Drilling fluid flow diverter
First Claim
1. An apparatus comprising:
- a housing having a first flow bore and a second flow bore, said first flow bore having a drilling fluid flowing therein;
a device disposed in said second flow bore to receive a fluid flow;
a diverter disposed between said first and second flow bores, said diverter having a first position preventing the drilling fluid from flowing into said second flow bore and a second position allowing a portion of the drilling fluid to flow into said second flow bore and through said device; and
a feedback and control mechanism coupled to said diverter and responsive to at least one of said second position and said fluid flow in said second flow bore.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An embodiment of the apparatus includes a housing having a first flow bore and a second flow bore, the first flow bore having a drilling fluid flowing therein, a device disposed in the second flow bore to receive a fluid flow, and a diverter disposed between the first and second flow bores, the diverter having a first position preventing the drilling fluid from flowing into the second flow bore and a second position allowing a portion of the drilling fluid to flow into the second flow bore and through the device. Another embodiment includes a variable second position directing the drilling fluid into the second flow bore at a variable flow rate. A further embodiment includes a drill collar as the housing and a power generation assembly as the device to receive the fluid flow. Embodiments of a method of diverting a fluid flow in a downhole tool include diverting a portion of a first fluid flow to a second flow bore, and further varying a flow rate of the fluid to the second flow bore.
4 Citations
21 Claims
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1. An apparatus comprising:
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a housing having a first flow bore and a second flow bore, said first flow bore having a drilling fluid flowing therein; a device disposed in said second flow bore to receive a fluid flow; a diverter disposed between said first and second flow bores, said diverter having a first position preventing the drilling fluid from flowing into said second flow bore and a second position allowing a portion of the drilling fluid to flow into said second flow bore and through said device; and a feedback and control mechanism coupled to said diverter and responsive to at least one of said second position and said fluid flow in said second flow bore. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An apparatus comprising:
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a drill collar having a first flow bore and a second flow bore, said first flow bore having a drilling fluid flowing therein; a power generation assembly disposed in said second flow bore; a flow diverter isolating the drilling fluid from said second flow bore in a first position; wherein said flow diverter includes a variable second position directing the drilling fluid into said second flow bore at a variable flow rate; and a control mechanism disposed in the drill collar and coupled to the flow diverter to vary the flow diverter second position and the variable flow rate to said power generation assembly. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An apparatus comprising:
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a drill collar having a first flow bore with a first drilling fluid flow therein, and a second flow bore isolated from said first drilling fluid flow and having a power generation assembly disposed therein; a flow diverter adapted to direct a variable second drilling fluid flow into said second flow bore; and an MWD tool coupled to said drill collar and said power generation assembly; wherein said variable second drilling fluid flow generates a variable power supply in said power generation assembly, said variable power supply providing substantially all power to said MWD tool. - View Dependent Claims (17)
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18. A method of diverting a fluid flow in a downhole tool comprising:
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flowing a fluid through a first flow bore in the downhole tool; isolating the fluid from a second flow bore in the downhole tool; diverting a portion of the fluid to the second flow bore using a diverter positioned between the first and second flow bores; and receiving a feedback in the downhole tool in response to diverting the fluid to the second flow bore using the diverter. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21)
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Specification