Vibrating Plate Flow Control Device for Viscosity-Based Fluid Separation
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Solution Overview
Problem
In the resource recovery and exploration industry, existing flow control devices struggle to selectively control the inflow of fluids with different viscosities, often excluding higher viscosity fluids due to pressure and velocity imbalances, particularly during breakthroughs when gases or low viscosity fluids dominate.
Innovation Solution
A flow control device comprising a first tubular and a second tubular arranged radially outwardly, with a gap and openings between them, featuring a moveable plate that vibrates upon fluid impact, creating a pressure drop that selectively impedes flow based on fluid viscosity, allowing for real-time control without sensors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a conventional flow control device is used to control fluid flow, then the flow rate can be controlled, but higher viscosity fluids are excluded due to pressure and velocity imbalances
Solution Approach 1:
The plate is made movable within the gap between the inner and outer tubulars, allowing it to dynamically adjust its position in response to fluid flow conditions. This dynamic adjustment enables selective control of different fluid types based on their viscosity and flow characteristics, resolving the contradiction between flow rate control and selective fluid adaptability
Solution Approach 2:
The device changes the flow parameters (pressure drop, velocity) by adjusting the plate position in the gap. By varying the gap opening size, the device can create different pressure drops that selectively allow higher viscosity fluids to pass while restricting lower viscosity fluids, thus achieving both flow rate control and selective fluid control
2Stress or pressure
If pressure is increased to control inflow, then flow rate is controlled, but steam and low viscosity fluids dominate and exclude production fluids
Solution Approach 1:
The flow control is segmented by fluid type through the movable plate mechanism. The plate can be positioned to create different pressure drops for different fluid viscosities, allowing production fluids to pass while excluding steam and low viscosity fluids, thus preventing fluid exclusion while maintaining pressure control
3Adaptability or versatility
If a moveable plate is added to control flow selectively, then fluid viscosity-based control is achieved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The moveable plate is designed to automatically position itself based on fluid flow conditions without requiring external control mechanisms. The fluid pressure and velocity themselves drive the plate to the appropriate position, achieving selective fluid control while minimizing the added device complexity through self-regulating behavior
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 device effectively excludes less desirable fluids like steam while allowing more viscous production fluids to enter, providing bi-directional control and real-time choking without the need for fluid type detection, enhancing fluid management in resource recovery and exploration systems.
Implementation Method 1
impacting a plate moveably mounted in the gap
Implementation Method 2
vibrating the plate in the gap
Implementation Method 3
creating a pressure drop that selectively impedes flow based on fluid viscosity
Data Source
AI summary
A flow control device includes a first tubular having an outer surface, and a second tubular arranged radially outwardly of the first tubular. The second tubular includes an inner surface portion and an outer surface portion. The inner surface portion is spaced from the outer surface of the first tubular by a gap. The second tubular includes a plurality of openings extending through the outer surface and the inner surface. A plate is moveably arranged in the gap adjacent to at least one of the plurality of openings. The plate includes a surface section spaced from the inner surface portion a selected distance.