Method and apparatus for autonomous downhole fluid selection with pathway dependent resistance system
First Claim
1. A device, comprising:
- an inlet;
an outlet chamber;
a first passage in fluid communication with the inlet, terminating at the outlet chamber and having a first resistance to fluid flow of a viscosity;
a second passage in fluid communication with the inlet, terminating at the outlet chamber and having a second, different resistance to the fluid flow of the viscosity, the first and second passages oriented along different trajectories at the outlet chamber to form a combined flow in the outlet chamber and cause fluid flow from the first passage to influence which of a plurality of trajectories the resulting combined flow tends to flow; and
a third passage in fluid communication with the inlet, terminating at the outlet chamber and having a third resistance to the fluid flow of the viscosity different from both of the first and second resistances to the fluid flow of the viscosity, the third passage oriented along a different trajectory at the outlet chamber than the first and second passages and fluid flow.
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Abstract
An apparatus is described for controlling fluid flow in a downhole tubular. Fluid is flowed through a flow control system having a flow ratio control system and a pathway dependent resistance system. The flow ratio control system has a first and second passageway, where the ratio of fluid flowing through the passageways dependent on a characteristic of the fluid flow. The pathway dependent resistance system includes a vortex chamber with a first inlet directing flow primarily tangentially into the vortex chamber and the second inlet directing flow primarily radially into the vortex chamber. Undesired fluids, such as gas or water, in an oil well, are directed, based on their relative fluid flow characteristics, into the vortex primarily tangentially, thereby restricting flow when the undesired fluid is present.
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Citations
49 Claims
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1. A device, comprising:
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an inlet; an outlet chamber; a first passage in fluid communication with the inlet, terminating at the outlet chamber and having a first resistance to fluid flow of a viscosity; a second passage in fluid communication with the inlet, terminating at the outlet chamber and having a second, different resistance to the fluid flow of the viscosity, the first and second passages oriented along different trajectories at the outlet chamber to form a combined flow in the outlet chamber and cause fluid flow from the first passage to influence which of a plurality of trajectories the resulting combined flow tends to flow; and a third passage in fluid communication with the inlet, terminating at the outlet chamber and having a third resistance to the fluid flow of the viscosity different from both of the first and second resistances to the fluid flow of the viscosity, the third passage oriented along a different trajectory at the outlet chamber than the first and second passages and fluid flow. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A device, comprising:
a flow system that divides flow among at least three passages at a common inlet shared by the at least three passages based on the viscosity of the fluid flow, and that recombines the flow at a common outlet shared by the at least three passages in a direction that depends on the viscosity of the fluid flow, wherein the at least three passages having first, second and third resistances to the fluid flow, each of the first, second and third resistances to the fluid flow distinct from the other two of the first, second and third resistances to the fluid flow. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method, comprising:
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dividing a fluid flow among first, second and third passages from an inlet to the first, second and third passages based on the viscosity of the fluid flow, the first, second and third passages having respective first, second and third resistances to the fluid flow which are distinct from one another; and recombining the fluid flow from the first, second and third passages at a common outlet to flow in a direction dependent on the viscosity of the fluid flow. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A method of directing flow in a subterranean wellbore, comprising:
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receiving first, second and third separate fluid flows in a well device, the received third flow smaller than either of the first or second flows, the received second flow smaller than the received first flow, and the first flow flowing in a first direction, the second flow flowing in a second direction, different than the direction of the first flow; combining the first, second and third flows in a common outlet chamber, the first flow into the common outlet chamber oriented to direct the resulting combined flow more towards the first direction; and generating a flow condition that increases the tendency of the combined flow to flow more towards the first direction. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A well device for use in a subterranean well bore, comprising:
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a first passage for flowing a first fluid flow from an inlet to an outlet the first passage having a first resistance to the first fluid flow; and a second passage for flowing a second fluid flow from the inlet to the outlet to combine with the first fluid flow at the outlet, the first passage oriented in a first trajectory at the outlet and the second passage oriented in a second, different trajectory at the outlet the second passage having a second resistance to the second fluid flow, different from the first resistance; and a third passage for flowing a third flow from the inlet to the outlet to combine with the first and second fluid flows at the outlet, the third passage oriented in a third trajectory at the outlet different from the first and second trajectories, the third passage having a third resistance to the third fluid flow, different from both the first and second resistances, wherein fluid flow from one of the first and second passages influences toward which of the first and second trajectories the combined flow tends to flow. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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43. A well device, comprising:
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an inlet for receiving fluid flow oriented more towards a first direction or more towards a second direction; an outlet having diverging wall surfaces; a first side chamber between the inlet and the outlet and toward the first direction, the first side chamber in communication with fluid flow from the inlet; a second side chamber between the inlet and the outlet and toward the second direction, the second side chamber in communication with the outlet; and first, second and third passages each extending from the first side chamber to the second side chamber and connecting an interior of the first and second side chambers, wherein the first, second and third passages have respective first, second and third resistances to the fluid flow, each of the first, second and third resistances to the fluid flow distinct from the other two of the first, second and third resistances to the fluid flow. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49)
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Specification