Replaceable Collar for Down Hole Tool Joint Wear Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Tool joints in down hole apparatuses experience excessive wear and erosion during drilling operations, leading to frequent replacements and increased costs due to the inefficiency of existing reinforcing methods, such as welding annular beads, which can weaken the joints over time.
Innovation Solution
An attachable collar with a cylindrical, replaceable collar member is designed to be installed within a cutaway section of the tool joint, stabilized by a retaining insert, directing wear and erosion to the collar rather than the joint, and featuring a sloped section to manage drilling fluid and sediment, thereby extending the life of drill pipe sections.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If welding annular beads is used to reinforce tool joints, then wear protection is improved, but the tool joint strength deteriorates over time due to repeated welding
Solution Approach 1:
The wear protection function is segmented from the tool joint structure. Instead of welding material directly to the tool joint, a separate collar member is created that can be independently installed and removed. This segmentation allows wear protection without subjecting the tool joint to repeated welding heat cycles that compromise its strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The collar member acts as an intermediary between the wear environment and the tool joint. It absorbs the wear and erosion that would otherwise affect the tool joint, while the mechanical connection methods (keys, splines, interference fits) provide secure attachment without requiring welding, thus preserving tool joint strength.
2Reliability
If tool joints are frequently replaced due to wear, then wear protection is maintained, but productivity deteriorates due to increased replacement time and costs
Solution Approach 1:
The collar member is designed as a sacrificial, replaceable component that protects the more expensive and time-consuming tool joint. When the collar wears out, it can be quickly removed and replaced without replacing the entire drill string assembly, minimizing downtime and maintaining productivity while ensuring continuous wear protection.
Solution Approach 2:
The collar member is designed to be discarded when worn and recovered (reinstalled) on the same tool joint. This approach preserves the valuable tool joint asset while replacing only the consumable collar component, reducing overall replacement costs and downtime compared to replacing entire tool joints.
3Reliability
If the collar member is made securely attached to prevent rotation, then reliability is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to difficulty in installation and removal
Solution Approach 1:
The collar member is pre-configured with attachment features (keys, splines, or interference fit elements) that are already positioned and sized to mate with corresponding features in the cutaway section. This preliminary preparation ensures that when installation occurs, the collar automatically aligns and secures itself without requiring complex alignment procedures or specialized tools, achieving both secure attachment and ease of operation.
Data Source
AI summary
An attachable collar arrangement for a down hole apparatus that includes a collar member releasably insertable into a cutaway section disposed circumferentially around a tool joint or other down hole apparatus. The collar member is stabilized in position within the cutaway section by means of a stabilizing insert member which is releasably inserted between at least two sections of the collar member, and removably secured into a member insert receptacle disposed upon the tool joint or other down hole apparatus. Wear and erosion are directed to the collar member during drilling operations and the tool joint or down hole apparatus is thereby protected. The collar member is expediently replaceable when needed and drilling operations are extended over the life of particular drilling equipment to which the device is installed.