Air motor assembly
AssigneeDirectional Air Drilling International, LLC
InventorsMichael P. Sanders, Michael K. Smith
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An air motor apparatus for air drilling includes a filter assembly at an uphole end that receives compressed air and diverts a constant pressure portion through a filter to a vane motor and a remaining portion to an air hammer at a downhole end via bypass conduits. The apparatus includes one or more sensors for measuring drilling conditions, the sensors being connected to a communication device capable of transmitting the sensor data to the surface. The sensors and their wiring are shielded from high air speeds by bypass conduits and components of the filter assembly.
Claims20
An apparatus comprising:
- a tubular housing comprising an inlet at an uphole end configured to receive pressurized air and an outlet at a downhole end;
- a filter housing within the tubular housing, the filter housing comprising a cone facing the inlet, a cylindrical body, and a filter inlet;
- a filter positioned within the cylindrical body of the filter housing and configured to receive a first portion of the pressurized air via the filter inlet;
- a communication device within the filter housing positioned between the filter and the cone;
- a vane motor downhole of the filter and configured to receive the first portion of the pressurized air from the filter, the vane motor comprising a drive shaft for outputting rotational power;
- an air bypass conduit positioned about the vane motor and configured to direct a second portion of the pressurized air past the vane motor;
- a speed sensor positioned proximate the vane motor and configured to measure a rotational speed of the drive shaft;
- and
- wiring connecting the speed sensor to the communication device, wherein the wiring is isolated from the second portion of the pressurized air by the air bypass conduit.
A method, comprising:
- directing pressurized air to an apparatus positioned within a borehole, the apparatus comprising:
- a tubular housing comprising an inlet at an uphole end configured to receive the pressurized air and an outlet at a downhole end;
- a filter housing within the tubular housing, the filter housing comprising a cone facing the inlet, a cylindrical body, and a filter inlet;
- a filter positioned within the cylindrical body of the filter housing;
- a communication device within the filter housing positioned between the filter and the cone;
- a vane motor downhole of the filter the vane motor comprising a drive shaft;
- an air bypass conduit positioned about the vane motor;
- a speed sensor positioned proximate the vane motor;
- and
- wiring connecting the speed sensor to the communication device;
- diverting a first portion of the pressurized air through the air bypass conduit past the vane motor;
- using the filter and filter inlet, filtering a second portion of the pressurized air to form filtered air;
- driving the vane motor with a first portion of the filtered air to rotate the drive shaft;
- using the speed sensor, measuring a rotational speed of the drive shaft;
- using the wiring, transmitting first data of the rotational speed to the communication device;
- and
- using the communication device, wirelessly transmitting the first data to a receiver at a surface of the borehole.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.