Liquid Valve for Flow Control Devices

Abstract

Certain aspects of the present invention are directed to a liquid valve assembly that can be disposed in a wellbore through a fluid-producing formation. The liquid valve assembly can include a housing and a liquid valve. The housing can define an inner chamber and an opening adapted to allow fluid to flow between the inner chamber and a passageway. The liquid valve can be disposed in the inner chamber. The liquid valve can include a yield stress fluid. The yield stress fluid can prevent fluid from flowing between the inner chamber and the passageway.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A liquid valve assembly configured for being disposed in a wellbore through a fluid-producing formation, the liquid valve assembly comprising:
 a housing defining an inner chamber and an opening adapted to allow fluid to flow between the inner chamber and a passageway;   a liquid valve disposed in the inner chamber, the liquid valve comprising a yield stress fluid configured for preventing the fluid from flowing between the inner chamber and the passageway, wherein the yield stress fluid comprises a magnetorheological fluid; and   an actuation mechanism configured to selectively position the liquid valve by generating a pressure differential across the liquid valve.   
     
     
         2 . The liquid valve assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the yield stress fluid is further configured for remaining in the inner chamber in response to an application of a force to the yield stress fluid in the direction of the opening. 
     
     
         3 . The liquid valve assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the actuation mechanism is further configured to selectively position the liquid valve over the opening such that the liquid valve prevents the fluid from flowing between the inner chamber and the passageway. 
     
     
         4 . The liquid valve assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the yield stress fluid comprises a Bingham plastic. 
     
     
         5 . The liquid valve assembly of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the opening has a diameter adapted to cause the yield stress fluid to prevent the fluid from flowing between the inner chamber and the passageway in response to the fluid exerting a force against the liquid valve in the direction of the opening,   wherein the housing further defines an additional opening adapted to allow the fluid to flow between the inner chamber and an additional passageway, wherein an additional diameter of the additional opening is adapted to allow the fluid to flow from the inner chamber into the additional passageway in response to the fluid exerting a force against the liquid valve in the direction of the additional opening.   
     
     
         6 . The liquid valve assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the liquid valve assembly is positionable in an inflow control device housing, the inflow control device housing defining the passageway. 
     
     
         7 . The liquid valve assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the actuation mechanism comprises a nozzle and a vortex. 
     
     
         8 . The liquid valve assembly of  claim 7 , wherein the nozzle and the vortex are positioned in series to generate a first pressure and a second pressure proximate to the liquid valve, the first pressure and the second pressure being unequal to generate the pressure differential. 
     
     
         9 . An inflow control device configured for being disposed in a wellbore through a fluid-producing formation, the inflow control device comprising:
 a housing defining a passageway; and   a liquid valve assembly, the liquid valve assembly comprising:
 an additional housing defining an inner chamber and an opening adapted to allow fluid to flow between the inner chamber and the passageway; 
 a liquid valve disposed in the inner chamber, the liquid valve comprising a yield stress fluid configured for preventing the fluid from flowing between the inner chamber and the passageway, wherein the opening has a diameter adapted to cause the yield stress fluid to prevent the fluid from flowing between the inner chamber and the passageway in response to the fluid exerting a force against the liquid valve in the direction of the opening; and 
 an actuation mechanism configured to selectively position the liquid valve over the opening by generating a pressure differential across the liquid valve, 
   wherein the housing defines an additional passageway,   wherein the additional housing further defines an additional opening adapted to allow the fluid to flow between the inner chamber and the additional passageway, wherein an additional diameter of the additional opening is adapted to allow the fluid to flow from the inner chamber into the additional passageway in response to the fluid exerting a force against the liquid valve in the direction of the additional opening.   
     
     
         10 . The inflow control device of  claim 7 , wherein the actuation mechanism is configured to selectively position the liquid valve over the opening such that the liquid valve prevents the fluid from flowing between the inner chamber and the passageway. 
     
     
         11 . The inflow control device of  claim 7 , wherein the yield stress fluid is further configured for remaining in the inner chamber in response to an application of a force to the yield stress fluid in the direction of the opening 
     
     
         12 . The inflow control device of  claim 7 , wherein the yield stress fluid comprises a Bingham plastic. 
     
     
         13 . The inflow control device of  claim 7 , wherein the actuation mechanism comprises a nozzle and a vortex. 
     
     
         14 . The inflow control device of  claim 13 , wherein the nozzle and the vortex are positioned in series to generate a first pressure and a second pressure proximate to the liquid valve, the first pressure and the second pressure being unequal to generate the pressure differential.