Drilling motor interior valve

Abstract

A drilling motor provides rotational force within a wellbore and includes a power section within the interior of the housing having sealing elastomers, a rotor positioned within the power section, and a passage within the rotor. The passage is configured to bypass a portion of the drilling mud from above the power section within the interior of the housing to below the power section within the interior of the housing, and a valve below the passage. The valve is configured to provide a closing force that closes the passage when the pressure from the pressurized drilling mud is less than a threshold pressure, and to pass drilling mud through the valve when the pressure from the pressurized drilling mud is greater than the threshold pressure.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A drilling motor for providing rotational force within a wellbore, comprising:
 a housing comprising an interior and an exterior, wherein the housing is configured to connect to a drill string that receives pressurized drilling mud from the surface of the wellbore;   a power section within the interior of the housing, wherein the power section comprises a sealing elastomer;   a rotor positioned within the power section, wherein the rotor comprises rotor lobes within the power section configured to rotate in response to pressure from the pressurized drilling mud;   a passage within the rotor, wherein the passage is configured to bypass a portion of the drilling mud from above the power section within the interior of the housing to below the power section within the interior of the housing; and   an interior valve, wherein the valve is configured to provide a closing force that closes the passage when the pressure from the pressurized drilling mud is less than a threshold pressure, and to pass drilling mud through the valve when the pressure from the pressurized drilling mud is greater than the threshold pressure.   
     
     
         2 . The drilling motor of  claim 1 , comprising an adjustment member configured to adjust the closing force. 
     
     
         3 . The drilling motor of  claim 2 , wherein the adjustment member comprises an adjustment screw configured to raise the closing force when screwed in a first direction, and lower the closing force when screwed in a second direction. 
     
     
         4 . The drilling motor of  claim 1 , wherein the passage is located through a center of the rotor. 
     
     
         5 . The drilling motor of  claim 1 , wherein the valve comprises a valve nozzle, a spring, and a ball, wherein the spring forces the ball against the nozzle to close the passage, and wherein the sealing element comprises a stator with multiple lobes. 
     
     
         6 . The drilling motor of  claim 1 , wherein the valve comprises a plurality of bypasses configured to disperse the drilling mud passing through the valve into an annulus below the power section. 
     
     
         7 . The drilling motor of  claim 6 , wherein the plurality of bypasses comprise an angle of travel that is less than 90 degrees with respect to an axis of the drilling motor. 
     
     
         8 . The drilling motor of  claim 6 , wherein the plurality of bypasses comprise a first bypass with an opening at a first longitudinal location, and a second bypass with an opening at a second longitudinal location. 
     
     
         9 . A method for relieving pressure in a drilling motor, comprising:
 receiving a drilling mud to the drilling motor through a drilling string;   rotating a rotor of the drilling motor, wherein the rotor rotates within a power section of a housing of the drilling motor in response to a pressure provided by the drilling mud;   opening an interior valve within the drilling motor when the pressure is above a threshold pressure, wherein opening the valve bypasses a portion of the drilling mud through a passage within the rotor, wherein the passage flows from above the power section within the housing to below the power section within the housing; and   closing the valve when the pressure is below the threshold pressure.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein opening the valve comprises depressing a spring loaded ball valve. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , comprising dispersing the drilling mud through a plurality of bypasses after the drilling mud flows through the passage. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , comprising tuning an adjustment member to adjust the threshold pressure at which the valve opens. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9 , comprising powering a downhole tool with drilling mud below the power section of the drilling motor. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein powering the downhole tool comprises powering a drill bit, a reamer, a MWD, an LWD, a pulser valve, a rotary steerable, any other downhole tool, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 9 , comprising forcing the drilling mud from a drill bit nozzle, wherein all the drilling mud is forced through the drill bit nozzle. 
     
     
         16 . A system for drilling a well, comprising:
 a drill string configured to convey drilling mud from a surface pump;   a drilling motor connected to the drill string, comprising:
 a housing comprising an interior and an exterior, wherein the housing is configured to connect to a drill string that receives pressurized drilling mud from the surface of the wellbore; 
 a power section within the interior of the housing, wherein the power section comprises a sealing elastomer; 
 a rotor positioned within the power section, wherein the rotor comprises rotor lobes within the power section configured to rotate in response to pressure from the pressurized drilling mud; 
 a passage within the rotor, wherein the passage is configured to bypass a portion of the drilling mud from above the power section within the interior of the housing to below the power section within the interior of the housing; and 
 a valve below the passage, wherein the valve is configured to provide a closing force that closes the passage when the pressure from the pressurized drilling mud is less than a threshold pressure, and to pass drilling mud through the valve when the pressure from the pressurized drilling mud is greater than the threshold pressure; 
   a drill bit connected to, and configured to rotate with, the rotor, wherein the drill bit comprises drilling nozzles that spray the drilling mud; and   an additional downhole tool configured to be powered by the drilling mud.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the additional downhole tool comprises a bit, a reamer, a MWD, an LWD, a pulser valve, a rotary steerable, any other downhole tool, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 16 , comprising an adjustment member configured to adjust the closing force. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the passage is located through a center of the rotor. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the valve comprises a nozzle, a spring, and a ball, wherein the spring forces the ball against the nozzle to close the passage.