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US 6,053,191 AGranted
Mud-saver valve
OwnerJames J. Husseyinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A mud saver valve adapted to be connected below a kelly including an elastomeric sleeve that opens and closes within a housing, the sleeve defining a flow passage within it and closing against a barrier located within the flow passage, the sleeve closing against the core at low positive differential pressures.
Claims12
A mud saver valve, comprising:
- a housing adapted to be connected to a kelly;
- an elastomeric sleeve within the housing defining a flow passage therethrough, the sleeve being exposed to an exterior pressure and to an interior pressure;
- a core located within the flow passage;
- and wherein
- at least one of the sleeve and the core are biased and structured in such a manner as to seal against each other to maintain the flow passage closed for a range of positive differential pressure values, where the interior pressure exceeds the exterior pressure, up to a value of at least approximately 100 psi, and only to unseal to open the flow passage at higher positive differential pressure values.
2 more elements
A method for saving mud while drilling, comprising:
- attaching a valve between a kelly and a drill string, the valve defining a flow passage between a sleeve and a core the sleeve exposed to an interior pressure and to an exterior pressure;
- maintaining the flow passage closed at positive differential pressures when the interior pressure exceeds the exterior pressure by at least up to approximately 100 psi due to a biasing structural design between sleeve and the core;
- opening the flow passage at positive differential pressures, where the interior pressure exceeds the exterior pressure across the sleeve, at an opening value that is greater than a expected hydrostatic head pressure from drilling fluid in the kelly;
- and
- closing the valve when differential pressure across the sleeve declines below the opening value while the differential pressure remains positive.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.