Force balanced reciprocating valve

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11892093-B2
Application number	US-202016919754-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 2, 2020
Priority date	Jul 3, 2019
Publication date	Feb 6, 2024
Grant date	Feb 6, 2024

Abstract

A device for generating pressure pulses includes a valve member disposed in a fluid passageway, the fluid passageway including a restriction, the valve member movable by an actuator relative to the restriction to generate a pressure pulse in a fluid in the fluid passageway based on varying a relative position between the valve member and the restriction and creating a differential pressure across the fluid passageway, the differential pressure applying a first force on the valve member. The device also includes a piston member in hydraulic communication with the differential pressure, the differential pressure applying a second force on the piston member, the piston member having a locomotive mechanical connection to the valve member.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A device for generating pressure pulses, the device comprising:
a valve member disposed in a fluid passageway, the fluid passageway including a restriction, the valve member movable by an actuator relative to the restriction to generate a pressure pulse in a fluid in the fluid passageway based on varying a relative position between the valve member and the restriction and creating a differential pressure across the fluid passageway, the differential pressure applying a first force on the valve member; and
a piston member in hydraulic communication with the differential pressure, the differential pressure applying a second force on the piston member, the piston member having a locomotive connection to the valve member, wherein the actuator includes an electric motor and is configured to apply a third force on the valve member to generate the pressure pulse.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the locomotive connection is configured to transmit the second force to the valve member and apply the second force in a direction opposite a direction of the first force.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the locomotive connection is configured to transmit the first force to the piston member and apply the first force in a direction opposite a direction of the second force.

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the locomotive connection is configured to alternately apply the first force in a direction opposite a direction of the second force and apply the second force in a direction opposite a direction of the first force.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the locomotive connection includes one of: a rocker lever mechanism, a rack and pinion gearbox, a crank device, a cam device, a wobble plate, and a hydraulic linkage.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the locomotive connection has a transmission ratio of 1:1.

7. The device of claim 1 , wherein a size of the piston member and a transmission ratio of the locomotive connection is selected to maintain an opening force for fluid in the fluid passageway to flow through the fluid passageway.

8. The device claim 1 , wherein the actuator includes one of:
a bevel gear; and
a ball screw drive.

9. The device of claim 1 , wherein the actuator includes a position feedback device.

10. The device of claim 1 , wherein the actuator includes a pressure compensator.

11. The device of claim 1 , wherein the pressure pulse includes a frequency modulated pressure signal in the fluid in the fluid passageway, the frequency modulated pressure signal having multiple frequencies, wherein the multiple frequencies are used for data transmission in the fluid in the fluid passageway.

12. The device of claim 1 , wherein the valve member is mechanically coupled to a spring.

13. The device of claim 12 , wherein the pressure pulse includes a frequency modulated pressure signal, the frequency modulated pressure signal having multiple frequencies, the spring is configured to create an oscillator including an inertia, a first natural frequency of the oscillator is selected to be in a range of 25% to 200% of one of the multiple frequencies of the frequency modulated pressure signal.

14. The device of claim 12 , wherein the spring is configured to maintain an intermediate stroke position of the valve member with respect to the restriction in the fluid passageway.

15. The device of claim 1 , wherein the locomotive connection and the electric motor are hydraulically separated through a membrane, the membrane defining a cavity filled with another fluid, the another fluid different than the fluid in the fluid passageway.

16. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a processor, wherein the processor causing the actuator to apply the third force on the valve member to generate the pressure pulse for data transmission in the fluid in the fluid passageway.

17. The device of claim 1 , wherein the actuator applies the third force on the locomotive connection.

18. A device for generating pressure pulses, the device comprising:
a borehole string in a borehole, the borehole string having a bore defining a fluid passageway;
a fluid circulating though the borehole;
a bottom hole assembly in the borehole string including a valve member disposed in the fluid passageway, the fluid passageway including a restriction, the valve member movable by an actuator relative to the restriction to generate a pressure pulse in the fluid in the fluid passageway based on varying a relative position between the valve member and the restriction and creating a differential pressure across the fluid passageway, the differential pressure applying a first force on the valve member; and
a piston member in hydraulic communication with the differential pressure, the piston member having an end extending through an opening in the fluid passageway, the differential pressure applying a second force on the piston member, the piston member having a locomotive connection to the valve member, wherein all of the fluid circulating through the borehole passes through the restriction and the opening.

19. A device for generating pressure pulses, the device comprising:
a valve member disposed in a fluid passageway, the fluid passageway including a restriction, the valve member movable by an actuator relative to the restriction to generate a pressure pulse in a fluid in the fluid passageway based on varying a relative position between the valve member and the restriction and creating a differential pressure across the fluid passageway, the differential pressure applying a first force on the valve member; and
a piston member in hydraulic communication with the differential pressure, the differential pressure applying a second force on the piston member and moving the piston member in a piston member stroke direction, the piston member having a locomotive connection to the valve member, wherein the locomotive connection is configured to transmit the first force to the piston member and apply the first force to the piston member in a direction opposite a direction of the second force and move the valve member in a valve member stroke direction opposite the piston member stroke direction.

20. The device of claim 19 , wherein the locomotive connection is configured to transmit the second force to the valve member and apply the second force to the valve member in a direction opposite a direction of the first force.

Assignees

• Peters Volker
• Baker Hughes Oilfield Operations Llc

Inventors

• Peters Volker

Classifications

• F16K31/1223 Primary

  one side of the piston being acted upon by the circulating fluid · CPC title

• F16K31/52

  with crank, eccentric, or cam · CPC title

• E21B47/20 Primary

  by modulation of mud waves, e.g. by continuous modulation · CPC title

• F16K31/54 Primary

  with pinion and rack · CPC title

• E21B34/10 Primary

  operated by control fluid supplied from outside the borehole · CPC title