Marine Hydrate Sand Control Device with Rotating Cylinders
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The development of marine natural gas hydrate is hindered by low productivity and poor economic benefits due to excessive sand production, with current sand control devices failing to effectively manage the small particle size and poor sorting performance of formation sand in argillaceous silt hydrate reservoirs, leading to screen blockages and production failures.
Innovation Solution
A sand control device featuring an inner-layer sand control cylinder and an outer-layer sand control screen arranged coaxially, with sand retaining balls and radial steel rings to prevent sand accumulation and blockages, utilizing rotating mechanisms to grind and circulate formation sand, improving sand control efficiency and preventing wellbore entry.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional sand control screen pipe is used, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the screen becomes blocked by small particle size formation sand with poor sorting performance
Solution Approach 1:
The sand control device is divided into multiple functional segments: an outer layer screen, an inner layer cylinder, and multiple layers of sand retaining balls arranged in concentric circles. This segmentation allows each component to perform a specific function - the outer screen provides initial filtration, the inner cylinder provides structural support and additional filtration, and the sand retaining balls provide mechanical grinding and size classification of formation sand particles.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a nested structure where the inner layer sand control cylinder is positioned inside the outer layer screen, and multiple layers of sand retaining balls are nested between these cylindrical structures. The sand retaining balls are arranged in concentric circles with different diameters, creating a nested configuration that maximizes the grinding and classification efficiency while maintaining a compact overall structure.
2Reliability
If the sand retaining mesh size is reduced to capture smaller sand particles, then sand control efficiency improves, but the screen becomes more prone to blockages
Solution Approach 1:
The sand retaining balls serve as intermediary elements between the formation sand and the screen. Instead of relying solely on the screen mesh to filter sand particles, the sand retaining balls mechanically grind larger particles into smaller sizes and guide them through the screen openings. This intermediary mechanism allows the screen to maintain larger mesh sizes for better flow while still achieving effective sand control through the grinding action of the balls.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the particle size parameter of formation sand through mechanical grinding by the sand retaining balls. The balls reduce the size of larger sand particles until they can pass through the screen mesh, dynamically adjusting the effective particle size threshold based on the grinding action rather than relying solely on fixed mesh size parameters.
3Productivity
If sand accumulation is allowed on the screen surface, then the device complexity is reduced, but screen blockage occurs and productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces dynamic elements - the sand retaining balls are arranged to rotate and move along the inner cylinder surface, creating a dynamic grinding and cleaning mechanism. This motion prevents sand accumulation on the screen by continuously agitating and removing particles, maintaining circulation efficiency without requiring complex active cleaning systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The sand retaining balls perform self-cleaning of the screen surface through their rotational motion and grinding action. As the balls move along the inner cylinder, they mechanically remove sand particles that accumulate on the screen, providing a self-service cleaning function that maintains productivity without additional complex 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 device effectively prevents sand blockages, enhances sand control efficiency by grinding large particles into smaller sizes that can pass through the screen, and improves gas circulation, thereby ensuring stable marine hydrate production.
Implementation Method 1
large-particle formation sand is ground into small-particle-size formation sand which can pass through the sand control screen by the friction force and impact force generated in the rotation process of the sand retaining balls
Implementation Method 2
large-particle formation sand is ground into small-particle-size formation sand which can pass through the sand control screen by the friction force and impact force generated in the rotation process of the sand retaining balls
Implementation Method 3
a plurality of sand retaining balls are provided between the inner-layer sand control cylinder I and the outer-layer sand control screen... the sand retaining balls are driven to rotate through the rotation of the inner-layer sand control cylinder I
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention discloses a sand control device for marine hydrate production, which comprises a top motor, a bottom motor, and an inner-layer sand control cylinder, an outer-layer sand control cylinder and an outer-layer sand control screen coaxially arranged from inside to outside, wherein the top motor and bottom motor are configured to control the inner-layer sand control cylinder and the outer-layer sand control cylinder to rotate reversely, and wherein a plurality of sand retaining balls are provided between the inner-layer sand control cylinder and the outer-layer sand control cylinder and between the outer-layer sand control cylinder and the outer-layer sand control screen. According to the present invention, the arrangement of the inner-layer sand control cylinder and the outer-layer sand control cylinder rotating reversely can effectively prevent formation sand from accumulating on the surface of a sand control screen pipe and blocking the sand control screen pipe.