Wash Tool Rotary Hubs and Wireline Insulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wash tools are not suitable for use with electronic wireline tools due to potential electrical interference, particularly at fragile connection points, which can lead to operational issues in coal and gas production environments.
Innovation Solution
A wash tool design featuring a mandrel with a central annulus and lateral bores, rotary hubs that rotate to disperse fluid, and insulation to prevent electrical interference, allowing for fluid isolation and compatibility with electronic sensors and tools, including a tie-back system and seals to secure the wireline and prevent fluid leakage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If wash tool sprays high-pressure water to clear particulates, then cleaning effectiveness is improved, but electrical interference with e-line tools increases
Solution Approach 1:
The wash tool is segmented into distinct functional zones: a fluid delivery system with lateral bores for washing, a central annulus for wireline passage, and sealing components. This segmentation allows the washing function to operate independently without interfering with the electrical components, as the fluid is contained to specific pathways away from the central wireline area.
Solution Approach 2:
Sealing components act as intermediaries between the fluid pathway and the wireline. These seals create a barrier that prevents cleaning fluid from contacting the electronic wireline tools, thereby eliminating the harmful electrical interference while maintaining cleaning effectiveness in the annular space.
2Device complexity
If wash tool uses simple fluid delivery, then device complexity is reduced, but fluid isolation from wireline becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The wash tool employs a nested structure where the mandrel with lateral bores is positioned within the central annulus, and sealing components are integrated at strategic locations. This nested arrangement allows multiple functions (fluid delivery, wireline passage, sealing) to be combined in a compact configuration without excessive complexity, while maintaining reliable fluid isolation through the nested sealing barriers.
3Area of stationary object
If rotary hubs are added to disperse fluid, then cleaning coverage is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The rotary hubs introduce dynamic motion to the fluid delivery system. As the hubs rotate, they actively disperse cleaning fluid across a wider area of the wellbore annulus, significantly improving cleaning coverage. The rotational motion is driven by the fluid flow itself, so the complexity is minimized while achieving enhanced cleaning effectiveness through dynamic fluid distribution.
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 isolates the wash tool from electronic wireline tools, preventing electrical interference and ensuring compatibility, thus enabling safe and efficient cleaning operations in coal and gas production environments without disrupting the operation of electronic tools.
Implementation Method 1
fluid flowing from the central annulus, through the lateral bores of the mandrel, impacts the plurality of lateral bores of each rotary hub, causing them to rotate about the longitudinal axis and disperse the fluid outwardly
Implementation Method 2
The fluid is further sealed by a plurality of seals located within a central annulus of the sealing sub and concentric to the wireline
Implementation Method 3
A packing gland may be located within the central annulus of the sealing sub and also concentric to the wireline, abutting the plurality of seals
Data Source
AI summary
A wash tool comprises a mandrel with a central annulus and one or more lateral bores and one or more ring-shaped rotary hubs positioned about the mandrel adjacent to the one or more lateral bores. The rotary hubs comprise lateral bores perpendicular to the lateral bores of the mandrel such that pressurized fluid introduced to the central annulus of the mandrel impacts the inner surface of the rotary hubs and forces them to rotate, delivering pressurized fluid to the inner surface of a wellbore or tubular. The wash tool is modular and can be attached to a top sub or bottom sub, and may be used with or without a wireline. When used with a wireline, the wireline is insulated from the wash fluid by means of a tie-back and multiple seals.