Tool assembly with a fluidic agitator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10753167-B2
Application number	US-201916586662-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 27, 2019
Priority date	Nov 21, 2017
Publication date	Aug 25, 2020
Grant date	Aug 25, 2020

Abstract

The tool assembly vibrates a casing string or drill string in a wellbore. The tool assembly includes a housing, an insert mounted in the housing as a fluidic agitator, and a cover fitted over the insert. The insert includes an inlet chamber, a vortex chamber, and a feedback chamber, and the fluid flow through the insert has a pressure profile with a plurality of levels determined by the feedback chamber. The strength and frequency of the pressure profile can be regulated by the feedback chamber according to position, size and asymmetry of the transition channels connected to the feedback chamber. The high strength and low frequency pressure pulses can be achieved in the limited space of the housing for placement of the inlet and outlet.

First claim

We claim:

1. A tool assembly for installation in a wellbore, the tool assembly comprising:
a housing having an inlet and an outlet;
an insert mounted in said housing; and
a cover fitted over said insert in said housing, said cover sealing said insert within said housing,
wherein said insert comprises an inlet chamber, a vortex chamber, and a feedback chamber, said feedback chamber being in fluid connection with said vortex chamber and said inlet chamber, said inlet chamber being in fluid connection with said vortex chamber directly and through said feedback chamber,
wherein said vortex chamber is between said inlet chamber and said feedback chamber,
wherein said feedback chamber is in fluid connection with said outlet only through said vortex chamber,
wherein said insert further comprises a first flowback channel extending from said feedback chamber to said inlet chamber, and a second flowback channel extending from said feedback chamber to said inlet chamber so as to form a flowback path from said feedback chamber to said first flowback channel and to said second flowback channel,
wherein fluid flow through said insert has a pressure profile comprised of a plurality of levels determined by said feedback chamber, and
wherein said pressure profile has a frequency determined by said feedback chamber, when said inlet chamber maintains a constant position and fluid connection to said vortex chamber.

2. The tool assembly, according to claim 1 , said inlet chamber being in fluid connection with said inlet of said housing, said vortex chamber being in fluid connection with said inlet chamber and having an output in fluid connection to said outlet of said housing,
wherein said insert comprises:
a first input channel connecting said inlet chamber to one side of said vortex chamber;
a second input channel connecting said inlet chamber to an opposite side of said vortex chamber;
a first transition channel connecting said vortex chamber to one side of said feedback chamber; and
a second transition channel connecting said vortex chamber to an opposite side of said feedback chamber,
and

wherein said inlet chamber further comprises a switch means for a flow path alternating between said first input channel and said second input channel.

3. The tool assembly, according to claim 2 ,
wherein said first input channel is tangent to said vortex chamber, said second input channel being tangent to said vortex chamber on said opposite side of said vortex chamber
wherein said first fluid flow from said input chamber to said first input channel and to said vortex chamber and to said feedback chamber is in a first circulation direction around said feedback chamber, and
wherein said second fluid flow from said input chamber to said second input channel and to said vortex chamber and to said feedback chamber is in a second circulation direction around said feedback chamber, said second circulation direction being opposite said first circulation direction.

4. The tool assembly, according to claim 2 , wherein said first flowback channel is tangent to said feedback chamber, said second flowback channel being tangent to said feedback chamber on said opposite side of said feedback chamber.

5. The tool assembly, according to claim 1 ,
wherein said inlet chamber, said vortex chamber, and said feedback chamber are in an asymmetric flow path,
wherein said pressure profile has a lower level, middle level, and a higher level, and
wherein said asymmetric flow path comprises:
a first fluid flow path from said inlet chamber to said first input channel and to said vortex chamber is in a first direction around said vortex chamber; and
a second fluid flow path from said inlet chamber to said second input channel and to said vortex chamber is in a second direction around said vortex chamber, said second direction being opposite said first direction.

6. The tool assembly, according to claim 5 ,
wherein said first transition channel has a first width dimension, and
wherein said second transition channel has a second width dimension larger than said first width dimension of said first transition channel.

7. The tool assembly, according to claim 6 , wherein said first transition channel is tangent to said vortex chamber and tangent to said feedback chamber on one side of said feedback chamber, said second transition channel being tangent to said vortex chamber on said opposite side of said vortex chamber and tangent to said feedback chamber on an opposite side of said feedback chamber.

8. A method for fluid control in a wellbore, the method comprising the steps of:
assembling a tool comprised of a housing having an inlet and an outlet, an insert mounted in said housing, and a cover fitted over said insert in said housing, said cover sealing said insert within said housing,
wherein said insert comprises an inlet chamber, a vortex chamber, and a feedback chamber, said feedback chamber being in fluid connection with said vortex chamber and said inlet chamber, said inlet chamber being in fluid connection with said vortex chamber directly and through said feedback chamber,
wherein said insert further comprises a first flowback channel extending from said feedback chamber to said inlet chamber, and a second flowback channel extending from said feedback chamber to said inlet chamber so as to form a flowback path from said feedback chamber to said first flowback channel and to said second flowback channel,
wherein said vortex chamber is between said inlet chamber and said feedback chamber,
wherein said feedback chamber is in fluid connection with said outlet only through said vortex chamber,
wherein fluid flow through said insert has a pressure profile comprised of a plurality of levels determined by said feedback chamber, and
wherein said pressure profile has a frequency determined by said feedback chamber, when said inlet chamber maintains a constant position and fluid connection to said vortex chamber;
installing said tool in a string;
flowing a fluid through said insert; and
generating vibrations in said tool according to the pressure profile,
wherein said inlet chamber is in fluid connection with said inlet of said housing, and
wherein said vortex chamber is in fluid connection with said inlet chamber, said vortex chamber having an output in fluid connection to said outlet of said housing.

9. The method for fluid control, according to claim 8 ,
wherein said insert further comprises:
a first input channel connecting said inlet chamber to one side of said vortex chamber; and
a second input channel connecting said inlet chamber to an opposite side of said vortex chamber, and

wherein said inlet chamber further comprises a switch,
the step of flowing being comprised of the step of:
alternating the flow path between said first input channel and said second input channel.

10. The method for fluid control, according to claim 9 , wherein said first input channel is tangent to said vortex chamber, said second input channel being tangent to said vortex chamber on said opposite side of said vortex chamber,
the step of flowing being further comprised of the steps of:
generating a first fluid flow from said input chamber to said first input channel and to said vortex chamber in a first direction around said vortex chamber;
switching the flow path between said first input channel and said second input channel; and
generating a second fluid flow from said input chamber to said second input channel and to said vortex chamber in a second direction around said vortex chamber, said second direction being opposite said first direction.

11. The method for fluid control, according to claim 10 , the

Assignees

• Cnpc Usa Corp
• Beijing Huamei Inc

Inventors

• Zhang Ming
• Cheng Chris
• Bai Dengxiang
• Yang Xiongwen
• Zhang Kuangsheng
• Wang Yuming
• Hu Peiyuan

Classifications

• E21B28/00 Primary

  Vibration generating arrangements for boreholes or wells, e.g. for stimulating production ({for fishing for or freeing objects E21B31/005;} for transmitting measuring-signals E21B47/14; for geophysical measurements G01V1/02) · CPC title