Kickover Tool Spindle Holder Actuation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Prior art kickover tools often fail to correctly position the valve spindle relative to the gas lift valve, especially in deviated wells where the valve direction is not vertical, due to unsuitable spring designs, leading to incomplete setting of the valve spindle.
Innovation Solution
A kickover tool with a sideways open tool body and a spindle holder connected via an intermediate arm, utilizing an actuator housing with a guide slot and a preloaded spring to ensure the spindle holder is rotated into a coaxial alignment with the gas lift valve, preventing self-locking and allowing for controlled displacement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a spring is used to rotate the intermediate arm outwards to position the spindle holder, then the spindle holder can be displaced from passive to active position, but the spring design may be unsuitable causing the spindle holder to remain in an intermediate position rather than reaching the desired active position coaxial with the gas lift valve
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the spring's physical parameters (preload, stiffness, length) to ensure it provides sufficient force to rotate the intermediate arm and spindle holder completely to the active position. The spring is preloaded to exert a specific force that overcomes gravitational and frictional forces in deviated wells, ensuring reliable positioning without requiring complex spring designs.
Solution Approach 2:
The positioning mechanism is divided into distinct components: the spring provides rotational force, the intermediate arm transmits this force, and the spindle holder executes the positioning action. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently, with the spring focused solely on providing reliable rotational force to achieve accurate positioning.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the kickover tool is used in deviated wells where the gas lift valve direction is not vertical, then the tool can access non-vertical wells, but the spindle holder fails to assume the desired active position due to gravitational and directional forces
Solution Approach 1:
The spring is positioned and oriented specifically within the actuator to counteract the gravitational and directional forces acting on the spindle holder in deviated wells. The local quality of the spring's force application point and direction is optimized to ensure reliable positioning regardless of the well's deviation angle.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring is preloaded during assembly to provide the necessary force before the tool is deployed. This preliminary action ensures that when the tool is activated in deviated wells, the spring immediately provides sufficient force to overcome gravitational effects and rotate the spindle holder to the correct position, ensuring reliable operation in non-vertical wells.
3Ease of operation
If the intermediate arm is released by increasing tensile force in the cable, then the intermediate arm can be rotated outwards by spring force, but the spindle holder may self-lock in an incorrect position
Solution Approach 1:
The actuator bar serves as an intermediary element between the cable and the intermediate arm. It translates the cable's tensile force into controlled rotation of the intermediate arm, preventing self-locking by ensuring smooth, controlled movement. The actuator bar's geometry and connection points are designed to distribute forces evenly, eliminating points where self-locking could occur while maintaining ease of operation.
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 ensures reliable and accurate positioning of the valve spindle in both vertical and deviated wells by maintaining the spindle holder in its active position coaxial with the gas lift valve, enhancing the success rate of valve spindle setting operations.
Implementation Method 1
a preloaded spring located in a bore of the actuator housing and in a bore of the guide block, the openings of said bores facing each other, said spring arranged to bias the guide block in the longitudinal direction of the tool body away from the actuator housing bore
Implementation Method 2
a spindle holder (20) which, via at least one intermediate arm (16), is connected in an articulated manner to the tool body (12) by means of a rotatable intermediate link (18)
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~4
AI summary
A device for a kickover tool device (6) of the type being used for the setting and pulling of a valve spindle (10) of a gas lift valve (4) located in a side pocket (2), in which the kickover tool (6) comprises a sideways open tool body (12) with a spindle holder (20) which, via at least one intermediate arm (16), is connected in an articulated manner to the tool body (12), the spindle holder (20) being arranged so as to be able to be moved/rotated between a passive position where the spindle holder (20) is located within the tool body (12), and an active position where the spindle holder (20) is swung out from the tool body (12) and corresponds with the gas lift valve (4), wherein at least a part of an actuator (24), which is arranged so as to be able to displace the spindle holder (20) between its passive position and its active position, is located between the tool body (12) and the spindle holder (20).