Swellable sealing systems and methods for increasing swelling efficiency

1. A sealing system comprising

an article including a swellable composition comprising

100 parts by weight of an elastomer comprising one or more of the following: acrylonitrile butadiene rubber, hydrogenated acrylonitrile butadiene rubber, carboxylated hydrogenated acrylonitrile butadiene rubber, amidated acrylonitrile butadiene rubber; ethylene propylene diene monomer rubber; polychloroprene rubber; fluorinated polymer rubber, perfluorocarbon rubber; tetrafluoro ethylene propylene rubber; fluorosilicone rubber; or butyl rubber,

about 50 to about 150 parts by weight of an acrylic copolymer; and

about 50 to about 150 parts by weight of a cellulose material; and

an ion reducing material disposed with the swellable composition, the ion reducing material comprising one or more of the following: a chelating agent; a cation precipitating agent; or an anion precipitating agent, the ion reducing material being present in an amount of about 0.1 wt. % to about 40 wt. % based on the total weight of the swellable composition;

wherein the chelating agent is effective to bind a cation of one of the following metals in a fluid that contacts the sealing system: calcium; magnesium; chromium; iron; cobalt; tungsten; nickel; copper; zinc; or aluminum; and the chelating agent is one or more of the following: ethylenediamine; porphine; porphyrin; diethylene triamine pentaacetic acid; ethylenediamine-N,N-disuccinic acid; nitrilotriacetic acid; ethylene glycol tetraacetic acid; hydroxyethylethylenediaminetriacetic acid; ammonium acetate; poly(gamma-glutamic acid); or sodium citrate;

the cation precipitating agent is a water soluble inorganic salt comprising a single valent cation and an anion that is one or more of the following: C 2 O 4 2− ; PO 4 3− ; SO 3 2− ; or F − ; or the cation precipitating agent is an organic carboxylic acid or a soluble salt thereof; and

the anion precipitating agent is effective to reduce a concentration of one or more of the following anions in a fluid: a halide; nitride; sulfate; formate; carbonate; acetate; or propionate.

2. The sealing system of claim 1 , wherein the ion reducing material is the water soluble inorganic salt.

3. The sealing system of claim 2 , wherein a cation of the water soluble inorganic salt is lithium, sodium, or potassium.

4. The sealing system of claim 1 , wherein the ion reducing material is an organic carboxylic acid or a soluble salt thereof.

5. The sealing system of claim 1 , wherein the ion reducing material is effective to reduce a concentration of one or more of the following anions in a fluid: a halide; nitrate; sulfate; formate; carbonate; acetate; or propionate.

6. The sealing system of claim 1 , wherein the ion reducing material is a water soluble salt comprising Ag + , Cu + , Pb 2+ , or Hg 2 2+ .

7. The sealing system of claim 1 , wherein the ion reducing material is uniformly dispersed in the swellable composition.

8. The sealing system of claim 1 , wherein the ion reducing material forms a fluid permeable member operatively arranged so that a fluid flows through the permeable member before reaching the swellable member.

9. The sealing system of claim 1 , wherein the ion reducing material is sodium citrate.

10. A method of sealing, the method comprising:

disposing a sealing system of claim 1 in a borehole;

removing ions from a flow of fluid diffused into the sealing system with the ion reducing material; and

swelling the article responsive to the flow of fluid thus sealing a borehole with the sealing system.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the swellable article is encapsulated with an extendable but not swellable shell filled with the ion reducing material, which binds a single or multivalent cation from the fluid diffusing into the swellable article.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein removing ions from a flow of fluid comprises binding an anion with a water soluble salt comprising Ag + , Cu + , Pb 2+ , or Hg 2 2+ .

13. The sealing system of claim 10 , wherein the ion reducing material is sodium citrate.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein removing ions from a flow of fluid comprises binding a multivalent cation in the fluid with a chelating agent, a cation precipitating agent, or a combination thereof.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the ion reducing material is an organic carboxylic acid or a soluble salt thereof.

16. A sealing system comprising

an article including a swellable composition comprising an elastomer and a super absorbent material;

the elastomer comprising one or more of the following: acrylonitrile butadiene rubber, hydrogenated acrylonitrile butadiene rubber, carboxylated hydrogenated acrylonitrile butadiene rubber; amidated acrylonitrile butadiene rubber; ethylene propylene diene monomer rubber; polychloroprene rubber; fluorinated polymer rubber; perfluorocarbon rubber, tetrafluoro ethylene propylene rubber; fluorosilicone rubber; or butyl rubber, and

the superabsorbent material comprises a cellulose material and an acrylic copolymer; and

an ion reducing material disposed with the swellable composition, the ion reducing material comprising one or more of the following: a chelating agent; a cation precipitating agent; or an anion precipitating agent; the ion reducing material being present in an amount of about 0.1 wt. % to about 40 wt. % based on the total weight of the swellable composition;

wherein a coating comprising the ion reducing material is disposed on a surface of the article.

17. The sealing system of claim 16 , wherein the ion reducing material is uniformly dispersed in the swellable composition.

18. The sealing system of claim 16 , wherein the swelling composition comprises 100 parts by weight of the elastomer, about 50 to about 150 parts by weight of the acrylic copolymer, and about 50 to about 150 parts by weight of the cellulose material.