Automated Sucker Rod Spacing Device for Pump Fillage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current manual solutions for adjusting the depth of sucker rod strings in oil well pumping systems are inefficient and prone to causing damage due to unpredictable changes in rod length and operating conditions, leading to issues like tagging and gas lock, which reduce production efficiency and wear down equipment.
Innovation Solution
An automated system that uses sensors and a motorized mechanism to adjust the depth of the sucker rod string automatically, monitoring conditions such as load, strain, and acceleration to prevent tagging and gas lock, ensuring optimal pump fillage and reducing wear on equipment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual adjustment methods are used to control sucker rod string depth, then device complexity is reduced, but productivity decreases and reliability worsens due to inefficient adjustments and unpredictable rod length changes
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses sensors to automatically detect rod string depth and conditions, with the control system autonomously adjusting the rod string position without manual intervention. The device monitors itself and makes self-correcting adjustments based on detected conditions, eliminating the need for continuous manual monitoring and adjustment while improving productivity and reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical adjustment methods with an automated system incorporating sensors, electronic control units, and motorized adjustment mechanisms. This substitution of mechanical/manual operations with automated electromechanical systems resolves the contradiction by improving productivity through continuous monitoring and adjustment while managing complexity through integrated control systems
2Productivity
If the pump is positioned as close to the bottom of the well as possible to ensure full pump fillage, then productivity improves, but harmful factors increase due to tagging that causes stress, buckling, and wear
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs sensors to continuously monitor the position of the pump relative to the rod string and detects conditions indicating tagging. When tagging is detected, the control system automatically adjusts the rod string depth to eliminate the tagging condition while maintaining optimal pump fillage. This closed-loop feedback mechanism resolves the contradiction by dynamically balancing pump position to maximize fillage while preventing harmful tagging effects
Solution Approach 2:
The system proactively detects conditions that would lead to tagging and makes preventive adjustments to rod string depth before actual tagging occurs. By monitoring rod string tension, pump position, and operating conditions, the system anticipates potential tagging scenarios and corrects them in advance, preventing the harmful effects of stress, buckling, and wear while maintaining optimal productivity
3Reliability
If rod string depth is not adjusted to prevent gas lock, then device complexity remains low, but reliability decreases due to gas lock conditions that prevent proper pump operation
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses sensors to detect conditions indicative of gas lock, such as abnormal pressure patterns, pump cycle irregularities, or rod string position anomalies. When gas lock conditions are detected, the control system automatically adjusts rod string depth to eliminate the gas pocket and restore proper pump operation. This feedback-based automated response improves reliability by preventing gas lock while managing system complexity through integrated monitoring and control
Solution Approach 2:
The automated system monitors pump operation parameters and self-corrects gas lock conditions without external intervention. The control system autonomously detects gas lock through sensor data and implements depth adjustments to resolve the issue, making the system self-sufficient in maintaining reliable operation while managing the complexity of monitoring and adjustment mechanisms
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 automated system allows for real-time adjustments to maintain optimal sucker rod string depth, preventing damage and ensuring maximum pump fillage, thereby improving production efficiency and extending equipment lifespan.
Implementation Method 1
a motorized mechanism to adjust the depth of the sucker rod string automatically
Implementation Method 2
a screw set within the housing and connected to a sucker rod string via a polished rod; a nut which is in threaded engagement with the screw; wherein the rotation of the nut can lower or raise the screw and thus lower or raise the sucker rod string
Data Source
AI summary
An automated sucker rod spacing device comprising a housing, a screw set within the housing and connected to a sucker rod string via a polished rod, a nut which is in threaded engagement with the screw, a means to transmit a rotation force to the nut, wherein the rotation of the nut can lower or raise the screw and thus lower or raise the sucker rod string. The device can be used to stop tagging, ensure full pump fillage, and avoid gas lock.