Additively Manufactured Sand Screen for Uniform Flow Paths
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing screens in the resource recovery and fluid sequestration industries suffer from hot spots that lead to premature failure, reducing their service life.
Innovation Solution
A filtration media with a precisely controlled, homogenous geometry is manufactured using additive manufacturing to balance flow through all flow paths, ensuring even distribution and reducing the potential for hot spots, while maintaining structural integrity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional screens are used in resource recovery and fluid sequestration, then they can perform filtration function, but hot spots occur causing premature failure and reduced service life
Solution Approach 1:
The screen media is constructed with varying pore sizes distributed throughout the structure - smaller pores in certain regions and larger pores in other regions - to create non-uniform flow distribution that prevents localized hot spots while maintaining overall filtration function
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the geometric parameters of the screen media by precisely controlling pore size distribution and flow path geometry through additive manufacturing, ensuring uniform flow velocity and pressure distribution to eliminate hot spots
2Manufacturing precision
If additive manufacturing is used to create homogenous geometry with precise flow balance, then flow distribution is optimized and hot spots are prevented, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces traditional mechanical screening methods with additive manufacturing technology, enabling precise control of flow path geometry and pore distribution that cannot be achieved with conventional manufacturing, thereby optimizing flow balance while managing manufacturing complexity through digital design
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 solution significantly extends the service life of screens by preventing hot spots and optimizing flow distribution, enhancing structural integrity and longevity.
Implementation Method 1
sequentially progressively building the media particle by particle... and fusing each build particle to the foregoing build particle
Data Source
AI summary
A screen including a filtration media having a manufactured structure with an interface portion and a filtration portion, the filtration portion having a homogenous geometry that precisely balances flow through all flow paths through the media. A method for making a screen including determining a geometric shape of each flow path through a prospective filtration media, sequentially progressively building the media particle by particle ensuring the geometric shape of each flow path is within 0.01 mm of a design geometry, and fusing each build particle to the foregoing build particle. A borehole system, including a borehole in a subsurface formation, a string in the borehole, and a screen and or plurality of individually designed screens disposed or geometrically distributed within or as a part of the string.