Fluid Shear Inducer for Solids Resuspension With Low Pressure Drop
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for suspending solids in drilling fluids during transport are inefficient, as they fail to effectively resuspend settled weighting components using current turbulence-inducing techniques.
Innovation Solution
A fluid shear inducer system comprising a housing with a primary and secondary flow path, a return junction, and a fluid accelerator, which accelerates fluid in the secondary path to impinge into the primary path, creating substantial turbulence and ensuring solids remain suspended.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If flow through an orifice is used to create turbulence, then solids suspension is improved, but shearing efficiency is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The device divides the flow into a primary path and a secondary accelerated path that merges back, creating multiple shear zones. This segmentation allows turbulence to be generated in a controlled manner with lower pressure drop, improving both suspension reliability and energy efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The device introduces an intermediary accelerated flow path that acts as a mediator between the main flow and the solids. This intermediary path creates the necessary shear forces without requiring high-pressure direct injection, resolving the contradiction between effective suspension and shearing efficiency
2Reliability
If high velocity fluid injection is used to resuspend solids, then turbulence is increased, but pressure drop increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The device dynamically adjusts flow distribution between primary and secondary paths, allowing the system to maintain effective turbulence while adapting pressure conditions. The merged flows create sustained shear forces without requiring continuously high pressure drops
Solution Approach 2:
The device combines the primary flow and accelerated secondary flow in a merged path, creating sustained turbulence through interacting flow streams. This merging approach generates effective shear forces for solids resuspension while distributing pressure drop across multiple flow interactions rather than requiring a single high-pressure injection point
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 system efficiently resuspends solids by inducing significant shear and turbulence, maintaining solids in suspension without significant pressure drop across the inducer.
Implementation Method 1
accelerating the fluid in the secondary flow path
Implementation Method 2
creating significant shear and turbulence
Implementation Method 3
inducing significant shear and turbulence
Data Source
AI summary
A fluid shear inducer includes a housing defining a primary flow path, a secondary flow path branching from the primary flow path, a return junction connecting the secondary flow path back to the primary flow path, and a fluid accelerator associated with the secondary flow path. A method for shearing fluid includes flowing a fluid into a housing defining a primary flow path and a secondary flow path, branching some of the flowing fluid from the primary flow path into the secondary flow path, accelerating the fluid in the secondary flow path, and impinging the accelerated fluid from the secondary flow path into the fluid in the primary flow path. A fluid system includes a fluid reservoir, a pump operably connected to the reservoir, and a fluid shear inducer fluidly connected to the pump.