Top Tooth Ball Seat Frac Sleeve Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing ball seat designs in fracking systems experience uneven degradation and a tendency for the ball to become cemented into the ball seat, rather than dissolving, due to their geometry, which hinders the effective control of fluid flow during the fracking process.
Innovation Solution
A frac sleeve assembly with a funnel section that reduces in diameter towards the outlet, a throat section of selected diameter, and a ball seat at their intersection, where the entire ball is exposed to disintegrating fluid in the funnel section, allowing for uniform degradation and preventing cementation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional ball seat geometry is used, then the ball can be effectively positioned to block fluid passage, but the ball degrades unevenly and becomes cemented into the ball seat instead of dissolving
Solution Approach 1:
The ball seat geometry is modified to create a funnel section with varying diameter that provides different local conditions for ball interaction. The funnel shape creates a specific flow pattern that directs disintegrating fluid uniformly across the ball surface while maintaining reliable ball positioning at the seat, thus preventing cementation without compromising positioning reliability.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the ball seat allows complete ball exposure to disintegrating fluid, then uniform degradation occurs, but the ball may not be securely retained to block fluid passage
Solution Approach 1:
The ball seat is divided into distinct functional sections: a funnel section that exposes the ball to disintegrating fluid for uniform degradation, and a throat section that provides secure retention. This segmentation allows the ball to be both reliably retained to block fluid passage and uniformly exposed to disintegrating fluid simultaneously.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If the ball seat geometry is modified to prevent cementation, then ball dissolution improves, but the complexity of the ball seat design increases
Solution Approach 1:
The ball seat incorporates a funnel section with a curved, tapered geometry that naturally directs fluid flow uniformly across the ball surface. This curved design prevents cementation by eliminating dead zones and promoting even disintegrating fluid exposure, while the smooth transitional shape adds minimal complexity compared to conventional ball seats.
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 configuration ensures that the ball dissolves uniformly, relieving pressure and allowing the frac sleeve to return to its original position, effectively controlling fluid flow and enhancing the fracking process by preventing ball seat cementation.
Implementation Method 1
a disintegrating fluid is pumped downhole to dissolve the ball
Implementation Method 2
degradation occurs unevenly and the ball is likely to become cemented into the ball seat, rather than dissolved out of the ball seat
Data Source
AI summary
A production system and a frac sleeve assembly of a frac assembly of the production system. The frac sleeve assembly includes a funnel section that reduces in diameter in a direction of an outlet of the frac assembly, a throat section having a selected diameter, and a ball seat at an intersection of the funnel section and the throat section for receiving a ball. When seated in the ball seat, an entire portion of a ball extending into the funnel section is exposed to disintegrating fluid in the funnel section.