Variable Width Sand Bridge Inducer for ESP Debris Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electrical submersible pumps (ESPs) in oil and gas wells face inoperability and damage due to solid particle fallout, such as formation sand, during restarts, as conventional methods fail to effectively prevent debris fallback and subsequent blockages.
Innovation Solution
A downhole tool with variable width sand bridging slots and a pressure regulated valve that allows one-way debris flow, preventing sand from reaching the ESP and using adjustable angled passageways to fluidize and clear debris during restarts, ensuring smooth operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If check valves are used to prevent flow back, then flow back is prevented, but the tubing becomes blocked and clogged making ESP restart difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The inner conduit is segmented into multiple sections with angled passageways between them. These passageways create discrete zones that allow controlled debris movement while maintaining flow back prevention, enabling the system to restart without complete blockage
Solution Approach 2:
The angled passageways act as intermediary channels between the sealed sections of the inner conduit. They provide a controlled path for debris to move during restart while the check valve maintains overall flow back prevention, mediating between these two requirements
2Reliability
If conventional debris prevention methods are used, then some debris protection is achieved, but debris accumulation still occurs causing torsional overloading and hard starting
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from static debris containment to dynamic debris management. During normal operation, the check valve provides static protection, but during restart the angled passageways enable dynamic debris movement and clearing, preventing accumulation that causes torsional overloading
Solution Approach 2:
The angled passageways are designed to facilitate preliminary debris clearing before the ESP starts pumping. This preliminary action removes accumulated debris that would otherwise cause hard starting and torsional overloading when the motor重新启动
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 effectively reduces debris accumulation, preventing torsional overloading and hard starting issues, enhancing ESP reliability and extendable life by ensuring debris is cleared before restarting, thus improving operational efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
the inner conduit includes one or more angled passageways configured to allow one-way debris flow
Implementation Method 2
using adjustable angled passageways to fluidize and clear debris during restarts
Data Source
AI summary
A downhole tool for preventing pump blockage includes an outer conduit defining an outer flow path, an inner conduit located within the outer conduit defining an inner flow path and a space between the inner conduit and the outer conduit. The inner conduit includes one or more angled passageways to allow one-way debris flow. A pressure regulated valve is coupled to the upper end of the outer conduit and configured to open to expand an adjustable width angled passageway defined by the pressure regulated valve. An upper end of the inner conduit is configured to allow fluid bypass of the angled passageways of the inner conduit when the angled passageways are blocked with debris.