Mechanical Jar Piston Impact Mechanism for Stuck Tools
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Solution Overview
Problem
In the resource recovery and fluid sequestration industries, there is a need for alternative jar mechanisms that can handle various complex situations where tools become stuck, as existing devices may not be suitable for all conditions.
Innovation Solution
A mechanical jar with a housing, a piston responsive to fluid pressure, a biasing arrangement to counteract the piston, and a restraint that prevents movement until a threshold force is applied, allowing for sudden release of stored energy to apply an impact force to stuck components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If a mechanical jar mechanism is designed to provide sufficient impact force to free stuck tools, then the force capability is improved, but the device complexity increases due to the need for biasing arrangements and restraint mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the biasing arrangement and restraint mechanism into a single integrated housing structure, where the biasing arrangement is disposed within the housing and works in conjunction with the restraint to control piston movement. This merging reduces the number of separate components and simplifies the overall device while maintaining the required impact force capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The piston is nested within the housing, and the biasing arrangement is disposed within the housing surrounding the piston. The restraint mechanism is integrated into this nested structure, allowing compact arrangement of components. This nesting enables the complex force-generating mechanism to be contained within a relatively simple housing structure.
2Force
If a mechanical jar mechanism uses complicated mechanical means or energetic material means to generate impact, then the impact capability is improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates due to the need for complex activation procedures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complicated mechanical means or energetic material means with a simplified fluid-actuated system. The piston is moved by applying fluid pressure through a fluid port, which is a simpler and more controllable operation than managing complex mechanical linkages or energetic materials. The fluid pressure activation provides straightforward control over the impact generation process.
3Reliability
If a mechanical jar mechanism is designed for specific stuck component situations, then the reliability for that specific application is improved, but the adaptability to diverse well operations deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the mechanical jar as a universal device that can be applied to diverse well operations including drilling and fracturing. The housing, piston, biasing arrangement, and restraint mechanism are configured to provide a general-purpose impact capability that can address various stuck tool situations. The fluid-actuated design allows the same basic mechanism to be used across different applications without requiring application-specific modifications.
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 mechanical jar provides a reliable and reusable solution for unsticking tools by applying a sudden impact force, suitable for diverse well operations like drilling and fracturing, with the ability to be reset and reused.
Implementation Method 1
a biasing arrangement disposed in the housing and configured to bias the piston in a second direction opposite the first direction
Implementation Method 2
a piston disposed in the housing and responsive to applied fluid pressure to move in a first direction relative to the housing
Data Source
AI summary
A mechanical jar including a housing, a piston disposed in the housing and responsive to applied fluid pressure to move in a first direction relative to the housing, a biasing arrangement disposed in the housing and configured to bias the piston in a second direction opposite the first direction, and a restraint configured to prevent movement of the piston in the second direction until a threshold force is applied to the restraint by the piston, whereafter the piston suddenly moves in the second direction.