Field assembled initiator
A reaction is instigated in an energetic material with an initiator having a chassis assembly and a cartridge. The chassis assembly and cartridge are transportable separate from one another and assembled on site. The chassis assembly includes a tubular penetrator with a beveled sharpened tip and a bridge wire mounted within the penetrator. The cartridge includes a sleeve and an amount of explosive inside the sleeve. When the initiator is assembled the penetrator inserts inside the sleeve and puts the bridge wire into direct contact with the explosive. The bridge wire is in electrical communication with a current source, and when selectively energized creates an explosion in the explosive to launch the reaction in the energetic material.
1. A method of instigating a reaction in an energetic material comprising:
obtaining a first tubular assembly having a chassis assembly mounted within that comprises a penetrator made up of an elongated annular barrel, a tip on an open end of the barrel, and a bridge wire inside the barrel;
obtaining a second tubular assembly having a cartridge mounted within that comprises an annular sleeve having high explosive disposed within;
forming an initiator by urging the tip into the high explosive to bring the bridge wire into close contact with the high explosive and coupling together the first and second tubular assemblies, where the initiator is formed at a location that is distal from where the first and second tubular assemblies are assembled;
mounting first and second caps respectively onto the first and second assemblies prior to transporting the first and second assemblies; and
communicating a detonation of the high explosive to the energetic material.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first tubular assembly is transported, separate from the second tubular assembly, to where the initiator is formed.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first and second tubular assemblies are assembled distal from one another.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the detonation of the high explosive is initiated by energizing the bridge wire with a designated amount of electricity that causes the bridge wire to fracture.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the energetic material is part of a system selected from the group consisting of a perforating string, a bridge plug setting tool, and a pipe cutter.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising venting spaces inside the first and second caps during the step of transporting.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the detonation of the high explosive is communicated in a direction selected from the group consisting of parallel with an axis of the initiator and lateral to the axis of the initiator.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein during insertion of the penetrator into the high explosive, the penetrator is rotationally static and the cartridge rotatable with respect to the penetrator.
9. A system for instigating a reaction in an energetic material comprising:
an initiator comprising,
a first tubular assembly comprising an annular first tubular, a cartridge assembly coaxially mounted within the first tubular, the cartridge assembly comprising a penetrator that includes an annular barrel having an open end and an elongated bridge wire inside the barrel; and
a second tubular assembly comprising an annular second tubular, a cartridge comprising an annular sleeve, and high explosive disposed inside the sleeve that is in close contact with the bridge wire when the penetrator is received inside the sleeve, the high explosive is strategically oriented, so that detonation of the high explosive communicates to the energetic material,
the second tubular assembly selectively changeable between a transportable configuration separate and decoupled from the first tubular assembly and an engaged configuration coupled with the first tubular assembly and in which the penetrator is inserted inside the sleeve; and
a turnable assembly mounted on an end of the cartridge opposite where the penetrator inserts into the sleeve and that is rotatable with respect to the penetrator.
10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the energetic material is part of a system selected from the group consisting of a perforating string, a bridge plug setting tool, and a pipe cutter.
11. The system of claim 9 , further comprising an electrical source in communication with the bridge wire that selectively provides electricity to the bridge wire in an amount to result in detonation of the high explosive.
12. The system of claim 9 , wherein the high explosive is selected from the group consisting of thermite, high explosive, non-compressed high explosive, a variable density secondary explosive, and combinations.
13. A method of instigating a reaction in an energetic material comprising:
obtaining a first tubular assembly having a chassis assembly mounted within, the chassis assembly comprising a penetrator made up of an elongated annular barrel, a tip on an open end of the barrel, and a bridge wire inside the barrel;
obtaining a second tubular assembly that comprises an annular member having a cartridge mounted within, the cartridge comprising,
an annular sleeve,
high explosive disposed within the annular sleeve, and
a coupling engaging the annular sleeve to support structure within the annular member; and
forming an initiator by coupling together the first and second tubular assemblies so that the tip penetrates into the high explosive to bring the bridge wire into direct contact with the high explosive.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein coupling together the first and second tubular assemblies comprises engaging threads formed on the first and second tubular assemblies and rotating one of the first or second tubular assembly with respect to the other, wherein the sleeve and the high explosive rotate with respect to the annular member and the sleeve and the high explosive are rotationally static with respect to the penetrator.
15. The method of claim 13 , where the initiator is formed at a location that is distal from where the first and second tubular assemblies are assembled, the method further comprising mounting first and second caps respectively onto the first and second assemblies prior to transporting the first and second assemblies.
16. The method of claim 13 , further comprising initiating detonation of the high explosive by energizing wires in communication with the bridge wire, the wires connected to an end of the chassis assembly distal from the tip, wherein the wires are substantially rotationally static when the first and second tubular assemblies are coupled together.
17. The method of claim 13 , further comprising initiating detonation of the high explosive by energizing wires in communication with the bridge wire to produce heat radiance in the high explosive.
18. The method of claim 13 , wherein the initiator provides detonation for a device selected from the group consisting of a perforating gun, a tool for setting a plug downhole, a thermal cutter, a pipe cutter, and a wellbore packer initiator.