Dissolvable tool and method
View Patent ↗A method of dissolving a tool includes positioning the tool within an environment reactive with at least a portion of the tool, and introducing the environment below a surface of the tool through at least one perforation formed therein. The method also includes reacting at least a portion of the tool exposed to the environment through the at least one perforation, weakening the tool to mechanical stress, and fracturing the tool.
1. A method of dissolving a tool, comprising:
positioning the tool within an environment reactive with at least one portion of the tool;
introducing the environment below a surface of the at least one portion of the tool through a plurality of perforations through the surface in the at least one portion;
chemically reacting the at least one portion of the tool exposed to the environment through plurality of perforations;
weakening the tool to mechanical stress; and
fracturing the tool.
2. The method of dissolving a tool of claim 1 , further comprising flowing brine through the plurality of perforations.
3. The method of dissolving a tool of claim 1 , further comprising symmetrically introducing the environment to the at least one portion located symmetrically beneath the surface of the tool.
4. The method of dissolving a tool of claim 1 , further comprising mechanically stressing the tool.
5. The method of dissolving a tool of claim 1 , further comprising altering pressure on the tool.
6. The method of dissolving a tool of claim 1 , further comprising altering temperature on the tool.
7. The method of dissolving a tool of claim 1 , further comprising controlling a rate of the introducing of the environment below the surface of the at least one portion.
8. The method of dissolving a tool of claim 7 , further comprising controlling a rate of chemically reacting with the controlling of the rate of introducing of the environment below the surface of the at least one portion.
9. The method of dissolving a tool of claim 1 , further comprising weakening the tool with the chemically reacting.
10. The method of dissolving a tool of claim 1 , further comprising promoting uniformity of the chemically reacting of a volume of the body by symmetrically exposing varying parts of the body to the environment at nearly the same time through the plurality of perforations.
11. The method of dissolving a tool of claim 1 , further comprising slowing a rate of introducing of the environment below the surface of the tool by plugging the plurality of perforations with a porous material.
12. The method of dissolving a tool of claim 1 , wherein the chemically reacting the at least one portion of the tool is a portion of the tool located only below the surface of the tool.
13. A method of dissolving a tool, comprising:
positioning the tool within an environment reactive with at least one portion of the tool, the at least one portion being made of a powder metal compact, comprising:
a substantially-continuous, cellular nanomatrix comprising a nanomatrix material;
a plurality of dispersed particles comprising a particle core material that comprises Mg, Al, Zn or Mn, or a combination thereof, dispersed in the cellular nanomatrix; and
a solid-state bond layer extending throughout the cellular nanomatrix between the dispersed particles;
introducing the environment below a surface of the at least one portion of the tool through a plurality of perforations through the surface in the at least one portion;
chemically reacting the at least one portion of the tool exposed to the environment through the plurality of perforations;
weakening the tool to mechanical stress; and
fracturing the tool.