Telescoping Inner Barrel Assembly for Coring Tool Jam Absorption
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Solution Overview
Problem
Coring tools often experience jamming issues due to friction between the core sample and the inner barrel, leading to incomplete or destroyed core samples, which results in loss of valuable information and increased costs.
Innovation Solution
An inner barrel assembly with telescoping sleeves and a cap-skirt configuration that allows for upward translation of the sleeves relative to the inner barrel, overcoming jams by shearing at predetermined forces and guiding the core sample to maximize retrieval length.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the core sample contacts the inner barrel during coring operation, then the core sample is retained in the inner barrel, but friction increases causing jamming between the core sample and inner barrel
Solution Approach 1:
The inner barrel assembly is divided into multiple telescoping sections (first section, second section, third section) that can move independently relative to each other. This segmentation allows each section to accommodate jams locally without preventing the entire core sample from being retained, thus resolving the contradiction between retention reliability and friction-induced jamming.
Solution Approach 2:
The inner barrel assembly transitions from a static structure to a dynamic one where sections can telescope and move relative to each other in response to jamming forces. This dynamic capability allows the system to adapt to varying friction conditions while maintaining core sample retention, resolving the contradiction between fixed retention and variable friction forces.
2Ease of manufacture
If the inner barrel assembly uses a fixed structure, then the manufacturing is simpler, but it cannot absorb multiple jams resulting in shortened coring run and destroyed core samples
Solution Approach 1:
The inner barrel is segmented into multiple telescoping sections that can independently respond to jams. While this increases manufacturing complexity compared to a fixed structure, it dramatically improves reliability by allowing the assembly to absorb multiple jams without destroying the core sample or shortening the coring run.
Solution Approach 2:
The telescoping sections are designed with predetermined movement capabilities that act as a cushioning mechanism against jamming forces. This prior cushioning design allows the system to handle expected jams during coring operations, protecting the core sample from damage while maintaining a relatively straightforward manufacturing process for each individual section.
3Productivity
If the coring operation continues after a jam occurs, then productivity is maintained, but the core sample may be inadvertently destroyed by grinding or milling
Solution Approach 1:
The dynamic telescoping sections automatically respond to jamming forces by moving relative to each other, which prevents the buildup of destructive forces that would otherwise destroy the core sample. This allows the coring operation to continue productively without compromising core sample integrity, as the system adaptively manages jam conditions in real-time.
Solution Approach 2:
The jamming force, which would normally be harmful and destructive, is converted into a useful signal that triggers the telescoping sections to move. This transformation allows the system to use the jamming event itself to activate the protective mechanism, enabling continued productivity while preserving core sample integrity through the beneficial response to the previously harmful force.
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 telescoping inner barrel assembly effectively absorbs multiple jams, allowing for longer core sample retrieval and minimizing damage, thereby enhancing the quality and length of core samples obtained.
Implementation Method 1
the core sample may contact a portion of the inner barrel and cause a significant increase in friction between the core sample and the inner barrel
Implementation Method 2
The first and second sleeves may be coupled to the inner barrel by a first and second set of shear pins, respectively, which may shear at predetermined upward forces
Data Source
AI summary
An inner barrel assembly for use with a coring tool may include a sleeve located coaxially within an inner barrel in a telescoping manner. The core barrel assembly may also include a cap located above a top end of the sleeve when the inner barrel assembly is in an initial coring position. The cap may include a skirt having a portion extending downwardly from the cap. A coring tool including an inner barrel assembly and methods of forming an inner barrel assembly are also disclosed.