Density based mechanical valve control system
AssigneeM-I L.L.C.
InventorChristopher D. Nicholson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus for controlling a flow of a fluid, such as a drilling fluid or drilling mud, is disclosed. The apparatus may include: a valve member; and a float member mechanically coupled to the valve member and configured to operate on the valve member when fully submerged in a fluid. The coupled float member is configured to increase flow through the valve member as a density of the fluid decreases and to restrict flow through the valve member as the density of the fluid increases.
Claims20
An apparatus comprising:
- a valve member;
- and
- a float member mechanically coupled via a mechanical coupling to the valve member and configured to operate the valve member;
- wherein the mechanically coupled float member is configured to increase flow through the valve member as a density of the fluid decreases and to restrict flow through the valve member as the density of the fluid increases.
The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the mechanical coupling, or portions thereof, are located in an enclosure configured to prevent interference of valve operations by solids in the fluid, to prevent corrosion of coupling components, or both.
A method, comprising:
- fluidly coupling a fluid supply to a valve member, the valve member being mechanically coupled via a mechanical coupling to a float member;
- and
- moving the float member based on density of the fluid from an open position where fluid flows through the valve member toward a closed position in which the valve member substantially prevents the fluid from flowing through the valve member.
The method of claim 17, further comprising selecting the float member and one or more mechanical coupling components to operate the valve member over a density range of about 5 lb/gal to about 22 lb/gal.
An apparatus comprising:
- a valve member;
- a float member coupled to the valve member;
- a mechanical coupling operatively connecting the valve member and the float member and configured to move the valve member;
- wherein the mechanical coupling and the float member are configured to alter a position of the valve member based on a density of a fluid when the float member is submerged in the fluid.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.