Rotatable Pipe Rack for Automated Drill Rod Handling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current pipe storage systems for drilling rigs are inefficient, requiring extensive manual labor, risking injury, and occupying large spaces, especially in confined or offshore environments, where drill rods need to be stored and retrieved safely and quickly, particularly during drilling operations in deep boreholes.
Innovation Solution
A pipe storage system with a rotatable frame that allows tubular bodies to be stored and retrieved vertically, using a removal device with a lifting element and gripping mechanism, enabling automated handling and minimizing the need for external cranes, with controlled and lockable receiving sections for continuous operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If drill rods are stored in the tower of the drilling rig, then they are readily accessible for drilling operations, but the storage space is limited and drill rods must be removed when the tower is full or weather conditions worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The storage system is divided into multiple receiving sections (first, second, third receiving sections) that can be independently filled and emptied. The frame is segmented to hold multiple tubular bodies in a batch, allowing systematic organization and retrieval without mixing different drill rod types
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from horizontal storage in the tower to vertical storage with the frame oriented vertically in the receiving sections. The frame can rotate from horizontal to vertical position, utilizing vertical space more efficiently and increasing storage capacity without expanding the horizontal footprint
2Productivity
If drill rods are transported via inclined plane and lifting device, then they can be fed to the drilling rig, but the process involves extensive manual work and high injury risk
Solution Approach 1:
The removal device automatically engages with the frame and extracts tubular bodies without manual intervention. The system uses automated gripping mechanisms and lifting elements to transfer drill rods from the frame to the drilling rig, eliminating the need for workers to manually handle heavy loads on inclined planes
Solution Approach 2:
The manual inclined plane transport system is replaced with an automated removal device that uses controlled mechanical gripping and vertical lifting. This substitution eliminates the dangerous manual handling process while maintaining the ability to feed drill rods to the drilling rig
3Weight of moving object
If external cranes are used for loading and unloading frames, then heavy frames can be handled, but the system requires more external equipment and space
Solution Approach 1:
The lifting function is integrated directly into the pipe storage system through lifting elements that are part of the receiving sections. This merges the frame handling capability into the storage system itself, eliminating the need for separate external cranes while maintaining the ability to handle heavy frames
Solution Approach 2:
The receiving sections are designed to perform multiple functions: they receive frames in horizontal position, lift them to vertical position, store them, and facilitate automated removal of tubular bodies. This multi-functionality reduces the need for specialized external equipment for each operation
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
This system simplifies the process of storing and retrieving drill rods, reduces manual labor, saves energy, and allows for fully automated operation, even in confined spaces, while requiring less storage space and ensuring safe handling, thus enhancing drilling efficiency and safety.
Implementation Method 1
the frame is rotatably fastened in the receiving section after insertion and can be transferred from a horizontal orientation to a vertical orientation by means of a lifting element
Implementation Method 2
the removal device has a vertically effective lifting element, via which the tubular body can be raised
Implementation Method 3
the removal device has a horizontally effective holding and/or gripping element
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a pipe rack for feeding and removing tubular bodies, in particular drill rods, casing tubes, and/or parts of a drill string such as drill stems, drilling motors or the like, to and from a drilling installation for producing deep drilling wells, comprising a basic structure, at least one frame, which is provided as a transporting and storing frame for tubular bodies and in which multiple tubular bodies are arranged to form a batch, and a removal device for removing the tubular bodies from the frame and feeding the tubular bodies into the frame, characterized in that the basic structure has at least two receiving portions for receiving the frame in a substantially horizontal arrangement, in that, after being inserted, the frame is rotatably secured in the receiving portion and can be transported from a horizontal alignment into a vertical alignment by means of a lifting element, in that the tubular bodies can be individually removed from the frame by the removal device, or inserted, in a vertical position, and in that the removal device is able to move along the basic structure in front of the individual portions.