Pump for inflating a downhole element, method, and system

Abstract

A pump for inflating a downhole element, including a housing having an inlet and an outlet, a piston disposed within the housing, a reversing lead screw in the housing, and a drive operably connected to the reversing lead screw. A method for setting a downhole element, including rotating a reversing lead screw, reciprocating a piston in a piston chamber with the reversing lead screw, drawing fluid into the piston chamber with movement of the piston in a first direction and expelling fluid from the chamber with movement of the piston in an opposite direction, and directing the expelled fluid to the downhole element. A borehole system, including a borehole in a subsurface formation, a string in the borehole, and a pump for inflating a downhole element, disposed within or as a part of the string.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A pump for inflating a downhole element, comprising:
 a housing having an inlet and an outlet;   a piston disposed within the housing;   a reversing lead screw in the housing; and   a drive operably connected to the reversing lead screw.   
     
     
         2 . The pump as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the piston includes a reversing lead screw follower. 
     
     
         3 . The pump as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the follower is a nut. 
     
     
         4 . The pump as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the follower is a blade. 
     
     
         5 . The pump as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the drive is a motor. 
     
     
         6 . The pump as claimed in  claim 1 , further including an antirotation key disposed between the piston and the housing. 
     
     
         7 . The pump as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the inlet includes a filter. 
     
     
         8 . The pump as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the inlet includes a one-way valve. 
     
     
         9 . The pump as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the outlet includes a one-way valve. 
     
     
         10 . A method for setting a downhole element, comprising:
 rotating a reversing lead screw;   reciprocating a piston in a piston chamber with the reversing lead screw;   drawing fluid into the piston chamber with movement of the piston in a first direction and expelling fluid from the chamber with movement of the piston in an opposite direction; and   directing the expelled fluid to the downhole element.   
     
     
         11 . The method as claimed in  claim 10 , further including filtering fluid being drawn into the piston chamber. 
     
     
         12 . The method as claimed in  claim 10 , further including driving the reversing lead screw with a motor. 
     
     
         13 . The method as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the drawing and expelling is continued until a threshold pressure is achieved in the downhole element. 
     
     
         14 . The method as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the threshold pressure is determined by amperage draw in a motor rotating the reversing lead screw. 
     
     
         15 . The method as claimed in  claim 10 , further including releasing the downhole element. 
     
     
         16 . The method as claimed in  claim 15 , further including verifying release by a experiencing reduction in amperage draw in a motor rotating the reversing lead screw subsequent to occurrence of an amperage draw consistent with the downhole element being inflated to a threshold pressure. 
     
     
         17 . A borehole system, comprising:
 a borehole in a subsurface formation;   a string in the borehole; and   a pump for inflating a downhole element as claimed in  claim 1  disposed within or as a part of the string.