Inflatable Seal Actuator for Drill String Valve Wear Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional seals in drill string internal blowout preventers (IBOPs) wear quickly due to rotation, requiring frequent replacement and costly rig shutdowns for maintenance.
Innovation Solution
An actuator system with inflatable seals between a fixed ring and a rotatable sleeve, where the seals do not touch the sleeve during rotation and only contact when inflated by compressed air, reducing wear and extending seal life.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional seals are used to prevent air loss between the fixed part and rotating part, then air sealing is improved, but seal durability deteriorates due to continuous contact and rotation causing quick wear
Solution Approach 1:
The seal is designed to dynamically change its state between collapsed (non-contacting) and inflated (contacting). During rotation, the seal remains collapsed to avoid wear. When air supply is needed, the seal inflates to provide sealing. This dynamic behavior resolves the contradiction by making the seal contactless during rotation (extending life) while maintaining sealing capability when activated.
Solution Approach 2:
The seal is inflated using compressed air supplied through the rotating sleeve to create the sealing effect. The pneumatic system allows the seal to expand and contact the mating surface only when needed for sealing, rather than maintaining continuous contact. This resolves the contradiction by using air pressure to provide sealing on-demand without continuous mechanical contact.
2Loss of energy
If seals are made to contact the rotating part for sealing, then air loss is reduced, but maintenance frequency increases due to rapid seal wear from rotation
Solution Approach 1:
The seal operates periodically - remaining collapsed during rotation and inflating only when air supply is needed. This periodic activation pattern reduces wear by minimizing contact time while still providing sealing when required. The seal is not continuously engaged, allowing it to last through multiple drilling operations without replacement.
Solution Approach 2:
The seal transitions between collapsed and inflated states based on operational needs. During rotation, it remains collapsed to avoid wear. When sealing is needed, it inflates to prevent air loss. This dynamic state change allows the system to maintain both low air loss and high productivity by only engaging the seal when necessary.
3Reliability
If the seal is designed to contact the rotating sleeve for sealing, then air tightness is improved, but seal replacement frequency increases due to wear during rotation
Solution Approach 1:
The seal dynamically adjusts its contact state - remaining collapsed during rotation to avoid wear, and inflating only when air tightness is needed. This eliminates the need for frequent seal replacements while maintaining air tightness when required, directly resolving the contradiction between air tightness and ease of repair.
Solution Approach 2:
The seal uses pneumatic inflation to achieve air tightness only when needed, rather than relying on continuous mechanical contact. This reduces wear and extends seal life, making replacements much less frequent and easier to schedule, thereby improving the ease of repair parameter.
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 system significantly extends the lifespan of seals, minimizing maintenance downtime and reducing operational costs by preventing wear during rotation and ensuring effective actuation when needed.
Implementation Method 1
The inflatable seal does not touch the rotating sleeve during operation to prevent wear and only contacts when inflated by compressed air
Data Source
AI summary
Method and actuator system for a Kellyguard valve disposed in a drill string. The actuator system includes a sleeve that includes a cavity; an actuator disposed inside the cavity and configured to rotate the Kellyguard valve; first and second external regions of the sleeve having plural holes configured to receive a medium under pressure for actuating the actuator; a ring provided around the first and second external regions of the sleeve and configured to be fixed, the ring having first and second internal grooves facing the first and second external regions, respectively; and first and second seals provided inside the first and second grooves, respectively, at least one of the first and second seals being configured to not touch the first or second external regions of the sleeve when in a collapsed state and to touch the first or second external regions when in an inflated state.