Well Tool Frangible Disc Disintegration with Flushing Channel
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing well tool devices face issues with knife damage and glass particle obstruction during the disintegration of multiple glass discs, leading to incomplete disintegration and potential blockages, especially when using tougher glass types or multiple discs.
Innovation Solution
A well tool device design featuring a housing with a frangible disc supported by a sleeve assembly, a shear element, and a flushing channel that allows axial fluid flow to facilitate disintegration and remove fragments, reducing wear on the disintegration device and preventing knife damage by using a knife section with chamfered cutting edges and a pressure differential to shear the shear element, allowing the disc to disintegrate into smaller fragments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a knife is used to disintegrate the glass disc, then the disc can be broken into smaller particles, but the knife may become damaged or blunt
Solution Approach 1:
The knife is segmented into multiple discrete knife elements arranged circumferentially around the disc. This segmentation allows each knife element to be independently replaceable and reduces the impact of damage to any single element. The multiple knives work together to disintegrate the disc while distributing the mechanical stress.
Solution Approach 2:
The knife elements are designed as disposable or easily replaceable components. When a knife element becomes damaged or blunt, it can be replaced without replacing the entire assembly. This approach is economically viable because the cost of individual knife elements is low compared to the value of maintaining reliable disc disintegration.
2Reliability
If multiple glass discs are used, then the sealing reliability is improved, but the risk of knife damage and glass particle obstruction increases
Solution Approach 1:
The flushing channel extracts and removes glass particles from the disintegration zone by creating a controlled fluid flow path. This extraction mechanism prevents particles from obstructing the knives or accumulating in the system, allowing multiple discs to be processed safely.
Solution Approach 2:
A fluid flow system is introduced to create hydraulic flushing action through the flushing channel. This fluid flow carries away glass particles generated during disc disintegration, preventing them from causing obstructions or damage to subsequent operations.
3Strength
If the glass disc is made tougher to withstand high pressure, then the pressure resistance is improved, but the disintegration completeness may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The knife elements are positioned to make preliminary contact with the disc edge before the main disintegration force is applied. This preliminary action creates initial stress concentrations that propagate through the disc, making even tough glass materials more susceptible to complete disintegration while maintaining their pressure-resistant properties.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses a combination of multiple knife elements made from different materials or with different geometric properties to disintegrate tough glass discs. This composite approach allows the knives to apply varied stress patterns that are more effective at breaking down high-strength glass while the flushing channel removes resulting particles.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If the flushing channel is added to remove glass particles, then the obstruction risk is reduced, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The flushing channel is integrated into the existing housing structure, serving multiple functions: removing glass particles, providing cooling fluid flow, and structurally supporting the knife assembly. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate components and minimizes overall device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The flushing channel is merged with the housing and knife assembly into a single integrated structure. The channel walls are formed as part of the housing, and the knife mounting structure doubles as a support for the flushing channel, reducing the total number of discrete parts.
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 design effectively prevents knife damage and glass particle obstruction, ensuring complete disintegration of the frangible disc and reducing wear on the disintegration device, even when multiple discs are used, by utilizing a flushing channel to remove fragments and accommodate volume expansion during disintegration.
Implementation Method 1
a flushing channel provided in the bore wall radially outside of frangible disc when the well tool device is in the second state. The flushing channel is configured to allow an axial fluid flow between a first side of the frangible disc and a second side of the frangible disc
Implementation Method 2
a shear element for preventing axial displacement of the second supporting device... the pressure is increased further, causing the shear sleeve or shear ring to shear off
Implementation Method 3
it is desired that the sealing element (typically an o-ring) is sealing off the circumferential surface of the disc, i.e. the between the disc and the surrounding the disc housing in both the first and second position, in order to use the pressure above the disc to push the disc downwardly into the knives
Implementation Method 4
Interwell has developed a method, disclosed in NO 20160233, for hardening this type of glass disc, where the hardening process results in large compressive residual stresses in the glass—a principle known from Prince Rupert's drops. The glass disc can withstand high pressures
Data Source
AI summary
A well tool device includes a housing; a through bore provided axially through the well tool device; and a frangible disc supported in the through bore by a first supporting device and a second supporting device. The through bore is defined with a bore wall. The second supporting device is axially displaceable in relation to the first supporting device. The well tool includes a shear element for preventing axial displacement of the second supporting device; a sealing element arranged radially outside of the frangible disc and radially inside of the bore wall when the well tool device is in a first state, in which the sealing element together with the frangible disc is configured to prevent axial fluid flow between a first side of the frangible disc and a second side of the frangible disc; and a disintegration device. The well tool device is configured to be in a second state, in which the shear element has been sheared off and the frangible disc and the second supporting device have been moved axially until the frangible disc has been brought into contact with the disintegration device. The well tool device is configured to be in a third state, in which the frangible disc has been disintegrated by means of the disintegration device. The well tool device includes a flushing channel provided in the bore wall radially outside of the frangible disc when the well tool device is in the second state.