Mud Motor Stator Skeletal Structure for Sealing and Weight Balance

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Solution Overview

Problem

Mud motor stators and pumps, typically constructed with hard materials, face challenges in machining and adjusting properties due to their helical structure, which affects efficiency, sealing capability, vibration reduction, power output, and longevity.

Innovation Solution

A mud motor stator or pump design featuring a tubular outer portion with radially inward lobes, incorporating a skeletal structure for enhanced rigidity and weight reduction, utilizing additive manufacturing to create complex shapes and adjust material properties such as density and resilience, and employing varying energy sources and materials to optimize sealing and load-bearing capabilities.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If hard materials such as metal are used for stator construction, then strength and durability are improved, but machining difficulty and inability to adjust properties increase

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovestrengthVSAvoidmachining difficulty

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the material parameter from traditional hard metal to rubber or rubber-like materials, which are easier to machine and allow for property adjustments while maintaining sufficient strength for stator application

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs composite material construction with a metal skeleton providing structural strength and rubber material providing ease of machining and adjustability, combining advantages of both material types

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Strength

If solid lobe structure is used, then strength is improved, but weight increases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovestrengthVSAvoidweight

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a porous or hollow internal structure within the lobe, creating a skeletal framework that maintains external strength while reducing internal material content and overall weight

Inventive Principle:

Principle #31Porous materials

Solution Approach 2:

The patent divides the solid lobe into a segmented skeletal structure with internal cavities or hollow spaces, separating the load-bearing framework from the non-essential material to reduce weight

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Ease of manufacture

If uniform material density is used, then manufacturing simplicity is improved, but sealing capability and resilience optimization are reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing simplicityVSAvoidsealing capability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies different material densities and properties to different regions of the stator - softer material in sealing areas for better sealing capability and harder material in load-bearing areas for structural support, optimizing performance locally rather than uniformly

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP4006344B1Method for producing a mud motor stator

Publication Date: 2024.10.16 BAKER HUGHES CO

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AI summary

A mud motor stator or a pump comprising of a tubular outer portion; a number of lobes extending radially inwardly from the tubular outer portion, at least one of which comprises a skeletal structure and method for producing a mud motor stator or a pump comprising of placing material and bonding the material together in a pattern dictated by the design shape of the stator or pump.