Switchable fluid path underwater plug-in tee hydraulic fitting

Abstract

The application discloses an underwater plug-in three-way hydraulic connector with switchable liquid paths, which comprises a female connector and a male connector which are mutually plugged, the female connector comprises a cylindrical female head main body 2, an end cover 8 is connected to the inner wall of one end of the female head main body 2 through screw threads, an end cover inner cavity is formed in the end cover 8 along the axial direction, the end cover inner cavity is communicated with the female head main body 2, an end cover through hole 14 is further formed in the top of the end cover 8, the end cover through hole 14 is communicated with the end cover inner cavity, a plurality of end cover side holes 15 are formed on the inclined surface of the end cover 8 along the radial direction, the end cover side holes 15 are communicated with the end cover inner cavity, the male connector comprises a hollow male head main body 20, the inner diameter of one end of a male head top rod 22 is smaller than the inner diameter of one end of a support 24 which is fixedly connected. The application has the advantages of compact structure, small volume and weight, convenient installation and maintenance, high working efficiency, underwater plug-in self-sealing function, prevention of medium overflow, underwater liquid path switching, and meeting the requirements of underwater oil pipe hanger installation.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the technical field of offshore oil and gas drilling and production equipment, and relates to an underwater pluggable tee hydraulic connector with switchable fluid circuits. Background Technology

[0002] Subsea oil and gas drilling and production equipment mainly includes subsea production trees, subsea wellheads, tubing / casing hangers, gathering and transportation manifolds, risers, blowout preventers, and various hydraulic connectors, serving as crucial tools for offshore oil and gas exploration and development. In subsea oil and gas drilling and completion operations, the lowering and installation of various subsea equipment, including subsea production trees and tubing hangers, is carried out in stages and requires specialized tools. To enable hydraulic control of subsea or downhole equipment, the hydraulic transmission between sequentially lowered equipment or components must be continuous. Therefore, a hydraulic connector that can be plugged and unplugged underwater is needed, ensuring a seal before and after plugging and unplugging to prevent control fluid leakage and marine environmental pollution. Furthermore, during the installation of the tubing hanger, the tubing hanger installation tool needs to be hydraulically connected to the hanger to control the downhole safety valve or inject chemicals. After the tubing hanger is in place, the control fluid from the subsea Christmas tree crossover device needs to be connected to the fluid circuit on the hanger, while the fluid circuit from the tubing hanger installation tool is locked to switch downhole control or chemical injection functions. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a subsea pluggable tee hydraulic connector with switchable fluid circuits that meets the above functions.

[0003] Traditional underwater plug-in hydraulic connectors generally have a self-sealing function before and after plugging and unplugging, but they do not have an underwater fluid circuit switching function. That is, they are only two-way connectors, not three-way connectors, which cannot meet the requirements for switching the fluid circuit between the lowering tool, the crossing device and the suspension device when the underwater oil pipe hanger is lowered and installed. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide an underwater pluggable tee hydraulic connector with switchable fluid circuits, which has the feature of realizing underwater fluid circuit switching.

[0005] The technical solution adopted in this invention is that the underwater pluggable tee hydraulic connector with switchable fluid circuit includes a female connector and a male connector, and the female connector and the male connector are plugged in.

[0006] The female connector includes a cylindrical female connector body. One end of the female connector body is connected to an end cap by a threaded connection to its inner wall. An end cap cavity is formed axially inside the end cap, which communicates with the female connector body. An end cap through hole is also formed at the top of the end cap, which communicates with the end cap cavity. Several end cap side holes are formed radially on the inclined surface of the end cap, which communicate with the end cap cavity.

[0007] The male connector includes a hollow male body, and the inner diameter of the male body through which the male head rod is inserted is smaller than the inner diameter of the end to which the support is fixed.

[0008] The invention is further characterized by:

[0009] The end cap away from the main body of the female head is conical, and a plug is provided in the inner cavity of the end cap; a sleeve is provided inside the main body of the female head, and a retaining ring is fixed inside the sleeve. The retaining ring and the plug are connected by spring b; an inner ring of the female head is also fixed inside the main body of the female head, and a female head push rod is inserted in the inner ring of the female head. The female head push rod is connected to the retaining ring by spring a.

[0010] The male connector body is fixedly connected to a support, and a male connector push rod is also inserted inside the male connector body. The male connector push rod is connected to the support via a male connector spring.

[0011] One end of the male head push rod is inserted into the female head body, and the female head push rod abuts against the male head push rod.

[0012] The female and male push rods include push rod cones. A connecting sleeve is fixed to the large end of the push rod cone. A rounded corner is provided at the connection between the push rod cone and the connecting sleeve, which is biased towards the central axis of the push rod cone. A push rod through hole is provided in the rounded corner. A through rod is fixed to the small end of the push rod cone.

[0013] The plug includes a plug cone, a plug sleeve is fixed to the large end of the plug cone, and a rounded corner is provided at the connection between the plug cone and the plug sleeve, which is biased towards the central axis of the plug cone. A plugging through hole is provided inside the rounded corner.

[0014] Inside the female head body, a seal a is fixedly connected at the contact point between the female head push rod and the male head push rod.

[0015] A boss is provided on the outside of the sleeve, and the boss is located between the female head body and the end cap.

[0016] A guide cover is connected to the outside of the male head body via positioning screws.

[0017] The end of the guide cover near the female connector is flared.

[0018] An elastic retaining ring is provided inside the male head body, and the elastic retaining ring abuts against the end of the support away from the male head body.

[0019] Spring a, spring b, and the male spring are all helical compression springs.

[0020] The beneficial effects of this invention are: the underwater pluggable tee hydraulic connector with switchable fluid circuits has a compact structure, small size and weight, and is easy to install and maintain; it is equipped with elastic sealing and pressure-reinforced metal conical surface sealing, ensuring safe and reliable performance; when one or more sets of male and female connectors are connected or disconnected underwater, they can automatically align and complete the plugging and unplugging in one go, resulting in high work efficiency; it has an underwater plugging and unplugging self-sealing function to prevent media leakage, and can realize underwater fluid circuit switching, meeting the requirements for the installation of underwater oil pipe hangers. Attached Figure Description

[0021] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the underwater pluggable tee hydraulic connector with switchable fluid circuit of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the female connector in the underwater pluggable tee hydraulic connector with switchable fluid circuit of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the male connector in the underwater pluggable tee hydraulic connector with switchable fluid circuit of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the female and male push rods in the underwater pluggable tee hydraulic connector with switchable fluid circuit of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the blockage structure in the underwater pluggable tee hydraulic connector with switchable fluid circuit of the present invention.

[0026] Among them, 1. Threaded retaining ring, 2. Female head body, 3. Seal a, 4. Female head push rod, 5. Spring a, 6. Sleeve, 7. Seal b, 8. End cap, 9. Plug, 10. Spring b, 11. Retaining ring, 12. Tubing hanger flow channel a, 13. Tubing hanger inner cavity a, 14. End cap through hole, 15. End cap side hole, 16. Tubing hanger inner cavity b, 17. Tubing hanger flow channel b, 18. Guide cover, 19. Positioning screw, 2 0. Male head body, 21. Threaded retaining ring, 22. Male head push rod, 23. Male head spring, 24. Support, 25. Elastic retaining ring, 26. Male head flow channel, 27. Support inner cavity, 28. Male head push rod flow channel, 29. Oil pipe hanger, 30. Through-hole device, 31. Female head inner ring, 32. Insert rod, 33. Push rod cone, 34. Push rod through hole, 35. Connecting sleeve, 36. Plug cone, 37. Plug through hole, 38. Plug sleeve. Detailed Implementation

[0027] The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0028] This invention relates to an underwater pluggable tee hydraulic connector with switchable fluid paths, such as... Figure 1 As shown, it includes a female connector and a male connector, and the female connector and male connector are plugged in; as Figure 2As shown, the female connector is installed in the inner cavity of the tubing hanger 29, and the threaded retaining ring 1 is threadedly connected to the tubing hanger 29; a seal b7 is provided between the tubing hanger 29 and the female connector; the female connector includes a cylindrical female head body 2, and an end cap 8 is threadedly connected to the inner wall of one end of the female head body 2. The end of the end cap 8 away from the female head body 2 is conical, and an end cap inner cavity is opened axially inside the end cap 8, which communicates with the female head body 2. An end cap through hole 14 is also opened at the top of the end cap 8, which communicates with the end cap inner cavity; A plug 9 is provided inside the inner cavity of the cover; a sleeve 6 is provided inside the main body 2 of the female head, and a retaining ring 11 is fixedly connected inside the sleeve 6. The retaining ring 11 and the plug 9 are connected by a spring b10; a boss is provided on the outer side of the sleeve 6, and the boss is located between the main body 2 of the female head and the end cover 8; a female head inner ring 31 is also fixedly connected inside the main body 2 of the female head, and a female head push rod 4 is inserted in the female head inner ring 31. The female head push rod 4 is connected to the retaining ring 11 by a spring a5; a number of end cover side holes 15 are radially opened on the inclined surface of the end cover 8, and the end cover side holes 15 are connected to the inner cavity of the end cover.

[0029] like Figure 3 As shown, the male connector includes a hollow male body 20, a support 24 fixedly connected inside the male body 20, and a male push rod 22 inserted inside the male body 20. The male push rod 22 is connected to the support 24 through a male spring 23. The inner diameter of the end of the male body 20 through which the male push rod 22 is inserted is smaller than the inner diameter of the end through which the support 24 is fixed. The end of the male body 20 through which the male push rod 22 is inserted is inserted into the female body 2, and the female push rod 4 abuts against the male push rod 22. Inside the female body 2, a seal a3 is fixedly connected at the abutment of the female push rod 4 and the male push rod 22. A guide cover 18 is connected to the outside of the male body 20 through a positioning screw 19. The end of the guide cover 18 near the female connector is flared.

[0030] The male head body 20 is connected to the threaded retaining ring 21. The male head body 20 is installed on the traverse device 30. One end of the traverse device 30 abuts against the threaded retaining ring 21, and the other end abuts against the guide cover 18.

[0031] like Figure 4 As shown, the female push rod 4 and the male push rod 22 include a push rod cone 33. The large end of the push rod cone 33 is fixedly connected to a connecting sleeve 35. The connection between the push rod cone 33 and the connecting sleeve 35 is provided with a rounded corner that is biased towards the central axis of the push rod cone 33. A push rod through hole 34 is provided in the rounded corner. The small end of the push rod cone 33 is fixedly connected to a through rod 32.

[0032] like Figure 5 As shown, the plug 9 includes a plug cone 36, a plug sleeve 38 is fixedly connected to the large end of the plug cone 36, and a rounded corner biased towards the central axis of the plug cone 36 is provided at the connection between the plug cone 36 and the plug sleeve 38, and a plugging through hole 37 is provided in the rounded corner.

[0033] Springs a5, b10, and male spring 23 are all helical compression springs.

[0034] The underwater pluggable tee hydraulic connector with switchable fluid circuits of this invention operates as follows:

[0035] When the female connector is installed on the tubing hanger 29 and the male connector is installed on the through-device 30, the female connector push rod 4, under the thrust of spring a5, makes the female connector push rod 4 fit and seal against the inner ring 31 of the female connector. Under the thrust of spring b10, the plug cone 36 makes the plug seal against the end cap 8. The plug 9 plugs the end cap through hole 14, and the inner cavity a13 of the tubing hanger is isolated and sealed from the side hole 15 of the end cap. In the male connector, the male connector push rod 22, under the action of the male connector spring 23, makes the end of the male connector body 20 in which the male connector push rod 22 is inserted separate and sealed from the end of the male connector body 20 in which the support 24 is fixed.

[0036] When the control fluid enters the tubing hanger cavity a13 through the flow channel a12 and the pressure is sufficient to overcome the elastic force of the spring b10, the plug cone 36 separates from the end cap 8. The control fluid flows through the end cap through hole 14 into the end cap side hole 15, and then into the tubing hanger cavity b16. It then flows through the tubing hanger flow channel b17 to the downhole control target, achieving downhole hydraulic control during the tubing hanger 29's lowering process. At this time, the control fluid flowing into the female head body 2 through the end cap through hole 14 and the plugging through hole 37 of the plug 9 provides pressure sealing to the female head push rod 4 and the female head inner ring 31, preventing it from entering the male head body 20 cavity. This blocks the horizontal flow path, ensuring hydraulic transmission in the vertical flow path.

[0037] When the male connector and female connector are inserted, the control fluid pressure in the tubing hanger flow channel a12 disappears. The guide cover 18 ensures that the male connector body 20 and female connector body 2 are aligned. The female connector push rod 4 abuts against the male connector push rod 22. Under the interaction of the female connector push rod 4 and the male connector push rod 22, the female connector push rod 4 separates from the retaining ring 11, and the male connector push rod 22 separates from the male connector body 20. The control fluid passes through the male connector flow channel 26, the support inner cavity 27, and enters the connecting sleeve 35 of the male connector push rod 22. After passing through the push rod through hole 34 of the male connector push rod 22, it enters the male connector push rod flow channel 28 and flows into the male connector push rod. The fluid flows from the inner cavity of the main body 2 into the inner cavity of the end cap 8, and then into the plugging sleeve 38 of the plug 9. It then flows from the plugging through hole 37 of the plug 9 and the side hole 15 of the end cap into the inner cavity b16 of the tubing hanger, and then flows into the downhole control target through the flow channel b17 of the tubing hanger. At this time, the control fluid acts on the plug 9, and the plug 9 blocks the end cap through hole 14. The inner cavity a13 of the tubing hanger is isolated and sealed from the inner cavity b16 of the tubing hanger, ensuring the hydraulic transmission of the horizontal flow path and realizing the flow path switching function of the present invention.

Claims

1. A switchable hydraulic circuit underwater pluggable tee, characterized in that, Includes female and male connectors, and the female and male connectors are plugged in; The female connector includes a cylindrical female connector body (2), and an end cap (8) is threadedly connected to the inner wall of one end of the female connector body (2). An end cap cavity is formed axially inside the end cap (8), and the end cap cavity communicates with the female connector body (2). An end cap through hole (14) is also formed at the top of the end cap (8), and the end cap through hole (14) communicates with the end cap cavity. Several end cap side holes (15) are formed radially on the inclined surface of the end cap (8), and the end cap side holes (15) communicate with the end cap cavity. The male connector includes a hollow male connector body (20), and the inner diameter of the male connector body (20) through which the male connector top rod (22) is inserted is smaller than the inner diameter of the end to which the support (24) is fixed.

2. The underwater pluggable tee hydraulic connector with switchable fluid circuits according to claim 1, characterized in that, The end cap (8) is conical at the end away from the female head body (2), and a plug (9) is provided inside the end cap cavity; a sleeve (6) is provided inside the female head body (2), and a retaining ring (11) is fixed inside the sleeve (6), and the retaining ring (11) and the plug (9) are connected by a spring b (10); a female head inner ring (31) is also fixed inside the female head body (2), and a female head push rod (4) is inserted in the female head inner ring (31), and the female head push rod (4) is connected to the retaining ring (11) by a spring a (5); A support (24) is fixedly connected inside the male head body (20), and a male head push rod (22) is also inserted inside the male head body (20). The male head push rod (22) is connected to the support (24) through a male head spring (23). One end of the male head body (20) through which the male head rod (22) is inserted is inserted into the female head body (2), and the female head rod (4) abuts against the male head rod (22).

3. The underwater pluggable tee hydraulic connector with switchable fluid circuits according to claim 2, characterized in that, The female head push rod (4) and the male head push rod (22) include a push rod cone (33). The large end of the push rod cone (33) is fixedly connected to a connecting sleeve (35). The connection between the push rod cone (33) and the connecting sleeve (35) is provided with a rounded corner that is biased towards the central axis of the push rod cone (33). A push rod through hole (34) is provided in the rounded corner. The small end of the push rod cone (33) is fixedly connected to a through rod (32).

4. The underwater pluggable tee hydraulic connector with switchable fluid circuits according to claim 3, characterized in that, The plug (9) includes a plug cone (36), the large end of which is fixedly connected to a plug sleeve (38). A rounded corner biased towards the central axis of the plug cone (36) is provided at the connection between the plug cone (36) and the plug sleeve (38). A plugging through hole (37) is provided in the rounded corner.

5. The underwater pluggable tee hydraulic connector with switchable fluid circuits according to claim 4, characterized in that, Inside the female head body (2), a seal a (3) is fixedly connected at the contact point between the female head push rod (4) and the male head push rod (22).

6. The underwater pluggable tee hydraulic connector with switchable fluid circuits according to claim 5, characterized in that, A boss is provided on the outside of the sleeve (6), and the boss is located between the female head body (2) and the end cap (8).

7. The underwater pluggable tee hydraulic connector with switchable fluid circuits according to claim 6, characterized in that, The male head body (20) is connected to a guide cover (18) by a positioning screw (19) on the outside.

8. The underwater pluggable tee hydraulic connector with switchable fluid circuits according to claim 7, characterized in that, The guide cover (18) is horn-shaped at the end near the female connector.

9. The underwater pluggable tee hydraulic connector with switchable fluid circuits according to claim 8, characterized in that, An elastic retaining ring (25) is provided inside the male head body (20), and the elastic retaining ring (25) abuts against the end of the support (24) away from the male head body.

10. The underwater pluggable tee hydraulic connector with switchable fluid circuits according to claim 9, characterized in that, The springs a (5), b (10) and the male spring (23) are all helical compression spring structures.

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