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US 12,378,663 B2Granted
Depositing coatings on and within a housing, apparatus, or tool using a coating system positioned therein
AssigneeHalliburton Energy Services, Inc.
InventorJames M. Price
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of coating an interior surface of a housing defining a volume includes partitioning the volume into a first zone and a second zone, the first zone isolated from fluid communication with the second zone; introducing one or more reactant gases, plasma, ions, or a combination thereof to the first zone and the second zone; and forming one or more coating layers on all or a portion of the interior surface within the first and second zones via reaction of the reactant gases, the plasma, or the combination thereof. A device for coating an interior surface of a housing is also provided.
Claims23
A method of coating an interior surface adjacent an interior volume of a housing, wherein the interior volume has an inlet, the method comprising:
- partitioning the interior volume of the housing into a first zone and a second zone by introducing an elongated member into the interior volume, the elongated member having a substantially cylindrical surface defining an interior consisting of one or more fluid flow paths, isolating the first zone from fluid communication with the second zone by positioning a physical barrier therebetween or expelling a buffer gas therebetween, wherein the physical barrier, when present, comprises an elastomer seal, bristles, an inflatable seal, a packer, a wiper plug structure, or a combination thereof;
- introducing one or more reactant gases, plasma, or both to the first zone and the second zone via the one or more fluid flow paths and one or more outlet ports on the substantially cylindrical surface of the elongated member;
- forming one or more coating layers on all or a portion of the surface adjacent the interior volume of the housing within the first zone and the surface adjacent the interior volume of the housing within the second zone via reaction of the reactant gases, optionally in the presence of the plasma;
- and optionally, evacuating an unreacted portion of the one or more reactant gases from the first zone, the second zone, or both.
1 more element
A method of coating an interior surface adjacent an interior volume of a housing, wherein the interior volume has an inlet, the method comprising:
- positioning a coating device of and the housing proximate each other,
- wherein coating device comprises an elongated member coupled to a fluid delivery system and operable to supply a first reactant gas to a first zone within the interior volume and a second reactant gas to a second zone within the interior volume, wherein the elongated member has a substantially cylindrical surface defining an interior consisting of one or more fluid flow paths;
- and a barrier positioned to physically isolate the first zone from the second zone and prevent intermixing of the first reactant gas with the second reactant gas, wherein the barrier comprises an elastomer seal, bristles, an inflatable seal, a packer, a wiper plug structure, or a combination thereof, and wherein the surface coating unit is sized to fit within an inner diameter of the interior volume for moving through the interior volume;
- placing the elongated member into the interior volume of the housing via the inlet, whereby the first barrier divides the interior volume into the first zone and the second zone;
- introducing one or more reactant gases, plasma, or both to the first zone and the second zone via the one or more fluid flow paths and one or more outlet ports on the substantially cylindrical surface of the elongated member;
- forming one or more coating layers on all or a portion of the surface adjacent the interior volume of the housing within the first zone and the second zone via reaction of the one or more reactant gases, optionally in the presence of the plasma;
- and
- optionally, activating a pump to evacuate an unreacted portion of the one or more reactant gases from the first zone, the second zone, or both.
5 more elements
A method comprising:
- applying, by a surface coating unit, a surface coating process to an interior region of a well tool by expelling reactant gases into fluidically distinct zones inside the well tool while the surface coating unit is positioned inside the well tool;
- and preventing, by the surface coating unit, the reactant gases from intermixing with one another by physically isolating the distinct zones from one another by positioning a physical barrier between the distinct zones or expelling a buffer gas between the distinct zones, wherein the physical barrier, when present, comprises an elastomer seal, bristles, an inflatable seal, a packer, a wiper plug structure, or a combination thereof, wherein the surface coating unit comprises an elongated member, wherein the elongated member has a substantially cylindrical surface defining an interior consisting of one or more fluid flow paths, and wherein the reactant gases are expelled into the fluidically distinct zones via the one or more fluid flow paths and one or more outlet ports on the substantially cylindrical surface of the elongated member.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.