Fluid Diverter Tool Pressure Relief Packer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing well plugging technologies fail to mitigate the harmful effects of pressure surges during fluid diversion operations, which can damage equipment and rock integrity, and do not efficiently manage fluid displacement and mixing in well operations.
Innovation Solution
A fluid diverter tool with a pressure relief device that opens to relieve pressure when a certain differential is reached, allowing controlled diversion of treatment fluid into an annulus while minimizing mixing with other well fluids and optimizing fluid usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a fluid flow is diverted outward into an annulus via holes in a pipe body during well operations, then the treatment fluid can be delivered to the annulus for cleaning, conditioning or plugging operations, but pressure surges arise that are harmful or destructive to equipment, tubulars and rock integrity
Solution Approach 1:
A packer element is introduced as an intermediary component that seals against the inner pipe body wall to divert fluid flow outward through holes in the pipe body into the annulus. The packer element controls and regulates the fluid diversion process, preventing uncontrolled pressure surges while maintaining effective treatment fluid delivery to the annulus for cleaning, conditioning or plugging operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The packer element is designed with dynamic characteristics, being compressible and expandable to seal against the pipe body wall. This dynamic property allows the packer to adapt to pressure changes and maintain an effective seal while controlling fluid diversion, thereby preventing harmful pressure surges during the treatment operation.
2Ease of manufacture
If conventional perforation technologies are used with smaller hole sizes, then costs are reduced and manufacturing is simplified, but fluid displacement efficiency and mixing control in the annulus are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the fluid diversion function by using the packer element in combination with smaller perforations in the pipe body. The packer element compensates for the smaller hole sizes by providing controlled sealing and directing fluid flow through multiple smaller openings, achieving effective treatment fluid displacement in the annulus while using conventional, cost-effective perforation technologies.
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 effectively mitigates pressure surges, ensures complete annular displacement of treatment fluid, minimizes fluid mixing, and reduces costs by using smaller perforation sizes and conventional perforation technologies, facilitating safe and efficient fluid diversion in well operations.
Implementation Method 1
a packer element shaped and operable to sealingly engage an inside of said pipe body to allow a flow of the treatment fluid to be diverted outwards
Implementation Method 2
the packer element comprises a pressure relief device adapted and operable, when open, to relieve pressure from the second side to the first side of the packer element
Data Source
AI summary
A fluid diverter tool, system and method of diverting a fluid flow in a in a well, having: a tubular mandrel and a packer element affixed onto an exterior thereof and operable to sealingly engage an inside of a pipe body to divert a flow of a treatment fluid outwards through holes formed in the pipe bod; and a pressure relief device operable to open and relieve pressure from one side to another side of the packer element when exposed to a given pressure differential acting across the pressure relief device from said one side of the packer element, the pressure relief device also adapted to close when exposed to a lower than said given pressure differential acting thereacross from said one side of the packer element.