Ported Bushing for Gas Lock Prevention in Downhole Pumps

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-filling the pump barrel with liquid from the annulus before the pumping cycle begins. The liquid fill device introduces liquid into the barrel through ports in the barrel wall, ensuring the barrel is primed with liquid before the plunger starts reciprocating. This prevents gas from entering the displacement chamber during the initial strokes and maintains proper liquid levels throughout operation, eliminating gas locking conditions before they can develop.

The patent uses liquid from the annulus as an intermediary substance to prevent gas interference. By introducing this intermediary liquid into the pump barrel, it creates a barrier that prevents gas from reaching the displacement chamber. The liquid acts as a mediator between the gas-rich environment in the well and the pump mechanism, allowing the pump to operate efficiently without direct gas contact in the displacement chamber.

The liquid fill device performs preliminary action by continuously introducing liquid into the pump barrel before gas can accumulate to problematic levels. The ports in the barrel wall allow liquid to enter and maintain proper levels in the displacement chamber, ensuring the pump remains primed and productive throughout continuous operation, preventing gas lock conditions from developing.

The system implements feedback through the liquid fill device that responds to liquid level conditions in the pump barrel. When liquid levels drop or gas begins to accumulate, the device activates to introduce additional liquid through the barrel ports, creating a feedback loop that maintains optimal liquid levels and prevents gas lock, allowing continuous operation without loss of productivity.

The patent converts the potentially harmful effect of gas accumulation into a beneficial outcome by using the liquid fill device to introduce liquid that displaces gas in a controlled manner. Instead of allowing gas to accumulate and then violently breaking the gas lock with mechanical impact, the system uses liquid injection to gently push gas away from the displacement chamber, converting what would be a harmful gas lock event into a beneficial gas displacement process that prevents component damage.

The patent introduces liquid as an intermediary substance between the gas lock condition and the pump components. Rather than allowing gas to directly interfere with pump operation and requiring violent mechanical intervention to break the gas lock, the liquid acts as a mediator that gradually displaces gas and maintains proper operating conditions, preventing the mechanical damage associated with traditional gas lock breaking methods.

The liquid fill device performs preliminary action by pre-filling the larger pump barrel with liquid through ports in the barrel wall before the pumping cycle begins. This ensures that even though the barrel has larger displacement volume, it is properly primed with liquid and ready for efficient pumping operation, preventing gas from occupying excess space and causing gas lock despite the increased barrel volume.

The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the liquid level parameters in the pump barrel through the liquid fill device. By controlling the amount and timing of liquid introduction through the barrel ports, the system maintains optimal liquid levels in the displacement chamber, allowing the barrel to operate at full displacement volume without gas accumulation, thus resolving the contradiction between large volume and gas lock resistance.