Density-based fluid flow control device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11493145-B2
Application number	US-201716646018-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 17, 2017
Priority date	Oct 17, 2017
Publication date	Nov 8, 2022
Grant date	Nov 8, 2022

Abstract

A fluid flow control device can include an inlet port and an outlet port. The fluid flow control device can also include a rotatable component for rotating about an axis in response to fluid flow from the inlet port. A float component positioned within the rotatable component can move between (i) an open position that enables fluid flow from the inlet port to the outlet port, and (ii) a closed position that restricts fluid flow from the inlet port to the outlet port. The float component can move from the open position to the closed position in response to a fluid from the inlet port having one density. The float component can move from the closed position to the open position in response to the fluid from the inlet port having another density.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A fluid flow control device comprising:
a rotatable component; and
a float component positioned within the rotatable component and movable between (i) an open position that enables fluid flow from an inlet port of the fluid flow control device to an outlet port, and (ii) a closed position that restricts fluid flow from the inlet port to the outlet port, the float component being movable to the closed position in response to a first fluid component from the inlet port having a first density and a centrifugal force being applied to the float component by rotating the rotatable component about an axis, and the float component being movable to the open position in response to a second fluid component from the inlet port having a second density and a centrifugal force being applied to the float component by rotating the rotatable component about the axis, the first density being different than the second density.

2. The fluid flow control device of claim 1 , wherein:
the fluid flow control device further includes a circular housing in which the rotatable component is positioned; and
the axis is a central axis extending through a cross-sectional center of the circular housing.

3. The fluid flow control device of claim 2 , wherein the rotatable component comprises a plurality of fluid pathways between the inlet port and the outlet port, each respective fluid pathway of the plurality of fluid pathways having a respective chamber and a respective float component disposed in the respective chamber for enabling or disabling fluid flow through the respective fluid pathway based on a density of a fluid from the inlet port.

4. The fluid flow control device of claim 3 , wherein the rotatable component comprises at least one protrusion extending radially outwardly away from the axis and toward the circular housing, the at least one protrusion being operable to interact with fluid flowing from the inlet port to a bypass port and responsively cause the rotatable component to rotate about the axis.

5. The fluid flow control device of claim 4 , wherein the rotatable component comprises a fluid pathway between the inlet port and an opening in the at least one protrusion, the float component being disposed in the fluid pathway for enabling or disabling fluid flow through the fluid pathway.

6. The fluid flow control device of claim 5 , wherein:
the fluid flow control device forms at least part of an inflow control device for a well tool that is positionable in a wellbore;
the float component is movable from the open position to the closed position in response to the first fluid component from the inlet port being water; and
the float component is movable from the closed position to the open position in response to the second fluid component from the inlet port being oil or gas.

7. The fluid flow control device of claim 6 , wherein the outlet port forms the axis around which the rotatable component is configured to rotate, and the inlet port is positioned outside the rotatable component.

8. The fluid flow control device of claim 1 , wherein the inlet port forms the axis around which the rotatable component is configured to rotate, and the outlet port is positioned outside the rotatable component.

9. The fluid flow control device of claim 8 , wherein the rotatable component comprises a fluid pathway from the inlet port to an outer perimeter of the rotatable component for projecting a fluid stream that rotates the rotatable component about the axis.

10. A system comprising:
a housing having an inlet port and an outlet port;
a rotatable component positioned in the housing; and
a float component disposed in a chamber of the rotatable component and movable between (i) an open position that enables fluid flow from the inlet port to the outlet port, and (ii) a closed position that restricts fluid flow from the inlet port to the outlet port, the float component being movable from the open position to the closed position in response to a first fluid component from the inlet port having a first density and a first force being applied to the float component by rotating the rotatable component about a central axis of the rotatable component, and the float component being movable from the closed position to the open position in response to a second fluid component from the inlet port having a second density and a second force being applied to the float component by rotating the rotatable component about the central axis.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the rotatable component comprises a plurality of fluid pathways between the inlet port and the outlet port, each respective fluid pathway of the plurality of fluid pathways having a respective chamber and a respective float component disposed in the respective chamber for enabling or disabling fluid flow through the respective fluid pathway based on a density of a fluid from the inlet port.

12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the rotatable component comprises at least one protrusion extending radially outwardly away from the central axis and toward the housing, the at least one protrusion being operable to interact with fluid flowing from the inlet port to a bypass port and responsively cause the rotatable component to rotate about the central axis.

13. The system of claim 10 , wherein the rotatable component comprises a fluid pathway between the inlet port and an opening in at least one protrusion coupled to the rotatable component, the float component being disposed in the fluid pathway for enabling or disabling fluid flow through the fluid pathway.

14. The system of claim 10 , wherein the outlet port forms the central axis around which the rotatable component is configured to rotate, and the inlet port is positioned outside the rotatable component.

15. The system of claim 10 , wherein the inlet port forms the central axis around which the rotatable component is configured to rotate, and the outlet port is positioned outside the rotatable component.

16. The system of claim 10 , wherein the rotatable component comprises a fluid pathway from the inlet port through the rotatable component, the fluid pathway excluding the float component and being for projecting a fluid stream toward a stationary component positioned in the housing to rotate the rotatable component about the central axis.

17. The system of claim 10 , wherein the outlet port and a bypass port are coupled to a vortex valve of an inflow control device.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the inflow control device is positioned in a well tool usable in a wellbore.

19. The system of claim 10 , wherein:
the float component is movable from the open position to the closed position in response to the first fluid component from the inlet port being water; and
the float component is movable from the closed position to the open position in response to the second fluid component from the inlet port being a hydrocarbon.

20. A method comprising:
receiving, by a fluid flow control device, fluid through an inlet port of the fluid flow control device;
rotating, by the fluid flow control device, a rotatable component about a central axis in response to a portion of the fluid flowing from the inlet port;
moving, by the fluid flow control device, a float component positioned within the rotatable component to a closed position based on a first fluid component from the inlet port having a first density and based on a first force being applied to the float component as the rotatable component rotates about the central axis;

Assignees

• Halliburton Energy Services Inc

Inventors

• Fripp Michael Linley
• Greci Stephen Michael

Classifications

• E21B43/14

  Obtaining from a multiple-zone well · CPC title

• F16K33/00 Primary

  Floats for actuation of valves or other apparatus {(float actuated valves F16K31/18)} · CPC title

• F16K31/18

  actuated by a float (floats F16K33/00; float-actuated valves in steam-traps F16T1/20, in boilers F22D5/08) · CPC title

• E21B34/08 Primary

  responsive to flow or pressure of the fluid obtained (E21B34/10 takes precedence) · CPC title

• E21B34/06

  in wells · CPC title