Rolling Seal Pressure Transfer in Downhole Tools

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional piston systems in downhole tools are prone to fluid contamination and jamming due to housing expansion and material incompatibility, leading to reduced or lost functionality in responding to pressure stimuli.

Innovation Solution

A rolling seal made of flexible, reinforced materials such as aramid or nylon fibers is attached to the outer and inner diameters of the housing and mandrel, allowing continuous contact and inversion to maintain a fluid seal, even with housing expansion, thereby preventing fluid bypass and jamming.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional piston systems are used in downhole tools, then pressure response functionality is achieved, but fluid contamination and jamming occur due to housing expansion

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepressure response functionalityVSAvoidfluid contamination and jamming

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs a flexible rolling seal made of elastomeric material that can deform and invert in response to pressure differential. This flexible membrane structure maintains sealing contact between fluid chambers while accommodating housing expansion, preventing fluid contamination and jamming that plague conventional rigid piston systems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The rolling seal is designed to be dynamic rather than static, capable of inverting and rolling in response to pressure changes. This dynamic behavior allows the seal to adapt to housing expansion and maintain effective sealing contact, eliminating the harmful effects of fluid contamination and jamming while preserving pressure response functionality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Stress or pressure

If housing expansion occurs under pressure, then pressure containment is maintained, but seal integrity is compromised leading to fluid bypass

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepressure containmentVSAvoidseal integrity

Core Design Contradiction:

Stress or pressureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The rolling seal is constructed from a flexible elastomeric material that can deform elastically in response to housing expansion. This flexibility allows the seal to maintain contact and sealing integrity even as the housing expands under pressure, preventing fluid bypass while preserving pressure containment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The seal's physical state changes in response to pressure differential, transitioning from a relaxed state to an inverted and rolled state. This parameter change allows the seal to accommodate housing expansion while maintaining sealing contact, ensuring both pressure containment and seal integrity simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If rigid sealing mechanisms are used, then initial seal effectiveness is achieved, but material incompatibility causes jamming and reduced functionality

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinitial seal effectivenessVSAvoidfunctional durability

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDuration of action of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The rolling seal uses a flexible elastomeric material that is compatible with the housing and mandrel surfaces. This flexible material provides initial seal effectiveness while avoiding the material incompatibility issues that cause jamming in rigid sealing mechanisms, ensuring long-term functional durability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The sealing system employs a composite approach combining the flexible elastomeric rolling seal with the reinforced housing and mandrel. This composite material system ensures both initial seal effectiveness and long-term durability by eliminating the harmful interactions between incompatible materials.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The rolling seal effectively transfers pressure between fluid chambers, maintaining a clean environment and ensuring reliable operation of downhole tools by preventing contamination and maintaining seal integrity under varying pressure conditions.

Implementation Method 1

The rolling seal is configured to respond to a fluid pressure within the fluid chamber that causes the closed end to invert

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFluid pressure: Pressure Increase

Implementation Method 2

A rolling seal made of flexible, reinforced materials such as aramid or nylon fibers is attached to the outer and inner diameters of the housing and mandrel

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentUS11131165B2Rolling seal for transfer of pressure in a downhole tool

Publication Date: 2021.09.28 HALLIBURTON ENERGY SERVICES INC

AI summary

This disclosure provides a completion tool that uses a rolling seal to actuate a flow valve or replace a piston in a down hole tool. The rolling seal is located in a fluid chamber of the completion tool and divides the fluid chamber into first and second smaller fluid chambers and fluidly seals the first smaller fluid chamber from the second smaller fluid chamber. The rolling seal responds to a fluid pressure within the fluid chamber that causes the closed end of the rolling seal to invert thereby transferring fluid pressure between the first and second fluid chambers, which actuates a flow valve actuation assembly.