Downhole Fluid Diverter Tool Cyclic Flow Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional fluid diverter tools used in wellbores cannot repeatedly open and close their flow ports, leading to surge pressure issues when running tight clearance liners, as they are designed for one-time operation and can create additional pressure problems with ball drop mechanisms.
Innovation Solution
A downhole fluid diverter tool with a spring-biased piston and a rotatable ball valve that can be cyclically opened and closed to control fluid flow, allowing for multiple cycles between open and closed positions using a camming device, enabling the bypass port and ball valve to be operated as needed to alleviate pressure surges.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional fluid diverter tool with ball drop mechanism is used to close flow ports, then the flow ports can be closed to allow liner running, but the ports cannot be reopened and create surge pressure when the ball extrudes
Solution Approach 1:
The piston is designed to move between retracted and extended positions dynamically. When the piston is retracted, the bypass port is open to allow fluid diversion. When the piston is extended, the bypass port is closed. This dynamic positioning allows the system to switch between open and closed states multiple times, providing operational flexibility that static ball drop mechanisms cannot achieve.
Solution Approach 2:
The piston acts as an intermediary mechanism between the control system and the bypass port. By moving the piston, the system can open or close the bypass port without directly manipulating the port itself. This intermediary approach enables controlled, reversible operation of the flow diversion function.
2Reliability
If a ball drop mechanism is used to close flow ports, then the ports can be sealed, but the sudden ball extrusion creates surge pressure that hits the formation
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the ball drop mechanism from the system and replaces it with a piston-based closure system. By removing the ball extrusion mechanism, the harmful surge pressure effect is eliminated. The piston provides a more controlled closure method that does not involve sudden ball ejection into the formation.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention converts the potential harm of sudden pressure changes into a beneficial controlled pressure management system. The piston mechanism allows for controlled closure that manages pressure transitions smoothly, preventing the harmful surge pressure effects while maintaining the benefit of flow port sealing.
3Ease of operation
If flow ports are closed permanently with a dropped ball, then obstruction removal can be enabled, but surge pressure issues return when continuing liner deployment
Solution Approach 1:
The piston mechanism enables periodic opening and closing of the bypass port. The system can cycle between open and closed states multiple times during liner deployment. This periodic action allows the system to close the port for obstruction removal, then reopen it to prevent surge pressure when continuing deployment, resolving the contradiction between one-time use and repeated operation.
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
Enables repeated opening and closing of the bypass port and ball valve, preventing pressure surges and allowing for continued liner deployment without permanent closure, effectively managing fluid flow and pressure during liner installation.
Implementation Method 1
a spring-biased piston disposed within the tool body
Implementation Method 2
a rotatable ball valve aligned within the central bore of the tool body and configured to control fluid flow through the central bore
Data Source
AI summary
A downhole fluid diverter tool includes a tool body having a central bore therethrough and a bypass port formed in an outer diameter thereof, a spring-biased piston disposed within the tool body, a piston port in the spring-biased piston configured to axially align with the bypass port to control fluid flow outward from the central bore, and a rotatable ball valve aligned within the central bore of the tool body and configured to control fluid flow through the central bore, wherein the bypass port and the ball valve are configured to be cycled multiple times between open and closed positions while in a wellbore.