Modular Downhole Mobility Platform With Adjustable Tractor Treads
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing robots for downhole environments face challenges due to varying lateral widths, leading to potential damage from collisions with well walls, and are limited by fixed structures that cannot be modified without disassembly.
Innovation Solution
A modular mobility platform with extendable and retractable tractor treads, composed of removably interconnected modules for sensing, navigation, mobility, control, and power, allowing adaptation to diverse downhole geometries.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a robot has a fixed structure with fixed motors and instruments, then the robot can be constructed with a simple design, but the robot cannot be modified without disassembling and is limited to its included motors and instruments
Solution Approach 1:
The robot is divided into separate modular components including a mobile platform module, instrument module, and power module that can be independently assembled and configured. Each module has standardized interfaces allowing them to be connected or disconnected without disassembling the entire robot structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The mobile platform is designed with universal mounting interfaces and standardized connection points that can accommodate different instrument modules and power modules. This allows the same platform to be configured for multiple different downhole operations by simply changing the attached modules.
2Ease of operation
If a robot travels through a downhole environment with varying lateral width, then the robot can navigate the well, but the lateral width variations can cause the robot sides to brush against or collide with the walls, potentially damaging the robot and its instruments
Solution Approach 1:
The robot employs dynamically adjustable tread width through extendable and retractable track assemblies. The tread width can be changed in real-time based on the measured well diameter, allowing the robot to maintain optimal clearance from the well walls while navigating sections with varying lateral dimensions.
Solution Approach 2:
The robot uses well diameter sensors to continuously measure the lateral width of the downhole environment and feeds this information back to the control system. The control system then automatically adjusts the tread width to maintain safe clearance from the well walls, preventing collisions and damage.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a robot has extendable and retractable tractor treads to adapt to varying well widths, then the robot can navigate diverse downhole geometries, but the robot structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The complex tread adjustment mechanism is divided into separate extendable and retractable track assemblies that can be independently controlled. Each assembly has its own drive mechanism and positioning system, allowing for simplified control and maintenance of the overall adjustment system.
Data Source
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AI summary
A modular mobility platform (10) has extendable and retractable tractor treads (28) for engaging the walls of a downhole environment. The extendable and retractable tractor treads allow the platform to successfully navigate longitudinally through the downhole environment. The platform is composed of a plurality of different modules (14, 16, 18) removably interconnected together longitudinally. Each module has at least one specific function, such as sensing, navigation, mobility, control, communication, power, or a combination thereof. The platform has longitudinally-directed detectors for detecting the forward or reverse direction through which the platform is to travel. A system and method use the modular mobility platform.