Apparatus and method for enlarging inner diameter of injector for reactor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10589359-B2
Application number	US-201816007142-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 13, 2018
Priority date	Jun 27, 2017
Publication date	Mar 17, 2020
Grant date	Mar 17, 2020

Abstract

A drill assembly and method is provided for enlarging an injector of a reactor. The drill assembly includes an elongated shaft attached to a piloted drill bit including a pilot portion distal from and extending colinearly with the elongated shaft and a cutting portion proximal the elongated shaft and positioned between the pilot portion and the elongated shaft, wherein the cutting portion includes at least one cutting edge extending radially from a center axis of rotation beyond an outer surface of the pilot portion; and a drive device adapted to rotate the elongated shaft about the axis of rotation. The method includes inserting the pilot portion into an injector; and cutting away a portion of an inner surface of the injector with the cutting portion.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of enlarging an injector of a reactor, comprising:
securing a drill assembly to an exterior surface of the injector protruding through and extending from an exterior wall of the reactor, the drill assembly including:
an elongated shaft;
a piloted drill bit attached to an end of the elongated shaft and including a pilot portion distal from and extending colinearly with the elongated shaft and a cutting portion proximal the end of the elongated shaft and positioned between the pilot portion and the end of the elongated shaft, wherein the cutting portion includes at least one cutting edge extending radially from a center axis of rotation beyond an outer surface of the pilot portion; and
a drive device mounted to an elongate member and adapted to rotate the elongated shaft about the axis of rotation;

advancing the drive device along the elongate member and thereby inserting the pilot portion into the injector; and
actuating the drive device to cut away a portion of an inner surface of the injector with the cutting portion as the drive device advances along the elongate member.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein securing the drill assembly to an exterior surface of the injector comprises releasably securing the drill assembly to the exterior surface of the injector with at least one releasable fastener.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the drill assembly further includes a standoff extending between the at least one releasable fastener and the elongate member.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the at least one releasable fastener is a clamping fastener that clamps around the exterior surface of the injector.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein advancing the drive device along the elongate member comprises moving the drive device controllably and linearly in an elongate direction along the elongate member with a linear press that attaches the drive device to the elongate member.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein actuating the drive device to cut away the portion of the inner surface of the injector with the cutting portion comprises actuating the drive device and the linear press to move the drive device in the elongate direction and thereby cutting away the portion of the inner surface of the injector.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the piloted drill bit comprises a spade bit including the at least one cutting edge.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the spade bit is attached to the elongate shaft with fasteners.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising injecting steam into the injector while cutting away the portion of the inner surface of the injector.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the pilot portion has an outer diameter that is smaller than an inner diameter defined by the inner surface of the injector.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the difference in diameter between the outside diameter of the pilot portion and the inner diameter of the injector prior to cutting away the portion of the inner surface is less than 0.1 inches.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the pilot portion is at least 1 inches long along the center axis of rotation.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the injector has an inner diameter defined by the inner surface of the injector and wherein the inner diameter is enlarged by at least 0.05 inches after cutting away the portion of the inner surface of the injector.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the injector is enlarged by at least 0.1 inches.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the reactor is not shut down when cutting away the portion of the inner surface of the injector.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the elongate shaft is at least 3 feet long.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the elongated shaft comprises a tungsten carbide coating.

18. The method of claim 1 , wherein securing the drill assembly to the exterior surface of the injector is preceded by placing an end of the elongate member against the exterior wall of the reactor.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the injector includes a feed inlet outside of the reactor, and wherein placing the end of the elongate member against the wall of the reactor is preceded by:
shutting off feed to the reactor via the feed inlet; and
subjecting the injector to steam for a predetermined period of time.

Assignees

• Exxonmobil Res & Eng Co

Inventors

• Barny Christopher
• Trousdale William R
• Naprawa Andrew J
• Dzurec Cheryl A
• Lawrence Matt O

Classifications

• B23B47/281

  Jigs for drilling cylindrical parts · CPC title

• B23B2215/24

  Components of internal combustion engines (B23B2215/16 and B23B2215/20 take precedence) · CPC title

• B23B47/00

  Constructional features of components specially designed for boring or drilling machines; Accessories therefor (working-spindles, bearing sleeves therefor B23Q1/70; for machine tools in general B23Q) · CPC title

• B23B2251/60

  Drills with pilots · CPC title

• B23B51/0018

  Drills for enlarging a hole · CPC title