Traveling Plate Guide System Torque Isolation
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional snubbing jack assemblies face challenges with torque reactions from the rotary, which can damage hydraulic jacking cylinders, necessitating reduced jack stroke to prevent damage.
Innovation Solution
A traveling plate guide system comprising a pair of guide rails with slots and crossmembers, paired with trolley assemblies that move along the guide rails, connecting the traveling plate to the trolley assemblies to limit torque transmission to the hydraulic jacking cylinders.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the rotary drive is mounted to the traveling plate and slip bowls are mounted to the hub of the rotary drive, then the tubular string can be rotated while supported, but the torque from the rotary drive damages the hydraulic jacking cylinders
Solution Approach 1:
The system is divided into separate functional components: the rotary drive assembly is separated from the hydraulic jacking cylinders by introducing guide rails and trolley assemblies. The traveling plate connects to guide rails rather than directly to jacking cylinders, creating independent load paths where rotation and vertical movement are decoupled.
Solution Approach 2:
Guide rails and trolley assemblies serve as intermediary elements between the traveling plate and the support structure. These intermediaries bear the perpendicular loads and guide the movement, preventing direct transmission of rotary torque to the hydraulic jacking cylinders while still enabling the required motion.
2Reliability
If operators reduce jack stroke to one half of total jack stroke, then the possibility of damaging hydraulic jacking cylinders is reduced, but the productivity of snubbing operations is decreased
Solution Approach 1:
The guide rails and trolley assemblies act as intermediary structures that absorb and redirect perpendicular loads away from the hydraulic jacking cylinders. This allows the jacking cylinders to operate through their full stroke range without risking damage from torque reactions, thereby maximizing productivity while maintaining reliability.
3Force
If conventional jacking cylinders are designed to support large perpendicular loads, then the torque reactions can be handled, but the device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The load-bearing function is segmented from the jacking cylinders and assigned to dedicated guide rails and trolley assemblies. This allows the jacking cylinders to be simple, standard components while the guide structure handles the complex perpendicular loads, reducing overall system complexity and cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide rails serve multiple functions: they support perpendicular loads, guide the movement of trolley assemblies, and provide a stable mounting structure for the rotary drive. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for specialized jacking cylinders designed solely to handle torque reactions.
Data Source
AI summary
A traveling plate guide system includes a pair of guide rails, each of the pair of guide rails defining a hollow interior and a slot on one side thereof. The pair of guide rails is interconnected via a plurality of crossmembers. A pair of trolley assemblies each fit within one of the pair of guide rails. Each of the trolley assemblies has a flange that extends out of the slot on an associated guide rail. A traveling plate mounting bracket interconnects the flange of each of the pair of trolley assemblies with a traveling plate for mounting a rotary of a snubbing system. The pair of trolley assemblies moves up and down the pair of guide rails responsive to movement of the traveling plate connected to the traveling plate mounting bracket.