Liquid aeration plunger
View Patent ↗A plunger apparatus operates to propel one or more jets of gas through one or more internal orifices and/or nozzles out through an aperture and into a liquid load whereby a transfer of the gas into the liquid load causes turbulent aeration to the liquid load during a plunger rise. This action can boost the carrying capacity of a plunger lift system resulting in improved well production.
1. A plunger comprising:
a cylindrical body having a top end, a lower end, and an internal longitudinal orifice;
said top end having one or more exit holes in fluid communication with said longitudinal orifice, said exit holes extending upwardly from said top end; and
each of said exit holes comprising a diameter smaller than that of said longitudinal orifice, wherein a flow of gas from a well bottom passing through said exit holes can form a jet to aerate a liquid column above the plunger as the plunger rises.
2. The plunger of claim 1 , wherein the top end further comprises a fish neck design.
3. The plunger of claim 1 , wherein said cylindrical body comprises one or more removable sections.
4. The plunger of claim 1 , wherein said top end comprises at least four apertures.
5. The plunger of claim 1 , wherein the lower end further comprises an actuator rod bypass valve positionable in an open and a closed bypass mode, said actuator rod bypass valve further comprising one or more apertures to permit a pressurized gas to pass through to said internal longitudinal orifice when said actuator rod bypass valve is in the closed bypass mode during a plunger rise.
6. The plunger of claim 5 , wherein the actuator rod bypass valve further comprises a grooved top surface.
7. The plunger of claim 1 , wherein the lower end further comprises an actuator rod bypass valve with a hole through a portion thereof.
8. The plunger of claim 1 , wherein said lower end comprises one aperture.
9. The plunger of claim 6 , wherein the grooves of the top surface further comprise channels to permit a pressurized gas to pass through to said internal longitudinal orifice when said actuator rod bypass valve is in the closed bypass mode during a plunger rise.
10. A plunger comprising:
a mandrel having a top end, a bottom end, and a hollow core in communication with at least one orifice in said bottom end;
said top end connectable to a member comprising one or more exit apertures, said one or more exit apertures extending upwardly from said connectable member;
said hollow core capable of allowing a stream of gas from a well bottom to pass through to said one or more exit apertures; and
wherein one or more of said exit apertures form a nozzle to force a gas into a liquid column above the plunger as the plunger rises.
11. The plunger of claim 10 , wherein said bottom end further comprises a connectable member having one or more apertures in communication with said hollow core.
12. A bypass plunger comprising:
a mandrel portion having an internal longitudinal conduit in communication with at least one exit orifice in a top end of the plunger;
a bypass valve assembly connected to a lower end of the mandrel portion;
wherein a falling of the plunger results in the plunger hitting a well stop, causing an actuator rod housed in the bypass valve assembly to position the bypass valve assembly in a closed mode;
said actuator rod having at least one internal orifice in communication with an exit aperture at a top end of said actuator rod and an entry aperture at a lower end of said actuator rod;
said exit aperture of said actuator rod in communication with said internal longitudinal conduit of said mandrel portion; and
wherein said actuator rod allows a stream of gas to pass therethrough the bypass valve assembly while said bypass valve assembly is in the closed mode to aerate a liquid column carried to the surface by the plunger.
13. The plunger of claim 12 further comprising a fish neck design.
14. A bypass plunger comprising:
a mandrel portion having an internal longitudinal conduit in communication with at least one exit orifice in a top end of the plunger;
a bypass valve assembly connected to a lower end of the mandrel portion;
wherein a falling of the plunger results in the plunger hitting a well stop, causing an actuator rod housed within the bypass valve assembly to position the bypass valve assembly in a closed mode;
said actuator rod having a flow through orifice in communication with said internal longitudinal conduit of said mandrel portion; and
wherein said actuator rod allows a stream of gas to pass therethrough the bypass valve assembly while said bypass valve assembly is in the closed mode to aerate a liquid column carried to the surface by the plunger.
15. The bypass plunger of claim 14 , wherein a top portion of the actuator rod comprises a mandrel seat.
16. The bypass plunger of claim 14 , wherein a top portion of the actuator rod comprises a peripheral groove.
17. A bypass plunger comprising:
a mandrel portion having an internal longitudinal conduit in communication with at least one exit orifice in a top end of the plunger;
a bypass valve assembly connected to a bottom end of the mandrel portion;
wherein a falling of the plunger results in the plunger hitting a well stop, causing an actuator rod housed in the bypass valve assembly to position the bypass valve assembly in a closed mode;
said actuator rod having a top end and a mandrel seat means, said seat means functioning to bound a flow through an orifice when the actuator rod is in the closed mode during a plunger rise and allow a stream of gas to pass through the orifice into the internal longitudinal conduit and out the at least one exit orifice to aerate a liquid column above the plunger.
18. A plunger comprising:
a cylindrical body having an upper end, a lower end, and an internal longitudinal orifice;
said lower end having one or more apertures to receive and deliver a flow of pressurized gas from a well bottom to said internal longitudinal orifice during a plunger rise;
wherein said flow of pressurized gas exits said internal longitudinal orifice from one or more apertures positioned at said upper end to aerate a liquid carried to the surface by the plunger; and
wherein the lower end further comprises an actuator rod bypass valve positionable in an open and a closed bypass mode, said actuator rod bypass valve further comprising one or more apertures to permit a pressurized gas to pass through to said internal longitudinal orifice when said actuator rod bypass valve is in the closed bypass mode during a plunger rise.
19. The plunger of claim 18 , wherein the actuator rod bypass valve further comprises a grooved top surface.
20. The plunger of claim 19 , wherein the grooves of the top surface further comprise channels to permit a pressurized gas to pass through to said internal longitudinal orifice when said actuator rod bypass valve is in the closed bypass mode during a plunger rise.
21. A plunger comprising:
a cylindrical body having an upper end, a lower end, and an internal longitudinal orifice;
said lower end having one or more apertures to receive and deliver a flow of pressurized gas from a well bottom to said internal longitudinal orifice during a plunger rise;
wherein said flow of pressurized gas exits said internal longitudinal orifice from one or more apertures positioned at said upper end to aerate a liquid carried to the surface by the plunger; and
wherein the lower end further comprises an actuator rod bypass valve with a hole through a portion thereof.