sealing reliability deteriorate due to processing tolerances summing up during assembly
Solution Approach 1:
A tubular support element is introduced as an intermediary component between the shut-off member and the valve body. This mediator absorbs and compensates for cumulative processing tolerances, ensuring that the shut-off member achieves proper positioning and sealing without requiring extremely tight tolerances on all individual components. The tubular support acts as a buffer that maintains the precise spatial relationship needed for sealing while allowing for normal manufacturing variations.
Solution Approach 2:
The valve assembly is segmented into distinct functional components: the valve body, the tubular support, the shut-off member, and magnetic means. This segmentation allows each component to be manufactured with standard tolerances and then assembled together, with the tubular support serving as a precision reference element that ensures proper positioning of the shut-off member relative to the sealing surfaces.
2Reliability
If strict processing tolerances are applied to the valve body and shut-off member, then sealing reliability improves, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The tubular support serves as a precision intermediary that maintains the correct positioning of the shut-off member without requiring the valve body itself to be manufactured with extremely tight tolerances. This transfers the precision requirement from the valve body to the tubular support, which can be manufactured and installed as a separate precision component, simplifying the overall manufacturing process while maintaining sealing reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
Magnetic means are introduced to replace or supplement purely mechanical positioning and sealing mechanisms. The magnetic field provides a contactless force that helps maintain the shut-off member in the correct position and ensures sealing without requiring tight mechanical clearances or complex mechanical adjustment mechanisms, thereby reducing manufacturing complexity while improving reliability.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the shut-off member is hinged to allow rotation between transverse and longitudinal positions, then operational versatility is improved, but positioning stability deteriorates under high pressure conditions
Solution Approach 1:
Magnetic means are used to supplement or replace purely mechanical positioning of the shut-off member. The magnetic field provides a stabilizing force that holds the shut-off member firmly in its selected position (either transverse or longitudinal) under high pressure conditions, preventing unintended movement or leakage that could occur with mechanical hinges alone. This allows the hinge mechanism to provide versatility while the magnetic field ensures stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system utilizes magnetic field strength as a controllable parameter to adjust the holding force on the shut-off member. By varying the magnetic field parameters, the system can provide sufficient holding force to maintain positioning stability under high pressure while still allowing the shut-off member to be moved between positions when needed, thus balancing versatility and stability.
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 achieves continuous and stable drilling mud circulation by ensuring precise positioning and sealing of the shut-off member, overcoming the limitations of prior art devices and maintaining tight sealing under high pressures.
Implementation Method 1
magnetic means, arranged to hold the shut-off member in two stable angular positions
Data Source
AI summary
A device (1) for ensuring continuous circulation in well drilling includes a tubular body (2), having an axial channel (2) with a lateral opening (3) which is closed by a removable plug (5). A tubular support (9) is placed in the axial conduit and supports a shut-off member (6) which is held in position by a retainer (14). The device (1) has an adjustment ring nut (50) which exerts a pressing action between the retainer (14) and the tubular support (9) to force the tubular support (9) in an axial limit-stop position against respective positioning and centering elements (11), to allow recovery of clearances during placement of the tubular support (9) and the valve (6) supported the tubular support inside the tubular body (2).