Hydrodynamic Drilling Stabilizers for Stick-Slip and Vibration Damping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional drilling technologies face challenges with rotational friction, shocks, and vibrations in subterranean boreholes, leading to inefficiencies and potential drill string failure, especially in high-pressure hot environments and during directional drilling, where stick-slip and harmonic resonance issues are prevalent.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of hydrodynamic fluid bearings with helical wrapping profiles and self-aligning mechanisms to reduce friction and vibrations by creating a pressurized fluid cushion that lubricates and dampens rotational shocks, using a combination of impellors, rotor lobes, and stator cavities to manage fluid flow and compensate for misalignment and non-uniform loads.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional drilling technologies are used, then drilling operations can be performed, but rotational friction, shocks, and vibrations increase leading to inefficiencies and potential drill string failure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies hydrodynamic fluid bearings using drilling fluid to replace conventional mechanical contacts. The fluid bearing system uses hydraulic principles to create a pressurized fluid film between the drill string and borehole wall, eliminating direct mechanical contact and reducing rotational friction and vibrations that cause drill string failure.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention substitutes conventional mechanical bearing systems with a hydrodynamic fluid bearing system. Instead of using solid contact surfaces and lubricants, the system uses the drilling fluid itself to create a hydrodynamic film that supports the drill string, replacing mechanical friction with fluid dynamics-based support.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If hydrodynamic fluid bearings are implemented, then rotational friction and vibrations are reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The hydrodynamic fluid bearing system is self-regulating and uses the existing drilling fluid circulation system. The bearing automatically adjusts its fluid film thickness and pressure based on operational conditions without requiring external control mechanisms. The system uses the drill string's own rotation and the drilling fluid flow to maintain the hydrodynamic film, eliminating the need for additional pumps, valves, or control systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The drilling fluid serves multiple functions: it acts as the lubricant for the hydrodynamic bearing, the cooling medium, the hole cleaning agent, and the hydraulic fluid for the bearing system. By making the drilling fluid multi-functional, the invention avoids adding separate systems for each function, thereby reducing overall device complexity despite the advanced bearing technology.
3Productivity
If bit engagement time is increased to improve penetration rate, then productivity increases, but rotational friction and wear increase
Solution Approach 1:
The hydrodynamic fluid bearing reduces rotational friction between the drill string and borehole wall by introducing a pressurized fluid film. This hydraulic bearing system minimizes energy loss to friction, allowing the drill bit to maintain engagement with the formation for longer periods without excessive heat generation or wear, thereby enabling sustained high-rate drilling.
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
This solution significantly reduces rotational friction and vibrations, enhancing drilling efficiency by increasing bit engagement time, reducing downhole assembly damage, and improving fluid circulation capacity, thereby increasing penetration rates and extending the life of drilling equipment while minimizing the risk of well integrity issues.
Implementation Method 1
The at least one associated hydrodynamic profiled wall (3), within said conduit shaft housing (14), can be rotatable by or about said rotatable shaft (2), to displace fluid axially along at least one other of said walls
Implementation Method 2
to form a pressurized (8) cushion fluidly communicated to and from said set of at least two of said walls to, in use, lubricate and dampen said rotational shocks and vibrations
Implementation Method 3
frictional engagements of said fluid, the at least one associated hydrodynamic profiled wall (3), the at least one inner wall (6, 13), and the at least one periphery arced wall (4), disposed between said rotatable shaft (2) and said wall (7) of the subterranean bore, are used to anchor at least one of said walls
Data Source
Figure 1~45
Figure 2A~17
Figure 4~7
AI summary
Apparatus and method comprising a hydrodynamic bearing disposed about a shaft and within a bore's wall with at least one periphery arced wall radially extending from and arranged about the circumference of an outer wall of a conduit shaft housing about at least one inner wall adjacent to at least one associated hydrodynamic profiled wall rotatable by or about said shaft to displace fluid axially along said at least one inner wall anchored by combined frictional engagements within the bore to force fluid between at least two of said walls and the rotating shaft to form a pressurized cushion to, in use, lubricate and dampen rotational shocks and vibrations with the shearing of said frictional engagements when bearing said rotating shaft within said subterranean bore.