Frustoconical Downhole Seal Reducing Actuation Force
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing downhole tubular seals in the hydrocarbon recovery industry require significant actuation forces and are unreliable in high-pressure, high-temperature, and caustic environments, necessitating a more efficient and durable sealing solution.
Innovation Solution
A tubular seal apparatus featuring a frustoconical portion and a tubular seal with an urging member that axially deforms to engage with the frustoconical portion, ensuring sealing integrity, and optional grooves and filler materials enhance durability and elasticity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If traditional packer seals are used to seal tubulars in downhole environments, then sealing function is achieved, but significant actuation forces are required and device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the geometric parameters of the seal by introducing a frustoconical portion with specific angle ranges (5-15 degrees) and dimensional relationships. This geometric parameter optimization enables the seal to achieve effective sealing with reduced actuation forces compared to traditional cylindrical packer designs, directly resolving the contradiction between force requirement and sealing effectiveness
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a frustoconical (curved) geometry instead of traditional cylindrical shapes. The frustoconical portion creates a tapered sealing surface that distributes actuation forces more effectively, reducing the peak forces required while maintaining seal integrity. This curvature-based design simplifies the overall assembly by eliminating the need for complex multi-component traditional packer structures
2Reliability
If traditional packer seals are used in high pressure and temperature environments, then sealing is attempted, but reliability and durability are questionable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes material selection parameters and geometric parameters to withstand harsh downhole conditions. The frustoconical geometry with specific angle ranges (5-15 degrees) provides better stress distribution under high pressure, while material specifications are selected to resist degradation from high temperatures and caustic environments, directly improving reliability under harmful environmental factors
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite construction with an outer resilient layer and an inner reinforcement layer. This composite material approach provides both flexibility for sealing and strength for durability in harsh environments, enabling the seal to maintain reliability under high pressure, high temperature, and caustic conditions where traditional single-material seals fail
3Ease of operation
If traditional packer seals are used, then sealing function is provided, but ease of operation deteriorates due to significant actuation forces required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the frustoconical angle parameter (5-15 degrees) to achieve the optimal balance between sealing effectiveness and actuation force requirement. This parameter optimization makes the seal easier to set operationally, as significantly lower forces are required compared to traditional designs, directly improving ease of operation
Solution Approach 2:
The frustoconical curved geometry provides a mechanical advantage that reduces the actuation force needed to set the seal. The tapered shape allows the seal to be deployed more easily into position and to engage the sealing surface with lower forces, making the overall operation simpler and requiring less complex actuation mechanisms
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 provides a reliable, easy-to-set tubular seal that maintains sealing integrity under harsh downhole conditions with reduced actuation forces and increased robustness, ensuring effective sealing and resistance to pressure variations.
Implementation Method 1
movement of the urging member toward the second end of the frustoconical portion urges the tubular seal into sealing engagement with the frustoconical portion and causes diametrical deformation of the tubular seal to thereby sealingly engage with the second tubular
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein is a tubular seal apparatus. The seal apparatus includes, a first tubular positioned coaxially with a second tubular having an annular space therebetween, a frustoconical portion at the first tubular having a first end and a second end, such that a radial dimension of the annular space is larger at the first end than at the second end and a tubular seal positioned within the annular space. The seal apparatus further includes an urging member in operable communication with the tubular seal, the urging member is axially movable relative to the frustoconical portion such that movement of the urging member toward the second end of the frustoconical portion urges the tubular seal into sealing engagement with the frustoconical portion and causes diametrical deformation of the tubular seal to thereby sealingly engage with the second tubular.