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;
- a filter positioned within the filter housing and configured to receive a first portion of the pressurized air via a filter inlet of the filter housing;
- a communication device within the filter housing;
- a vane motor downhole of the filter and configured to receive the first portion of the pressurized air from the filter;
- 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 sensor positioned downhole of the filter;
- and
- wiring connecting the 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;
- driving a vane motor with a first portion of the pressurized air;
- using a sensor, measuring an operational parameter of the apparatus;
- transmitting data related to the operational parameter from the sensor to a communication device positioned uphole of the sensor;
- and
- using the communication device, wirelessly transmitting the data to a receiver positioned uphole of the communication device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.