Nozzle for wellbore tubular

Abstract

A nozzle assembly is plugged, but can be opened when the nozzle is positioned downhole. The nozzle assembly comprises: a nozzle including: a body formed of an erosion resistant material; and an orifice through the body, the orifice including a main aperture portion opening on an end of the body and a lateral aperture portion extending substantially laterally from the main aperture portion and having an opening on a side wall of the body; an orifice seal for the orifice configured to substantially seal against passage of fluid through the nozzle orifice, the orifice seal formed at least in part of a disintegrateable material and including: a barrier ring encircling the side wall and overlying the opening of the lateral aperture portion; and a plug sealing the lateral aperture.

1 . A nozzle assembly comprising:
 a nozzle including:
 a body formed of an erosion resistant material; and 
 an orifice through the body, the orifice including a main aperture portion opening on an end of the body and a lateral aperture portion extending substantially laterally from the main aperture portion and having an opening on a side wall of the body; and 
   an orifice seal for the orifice configured to substantially seal against passage of fluid through the nozzle orifice, the orifice seal formed at least in part of a disintegrable material and including:
 a barrier ring encircling the side wall and overlying the opening of the lateral aperture portion; and 
 a plug sealing the lateral aperture position. 
   
     
     
         2 . The nozzle assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the orifice seal is configured to be openable automatically by contact with intentional treatment of conditions or fluids. 
     
     
         3 . The nozzle assembly of any one of  claim 1 , wherein the orifice seal is formed at least in part of wax, polymer, or metal alloy that disintegrates when exposed to conditions of temperature or fluid composition. 
     
     
         4 . The nozzle assembly of any one of  claim 1 , wherein the orifice seal is formed at least in part of a brine soluble metal alloy. 
     
     
         5 . The nozzle assembly of  claim 4 , wherein the brine soluble metal alloy is coated with at least one coating to protect against premature degradation, the at least one coating being at least in part wax, polymer, or gold. 
     
     
         6 . The nozzle assembly of any one of  claim 1 , further comprising a main aperture plug coupled to the main aperture to prevent intrusion of debris. 
     
     
         7 . The nozzle assembly of any one of  claim 1 , wherein an inner diameter of the barrier ring seals against a surface of the side wall, the barrier ring completely covers the opening of the lateral aperture portion, and thereby creates a seal against both inward flow and outward flow. 
     
     
         8 . The nozzle assembly of any one of  claim 1 , the barrier ring being a complete annular member. 
     
     
         9 . The nozzle assembly of any one of  claim 1 , wherein one or both of the apertures has an internal shape with a jetting construction selected to impart desired flow rate and volume of fluid passing therethrough. 
     
     
         10 . The nozzle assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the jetting construction is an hour glass jetting construction, including an internal frustoconical tapering wall adjacent a narrower throat, and a divergent surface on the opposite side of the narrower throat from the internal frustoconical tapering wall; and the plug has a frustoconical outer shape diverging towards its inner end to fit between the throat and the main aperture. 
     
     
         11 . The nozzle assembly of any one of  claim 1 , wherein the plug protrudes from the lateral aperture position into the main aperture position. 
     
     
         12 . The nozzle assembly of any one of  claim 1 , further comprising a main aperture plug installed in the main aperture position, the main aperture plug being constructed of a material selected to disintegrate before the plug. 
     
     
         13 . A method for manufacturing a sealed nozzle, the nozzle including a body formed of an erosion resistant material; and an orifice through the body, the orifice including a main aperture portion opening on an end of the body and a lateral aperture portion extending substantially laterally from the main aperture portion and having an opening on a side wall of the body and the method comprising:
 installing a plug to seal the lateral aperture portion;   positioning a barrier ring to encircle the side wall and overlie the opening of the lateral aperture portion, the barrier ring formed of a disintegrable metal alloy; and   shrink fitting the barrier ring around the side wall of the nozzle.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the plug is installed by casting. 
     
     
         15 . The method of any one of  claim 13 , wherein the plug is installed by insertion. 
     
     
         16 . The method of any one of  claim 13 , wherein the barrier ring is shrink fitted by press fitting. 
     
     
         17 . he method of any one of  claim 13 , wherein the barrier ring is shrink fitted by thermal fitting. 
     
     
         18 . The method of any one of  claim 13 , further comprising installing a second plug to seal the main aperture portion; wherein the second plug is installed by insertion through the main aperture portion. 
     
     
         19 . The method of any one of  claim 13 , wherein the lateral aperture portion is frustoconically formed, having a throat; and the plug is frustoconically formed, having a narrow end, and is installed by insertion of its narrow end first into the lateral aperture portion until it wedge locks against a tapering surface adjacent the throat. 
     
     
         20 . The method of any one of  claim 13 , further comprising coating the orifice with a coating material. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein coating is achieved by pouring a wax into the main aperture portion.