Method for preparing a porous fluoropolymer and preparing an article of same, a rigid porous fluoropolymer flow sleeve and a method of controlling flow

• US 10,010,821 B2
• Filed: 06/29/2015
• Issued: 07/03/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated (Baker Hughes Company)
• Original Assignee: Baker Hughes, a GE Company, LLC (Baker Hughes Company)
• Inventors: Sadana, Anil K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Reifsnyder, David A
• Application Number:
  US14/753,354
• Publication Number:
  US 20150298030A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,100 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 29/0093 Making filtering elements not provided for elsewhere
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 29/0095 Flat filtering elements B01D25/12, B01D25/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 39/1661 sintered or bonded
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 39/1692 Other shaped material, e.g. perforated or porous sheets
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 67/003 by selective elimination of components, e.g. by leaching
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 71/36 Polytetrafluoroethene
• CPC Class Codes: B29B 11/12 Compression moulding
• CPC Class Codes: B29B 13/02 by heating B29B13/06, B29B13/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29B 7/88 Adding charges , i.e. additives
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 67/202 comprising elimination of a solid or a liquid ingredient
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2027/12 containing fluorine
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/0005 containing compounding ingredients releasing, lubricating or separating agents B29C33/56, fibers B29K2105/08, B29K2105/12; fillers B29K2105/16, recycled material B29K2105/26
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/04 cellular or porous
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/251 Particles, powder or granules expandable particles B29K2105/046
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 2201/044 Elimination of an inorganic solid phase
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 2201/0444 Salts
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 2327/12 containing fluorine atoms
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 2327/18 Homopolymers or copolymers of tetrafluoroethylene
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 9/26 by elimination of a solid phase from a macromolecular composition or article, e.g. leaching out
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/02 Subsoil filtering
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/12 : Methods or apparatus for controlling the flow of the obtained fluid to or in wells E21B43/25 takes precedence; valve arrangements E21B34/00
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/38 : in the well

Abstract

A rigid flow control device includes a porous rigid body having an outer surface and an inner surface. The body defines a flow path and is formed from a material operatively arranged with a surface energy less than that of the fluid for passively impeding an undesirable component of the fluid more than a desirable component of the fluid.

Claims

1. A rigid flow control device comprising:

a porous rigid body having an outer surface and an inner surface, the body defines a flow path and is formed from a material operatively arranged with a surface energy less than that of a fluid for passively impeding an undesirable component of the fluid more than a desirable component of the fluid.

2. The rigid flow control device of claim 1, wherein the material is wettable by the desirable component and is not wettable by the undesirable component.

3. The rigid flow control device of claim 1, wherein a first contact angle of the undesirable component on the material is at least about 90°

and a second contact angle of the desirable component on the material is at most about 50°

.

4. The rigid flow control device of claim 1, wherein a difference between a first contact angle of the undesirable component on the material and a second contact angle of the desirable component on the material is about 55°

or more.

5. The rigid flow control device of claim 1, wherein the surface energy of the material is less than about 25 mN/m.

6. The rigid flow control device of claim 1, wherein the fluid comprises hydrocarbons and water.

7. The rigid flow control device of claim 1, wherein the material comprises polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE).

8. The rigid flow control device of claim 1, wherein the material has a porosity of between about 20-70%.

9. The rigid flow control device of claim 1, wherein the flow path is defined through a first set of openings and a second set of openings, the first and second sets of openings located on opposing surfaces of the material.

10. The rigid flow control device of claim 9, wherein openings in the first set are axially offset from openings in the second set.

11. The rigid flow control device of claim 1, wherein the undesirable component includes water and the desirable component includes oil.

12. A rigid flow control device comprising:

a porous rigid body having an outer surface and an inner surface defining a flow path for a fluid, the body being formed from a material operatively arranged to be wettable by a desirable component of the fluid and not wettable by an undesirable component of the fluid for passively impeding the undesirable component of the fluid more than a desirable component of the fluid.

13. The rigid flow control device of claim 12, wherein a first contact angle of the undesirable component on the material is at least about 90°

and a second contact angle of the desirable component on the material is at most about 50°

.

14. The rigid flow control device of claim 12, wherein a difference between a first contact angle of the undesirable component on the material and a second contact angle of the desirable component on the material is about 55°

or more.

15. The rigid flow control device of claim 12, wherein the surface energy of the material is less than about 25 mN/m.

16. The rigid flow control device of claim 12, wherein the material comprises polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE).

17. The rigid flow control device of claim 12, wherein the flow path is defined through a first set of openings and a second set of openings, the first and second sets of openings located on opposing surfaces of the material, the first set being axially offset from openings in the second set.

18. A method of controlling a flow of fluid comprising:

flowing a fluid through a material at least partially defining a rigid flow sleeve, the material operatively arranged with a surface energy less than that of the fluid for passively impeding an undesirable component of the fluid more than a desirable component of the fluid.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein passively impeding the undesirable component of the fluid more than a desirable component of the fluid includes selectively tuning a plurality of openings defined by the material to impede a particular undesirable component and pass a particular desirable component.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein flowing the fluid through the material comprises wetting the material with a desirable component of the fluid and not wetting the material with an undesirable component of the fluid.