SHOCK AND VIBRATION DAMPER SYSTEM AND METHODOLOGY

• US 20170226845A1
• Filed: 01/25/2017
• Published: 08/10/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation (SLB)
• Original Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation (SLB)
• Inventors: Yanase, Tsuyoshi, Igarashi, Juei, Kuroiwa, Sogo
• Granted Patent: US 10,458,226 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 17/006 Accessories for drilling pipes, e.g. cleaners wear protectors E21B17/10; handling drilling pipes E21B19/00; thread protectors B65D59/00
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/017 Protecting measuring instruments

Abstract

A technique facilitates protection of a sensitive component, e.g. a well tool component, against shock and vibration. The sensitive component may be positioned in a mechanical chassis which is mounted in a housing. The mechanical chassis is mounted in the housing via a damper system which may comprise various vibration and shock absorbing components, such as a vibration damper, a transverse shock damper, and/or an axial damper. In drilling applications, the housing may be coupled into a drill string although the damper system may be used in other types of applications.

Claims

1. A system for use in a well, comprising:

a well string comprising a plurality of components, the plurality of components including a damper system having;

a housing;

a mechanical chassis disposed within the housing;

a vibration damper coupling the mechanical chassis with the housing;

a transverse shock damper disposed radially between the mechanical chassis and the housing; and

an axial shock damper positioned to protect the mechanical chassis against axial shock loads acting on the housing.

2. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the vibration damper is formed from a silicone gel.

3. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the transverse shock damper is formed from a silicone gel.

4. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the axial shock damper is formed from a silicone gel.

5. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the housing comprises:

an outer tubing surrounding the mechanical chassis; and

a pair of bulkheads disposed within the outer tubing with each bulkhead located at an opposite axial end of the mechanical chassis.

6. The system as recited in claim 5, wherein the vibration damper comprises a vibration damper member coupled between the mechanical chassis and the bulkhead at each axial end of the mechanical chassis.

7. The system as recited in claim 6, wherein the transverse shock damper comprises a plurality of shock absorbing bands disposed about the mechanical chassis at axial positions between the vibration damper members.

8. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the mechanical chassis comprises electronics potentially susceptible to vibration and shock loading.

9. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the well string is a drill string comprising a while-drilling measurement system, the damper component protecting at least a portion of the while-drilling measurement system.

10. A system, comprising:

a metal mechanical chassis;

a metal housing disposed about the metal mechanical chassis at a position free from metal-to-metal contact;

a vibration damper coupling the metal mechanical chassis to the metal housing to serve as a mechanical low-pass filter reducing vibration influence on the metal mechanical chassis; and

a transverse shock damper positioned laterally between the metal mechanical chassis and the metal housing to further protect the metal mechanical chassis against shock loads incurred by the metal housing.

11. The system as recited in claim 10, further comprising an axial shock absorber positioned to protect the metal mechanical chassis against axial shock loads acting on the metal housing.

12. The system as recited in claim 10, wherein the vibration damper and the transverse shock absorber comprise a silicone gel.

13. The system as recited in claim 12, wherein the silicone gel is selected from the α

GEL®

series of materials available from TAICA Corporation.

14. The system as recited in claim 10, wherein the vibration damper comprises a rubber material.

15. The system as recited in claim 10, wherein the vibration damper comprises a urethane-based elastomeric material.

16. The system as recited in claim 10, wherein the metal housing is coupled into a drill string.

17. The system as recited in claim 16, wherein the metal mechanical chassis comprises electronics protected against vibration.

18. A method, comprising:

positioning a vibration sensitive component in a mechanical chassis;

mounting the mechanical chassis in a housing via a vibration damper working in cooperation with a transverse shock damper and an axial damper; and

coupling the housing into a drill string.

19. The method as recited in claim 18, further comprising forming the vibration damper with a silicone gel.

20. The method as recited in claim 19, further comprising deploying the drill string downhole for drilling a borehole along a desired trajectory.