Erosion Resistant Frac Head With Replaceable Bottom Leg
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current hydrocarbon well stimulation methods face significant erosion issues due to the high volumes of abrasive propant pumped through frac heads during well completion or re-completion procedures, leading to maintenance challenges and costs, even with abrasion-resistant designs.
Innovation Solution
The development of an erosion-resistant frac head with a frac head body featuring a downwardly inclined annular shoulder, convergence chamber, expansion chamber, and mixing chamber, along with replaceable components such as top and bottom entry ports, which reduces turbulence and allows for easy assembly and maintenance, utilizing CNC machining and linear welding for construction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If hardened steel inserts are used to reduce abrasion, then erosion resistance is improved, but brittleness increases making the material unsuitable for impact and compression zones
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different materials to different regions of the frac head based on local requirements: hardened steel inserts (4140 or 4340 steel) are used in the mixing chamber where abrasion resistance is critical, while the body and other components use softer, more ductile materials that can withstand impact and compression forces. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction between erosion resistance and impact resistance.
2Ease of repair
If multipart frac heads with replaceable components are used, then maintenance ease is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The frac head is divided into multiple separable components including the body, mixing chamber, bottom leg, and entry ports that can be independently removed and replaced. This segmentation allows damaged components to be replaced without replacing the entire assembly, improving maintenance ease while keeping the overall system manageable through standardized connection interfaces.
3Strength
If traditional welding methods are used to assemble components, then structural integrity is improved, but construction time and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
Components such as the mixing chamber and entry ports are pre-assembled with gaskets and seals before being installed on the frac head body. This preliminary preparation reduces on-site assembly complexity and time, while threaded connections provide sufficient structural integrity for the application without requiring extensive welding operations.
Data Source
AI summary
An erosion resistant frac head with a convergence chamber, an expansion chamber and a mixing chamber provides improved resistance to erosion caused by abrasive frac fluids pumped through the frac head. A bottom leg of the erosion resistant frac head may be replaced in the field by field hands.