Enhanced elastomeric stator insert via reinforcing agent distribution and orientation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-8944789-B2
Application number	US-201113214866-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 22, 2011
Priority date	Dec 10, 2010
Publication date	Feb 3, 2015
Grant date	Feb 3, 2015

Abstract

A progressive cavity type motor or pump including a stator insert with a reinforcing agent dispersed in a manner to improve properties of the stator insert. The reinforcing agent may be a fiber, nanotube, metal, ceramic, or polymer. A dispersing agent may be used to obtain a homogenous distribution. A magnetic reinforcing agent may be incorporated into a stator insert. The stator insert is subjected to a magnetic field to orient the magnetic reinforcing agent in a particular orientation. The magnetic field may also reposition the magnetic reinforcing agent within the stator insert. The stator insert may be formed by injection molding, transfer, or compression molding among other methods.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A stator insert comprising:
an elastomeric component;
a reinforcing agent; and
a dispersing substance; wherein said dispersing substance has a specific surface area of 5 m 2 /g to 50 m 2 /g, and wherein the dispersing substance is a carrier for the reinforcing agent within the elastomeric component; and the reinforcing agent and dispersing substance are substantially homogenously distributed throughout the elastomeric component.

2. The stator insert of claim 1 , wherein the reinforcing agent is one or more organic fibers.

3. The stator insert of claim 1 , wherein the reinforcing agent is one or more inorganic fibers.

4. The stator insert of claim 1 , wherein the reinforcing agent is one or more carbon nanotubes.

5. The stator insert of claim 1 , wherein the dispersing substance is selected from the group consisting of clay, glass, fumed silica, silicon dioxide, diamond, and combinations thereof.

6. The stator insert of claim 1 , wherein the dispersing substance is silicon dioxide.

7. The stator insert of claim 1 , further comprising:
a plurality of magnetic particles; wherein the magnetic particles are disposed within the elastomeric component.

8. The stator insert of claim 7 , wherein the stator insert substantially lies along a central axis and the plurality of magnetic particles are substantially oriented perpendicular to the axis.

9. A method of making a stator insert, comprising:
incorporating a reinforcing agent and a dispersing substance into a polymer to form a substantially homogenous mixture wherein said dispersing substance has a specific surface area of 5 m 2 /g to 50 m 2 /g; and
forming a stator insert from the mixture.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the polymer contains at least one of carbon black, clay, or silica.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the dispersing substance is selected from the group consisting of clay, glass, fumed silica, diamond, silicon dioxide and combinations thereof.

12. The stator insert of claim 9 , wherein the dispersing substance is silicon dioxide.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the silicon dioxide is micron-size and substantially spherical.

14. The method of claim 9 , wherein the polymer is selected from the group consisting of nitrile (NBR), hydrogenated nitrile (HNBR), EPDM, Chloroprene (neoprene) and fluoroelastomers (FKM), and combinations thereof.

15. The method of claim 9 , wherein the reinforcing agent is one or more organic fibers.

16. The method of claim 9 , wherein the reinforcing agent is one or more inorganic fibers.

17. The method of claim 9 , wherein the reinforcing agent is one or more carbon nanotubes.

18. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
incorporating a plurality of magnetic particles into the substantially homogenous mixture; and
applying a magnetic field to the stator insert to orient the plurality of magnetic particles.

19. A method of making a stator insert, comprising:
incorporating a plurality of magnetic particles into a polymer, resulting in a mixture;
forming a stator insert from the mixture wherein the plurality of magnetic particles have high aspect ratios; and
applying a magnetic field to the stator insert, wherein the stator insert lies along a central axis and wherein said applying the magnetic field to the stator insert orients the plurality of high aspect ratio magnetic particles to be perpendicular to the central axis.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the polymer is selected from the group consisting of nitrile (NBR), hydrogenated nitrile (HNBR), EPDM, Chloroprene (neoprene) and fluoroelastomers (FKM), and combinations thereof.

21. The method of claim 19 , wherein the stator insert comprises diamond particles.

22. The method of claim 19 , wherein the stator insert comprises KEVLAR® fibers.

23. The method of claim 19 , further comprising:
incorporating a reinforcing agent and a dispersing substance into the mixture.

24. The method of claim 19 , further comprising incorporating a dispersing substance into the mixture wherein the dispersing substance has a specific surface area of 5 m 2 /g to 50 m 2 /g.

25. A stator insert comprising:
an elastomeric component;
a reinforcing agent; and
silicon dioxide; wherein said silicon dioxide has a specific surface area of 5 m 2 /g to 50 m 2 /g, wherein a ratio of said reinforcing agent to said silicon dioxide is from 10:90 wt % to 70:30 wt %, and wherein the reinforcing agent and silicon dioxide are homogenously distributed throughout the elastomeric component.

26. The stator insert of claim 25 , wherein a tensile strength of said stator insert is 20 to 500% greater than a stator that has a nonhomogenous distribution of reinforcing agent and silicon dioxide.

Assignees

• Butuc Stefan
• Sue Jiinjen A
• Sreshta Harold A
• Sicilian Joshua A
• Nat Oilwell Varco Lp

Inventors

• Butuc Stefan
• Sue Jiinjen A
• Sreshta Harold A
• Sicilian Joshua A

Classifications

• C08J2321/00

  Characterised by the use of unspecified rubbers · CPC title

• F04C2/1075 Primary

  Construction of the stationary member · CPC title

• Y10T29/49242

  Screw or gear type, e.g., Moineau type · CPC title

• B29K2995/0008

  Magnetic or paramagnetic · CPC title

• F05C2253/22

  Reinforcements · CPC title