US2014339772A1PendingUtilityA1

Rotating control device having seal responsive to outer diameter changes

36
Individually held — no corporate assignee on recordPriority: Sep 12, 2012Filed: Sep 12, 2012Published: Nov 20, 2014
Est. expirySep 12, 2032(~6.1 yrs left)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Mohamed Ahmed
E21B 33/128F16J 15/46E21B 33/085
36
PatentIndex Score
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Claims

Abstract

A rotating control device for sealing about a drill string having a change in outer diameter can include a seal which rotates with the drill string, the seal including at least two chambers connected by a passage, and a fluid which flows between the chambers via the passage in response to displacement of the outer diameter change through the seal. A method of sealing can include forming at least two chambers in a resilient material of a seal, displacing the outer diameter change into the seal, thereby transferring fluid from a first chamber to a second chamber, and displacing the outer diameter change out of the seal, thereby transferring the fluid from the first chamber to the second chamber. One of the chambers can increase in volume while the other of the chambers decreases in volume.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A rotating control device for sealing about a drill string having a change in outer diameter, the rotating control device comprising:
 a seal which rotates with the drill string, the seal including at least first and second chambers connected by at least one passage, and a fluid which flows between the first and second chambers via the passage in response to displacement of the outer diameter change through the seal.   
     
     
         2 . The rotating control device of  claim 1 , wherein one of the first and second chambers decreases in volume in response to an increase in volume of the other of the first and second chambers. 
     
     
         3 . The rotating control device of  claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second chambers increases in volume and decreases in volume in response to displacement of the diameter change through the seal. 
     
     
         4 . The rotating control device of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second chambers are free of any connection to an external pressure source. 
     
     
         5 . The rotating control device of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid comprises a compressible fluid. 
     
     
         6 . The rotating control device of  claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second chambers is formed in a resilient material of the seal. 
     
     
         7 . The rotating control device of  claim 1 , wherein the passage comprises an annular space formed in a resilient material of the seal. 
     
     
         8 . A method of sealing about a drill string having an outer diameter change, the method comprising:
 forming at least first and second chambers in a resilient material of a seal;   displacing the outer diameter change into the seal, thereby transferring fluid from the first chamber to the second chamber; and   displacing the outer diameter change out of the seal, thereby transferring the fluid from the first chamber to the second chamber.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein displacing the outer diameter change into the seal further comprises flowing the fluid through at least one passage which connects the first and second chambers. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising forming the passage in the resilient material. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein displacing the outer diameter change out of the seal further comprises flowing the fluid from the second chamber to the first chamber via the passage. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the passage comprises an annular space. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein displacing the outer diameter change into the seal further comprises increasing a volume of the second chamber. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein displacing the outer diameter change out of the seal further comprises increasing a volume of the first chamber. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein displacing the outer diameter change into the seal is performed without either of the first and second chambers being connected to an external pressure source. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising displacing the outer diameter change within the seal, thereby displacing the fluid from the second chamber to the first chamber. 
     
     
         17 . A seal for sealing about a drill string in a rotating control device, the drill string having an outer diameter change, the seal comprising:
 at least first and second chambers, and   wherein one of the first and second chambers increases in volume while the other of the first and second chambers decreases in volume.   
     
     
         18 . The seal of  claim 17 , wherein the one of the first and second chambers decreases in volume in response to an increase in volume of the other of the first and second chambers. 
     
     
         19 . The seal of  claim 17 , wherein each of the first and second chambers increases in volume and decreases in volume in response to displacement of the outer diameter change through the seal. 
     
     
         20 . The seal of  claim 17 , wherein the first and second chambers are free of any connection to an external pressure source. 
     
     
         21 . The seal of  claim 17 , wherein each of the first and second chambers is formed in a resilient material of the seal. 
     
     
         22 . The seal of  claim 17 , wherein the first and second chambers are connected by at least one passage. 
     
     
         23 . The seal of  claim 22 , wherein the passage comprises an annular space formed in a resilient material of the seal. 
     
     
         24 . The seal of  claim 22 , further comprising a fluid which flows between the first and second chambers via the passage in response to displacement of the diameter change through the seal. 
     
     
         25 . The seal of  claim 24 , wherein the fluid comprises a compressible fluid.

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