Flow diverter
AssigneeSaturn Machine Works Ltd.
InventorsBernard Wermann, Patrick Folick, Michael Lang
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A flow diverter for connecting a central bore to an outer conduit. The flow diverter defines a portion of the central bore and angled flow passages connecting the portion of the central bore to the outer conduit. Rounded edges between the central bore and angled flow passages reduce cavitation and/or turbulence. The rounded edges and an adjacent portion of the central bore may be defined by an insert. The insert may define walls extending fully around portions of the angled flow passages.
Claims16
A flow diverter for use in a downhole drilling motor, the flow diverter comprising:
- bore walls defining a bore;
- inlet walls defining a flow channel acting as an inlet to the bore in use in the downhole drilling motor;
- the flow diverter being configured to direct an inlet fluid flow at an inlet flow rate into the bore via the flow channel and to direct a downstream flow at a downstream flow rate in a downstream direction within the bore downstream of the inlet;
- and
- transitional wall portions forming a transition between the inlet walls and the bore walls at least in the downstream direction from the flow channel, the transitional wall portions being configured to be sufficiently smooth and to have sufficient radius of curvature to prevent cavitation within the bore at the transitional wall portions and immediately downstream of the transitional wall portions when fluid flows at the inlet flow rate into the bore via the flow channel and at the downstream flow rate in the downstream direction within the bore downstream of the flow channel.
An insert for a flow diverter for use in a downhole drilling motor, comprising:
- a central bore;
- curved portions adjacent to the central bore configured to, when the insert is inserted in the flow diverter, form fillets connecting the central bore to flow channels defined by the flow diverter, the flow channels being angled relative to the central bore and connecting the central bore to an exterior surface of the flow diverter when the insert is inserted in the flow diverter;
- and
- inlet wall portions extending fully around each of the flow channels and converging to a point upstream of the central bore to form a pyramid-shaped tip.
A flow diverter for use in a downhole drilling motor, the flow diverter comprising:
- bore walls defining a bore;
- outlet walls defining a flow channel acting as an outlet to the bore in use in the downhole drilling motor;
- the flow diverter being configured to direct an outlet fluid flow at an outlet flow rate from the bore into the flow channel and to direct a bore flow at a bore flow rate in a downstream direction within the bore in an upstream direction opposite to the downstream direction from the outlet;
- and
- transitional wall portions forming a transition between the outlet walls and the bore walls at least in the upstream direction from the flow channel, the transitional wall portions being configured to be sufficiently smooth and to have sufficient radius of curvature to prevent cavitation within the flow channel at the transitional wall portions and immediately downstream of the transitional wall portions when fluid flows at the outlet flow rate from the bore into the flow channel and at the bore flow rate in the downstream direction within the bore upstream of the flow channel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.