Rotating Control Devices and Methods to Detect Pressure Within Rotating Members

Abstract

A rotating control device includes a housing with a sensor port extending to a central housing bore, a sensor in the port, and a rotating sleeve assembly (RSA) extending within the central bore. The RSA includes a sleeve configured to rotate relative to the housing and a second bore coaxially aligned with the central bore of the housing, A piston port in the sleeve extends to the second bore, and a piston disposed in the piston port is configured to reciprocate between a first position and a second position in response to a change in pressure of fluid within the second bore. The piston port and the piston are disposed at a location in the rotating sleeve that passes the sensor periodically when the rotating sleeve rotates; the sensor configured to detect the piston when it rotates past the sensor and is in its second position.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A rotating control device for a well, the device comprising:
 a housing having a through-bore extending along a central axis, a housing wall, and a sensor disposed at a sensor position in the housing and extending into the housing wall;   a sleeve comprising a sleeve bore aligned with the central axis and configured to rotate about the central axis, within the through-bore of the housing; and   a pressure-responsive assembly coupled to the sleeve and configured to generate a response to a pressure of fluid within the sleeve bore, the pressure-responsive assembly coupled to the sleeve at a location such that it passes the sensor position periodically as the sleeve rotates within the through-bore;   wherein the sensor is configured to detect the response of the pressure-responsive assembly.   wherein pressure-responsive assembly includes a pressure-responsive element in fluid communication with the sleeve bore; and   wherein the pressure-responsive element is configured to be free of sliding engagement with the sleeve.   
     
     
         2 . The rotating control device of  claim 1  wherein the pressure-responsive assembly comprises a first piston slidingly disposed inside a piston cartridge and configured to move from a first position to a second position relative to the piston cartridge in response to an activation pressure in the fluid within the sleeve;
 wherein the sensor is configured to detect the presence of the first piston when the first piston is in the second position and passes the sensor position; and 
 wherein the piston is separated from the sleeve by the piston cartridge. 
 
     
     
         3 . The rotating control device of  claim 2  wherein the sleeve further comprises an outer surface, and a first piston port extending from the sleeve outer surface, the first piston port in fluid communication with the sleeve bore;
 wherein the pressure-responsive assembly is disposed in the first piston port with the first piston in fluid communication with the sleeve bore; and 
 wherein the first piston is configured to slide without contacting the first piston port. 
 
     
     
         4 . The rotating control device of  claim 3  further comprising a burst disc coupled to the piston cartridge and disposed to seal the first piston from the fluid within the sleeve until the fluid reaches or exceeds a prescribed pressure. 
     
     
         5 . The rotating control device of  claim 3  further comprising a plurality of pressure-responsive assemblies, each pressure-responsive assembly coupled to the sleeve at a different location such that it passes the sensor position periodically as the sleeve rotates within the through-bore;
 wherein each pressure-responsive assembly of the plurality is configured to generate a response to a particular pressure of the fluid within the sleeve bore; and 
 wherein the sensor is configured to detect the responses of each of the plurality of pressure-responsive assemblies. 
 
     
     
         6 . The rotating control device of  claim 1  wherein the pressure-responsive assembly comprises a transducer configured to emit a first wireless signal including pressure data corresponding to the pressure of the fluid within the sleeve; and
 wherein the sensor comprises a receiver and transmitter device configured to receive the pressure data from the transducer when the transducer is within a detection range of the sensor, and wherein the receiver and transmitter device is configured to transmit the pressure data beyond the housing. 
 
     
     
         7 . A rotating control device for a well, the device comprising:
 a housing comprising a first bore extending along a central axis, and a sensor port extending to the first bore, the sensor port disposed at a discrete circumferential location about the central axis;   a sensor disposed within the sensor port; and   a rotating sleeve assembly (RSA) extending at least partially within the first bore and, comprising:
 a rotating sleeve configured to rotate about the central axis relative to the housing and comprising a sleeve outer surface, a second bore coaxially aligned with the first bore, and a first piston port extending from the sleeve outer surface to the second bore; and 
 a first piston disposed within the first piston port and configured to reciprocate between a first position and a second position in response to a change in pressure of fluid within the second bore; 
   wherein the first piston port and the first piston are disposed at a location in the rotating sleeve that passes the sensor periodically when the rotating sleeve rotates relative to the housing; and   wherein the sensor is configured to detect the first piston when the first piston rotates past the sensor, and the first piston is in its second position.   
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 7  wherein the rotating sleeve further comprises a plurality of piston ports, including the first piston port, extending from the outer surface to the second bore;
 wherein the RSA further comprises a plurality of pistons, including the first piston, each piston disposed within one of the plurality of piston ports and configured to reciprocate between a first position and a second position in response to a change in pressure of a fluid within the second bore; 
 wherein each piston of the plurality of pistons is biased towards its first position; 
 wherein each piston port and each piston are disposed at a location in the rotating sleeve that passes the sensor during each rotation when the rotating sleeve rotates relative to the housing; 
 wherein the sensor is configured to detect each piston when the piston rotates past the sensor and the piston is in its second position; and 
 wherein each piston includes a sensing portion that is in fluid communication with the second bore, each sensing portion having a wettable face area that differs from the wettable face area of another of the plurality of pistons. 
 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 7  wherein the RSA further comprises a rotational speed indicator coupled to the rotating sleeve at a location that passes the sensor during each rotation when the rotating sleeve rotates relative to the housing; and
 wherein the sensor is configured to detect the rotational speed indicator when the rotational speed indicator rotates past the sensor. 
 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 9  wherein the plurality of piston ports, the plurality of pistons, the sensor port, the sensor, and the rotational speed indicator are all aligned parallel to a plane that extends perpendicular to the central axis. 
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 7  wherein the RSA further comprises a burst disc disposed to seal the first piston port at a location between the second bore and the first piston. 
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 7  further comprising a piston assembly comprising:
 a piston cartridge disposed at a fixed location within the first piston port; and 
 the piston slidingly disposed in the piston cartridge; 
 wherein the piston is separated from the sleeve by the piston cartridge. 
 
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 7  wherein the first piston is configured to be free from sliding engagement with the first piston port. 
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 7  wherein the sensor is configured to detect the first piston by a phenomenon selected from a group consisting of: proximity, magnetic field, Hall Effect, contact, induction, capacitive interaction, and photoelectric interaction. 
     
     
         15 . A rotating control device for a well, the device comprising:
 a housing having a through-bore extending along a central axis and a sensor positioned at a first axial position;   a sleeve configured to rotate within the through-bore of the housing; and   a piston coupled to the sleeve and configured to move from a first position to a second position in response to a pressure change of a fluid within the sleeve, the piston being coupled to the sleeve at a location such that it passes by the first axial position periodically when the sleeve rotates within the through-bore;   wherein the first piston is configured to be free from sliding engagement with the sleeve; and   wherein the sensor is configured to detect the piston when the piston is in the second position.   
     
     
         16 . The rotating control device of  claim 15  wherein the sensor is positioned at a discrete circumferential location about the central axis. 
     
     
         17 . The rotating control device of  claim 15  further comprising a piston assembly comprising:
 a piston cartridge disposed at a fixed location in the sleeve; and 
 the piston slidingly disposed in the piston cartridge; 
 wherein the piston is separated from the sleeve by the piston cartridge. 
 
     
     
         18 . The rotating control device of  claim 15  further comprising:
 a plurality of piston assemblies, each piston assembly comprising: 
 a piston cartridge disposed at a fixed location in the sleeve and including a fluid communication bore, a location that passes by the first axial position periodically when the sleeve rotates; and 
 a piston slidingly disposed in the piston cartridge and separated from the sleeve by the piston cartridge, the piston including a piston neck slidingly and sealingly received within the fluid communication bore, the piston configured to move from a first position to a second position in response to a pressure change of a fluid within the sleeve; and 
 wherein each piston neck of the plurality of piston assemblies has a different wettable face area than another of the piston necks. 
 
     
     
         19 . The rotating control device of  claim 15  further comprising a rotational speed indicator coupled to the rotating sleeve at a location that passes the sensor during each rotation of the sleeve relative to the housing;
 wherein the sensor is configured to detect the rotational speed indicator when the rotational speed indicator rotates past the sensor. 
 
     
     
         20 . A method for operating a rotating control device, the method comprising:
 providing a housing having a through-bore extending along a central axis, a housing wall, and a sensor disposed at a sensor position in the housing;   disposing a sleeve within the through-bore of the housing, the sleeve configured to rotate about the central axis and comprising a sleeve bore aligned with the central axis ;   coupling a pressure-responsive assembly to the sleeve at a location such that the pressure-responsive element is in fluid communication with the sleeve bore and such that the pressure-responsive assembly passes the sensor position periodically as the sleeve rotates , wherein the pressure-responsive assembly that includes a pressure-responsive element configured to be free of sliding engagement with the sleeve;   disposing a tubular string sealingly within the sleeve bore;   rotating the tubular string and the sleeve with respect to the housing;   using the sensor, detecting a response of the pressure-responsive assembly when pressure in the sleeve bore reaches an activation pressure; and   performing a system action when the sensor detects a response of the pressure-responsive assembly.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20  wherein detecting a response of the pressure-responsive assembly includes measuring periodically the pressure in the sleeve bore. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20  wherein the pressure-responsive element includes a detectable member coupled for movement with a piston disposed in a cartridge; and
 wherein detecting a response of the pressure-responsive assembly includes detecting radial movement of the pressure-responsive element relative to the cartridge and the sleeve.