Patent ID: 8408319

Claim:
A method of controlling a swell rate of a swellable element, comprising: stretching the swellable element disposed on a tubular member attached between a first retainer and a second retainer by moving the second retainer from a first position to a second position away from the first position, said stretching to retard swell; securing the second retainer in the second position with an actuation device; and actuating a trigger mechanism to cause the actuation device to release the second retainer from the second position to move toward the first retainer, said actuating comprising: forcing a hydraulic fluid through a flow control device to move a spool from a first position where a flow path between a chamber defined in the actuating mechanism and a downhole environment is obstructed to a second position where the flow path is at least partially unobstructed to allow a fluid flow therethrough; and moving a piston with a pressure applied by the fluid flow to release the second retainer from the second position.