Classifications

• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
  • F17D—PIPE-LINE SYSTEMS; PIPE-LINES
  • F17D5/00—Protection or supervision of installations
• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
  • E21B—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
  • E21B4/00—Drives for drilling, used in the borehole
  • E21B4/18—Anchoring or feeding in the borehole
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
  • G01M—TESTING STATIC OR DYNAMIC BALANCE OF MACHINES OR STRUCTURES; TESTING OF STRUCTURES OR APPARATUS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • G01M3/00—Investigating fluid-tightness of structures
  • G01M3/005—Investigating fluid-tightness of structures using pigs or moles

Definitions

• the invention relates to a handling device and, more specifically but not exclusively, for the purpose of transport and positioning in and / or around a tubular conduit of any apparatus for investigation, exploration, drilling, treatment.
• access to the interior of a duct may be dictated by various requirements, for example, entry and exit, but with regard to the role of internal surface, the structure of the wall, the presence of obstacles ...
• wheeled or tracked devices are already known which make it possible, for example, to pull a cable there.
• this device can be used in highly inclined or even vertical conduits. Unfortunately, this device is generally rigid and if it gives good results in a substantially rectilinear duct, it cannot however approach any sharp curvature, or cross any elbow.
• these devices are intended to operate in c ⁇ nduits of a relatively restricted range of diameter.
• a result which the invention aims to obtain is a handling device, in particular but not exclusively, for the transport and positioning, in and / or around a conduit, of a material of any type, which can be directed selectively remote to one portion of conduit rather than another when a branch occurs.
• Another result that the invention aims to obtain is a device of the aforementioned type, which can be used in and / or around conduits whose dimensions vary in large proportions whether or not within the same network of conduits. .
• the invention aims to obtain a device of the aforementioned type which offers a plurality of control and / or power supply channels for an apparatus located at the head of said device.
• the subject of the invention is a device of the aforementioned type, in particular characterized in that it consists of an assembly of cells each comprising: - on the one hand, interposed between two substantially parallel end plates, each equipped with means of association intercells, at least two generally identical motor means arranged approximately parallel and distributed substantially uniformly around the longitudinal axis of the said cell so as to allow, depending on the state of these said motor means not only the extension and retraction of the cell along its longitudinal dimension but also the induction of an angular offset between the planes of the end plates and,
• a device 1 for handling and for example for transporting and positioning in a conduit 2 any apparatus 3 for investigation, expl orati on, treatment or even drilling comprises a body 4 substantially elongated which, at least at its ends 5, 6, is provided with alternately blocking and unblocking means 8 in the duct and in its middle part of at least one motor means 9 allowing the length of the device to be varied unilaterally during blocking one of its ends in the conduit.
• the means are remotely controlled by a suitable device 10.
• At least one blocking and unblocking means 8 developing its action substantially radially to the said cell.
• both the alternating blocking and unblocking means 8 and the motor means 9 may be constituted by pneumatic cylinders.
• each cell comprises elastic means for returning the plates 12, 13 to the retracted position of the cell.
• each cell comprises three motor means 9 arranged at one hundred and twenty degrees.
• the locking and unlocking means 8 consists of an annular jack which, when it is pressurized, adopts a substantially toroidal shape.
• the blocking and unblocking means 8 is located at mid-length of the cell between the end plates 12, 13.
• the angular offset of the plates and / or the extension or the retraction can be controlled on the site whatever the state of the blocking means 8 in particular when the blocking of the cell has been ordered in a conduct.
• the motor means 9 are constituted by flexible pneumatic cylinders, with single or double effect, which develop their thrust between the plates 12, 13 but also allow a relative articulation between these two piatines.
• each cell 11 has a generally cylindrical shape of revolution.
• the end 5 of the device carries the possible device 3 and constitutes its distal end.
• the device can be made up of a variable and non-limiting number of cells 11 without it being necessary, within the device, during the assembly of said cells, to specially arrange a supply and energy network and / or transport of control information for the cells situated beyond those to which the cables and conduits terminate 14, 15.
• each cell 11 comprises:
• each plate 12, 13 at least one connection means 17 of the internal network section to said cell with that of any contiguous cells and / or any equipment 3 placed at the head of the device.
• connection means or the plate is indexed.
• each cell comprises, isolated from the internal network 16 and from the motor means 9, a substantially cylindrical channel 18, centered on the longitudinal axis of said cell, and which opens out at the plates 12, 13 through an opening 19.
• the device of the invention comprises a longitudinal channel formed by the set of channels 18 of each cell 11 making it up.
• This arrangement makes it possible, for example, either not to have to interrupt the circulation of the fluid displaced in the conduit visited by the device, or else to evacuate the drilling mud when the device is used in such an application to drilling.
• this arrangement allows when the device pulls a load in the conduit, the passage of the traction cables to transfer the traction forces to the head of the device.
• the locking and unlocking means 8 of the device develops its action around a rigid ring 20 connected to the plates 12, 13 by connecting means 21 allowing the relative movements of the plates 12, 13 between them.
• each cell 11 comprises connected to the plates 12, 13 at least one sealed envelope 22, but elastically deformable under the action of the relative movements of the plates 12, 13, which envelope subtracts both the network 16 and the means motors 9 to the action of agents surrounding the cell.
• the envelope 22 is composed of two walls 23, 24, each arranged substantially in a cylindrical bellows of revolution, one internal 23 delimiting the channel 18 between the plates 12, 13, the other external 24 generally delimiting the outer envelope of the cell.
• the elastic return means of the plates in the retracted and parallel position is advantageously arranged at the level of said channel 18 and consists, for example, of a spiral spring of adequate diameter and stiffness.
• the elastic return means in the retracted position of the plates is advantageously arranged at one of these walls 23, 24.
• the connecting means 21 connecting the crown 20 to the plates 12, 13 is formed by the external wall 24 of the envelope 22.
• connection means 21 is formed of a plate (not shown) which is connected to the motor means 9 by any means preserving the operation of the cell.
• connection means 17 between networks 16 of neighboring cells it is composed of a plurality of connection members 25, each associated with a channel of the network and arranged in a similar arrangement on the two end plates 12, 13 of each cell, which arrangement is reproduced identically on each cell.
• connection members 25 are arranged on at least one circle substantially concentric with the axis of the cell and according to a generally regular angular distribution.
• connection members 25 Those skilled in the art are able to determine the most appropriate means for constituting these connection members 25.
• connection members 25 are also able to determine the means of association 14 intercells so that they are compatible with the connection members 25, or vice versa.
• the network 16 is arranged substantially peripherally to all of the motor means 9 so as to offset a central cylindrical volume sufficient to constitute the channel 18.
• each control and / or energy transport channel of the network 16, internal to each cell extends at least between two connection members 25 each arranged on one of the end plates 12, 13.
• each cell 11 within each cell 11 at least those of the channels of the network 16 from which the control information and / or the energy intended for the blocking means 8 and / or motors 9 specific to the cell are taken, are equipped with selection means 26 which make it possible to selectively direct towards the motor means 9 or blocking or unblocking 8 recipients of the energy and / or of the information taken from the channel concerned.
• selection means 26 which make it possible to selectively direct towards the motor means 9 or blocking or unblocking 8 recipients of the energy and / or of the information taken from the channel concerned.
• the means 26 will be manually operable by the operator who assembles the cells 11 in order to constitute the device.
• all of the selection means 26 of a cell are housed mid-length of the cell between two plates generally orthogonal to the axis of the cell and which extends practically over its entire cross section.
• the crown 20 around which the action of the locking means 8 develops advantageously closes the space existing between said plates and is preferably connected by any suitable means.
• the motor means 9 of a cell therefore comprise two blocks of motor means, each disposed between one of the plates 12, 13 and the plate opposite.
• the selection means 26 are of an appropriate type to be controlled remotely.
• cells can be assembled so as to constitute a device within which the drive means 9 are generally aligned when the longitudinal axis of the device is rectilinear.
• the above-mentioned device consists of four cells 11 a to 11 d ,.
• the two extreme cells 11 a and 11 d advantageously mainly provide the blocking functions in the duct while the middle cells 11 b , 11 c ensure the extension and retraction of the device, but this mode of progression is well known. It is only specified that, to obtain the extension and / or retraction of the cells 11b , 11c , the motor means 9 internal to each cell are controlled simultaneously at least at the level of each cell.
• the motor means 9 when one wants to print a curved deformation on the device for example in view at an intersection of the duct to make it follow one duct rather than another, it suffices at the appropriate time to control the deformation of at least one of the motor means 9 immediately located on the outside of the curve.
• the diametrical dimension of the conduits in which the device of the invention can progress is not limited to the maximum deformation of the locking means 8 in the conduit. Indeed, by the curvature of at least some of the cells in different planes, one can of course with a certain number of cells, control the formation not of a planar curve but of a curve for example spiral.
• the device of the invention may bear only by a generator against the internal face of the conduits of large internal diameter.
• the device must of course comprise at each end, at least one turn alternately blocking and unblocking and these extreme turns must be connected by a deformable middle part according to the direction of progression.
• the middle part may be a substantially linear arrangement of cells or have a spiral pre-stretching substantially in the axis of the conduit by action on the motor means 9 while maintaining a radius of curvature of the light spiral nt less than that of the conduit. Locking and unlocking of the turns in the duct will be effected by contact between the duct and the locking means 8, and this, under the action of these locking means 8 and / or motor means 9. Although this is not shown, it is possible with the aid of such a device to envisage progression around a duct or even completely independently of a duct.
• Such a device can also be made autonomous and for this to tow its energy source.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mining & Mineral Resources (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Geology (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Environmental & Geological Engineering (AREA)
• Fluid Mechanics (AREA)
• General Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Geochemistry & Mineralogy (AREA)
• Apparatus Associated With Microorganisms And Enzymes (AREA)

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Family Cites Families (6)

• 1985
  • 1985-11-15 FR FR8517113A patent/FR2590196B1/fr not_active Expired - Lifetime
• 1986
  • 1986-11-12 WO PCT/FR1986/000387 patent/WO1987003063A1/fr unknown
  • 1986-11-12 EP EP86906843A patent/EP0245414A1/de not_active Withdrawn

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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