Flow pulsing apparatus for use in drill string
First Claim
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1. Apparatus for providing pulsations in a flow of drilling fluid to a rotary drill bit comprising:
- a housing adapted to be connected in a tubular drill string above a drill bit and to be supplied, in use, with pressurized drilling fluid via the tubular drill string, said housing having flow passage means for the flow of the drilling fluid therethrough from an inlet to an outlet end of said housing;
rotor means in said housing adapted to rotate relative to said housing about an axis of rotation in response to the flow of fluid through said housing, said rotor means having a valving section including a rotary valve member;
bearing means for rotatably supporting said rotor means in said housing;
said flow passage means including valve port means located in a valving section of said housing, and said rotary valve member being arranged to rotate about the axis of rotation in close cooperating relation to said port means to alternately open and close said port means during rotation in close cooperating relation to said port means to alternately open and close said port means during rotation of the rotor means to provide a cyclical restriction of the flow passing through said flow passage means to create, during use, a water hammer effect in the drilling fluid thus resulting in pressure peaks in the fluid being supplied to the drill bit and a pulsating mechanical force on the drill bit;
said rotor means, including its rotary valve member, being arranged relative to said housing and the valving section such that in use, the rotor means is substantially fully exposed to and bathed in the drilling fluid and the hydraulic forces acting on said rotor means during use are taken up internally by said rotor means and are not transmitted to any substantial degree to said bearing means
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Abstract
A simple and economical device is placed in a drill string to provide a pulsating flow of the pressurized drilling fluid to the jets of the drill bit to enhance chip removal and provide a vibrating action in the drill bit itself thereby to provide a more efficient and effective drilling operation.
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Citations
31 Claims
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1. Apparatus for providing pulsations in a flow of drilling fluid to a rotary drill bit comprising:
- a housing adapted to be connected in a tubular drill string above a drill bit and to be supplied, in use, with pressurized drilling fluid via the tubular drill string, said housing having flow passage means for the flow of the drilling fluid therethrough from an inlet to an outlet end of said housing;
rotor means in said housing adapted to rotate relative to said housing about an axis of rotation in response to the flow of fluid through said housing, said rotor means having a valving section including a rotary valve member;
bearing means for rotatably supporting said rotor means in said housing;
said flow passage means including valve port means located in a valving section of said housing, and said rotary valve member being arranged to rotate about the axis of rotation in close cooperating relation to said port means to alternately open and close said port means during rotation in close cooperating relation to said port means to alternately open and close said port means during rotation of the rotor means to provide a cyclical restriction of the flow passing through said flow passage means to create, during use, a water hammer effect in the drilling fluid thus resulting in pressure peaks in the fluid being supplied to the drill bit and a pulsating mechanical force on the drill bit;
said rotor means, including its rotary valve member, being arranged relative to said housing and the valving section such that in use, the rotor means is substantially fully exposed to and bathed in the drilling fluid and the hydraulic forces acting on said rotor means during use are taken up internally by said rotor means and are not transmitted to any substantial degree to said bearing means - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
- a housing adapted to be connected in a tubular drill string above a drill bit and to be supplied, in use, with pressurized drilling fluid via the tubular drill string, said housing having flow passage means for the flow of the drilling fluid therethrough from an inlet to an outlet end of said housing;
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12. Flow pulsing apparatus adapted to be connected in a drill string above a drill bit and including a housing providing a passage for a flow of drilling fluid toward said bit;
- rotor means in said housing rotated by the flow of drilling fluid for periodically restricting the flow to create pulsations in said flow and a cyclical water hammer effect to vibrate the housing and drill bit during use, said rotor means being hydraulically balanced and dynamically unbalanced and subject to vibration during rotation, relatively loose bearing means supporting said rotor means for said rotation about a rotation axis and allowing a substantial measure of vibratory motion of said rotor relative to said housing, said bearing means being arranged such that the drilling fluid has free access into and out of such bearing means with said vibratory motion of the rotor providing a self-cleaning effect which cleans gritty particles away from said bearing means and wherein said bearing means comprises sleeve bearing means having shaft means loosely journalled therein and supporting opposing ends of said rotor means, said rotor means being free to vibrate relative to said housing both along the rotation axis as well as transversely thereto.
- View Dependent Claims (13, 14)
- 15. The flow pulsing apparatus of claim said housing defines a longitudinal axis which, in use, is aligned with the axis of said drill string, and said rotation axis of said rotor means being in alignment with said longitudinal axis.
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18. Apparatus for providing a pulsating flow of drilling fluid to a rotary drill bit comprising:
- a housing adapted to be connected in a tubular drill string above a drill bit and to be supplied, in use, with pressurized drilling fluid via the tubular drill string, said housing having flow passage means for the flow of the drilling fluid therethrough from an inlet to an outlet end of said housing;
rotor means in said housing adapted to rotate relative to said housing about an axis of rotation in response to the flow of fluid through said housing, said rotor means having a valve section including a rotary valve member; and
bearing means for rotatably supporting said rotor means in said housing;
said flow passage means including valve port means located in a valve section of said housing, and said rotary valve member being arranged to rotate about the axis of rotation in close cooperating relation to said port means to alternately open and close said port means during rotation of the rotor means to provide a cyclical restriction of the flow passing through said flow passage means to create, during use, a water hammer effect in the drilling fluid thus resulting in pressure peaks in the fluid being supplied to the drill bit and a pulsating mechanical force on the drill bit;
said rotor means being dynamically unbalanced and subject to vibration during rotation, said bearing means loosely supporting said rotor means for rotation about said rotation axis and allowing a substantial measure of play and vibration of said rotor means relative to said housing, said bearing means being arranged such that the drilling fluid has free access into and out of such bearing means with said play and vibration of the rotor means providing a self cleaning effect which cleans gritty particles away form said bearing means and wherein said bearing means comprises sleeve bearing means having shaft bearing means journalled therein and supporting opposing ends of said rotor means, said rotor means being free to vibrate relative to said housing both along the rotation axis as well as transversely thereto. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
- a housing adapted to be connected in a tubular drill string above a drill bit and to be supplied, in use, with pressurized drilling fluid via the tubular drill string, said housing having flow passage means for the flow of the drilling fluid therethrough from an inlet to an outlet end of said housing;
Specification