RCD Seal Guide for Drill Pipe Diameter Adaptation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current Rotating Control Device (RCD) seal designs fail frequently due to changes in drill pipe diameters, leading to fluid leaks, loss of bottom hole pressure, and hydrocarbon influx, resulting in time delays, equipment costs, and productivity losses.

Innovation Solution

The RCD seal incorporates a seal guide that tracks the diameter of the drill pipe and pre-expands when encountering larger diameters, reducing stress on the sealing faces and minimizing the risk of seal failure by moving radially inward or outward in response to changing pipe diameters.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a conventional RCD seal is used to seal the borehole annulus, then the seal can maintain pressure under normal conditions, but the seal fails when drill pipe tool joints with larger diameters pass through, causing fluid leaks and loss of bottom hole pressure

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveseal reliabilityVSAvoidadaptability to varying pipe diameters

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The RCD seal is designed with dynamic adaptability through the seal guide mechanism that detects changes in drill pipe diameter and automatically adjusts the seal position. The seal guide extends longitudinally above and below the sealing face, causing the seal to move radially inward or outward based on the detected diameter changes, enabling the seal to maintain reliability across varying pipe diameters including tool joints

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The seal guide provides preliminary detection and response to diameter changes before the tool joint reaches the sealing face. By extending above and below the sealing face, the seal guide anticipates approaching tool joints and pre-positions the seal, preventing failure before it occurs rather than reacting after damage has happened

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Adaptability or versatility

If the RCD seal is designed to accommodate larger diameters, then the seal can handle tool joints, but the stress between sealing faces and pipe increases, risking seal damage

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveadaptability to larger pipe diametersVSAvoidseal strength

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The seal system dynamically adjusts its configuration by moving the sealing face radially inward or outward in response to detected diameter changes. This dynamic positioning allows the seal to accommodate larger diameters while maintaining optimal contact pressure, preventing both leakage and excessive stress that could damage the seal

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the positional parameter of the sealing face relative to the drill pipe by utilizing the seal guide mechanism. This parameter change enables the seal to adapt to varying pipe diameters and maintain appropriate stress levels, avoiding both under-sealing and over-stressing conditions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If the RCD seal is made more robust to prevent failure, then the seal can withstand higher stresses, but the device complexity and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveseal reliabilityVSAvoiddevice complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The seal guide acts as an intermediary mechanism between the drill pipe and the RCD seal. Rather than making the seal itself more robust and complex, the seal guide mediates the interaction by detecting diameter changes and adjusting seal position, achieving enhanced reliability through a relatively simple intermediate component

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention replaces a purely mechanical, static seal design with a system that incorporates dynamic mechanical adjustment through the seal guide. This substitution transforms the seal from a passive component to an actively adjusting system, improving reliability without requiring significant increases in seal robustness or complexity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

4Reliability

If the RCD seal is designed for precise sealing, then the seal can maintain bottom hole pressure, but the seal is more susceptible to damage from sharp edges and rapid diameter changes

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepressure containmentVSAvoidvulnerability to sharp edges

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The seal guide extends longitudinally above the sealing face to detect approaching tool joints before they reach the sealing area. This preliminary detection allows the system to pre-adjust the seal position, preventing the sharp edges of tool joints from suddenly impacting the sealing face and causing damage while maintaining pressure containment

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS11118421B2Borehole sealing device

Publication Date: 2021.09.14 SAUDI ARABIAN OIL CO

AI summary

Apparatuses, systems, and methods for sealing Rotating Control Devices (RCD) may include one or more guides that track the diameter of a pipe and pre-expands an RCD seal when larger diameter pipes or portions of pipes are approaching the seal. The RCD seal may reduce the stress between sealing faces and the larger pipe diameter, thereby decreasing the likelihood of a damaged or blown seal.