Driving device for driving drill pipes and method for operating such a driving device

Abstract

The invention relates to a so-called topdrive ( 16 ) in the form of a device to drive drill pipes and to a method for operating this drive, in which means are provided to heat the gearbox oil ( 46 ) used by the topdrive ( 16 ), which means can also be supplied by an emergency power unit and comprise a hydraulic unit ( 28 ) and a pressure limiting valve ( 40 ) of the topdrive ( 16 ), wherein hydraulic fluid ( 36 ) is circulated through the pressure limiting valve ( 40 ) to heat the gearbox oil ( 46 ) by the hydraulic unit ( 28 ), and the heat energy thus generated is transferred through a heat exchanger ( 48 ) through which the hydraulic fluid ( 36 ) flows to the gearbox oil ( 46 ).

1 . Drive device for driving drill pipes when drilling boreholes in hydrocarbon deposits in the form of a topdrive ( 16 ), wherein the topdrive ( 16 ) comprises:
 a hydraulic unit ( 28 ) including a pan ( 34 ) for hydraulic fluid ( 36 ) in which hydraulic fluid ( 36 ) is located in an operationally ready topdrive ( 16 ), and   a gearbox including a gearbox oil pan ( 44 ) in which gearbox oil ( 46 ) is located in an operationally ready topdrive ( 16 ),   wherein a gearbox oil temperature value (T 2 ) for the temperature of the gearbox oil ( 46 ) in the gearbox oil pan ( 44 ) can be measured by a gearbox oil sensor ( 50 ),   wherein the hydraulic fluid ( 36 ) can be circulated by the hydraulic unit ( 28 ) through a pressure limiting valve ( 40 ) included in the topdrive ( 16 ) as a function of the gearbox oil temperature value (T 2 ), and   wherein the hydraulic fluid ( 36 ) can be passed by the hydraulic unit ( 28 ) through a heat exchanger ( 48 ) installed in the gearbox oil pan ( 44 ) as a function of temperature and/or time.   
     
     
         2 . Drive device according to  claim 1 , wherein the topdrive ( 16 ) further comprises a hydraulic fluid temperature sensor ( 42 ) to measure a hydraulic fluid temperature value (T 1 ) for a temperature of the hydraulic fluid ( 36 ) in the pan ( 34 ) of the hydraulic unit ( 28 ), and
 wherein the hydraulic fluid ( 36 ) can be passed through the heat exchanger ( 48 ) installed in the gearbox oil pan ( 44 ) as a function of the hydraulic fluid temperature value (T 1 ) by means of the hydraulic unit ( 28 ).   
     
     
         3 . Drive device according to  claim 1 , wherein a flow control valve ( 52 ) is disposed between the hydraulic unit ( 28 ) and the heat exchanger ( 48 ). 
     
     
         4 . Drive device according to  claim 1 , wherein a directional control valve ( 56 ) is disposed between the hydraulic unit ( 28 ) and the heat exchanger ( 48 ). 
     
     
         5 . Drive device according to  claim 1 , comprising a heat exchanger ( 48 ) in the form of a finned tube. 
     
     
         6 . Method for operating a drive device designed to drive drill pipes for drilling boreholes in hydrocarbon deposits, the drive device being in the form of a topdrive ( 16 ) according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the hydraulic unit ( 28 ) is activated to circulate the hydraulic fluid ( 36 ) through the pressure limiting valve ( 40 ) as a function of the gearbox oil temperature value (T 2 ), and   wherein the hydraulic fluid ( 36 ) is passed through a heat exchanger ( 48 ) installed in the gearbox oil pan ( 44 ) as a function of temperature and/or time.   
     
     
         7 . Method according to  claim 6 , wherein the hydraulic unit ( 28 ) is activated to circulate the hydraulic fluid ( 36 ) through the pressure limiting valve ( 40 ) when a gearbox oil temperature value (T 2 ) is below a specified or specifiable temperature limit. 
     
     
         8 . Method according to  claim 6 , wherein the to drive further comprises a hydraulic fluid temperature sensor ( 42 ) to measure a hydraulic fluid temperature value (T 1 ) for a temperature of the hydraulic fluid ( 36 ) in the pan ( 34 ) of the hydraulic unit ( 28 ), and
 wherein the hydraulic fluid ( 36 ) is passed through the heat exchanger ( 48 ) installed in the gearbox oil pan ( 44 ) when the hydraulic fluid temperature value (T 1 ) is above a specified or specifiable temperature threshold.   
     
     
         9 . Method according to  claim 6 , or  8  for wherein the topdrive ( 16 ) further comprises a directional control valve ( 56 ) disposed between the hydraulic unit ( 28 ) and the heat exchanger ( 48 ) upstream from the pressure limiting valve ( 40 ), and
 wherein the hydraulic fluid flow is switched between a first path through the pressure limiting valve ( 40 ) and a second path through the heat exchanger ( 48 ) by automatically activating the directional control valve ( 56 ). 
 
     
     
         10 . Method according to  claim 6 , wherein the topdrive ( 16 ) further comprises a directional control valve ( 56 ) disposed between the hydraulic unit ( 28 ) and the heat exchanger ( 48 ) downstream from the pressure limiting valve ( 40 ), and
 wherein the hydraulic fluid flow is switched between a first path through the pressure limiting valve ( 40 ) and a second path through the pressure limiting valve ( 40 ) as well as through the heat exchanger ( 48 ) by automatically activating the directional control valve ( 56 ).   
     
     
         11 . Method according to  claim 7 , wherein the topdrive ( 16 ) further comprises a hydraulic fluid temperature sensor ( 42 ) to measure a hydraulic fluid temperature value (T 1 ) for a temperature of the hydraulic fluid ( 36 ) in the pan ( 34 ) of the hydraulic unit ( 28 ), and wherein the hydraulic fluid ( 36 ) is passed through the heat exchanger ( 48 ) installed in the gearbox oil pan ( 44 ) when the hydraulic fluid temperature value (T 1 ) is above a specified or specifiable temperature threshold. 
     
     
         12 . Drive device according to  claim 2 , wherein a flow control valve ( 52 ) is disposed between the hydraulic unit ( 28 ) and the heat exchanger ( 48 ). 
     
     
         13 . Drive device according to  claim 1 , wherein a directional control valve ( 56 ) is disposed between the hydraulic unit ( 28 ) and the heat exchanger ( 48 ) upstream from the pressure limiting valve ( 40 ). 
     
     
         14 . Drive device according to  claim 1 , wherein a directional control valve ( 56 ) is disposed between the hydraulic unit ( 28 ) and the heat exchanger ( 48 ) downstream from the pressure limiting valve ( 40 ).