Volumetric compensation for sealing performance under large temperature swing conditions
Systems and methods for creating seals that expand during temperature drops. The seals may include a negative CTE material that is either internal or external to the sealing element; shape memory alloys (SMA) which exhibit negative CTE during a phase change; and/or external lattice structures with positive CTE components but negative overall CTE.
1. A downhole tool comprising:
a spring, comprising:
a first end; and
a second end;
a sealing element adjacent to the first end of the spring and disposed between a first back-up shoe and a second back-up shoe; and
a member adjacent to the second end of the spring,
wherein the member has a negative coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE),
wherein the member is configured to expand the sealing element during a temperature drop, and
wherein the member is external to the sealing element.
2. The downhole tool of claim 1 , wherein the member is adjacent to the first back-up shoe.
3. The downhole tool of claim 2 , further comprising a spacer that is adjacent to the sealing element.
4. The downhole tool of claim 3 , further comprising a wedge adjacent to the member.
5. The downhole tool of claim 4 , further comprising a slip adjacent to the wedge.
6. The downhole tool of claim 5 , wherein the member extends between the wedge and the first back-up shoe.
7. The downhole tool of claim 6 , wherein the member is external to the first back-up shoe and the second back-up shoe.
8. The downhole tool of claim 1 , wherein the member includes a shape memory alloy.
9. A downhole tool comprising:
a spring, comprising:
a first end; and
a second end;
a sealing element adjacent to the first end of the spring; and
a member adjacent to the second end of the spring,
wherein the member has a negative coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE),
wherein the member is configured to expand the sealing element during a temperature drop,
wherein the member is external to the sealing element, and
wherein the member includes a spacer.
10. A downhole tool comprising:
a first back-up shoe;
a second back-up shoe;
a first sealing element;
a member with a negative coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE); and
a first spring disposed between the first sealing element and the member,
wherein the member is configured to expand the first sealing element during a temperature drop,
wherein the member includes a shape memory alloy, and
wherein the member includes a second spring.
11. The downhole tool of claim 10 , further comprising:
a second sealing element.
12. The downhole tool of claim 11 , further comprising:
a spacer disposed between the first sealing element and the second sealing element.
13. The downhole tool of claim 12 , wherein:
the first sealing element is disposed adjacent to the first back-up shoe; and
the second sealing element is disposed adjacent to the second back-up shoe.
14. The downhole tool of claim 13 , wherein the member is disposed adjacent to the first back-up shoe.
15. A downhole tool comprising:
a first back-up shoe;
a second back-up shoe;
a sealing element;
a member with a negative coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE); and
a spring disposed between the sealing element and the member,
wherein the member is configured to expand the sealing element during a temperature drop, and
wherein the member includes a shape memory alloy.
16. The downhole tool of claim 15 , wherein the sealing element is disposed between the first back-up shoe and the second back-up shoe.
17. The downhole tool of claim 16 , wherein the member is adjacent to the first back-up shoe.
18. A downhole tool, comprising:
a first back-up shoe;
a second back-up shoe;
a sealing element;
a member with a negative coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE); and
a spring disposed between the sealing element and the member,
wherein the spring has a positive,
wherein the member is configured to expand the sealing element during a temperature drop, and
wherein the member includes a shape memory alloy.
19. The downhole tool of claim 18 , wherein during the temperature drop:
the spring is configured to contract.
20. The downhole tool of claim 19 , wherein the sealing element is configured to expand when the member expands.