Fracturing Bridge Plug Radial Sealing Design
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fracturing bridge plugs require long axial compression for sealing, leading to inefficient setting and dissolution times, and increased scrap generation due to their length.
Innovation Solution
A fracturing bridge plug design featuring cone and seal assembly with ramps, a slip, and a guide shoe, which uses radial pressure to reduce axial movement and compression distance, anchored by a locking mechanism and radial limiting mechanisms, allowing for a shorter bridge plug length and faster setting and dissolution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the packer rubber is axially compressed to ensure sealing, then the sealing effect is improved, but the bridge plug length increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the sealing mechanism from axial compression to radial expansion. The packer rubber is designed to expand radially outward to seal against the casing wall, rather than being compressed axially. This dimensional change allows sealing to be achieved without increasing the axial length of the bridge plug, resolving the contradiction between sealing effectiveness and plug length.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs conical ramps with specific inclination angles (12°-20°) that convert axial movement into radial expansion of the packer rubber. The curved/angled surface geometry transforms the setting motion into radial force, enabling the packer rubber to expand outward for sealing while maintaining a compact axial profile, thus avoiding the need for long axial compression.
2Loss of time
If the bridge plug length is reduced, then the dissolution time is shortened, but the sealing reliability may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
By switching from axial compression to radial expansion, the patent achieves effective sealing within a shorter axial distance. The radial mechanism allows the seal to form quickly without requiring the packer rubber to travel axially, thus reducing dissolution time while maintaining sealing reliability through the radial seal configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes the inclination angle of the conical ramps (12°-20°) to control the conversion efficiency from axial movement to radial expansion. This parameter optimization ensures that the packer rubber achieves sufficient radial expansion for reliable sealing within a limited axial stroke, thereby maintaining sealing reliability while minimizing the required bridge plug length and dissolution time.
3Loss of time
If the bridge plug length is reduced, then the milling time is shortened, but the number of scraps increases
Solution Approach 1:
The radial expansion mechanism allows the bridge plug to achieve sealing function with reduced axial length, which directly reduces the volume of material that needs to be milled and the resulting scraps. By eliminating the need for long axial compression, the overall plug length and associated waste material are minimized.
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 design reduces the axial movement distance of the seal assembly, shortening the bridge plug length, thereby reducing dissolution and milling times, and minimizing scrap generation.
Implementation Method 1
a matching surface of the upper cone and the seal assembly is a first ramp, one end, far away from the lower cone, of the first ramp is a large end while one end, close to the lower cone, thereof is a small end, and the diameter of the first ramp from the large end to the small end is gradually reduced; a matching surface of the lower cone and the slip is a second ramp
Implementation Method 2
the slip can be anchored in an inner wall of the casing due to the radial pressure
Implementation Method 3
the seal assembly is tightly clung to the inner wall of the casing, thereby forming a seal between the bridge plug and the casing
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure provides a fracturing bridge plug, and belongs to the technical field of downhole plugging devices of oil and gas fields, which solves technical problems that the existing packer rubber is axially compressed, a bridge plug is relatively long, and a dissolving or drilling effect is not ideal. The fracturing bridge plug comprises a cone, an upper cone, a seal assembly, a lower cone, a slip, a locking ring and a guide shoe, a matching surface of the upper cone and the seal assembly is a first ramp, one end, far away from the lower cone, of the first ramp is a large end while one end, close to the lower cone, thereof is a small end, and the diameter of the first ramp from the large end to the small end is gradually reduced.