Hollow Rotor Progressive Cavity Pump for Wireline Clean-Out
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wireline clean-out tools face challenges in capacity and clogging issues, particularly when dealing with volatile debris, and require efficient methods to collect and remove debris without the need for large, space-demanding coiled tubing technology.
Innovation Solution
A wireline clean-out tool design featuring a progressive cavity pump with a hollow rotor, which increases capacity by allowing fluid to flow back through the rotor, combined with a well-cleaning device and filter system, enabling effective suction and ejection of debris without the need for gears, and optionally incorporating multiple progressive cavity pumps for individual control of suction and ejection volumes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If a traditional progressive cavity pump with solid rotor is used, then the pump structure is simple, but the capacity is limited and clogging occurs with volatile debris
Solution Approach 1:
The hollow rotor is nested within the pump housing, creating internal flow channels that allow fluid to pass through the rotor itself. This nested structure enables the pump to handle volatile debris more effectively while maintaining a compact design, resolving the contradiction between capacity and complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from a solid rotor to a hollow rotor, adding a dimensional element (the internal cavity) to the rotor structure. This dimensional change creates additional flow paths through the rotor, increasing debris collection capacity without proportionally increasing external dimensions or complexity.
2Reliability
If coiled tubing technology is used for wellbore cleaning, then cleaning effectiveness is high, but equipment size and weight become very large
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the essential cleaning function from the bulky coiled tubing system and concentrates it into a compact wireline-based progressive cavity pump. By taking out only the necessary components (hollow rotor pump, filter, well-cleaning device) and eliminating the need for extensive coiled tubing infrastructure, the system achieves effective cleaning with significantly reduced weight and equipment size.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces the mechanical coiled tubing system with a wireline-based progressive cavity pump system. This substitution uses the hollow rotor to create suction and transport debris, replacing the need for large mechanical coiled tubing equipment while maintaining cleaning effectiveness.
3Productivity
If gears are used to control pump rotation, then rotational speed control is precise, but the device becomes more complex and capacity is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The invention removes the gear mechanism entirely from the pump design. By taking out the gears, the system eliminates the complexity and space requirements of gear mechanisms, thereby increasing debris removal capacity while maintaining sufficient rotational control through direct wireline drive.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using gears to control rotation (mechanical transmission), the invention inverts the approach by using the wireline directly to drive the hollow rotor. This inversion eliminates the intermediate gear mechanism, simplifying the device and increasing capacity while still achieving the necessary rotational control for effective debris removal.
4Adaptability or versatility
If multiple progressive cavity pumps are used for individual control of suction and ejection, then operational flexibility increases, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The hollow rotor serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as both the suction element and the ejection mechanism. By making the rotor hollow, the same component performs what would traditionally require separate suction and ejection pumps, thereby increasing operational flexibility while avoiding the complexity of multiple independent pump systems.
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 tool achieves high effectiveness in debris collection and ejection, allowing for a gearless design that maximizes capacity and flexibility, suitable for various well conditions, including deviated wellbores, with improved simplicity and reduced equipment size.
Implementation Method 1
a progressive cavity pump having a hollow rotor, wherein the progressive cavity pump is placed inside the housing at a predefined distance from the free-end portion being configured for operating on the first flow path while the hollow rotor forms part of the second flow path
Data Source
AI summary
A wireline clean-out tool including a first opening and a second opening at or near a free-end portion. The first opening takes in debris from a wellbore, the second opening ejects fluid into the wellbore. A housing defines a first flow path from the first opening at the free-end portion to an opposite end portion of the housing and a second flow path from the opposite end portion to the second opening at the free-end portion. The flow paths couple with each other at the opposite end portion. A collection chamber is in the first flow path for collecting debris during operation. A progressive cavity pump with hollow rotors is placed inside the housing at a predefined distance from the free-end portion being configured for operating on the first flow path while the hollow rotor forms part of the second flow path.