IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
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국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0841797
(2004-05-07)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
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출원인 / 주소 |
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대리인 / 주소 |
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인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
62 인용 특허 :
61 |
초록
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A gravity valve for a downhole tool for use in a subterranean well and a method of use thereof. The gravity valve is adapted to control the flow of a dowuhole fluid through the downhole tool. The gravity valve typically includes a plunger and a seat. The plunger may embody a substantially non-spher
A gravity valve for a downhole tool for use in a subterranean well and a method of use thereof. The gravity valve is adapted to control the flow of a dowuhole fluid through the downhole tool. The gravity valve typically includes a plunger and a seat. The plunger may embody a substantially non-spherical end that is adapted to mate with a complementary receiving end on the seat. The increase surface area of contact between the plunger and the seat acts to improve the seal therebetween, reduce the stresses thereon, and improve the performance of the gravity valve in general. The components of the gravity valve may be constructed of materials, which are selected based on the specific gravity of the materials in comparison with the specific gravity of the downhole fluid for a given application. A method of constructing and utilizing a gravity valve for a downhole tool.
대표청구항
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What is claimed is: 1. A gravity valve to control the flow of a downhole fluid through a downhole tool having a hollow mandrel, comprising: a plunger within the mandrel having an end with a substantially non-spherical surface; and a seat within the mandrel having a complementary substantially non-s
What is claimed is: 1. A gravity valve to control the flow of a downhole fluid through a downhole tool having a hollow mandrel, comprising: a plunger within the mandrel having an end with a substantially non-spherical surface; and a seat within the mandrel having a complementary substantially non-spherical surface adapted to selectively mate with the substantially non-spherical surface of the plunger to form a seal within the mandrel, rotation between the plunger and the seat being thereby precluder, the valve selectively moving from an open position to a closed position to selectively control the flow of fluid through the downhole tool. 2. The valve of claim 1, in which the gravity valve is in the closed position precluding fluid communication through the mandrel when the substantially non-spherical surface of the plunger mates with the complementary substantially non-spherical surface of the seat, the valve defining the open position allowing fluid communication through the mandrel when the plunger and the seat are not in contact. 3. The valve of claim 1, in which tbe substantially non-spherical surface of the end of the plunger comprises a faceted surface having a plurality of planar faces, the complementary surface of the seat having a plurality of complementary planar faces, the planar faces of the plunger adapted to selectively mate with each of the planar faces of seat to form a seal. 4. The valve of claim 3, in which the plurality of planar faces on the plunger further comprise serrations adapted to mate with complementary serrations on the complementary planar faces of the seat. 5. The valve of claim 1 in which the substantially non-spherical surface of the plunger comprises serrations, the complementary surface of the seat comprising complementary serrations adapted to mate with the serrations of the plunger when the valve is in a closed position. 6. The gravity valve of claim 1 in which the plunger is comprised of metallic material. 7. The gravity valve of claim 1, in which the plunger is comprised of non-metallic material. 8. The gravity valve of claim 7, in which the non-metallic material is composite or plastic. 9. The gravity valve of claim 7 in which the non-metallic material is carbon-reinforced PEEK, PPS, phenolic, or PEKK. 10. The gravity valve of claim 1 in which the plunger is comprised of a material having a specific gravity which is less than of a specific gravity of the downhole fluid. 11. The gravity value of claim 10 in which the specific gravity of the material of the plunger is substantially 0.8-1.0 times the specific gravity of the downhole fluid. 12. The gravity valve of claim 1 in which the plunger is comprised of a material having a specific gravity which is greater than the specific gravity of the downhole fluid. 13. The gravity valve of claim 12 in which the specific gravity of the material of the plunger is substantially 1.0-1.2 times the specific gravity of the downhole fluid. 14. The gravity valve of claim 1 further comprising a biasing means adapted to bias the plunger toward the seat. 15. The gravity valve of claim 1, in which the plunger is comprised of a plurality of materials, each material having a different specific gravity. 16. The gravity valve of claim 1, in which the plunger further comprises: an outer surface comprised of a first material; and an inner surface comprised of a second material having a different specific gravity than the first material. 17. The gravity valve of claim 16, in which the first material is non-metallic, and the second material is antimony, lead, or bismuth. 18. The gravity valve of claim 16, in which the first and second materials are selected such that an average specific gravity of the plunger is greater than a specific gravity of the downhole fluid. 19. The gravity valve of claim 16 in which the first and second materials are selected such that an average specific gravity of the plunger is less than a specific gravity of the downhole fluid. 20. The gravity valve of claim 1, in which the plunger further comprises a protrusion on its perimeter adapted to mate with a slot on an inner diameter of the hollow mandrel, the protrusion mating with the slot in the mandrel to limit relative axial movement between the plunger and the mandrel. 21. The gravity valve of claim 1, further comprising means for limiting the axial movement between the plunger and the mandrel. 22. The gravity valve of claim 1, in which the seat further comprises an o-ring on the perimeter of the seat to provide sealing engagement with the inner diameter of the mandrel. 23. The gravity valve of claim 1, in which the seat comprises means for rotationally locking to the mandrel. 24. The gravity valve of claim 1, in which the plunger comprises means for rotationally locking to the mandrel. 25. The gravity valve of claim 1, in which the seat is disposed within the mandrel above the plunger in the mandrel, such that the gravity valve operates to allow fluid to flow from surface downhole through the mandrel, the gravity valve preventing fluid communication from downhole to surface. 26. The gravity valve of claim 1, in which the seat is disposed below the plunger in the mandrel, such that the gravity valve operates to prevent fluid to flow from surface downhole through the mandrel, the gravity valve allowing fluid communication from downhole to surface. 27. A downhole tool for selectively providing communication of a downhole fluid between surface and downhole, comprising: a hollow mandrel having an inner diameter; a packer disposed around the mandrel; an upper plurality of slips abutting an upper cone; a lower plurality of slips abutting a lower cone; and a gravity valve within the inner diameter of the mandrel having a plunger and a seat, the gravity valve adapted to prevent fluid communication therethrough the mandrel when an outer surface of the plunger mates with a complementary surface of the seat defining in a closed position, the gravity valve adapted to allow fluid communication through the mandrel when the plunger and seat are not in contact defining an open position,the vaule selectively moving from the open position and the closed position to selectively control the flow of fluid through the downhole tool. 28. The downhole tool of claim 27 in which the plunger is comprised of a material having a specific gravity less than of the specific gravity of the downhole fluid. 29. A method of selectively providing fluid communication through a mandrel of a downhole tool, comprising: setting in a casing a downhole tool having gravity valve within a hollow mandrel; preventing fluid communication in one direction when a substantially non-spherical surface of a plunger within the mandrel contacts a complementary non-spherical surface of a seat; allowing fluid communication in another direction when the plunger does not contact the seat; moving selectively the gravity value from an open position to a close position to selectively control the flow of fluid through the mandrel of the downhole tool; and milling the downhole tool from the casing, the plunger of the gravity valve adapted to remain rotationally locked to the seat during the milling operation. 30. The method of claim 29, further comprising: determining a specific gravity of the downhole fluid; constructing the plunger of the value gravity of a material such that the specific gravity of the plunger is less than a specific gravity of the downhole fluid. 31. The method of claim 29, further comprising: determining a specific gravity of the downhole fluid; constructing the plunger of the gravity valve of a material such that the specific gravity of the plunger is greater than a specific gravity of the downhole fluid.
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