ACTIVE MUD VALVE SYSTEM

• US 20090260798A1
• Filed: 03/27/2009
• Published: 10/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation (Schlumberger NV)
• Original Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation (Schlumberger NV)
• Inventors: Grant, Bill, Brennan, Willam E. III, Milkovisch, Mark
• Granted Patent: US 8,348,642 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 166/66.600
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 49/081 with down-hole means for trapping a fluid sample E21B49/10 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 47/00 Pumps or pumping installations specially adapted for raising fluids from great depths, e.g. well pumps by using positive or negative pressurised fluid medium acting directly on the liquid to be pumped F04F1/00
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 47/08 the motors being actuated by fluid
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 53/10 Valves; Arrangement of valves
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 1/12 with streamlined valve member around which the fluid flows when the valve is opened
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7771 Bi-directional flow valves

Abstract

A downhole tool pumping apparatus comprising a body and an active valve block. The body comprises a cavity housing a reciprocating piston defining first and second chambers within the cavity. The active valve block comprises a plurality of active valves, wherein the plurality of active valves includes a first active valve fluidly connected to the first chamber of the body, the plurality of active valves includes a second active valve fluidly connected to the second chamber of the body, and each of the plurality of active valves is configured to be actively actuated between open and closed positions.

Claims

1. A pumping apparatus of a downhole tool, comprising:

a body having a cavity housing a reciprocating piston defining first and second chambers within the cavity; and

an active valve block comprising a plurality of active valves, wherein the plurality of active valves includes a first active valve fluidly connected to the first chamber of the body, the plurality of active valves includes a second active valve fluidly connected to the second chamber of the body, and each of the plurality of active valves is configured to be actively actuated between open and closed positions.

2. The pumping apparatus of claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of active valves comprises a check valve and a relief valve.

3. The pumping apparatus of claim 2 wherein each relief valve has a relief pressure setting of about 3500 psi.

4. The pumping apparatus of claim 2 wherein each relief valve has a relief pressure setting between a pumping pressure of the reciprocating piston and a maximum output pressure of a hydraulic pump configured to provide hydraulic power to the reciprocating piston.

5. The pumping apparatus of claim 1 wherein the plurality of active valves further comprises a third active valve fluidly connected to the first chamber of the body, the plurality of active valves further comprises a fourth active valve fluidly connected to the second chamber of the body, and the pumping apparatus further comprises:

a hydraulic pump;

a first solenoid fluidly connected between the hydraulic pump and each of the first, second, third and fourth active valves; and

a second solenoid fluidly connected between the hydraulic pump and each of the first, second, third and fourth active valves.

6. The pumping apparatus of claim 5 wherein:

the first solenoid is configured to supply hydraulic fluid from the hydraulic pump to;

the first active valve in order to open the first active valve;

the second active valve in order to close the second active valve;

the third active valve in order to close the third active valve; and

the fourth active valve in order to open the fourth active valve; and

the second solenoid is configured to supply hydraulic fluid from the hydraulic pump to;

the first active valve in order to close the first active valve;

the second active valve in order to open the second active valve;

the third active valve in order to open the third active valve; and

the fourth active valve in order to close the fourth active valve.

7. The pumping apparatus of claim 5 wherein the first solenoid is normally open and the second solenoid is normally closed.

8. The pumping apparatus of claim 1 wherein the plurality of active valves further comprises a third active valve fluidly connected to the first chamber of the body, the plurality of active valves further comprises a fourth active valve fluidly connected to the second chamber of the body, and the pumping apparatus further comprises:

a hydraulic pump;

a first solenoid fluidly connected between the hydraulic pump and each of the first and fourth active valves;

a second solenoid fluidly connected between the hydraulic pump and each of the second and third active valves;

a third solenoid fluidly connected between the hydraulic pump and each of the first and fourth active valves; and

a fourth solenoid fluidly connected between the hydraulic pump and each of the second and third active valves.

9. The pumping apparatus of claim 8 wherein:

the first solenoid is configured to supply hydraulic fluid from the hydraulic pump to;

the first active valve in order to close the first active valve; and

the fourth active valve in order to close the fourth active valve;

the second solenoid is configured to supply hydraulic fluid from the hydraulic pump to;

the second active valve in order to close the second active valve; and

the third active valve in order to close the third active valve;

the third solenoid is configured to supply hydraulic fluid from the hydraulic pump to;

the first active valve in order to open the first active valve; and

the fourth active valve in order to open the fourth active valve; and

the fourth solenoid is configured to supply hydraulic fluid from the hydraulic pump to;

the second active valve in order to open the second active valve; and

the third active valve in order to open the third active valve.

10. The pumping apparatus of claim 8 wherein the first solenoid is normally closed, the second solenoid is normally open, the third solenoid is normally open, and the fourth solenoid is normally closed.

11. The pumping apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of substantially similar pumping modules including:

a first pumping module comprising the body, the reciprocating piston and the active valve block; and

a second pumping module comprising an additional body, an additional reciprocating piston within a cavity of the additional body, and an additional active valve block, wherein the active valve block of the first pumping module is fluidly connected to the additional active valve block of the second pumping module.

12. The pumping apparatus of claim 1 wherein the cavity of the body comprises first and second cavities, the first cavity comprises the first chamber, the second cavity comprises the second chamber, a first portion of the piston divides the first cavity into the first chamber and a third chamber, and a second portion of the piston divides the second cavity into the second chamber and a fourth chamber.

13. The pumping apparatus of claim 12 further comprising a four-way valve having a first port fluidly connected to a hydraulic pump, a second port fluidly connected to a hydraulic reservoir, a third port fluidly connected to the third chamber of the body, and a fourth port fluidly connected to the fourth chamber of the body.

14. The pumping apparatus of claim 12 further comprising a first poppet valve fluidly connected between the hydraulic pump and the third chamber of the body, a second poppet valve fluidly connected between the hydraulic pump and the fourth chamber of the body, a third poppet valve fluidly connected between the fourth chamber of the body and a hydraulic reservoir, and a fourth poppet valve fluidly connected between the third chamber of the body and the wellbore annulus.

15. The pumping apparatus of claim 14 further comprising first and second solenoids, wherein the first solenoid is fluidly connected between a hydraulic fluid source and each of the first and third poppet valves, and the second solenoid is fluidly connected between the hydraulic fluid source and each of the second and fourth poppet valves.

16. The pumping apparatus of claim 15 wherein the plurality of active valves further comprises a third active valve fluidly connected to the first chamber of the body, the plurality of active valves further comprises a fourth active valve fluidly connected to the second chamber of the body, and the pumping apparatus further comprises a hydraulic pump and a plurality of additional solenoids connected between the hydraulic pump and ones of the first, second, third and fourth active valves.

17. The pumping apparatus of claim 16 wherein the hydraulic fluid source connected to the first, second, third and fourth poppet valves is the hydraulic pump connected to the plurality of additional solenoids.

18. The pumping apparatus of claim 12 further comprising a hydraulic pump, a solenoid, and first, second, third and fourth poppet valves, wherein the hydraulic pump is fluidly connected to the first and second chambers via the first, second, third and fourth poppet valves, and wherein the first, second, third and fourth poppet valves are all controlled by the solenoid.

19. The pumping apparatus of claim 18 wherein the first and third poppet valves are normally open and pilot to close, and wherein the second and fourth poppet valves are normally closed and pilot to open.

20. The pumping apparatus of claim 18 further comprising an additional solenoid and a two-way, two-position valve driven by the additional solenoid, wherein the two-way, two-position valve is configured to be opened to equalize pressure of the first and second chambers of the body.