US2018206A - Apparatus for plunger lift control - Google Patents

Apparatus for plunger lift control Download PDF

Info

Publication number
US2018206A
US2018206A US746063A US74606334A US2018206A US 2018206 A US2018206 A US 2018206A US 746063 A US746063 A US 746063A US 74606334 A US74606334 A US 74606334A US 2018206 A US2018206 A US 2018206A
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
plunger
valve
tube
container
gas
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US746063A
Inventor
Harold W Fletcher
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Hughes Tool Co
Original Assignee
Hughes Tool Co
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Hughes Tool Co filed Critical Hughes Tool Co
Priority to US746063A priority Critical patent/US2018206A/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US2018206A publication Critical patent/US2018206A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

Links

Images

Classifications

    • FMECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F04POSITIVE - DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS FOR LIQUIDS OR ELASTIC FLUIDS
    • F04BPOSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS
    • F04B47/00Pumps or pumping installations specially adapted for raising fluids from great depths, e.g. well pumps
    • F04B47/12Pumps or pumping installations specially adapted for raising fluids from great depths, e.g. well pumps having free plunger lifting the fluid to the surface

Definitions

  • the plunger tends to fall in the eduction tube before the charge of air or gas which was employed to raise the plunger has had time to exhaust. The result is that the plunger may be caught in the rising flow of gaseous pressure fluid and be blown back up to the top.
  • the valve in the plunger which was opened after the load was discharged may sometimes be closed and the falling of the plunger through the gas and liquid in the tube may be greatly interfered with and the operation of the device rendered ineflective. This is especially a serious problem when the well is a small producer and the load discharged at each stroke of the plunger is small.
  • the invention contemplates the use of an air or gas relief valve, operating to release the pressure fluid when a predetermined pressure in the well is attained.
  • the lowering of pressure is' delayed by the charge of liquid lifted by the plunger.
  • Fig. 1 is a side view showing the assembly of apparatus employed in my invention, the well casing and tube being in central vertical section.
  • Fig. 2 is a vertical section showing the lower end of the well equipment.
  • Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of my pressure relief valve.
  • the plunger lift device to which my invention is applied is now in common use.
  • the well is equipped with a casing I, extending down to the producing stratum. It has a casing head 2 formed with a lateral fluid outlet 9. Above the head is a cap or nipple 4 closing the upper end of the casing head and connecting to the eduction tube extension 5.
  • the eductiontube 6 has a fluid tight support at l in the casing head. It is perforated at 8 in the casing head to allow discharge of fluid 5 from the eduction tube to the flow line 9.
  • the lower end of the eduction tube shown in Fig. 2, is provided with a perforated intake plug [0 connected to the tube by a coupling H.
  • a cross shaped stop member 12 which is adapted to be engaged by the valve stem 13 on the valve M in the plunger I5.
  • Said plunger is shown at the lower end of its stroke with the valve in closed position at the lower end of the passage through the plunger. 15
  • a cap At the upper end of the eduction tube extension 5 is a cap it which closes the tube and also houses a shock absorbing sleeve H of rubber or similar resilient material. There may be a by-pass [8 from the upper end of this cap to the flow line 9 equipped with a valve I9, to allow the escape of fluid from the tube extension when the plunger is to be allowed to enter the said extension.
  • a container 20 in the flow line 9. At the lower end of said container is a liquid outlet 2
  • an automatically operating valve working Within the casing 24.
  • This valve is shown best in Fig. 3.
  • the passage 25 through casing 24 is controlled by a balanced valve 26 mounted upon a stem 2? working through the upper wall of said casing.
  • the upper end of said stem is secured to a flexible diaphragm 28 within a casing 29.
  • Said diaphragm divides the casing it into a lower closed chamber 30 and an upper chamber 3! which has connection by means of pipe 32 to the upper end of the casing head at 33.
  • the valve is acted upon by a weight or spring acting to normally move the valve to open position.
  • the liquid will discharge into container 20 where its outflow will be regulated'by the choke valve 22.
  • the outlet for the gas will be closed by the pressure of fluid exerted through the pipe 32 to the upper end of the valve rod 21. Gas cannot escape, therefore, until the liquid has passed from the container 20.
  • the plunger When the liquid is discharged from the eduction tube the plunger will pass into the closed upper end of the eduction tube where it will be stopped by the back pressure of gas and liquid in the tube above it. The valve in the plunger will be forced open and the plunger will then fall. As the gas in the tube cannot exhaust at once, the plunger will not be impeded in its fall until it has reached the desired level below the top of the tube.
  • the gas When the liquid has discharged from the container, the gas will immediately tend to also escape through valve 22 and the gas pressure will soon be lowered in amount so that the air valve 26 will also open and allow full and rapid exit of the pressure fluid from the well.
  • the device is timed by the setting of the liquid outlet valve 22 and the control valve 28 so that the plunger is allowed to fall as far as is necessary to avoid the flow of gas or air which occurs at the upper end of the tube when the outlet therefor is opened.
  • the working pressure is pounds per square inch, it might be found correct to set the valve,25 to open when the well pressure drops to '75 pounds.
  • the plunger When this point is reached the plunger will have dropped sufficiently 7 and the control valve may open to allow full and rapid exhaust of gaseous fluid pressure in the eduction and permit the entrance of liquid to the lower end of the tube before the plunger arrives at the'bottom'.
  • control valve 25 efiects a better control of the gas discharge than would be possible by the use of the choke valve 22 above. For, if the valve 22 is choked down enough to properly time thedischarge of liquid from the container, it will also interfere with the rapid discharge of the gas. By allowing the gas to bypass rapidly at the proper time, the plunger is more efficiently operated and liability to-the blowing of the plunger back is eliminated.
  • a plunger lift device including a well casing
  • an eduction tube therein, a pneumatically operated plunger movable freely from end to end of said tube, a container positioned to receive the liquid raised by said plunger, a discharge outlet from said tube to said containena flow line connected with the lower end of said container,
  • a choke valve in said line to control the rate of emptying of said container, a gas bypass from the let from said tube to said container, a flow line connected with the lower end of said container, a choke valve in said line to control the rate of emptying of said container, a gas bypass from the upper end of said container to said flow line downstream from said valve, and means to bypass gas from said container past said choke valve responsive to a predetermined minimum fluid pressure in said discharge outlet.
  • a plunger lift device including a well casing, an eduction tube therein, a pneumatically operated plunger movable from end to end of said tube, and an outlet line from said tube for fluid raised by said plunger; in combination with a container connected with said outlet to receive the full load of liquid raised by said plunger, means to control the rate of flow of liquid from said container, an exit for gas from saidcdntainer, a valve controlling said exit, and a control device on said valve acting in response to the operating fluid pressure in the well to close said valve when the liquid is discharged to said container and to again open said valve in response f to a drop of fluid pressure in said outlet line to a predetermined minimum.
  • a plunger lift device including a well casing, an eduction tube therein, a pneumaticallyoperated plunger movable from end to end of said *1 tube, and an outlet line from said tube for fluid.
  • a plunger lift device including a well c asing, an eduction tube therein, a pneumatically operated plunger movable from end to end ot said tube, and an outlet line from said tube'for fluid raised by said plunger; in combination with a container connected with said outlet to receive the full load of liquid raised by said plungen' means to control the rate of flow of liquid from said container, and separate. means controlled by the fluid pressurein said outlet line to allow escape of gas from said container. after said plunger has dropped in said tube a desired distance.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Feeding And Controlling Fuel (AREA)

Description

L O R T N O C O F S Filed Sept. 29, 1934 llllllllll m m m m l. (\1 Harald WFleuhez' BY Q biz WTTORNEYS.
Patented Oct. 22, 1935 UNITED STATES oFFicE.
APPARATUS FOR PLUNGER LIFT CONTROL poration of Texas Application September 29, 1934, Serial No. 746,063
5 Claims.
discharges from the eduction tube and the plunger drops back in the tube to the lower end thereof to engage another load of liquid and repeat its cycle. However, the plunger tends to fall in the eduction tube before the charge of air or gas which was employed to raise the plunger has had time to exhaust. The result is that the plunger may be caught in the rising flow of gaseous pressure fluid and be blown back up to the top. The valve in the plunger which was opened after the load was discharged may sometimes be closed and the falling of the plunger through the gas and liquid in the tube may be greatly interfered with and the operation of the device rendered ineflective. This is especially a serious problem when the well is a small producer and the load discharged at each stroke of the plunger is small.
It is an object of this invention to regulate the discharge of fluid from the well in such a manner that the falling of the plunger will not be impeded.
I desire to delay the exhaust of the gaseous pressure fluid until the plunger has had time to fall sufliciently to avoid being caught by the blast of pressure fluid.
The invention contemplates the use of an air or gas relief valve, operating to release the pressure fluid when a predetermined pressure in the well is attained. The lowering of pressure is' delayed by the charge of liquid lifted by the plunger.
In the drawing herewith, Fig. 1 is a side view showing the assembly of apparatus employed in my invention, the well casing and tube being in central vertical section.
Fig. 2 is a vertical section showing the lower end of the well equipment.
Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of my pressure relief valve.
The plunger lift device to which my invention is applied is now in common use. The well is equipped with a casing I, extending down to the producing stratum. It has a casing head 2 formed with a lateral fluid outlet 9. Above the head is a cap or nipple 4 closing the upper end of the casing head and connecting to the eduction tube extension 5.
The eductiontube 6 has a fluid tight support at l in the casing head. It is perforated at 8 in the casing head to allow discharge of fluid 5 from the eduction tube to the flow line 9. The lower end of the eduction tube, shown in Fig. 2, is provided with a perforated intake plug [0 connected to the tube by a coupling H. Within said coupling is a cross shaped stop member 12 which is adapted to be engaged by the valve stem 13 on the valve M in the plunger I5. Said plunger is shown at the lower end of its stroke with the valve in closed position at the lower end of the passage through the plunger. 15
At the upper end of the eduction tube extension 5 is a cap it which closes the tube and also houses a shock absorbing sleeve H of rubber or similar resilient material. There may be a by-pass [8 from the upper end of this cap to the flow line 9 equipped with a valve I9, to allow the escape of fluid from the tube extension when the plunger is to be allowed to enter the said extension.
To control the discharge of liquid and gas or air, I employ a container 20 in the flow line 9. At the lower end of said container is a liquid outlet 2| having a choke valve 22 therein. At the upper end of container 20 is a gas outlet 23 which connects into the flow line beyond the valve 22.
In the gas conducting pipe 23 is an automatically operating valve, working Within the casing 24. This valve is shown best in Fig. 3. The passage 25 through casing 24 is controlled by a balanced valve 26 mounted upon a stem 2? working through the upper wall of said casing. The upper end of said stem is secured to a flexible diaphragm 28 within a casing 29. Said diaphragm divides the casing it into a lower closed chamber 30 and an upper chamber 3! which has connection by means of pipe 32 to the upper end of the casing head at 33. The valve is acted upon by a weight or spring acting to normally move the valve to open position. I have shown a weight 3'5 mounted upon a lever arm 34, pivwill exert pressure upon the liquid in the well and depress the level in the casing and raise it in the tube until the gas can enter the perforations at H] and bubble up below the plunger and there accumulate until the pressure is suflicient to raise the plunger and its load to the surface.
The liquid will discharge into container 20 where its outflow will be regulated'by the choke valve 22. The outlet for the gas will be closed by the pressure of fluid exerted through the pipe 32 to the upper end of the valve rod 21. Gas cannot escape, therefore, until the liquid has passed from the container 20. I arrange the weight 3? on the valve to open'the valve at a predetermined pressure against the upper side of the diaphragm 28.
When the liquid is discharged from the eduction tube the plunger will pass into the closed upper end of the eduction tube where it will be stopped by the back pressure of gas and liquid in the tube above it. The valve in the plunger will be forced open and the plunger will then fall. As the gas in the tube cannot exhaust at once, the plunger will not be impeded in its fall until it has reached the desired level below the top of the tube.
When the liquid has discharged from the container, the gas will immediately tend to also escape through valve 22 and the gas pressure will soon be lowered in amount so that the air valve 26 will also open and allow full and rapid exit of the pressure fluid from the well. The device is timed by the setting of the liquid outlet valve 22 and the control valve 28 so that the plunger is allowed to fall as far as is necessary to avoid the flow of gas or air which occurs at the upper end of the tube when the outlet therefor is opened. Thus if the working pressure is pounds per square inch, it might be found correct to set the valve,25 to open when the well pressure drops to '75 pounds. When this point is reached the plunger will have dropped sufficiently 7 and the control valve may open to allow full and rapid exhaust of gaseous fluid pressure in the eduction and permit the entrance of liquid to the lower end of the tube before the plunger arrives at the'bottom'. g
The use of the control valve 25 efiects a better control of the gas discharge than would be possible by the use of the choke valve 22 above. For, if the valve 22 is choked down enough to properly time thedischarge of liquid from the container, it will also interfere with the rapid discharge of the gas. By allowing the gas to bypass rapidly at the proper time, the plunger is more efficiently operated and liability to-the blowing of the plunger back is eliminated.
What I claim as new is:
1. A plunger lift device including a well casing,
an eduction tube therein, a pneumatically operated plunger movable freely from end to end of said tube, a container positioned to receive the liquid raised by said plunger, a discharge outlet from said tube to said containena flow line connected with the lower end of said container,
a choke valve in said line to control the rate of emptying of said container, a gas bypass from the let from said tube to said container, a flow line connected with the lower end of said container, a choke valve in said line to control the rate of emptying of said container, a gas bypass from the upper end of said container to said flow line downstream from said valve, and means to bypass gas from said container past said choke valve responsive to a predetermined minimum fluid pressure in said discharge outlet.
3. A plunger lift device including a well casing, an eduction tube therein, a pneumatically operated plunger movable from end to end of said tube, and an outlet line from said tube for fluid raised by said plunger; in combination with a container connected with said outlet to receive the full load of liquid raised by said plunger, means to control the rate of flow of liquid from said container, an exit for gas from saidcdntainer, a valve controlling said exit, and a control device on said valve acting in response to the operating fluid pressure in the well to close said valve when the liquid is discharged to said container and to again open said valve in response f to a drop of fluid pressure in said outlet line to a predetermined minimum.
4. A plunger lift device including a well casing, an eduction tube therein, a pneumaticallyoperated plunger movable from end to end of said *1 tube, and an outlet line from said tube for fluid.
raised by said plunger; in combination with a container connected with said outlet to receive.
the full'load of liquid raised by said-plunger,
means to control the rate of flow of liquid from said container, and separate means to control the escape of gas from said container operating in response to a predetermined fluid pressure in said outlet line after said liquid has emptied from said container. 7 r
5. A plunger lift device including a well c asing, an eduction tube therein, a pneumatically operated plunger movable from end to end ot said tube, and an outlet line from said tube'for fluid raised by said plunger; in combination with a container connected with said outlet to receive the full load of liquid raised by said plungen' means to control the rate of flow of liquid from said container, and separate. means controlled by the fluid pressurein said outlet line to allow escape of gas from said container. after said plunger has dropped in said tube a desired distance. r
HAROLD w. FLETCHER..."
US746063A 1934-09-29 1934-09-29 Apparatus for plunger lift control Expired - Lifetime US2018206A (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US746063A US2018206A (en) 1934-09-29 1934-09-29 Apparatus for plunger lift control

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US746063A US2018206A (en) 1934-09-29 1934-09-29 Apparatus for plunger lift control

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US2018206A true US2018206A (en) 1935-10-22

Family

ID=24999332

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US746063A Expired - Lifetime US2018206A (en) 1934-09-29 1934-09-29 Apparatus for plunger lift control

Country Status (1)

Country Link
US (1) US2018206A (en)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2762309A (en) * 1949-07-25 1956-09-11 Nat Supply Co Free piston well pump
US3053188A (en) * 1960-12-07 1962-09-11 Us Industries Inc Differential controller system

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2762309A (en) * 1949-07-25 1956-09-11 Nat Supply Co Free piston well pump
US3053188A (en) * 1960-12-07 1962-09-11 Us Industries Inc Differential controller system

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US2339487A (en) Time and volume control for gas
US3266574A (en) Differential pressure adapter for automatic cycle well control
US1932992A (en) Plunger control device
US2686626A (en) Automatic filling nozzle
US3396793A (en) Gas well dewatering controller
US2227297A (en) Automatic line shut-off
US2001552A (en) Plunger lift control device
US2718435A (en) Mud feeder for oil wells
US2018206A (en) Apparatus for plunger lift control
US1993292A (en) Flow regulator for plunger lift pumps
US1856872A (en) Automatic pressure retainer for gas lift wells
US2555452A (en) Gas distillate trap
US1949106A (en) Pressure regulating device for a hot water heating system
US2013111A (en) Period control valve for plunger lift devices
US1754946A (en) Well-flowing apparatus
US1836871A (en) Well pumping swab
US1919547A (en) Pneumatic swab plunger
US2140679A (en) Chemical flow controller
US3366074A (en) Device for removing liquids from gas wells
US2305933A (en) Reducing valve
US2608990A (en) Valve assembly
US2582105A (en) Device for shutting off gases from pipe lines
US2104934A (en) Relief valve
US1744290A (en) Automatic controller for pressure regulators
US1911561A (en) fitts