Valve based on hydrate phase change driving and control method thereof

Abstract

According to the hydrate phase change driving-based valve and the control method thereof, a valve system comprises two cavities, water and hydrate can be injected into the two cavities to form gas, and the pressure in the cavities can be regulated and controlled through formation or decomposition of the hydrate under the specific temperature and pressure conditions. The phase change of the hydrate is controlled to bring differential pressure to drive the piston to move, and the opening or closing state of the valve is adjusted by changing the position of the center hole. The valve system is provided with a thermoelectric refrigerating / heating device and a temperature and pressure sensor, the state of the valve can be monitored in real time, the phase change of the hydrate is accurately controlled by adjusting the temperature, and therefore the pressure in the cavity is adjusted and controlled, and accurate control over opening and closing of the valve is achieved. The system can be suitable for fluid control under the extreme environment in the fields of petroleum and natural gas transportation and other fluid transportation, has the advantages of being high in adaptability, accurate in automatic control, low in maintenance cost and the like, and can provide a solution for fluid control under the extreme condition.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of fluid control, and particularly to a valve driven by hydrate phase change and its control method. Background Art

[0002] Hydrates are solid cage compounds formed by the combination of gases (such as methane, carbon dioxide, etc.) and water under specific temperature and pressure conditions. Their phase change processes (formation or decomposition) are accompanied by significant volume changes and pressure difference effects. This characteristic provides a new direction for fluid control technology. By precisely regulating the formation and decomposition conditions of hydrates, the pressure difference generated by their phase change can be converted into mechanical driving force.

[0003] Traditional valve control systems mainly rely on mechanical or hydraulic devices to manage fluid flow. Although these systems perform well under standard operating conditions, they may face many challenges in extreme environments such as deep sea, high pressure and low temperature, such as mechanical failures, metal corrosion, difficult maintenance, difficulty in remote control, and high operating costs. Therefore, in these special working conditions, there is an urgent need for a more reliable and adaptable valve control solution to improve the safety and economy of operation.

[0004] If the phase change characteristics of hydrates can be fully utilized to develop a valve driven by hydrate formation and decomposition, it can provide a new technical idea for solving the above problems. By designing a system that can adjust the hydrate state and drive the valve to open and close, not only can precise control be achieved without external power, but also the stability and reliability of the system in extreme environments can be significantly improved. This valve can be applied to fluid control in extreme environments in the fields of oil and gas transportation and other fluid transportation, and has the advantages of strong adaptability, precise automatic control, and low maintenance cost, and can provide a solution for fluid control under extreme conditions. Therefore, researching and developing a valve driven by hydrate phase change has important technical value and application prospects. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of the present invention is to provide a valve driven by hydrate phase change and its control method to solve the problems raised in the above background art.

[0006] To solve the above technical problems, the present invention provides the following technical solutions: A valve driven by hydrate phase change and its control method include:

[0007] The valve has two chambers: Both can be injected with water and hydrate-forming gas, and can regulate the pressure in the chamber through the formation or decomposition of hydrates under specific temperature and pressure conditions. It is also possible to rely only on a single chamber for the regulation of hydrate generation and decomposition, and the other chamber is injected with pure gas for regulation;

[0008] The two chambers of the valve are connected by a piston with a central hole: the piston with a central hole is connected to the two chambers, wherein the central hole is connected to a pipeline to form a fluid passage, and the piston is driven to move by controlling the pressure difference, and the position of the central hole is changed to adjust the valve to be open or closed;

[0009] Thermoelectric cooling / heating device: used to adjust the temperature and pressure in the chamber to control the formation and decomposition process of the hydrate;

[0010] Sensors: Contains temperature sensors and pressure sensors, which are used to monitor the valve status in real time, control the hydrate phase change by changing the ambient temperature, regulate the pressure in the chamber, and achieve precise control of the valve switch.

[0011] Preferably, the valve drive mechanism can drive the piston to move in response to the pressure change caused by the formation or decomposition of hydrates, thereby closing or opening the valve.

[0012] Preferably, the core design goal of the present invention is to convert the phase change characteristics of hydrates into valve control power, thereby reducing failures caused by traditional mechanical structures, simplifying maintenance management, and providing a convenient and adjustable control system to reduce costs and operating difficulties while improving operational flexibility. This valve can be applied to submarine pipelines, fluid transportation control in extreme environments, and fluid systems that require efficient management.

[0013] Preferably, the hydrate-forming gas (such as methane, carbon dioxide, ethane, propane, etc.) injected into the chamber can change the phase equilibrium conditions for hydrate formation by replacing the gas composition according to the usage conditions, and the liquid injected into the chamber can adjust the phase equilibrium conditions for hydrate formation by adding thermodynamic inhibitors (such as methanol, ethanol, ethylene glycol, NaCl, etc.).

[0014] Preferably, the driving force for opening and closing the valve is based on the pressure difference generated by the hydrate phase change, and the hydrate phase equilibrium conditions can be adjusted by changing the type of hydrate-forming gas or adding thermodynamic inhibitors to further regulate the opening and closing sensitivity of the valve.

[0015] Preferably, the sensor and intelligent control unit also includes a data analysis module, which is capable of processing data from the temperature sensor and the pressure sensor, and predicting the state change of the hydrate based on the data, so as to make valve operation instructions in advance.

[0016] Preferably, the valve is provided with a thermoelectric cooling / heating device, which can be remotely controlled to adjust the temperature in the chamber, control the formation and decomposition of hydrates in the chamber, and thus generate a driving force to adjust the opening and closing of the valve.

[0017] Preferably, it is suitable for submarine pipelines, fluid transportation control in extreme environments and energy-saving fluid management systems, and can realize automatic control of valves without external force.

[0018] Preferably, the opening position of the piston assembly can be set to adjust the initial state of the valve according to different application conditions.

[0019] A hydrate phase change-based drive control method, when the valve needs to be closed or opened, the temperature and pressure of the two chambers can be adjusted by remotely controlling a thermoelectric cooling / heating device to promote the formation or decomposition of hydrates, and the pressure difference generated by the formation or decomposition of hydrates can be used to push the piston to move, thereby driving the valve to close or open; the temperature and pressure in the two chambers are monitored and analyzed in real time to ensure the accuracy and timeliness of valve operation.

[0020] Preferably, during the entire working process, the temperature and pressure sensors can continuously collect data and optimize the operating strategy of the valve to improve the stability and efficiency of the system.

[0021] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects achieved by the present invention are:

[0022] The hydrate phase change driven valve and control method thereof provided by the present invention monitors temperature and pressure in real time through a temperature control device and a sensor, can accurately regulate the phase change process of the hydrate to drive the opening and closing of the valve, can remotely realize automatic control of the valve, and improve the controllability of the system.

[0023] Compared with traditional mechanical or hydraulic valves, the phase change driving method adopted by the present invention has higher reliability and stability. The present invention proposes a new design concept by converting the phase change characteristics of hydrates into a power source for valve control, which provides a new technical means for the field of fluid control.

[0024] The hydrate phase change driven valve and control method thereof provided by the present invention can be applied to fluid transport control in extreme environments such as deep sea high pressure and polar low temperature. Since it has no external mechanical controls and does not need to rely on external applied force for control, the risk of valve loss of control due to wear and corrosion and the complex problems caused thereby are reduced, thereby ensuring stable operation under extreme conditions. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the valve driven by hydrate phase change and the control method thereof of the present invention.

[0026] Figure 2 This is a three-dimensional cross-sectional schematic diagram of a valve and pipeline connection based on hydrate phase change drive proposed in the present invention.

[0027] Among them: 1. Chamber; 2. Pressure sensor; 3. Temperature sensor; 4. Injection port; 5. Thermoelectric cooling / heating device; 6. Valve body; 7. Piston center hole; 8. Piston; 9. Wire pipe. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] The following will be combined with the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0029] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the core structure of the system includes two independent chambers, both of which can be injected with water and hydrate-forming gas (such as methane, carbon dioxide, etc.), and the temperature is controlled to cause hydrate formation or decomposition inside, thereby generating a pressure difference change to drive the valve action. The two chambers are closely connected through a piston 8 assembly with a central opening, wherein the central hole of the piston 8 and the external pipeline form a fluid passage. By precisely controlling the phase change process of the hydrate, the piston 8 moves under the action of the pressure difference, and the relative position of the central hole and the pipeline is dynamically adjusted, thereby realizing the opening and closing of the valve and the flow regulation function.

[0030] The system integrates a thermoelectric cooling / heating device 5 and an intelligent temperature control module, which can adjust the temperature in the chamber in real time and accurately control the phase change conditions of the hydrate; it is also equipped with a high-precision temperature and pressure sensor 2, which dynamically optimizes the opening and closing strategy of the valve through real-time data acquisition and algorithm analysis. Compared with traditional mechanical or hydraulic valves, the present invention directly drives the piston 8 to move through the pressure difference generated by the hydrate phase change, without relying on an external power source, significantly reducing the wear and maintenance requirements of mechanical parts, while improving reliability in extreme environments.

[0031] The core design goal of the present invention is to convert the phase change characteristics of hydrates into valve control power, thereby reducing failures caused by traditional mechanical structures, simplifying maintenance management, and providing a convenient and adjustable control system to reduce costs and operating difficulties while improving operational flexibility. This valve can be used in submarine pipelines, fluid transportation control in extreme environments, and fluid systems that require efficient management.

[0032] Chamber A: The chamber is provided with an injection port 4 for injecting liquid and gas; the chamber is provided with access ports for the temperature sensor 3 and the pressure sensor 2, which can be used to connect the temperature and pressure sensors 2; one end of the chamber is connected to the piston 8 assembly; the chamber is resistant to high pressure, and a certain amount of liquid water and hydrate-forming gas can be stored inside, and hydrates can be formed or decomposed under specific temperature and pressure conditions to adjust the pressure of the chamber.

[0033] Chamber B: The chamber is provided with an injection port 4 for injecting liquid and gas; the chamber is provided with access ports for the temperature sensor 3 and the pressure sensor 2, which can be used to connect the temperature and pressure sensors 2; one end of the chamber is connected to the piston 8 assembly; the chamber is resistant to high pressure, and a certain amount of liquid water and hydrate-forming gas can be stored inside, and hydrates can be formed or decomposed under specific temperature and pressure conditions to adjust the pressure of the chamber.

[0034] Piston 8 assembly: An open channel is provided in the center to allow fluid flow, and the two ends are respectively connected to chamber A and chamber B. The piston 8 is driven to move by the pressure change caused by the hydrate phase change. The size of the central channel of the piston 8 can be set according to the inner diameter of the pipeline, and the opening position of the piston 8 assembly can also be set according to the application conditions to adjust the initial state of the valve.

[0035] Thermoelectric cooling / heating device 5: Thermoelectric cooling / heating device 5 is installed outside the chamber and can be used to accurately control the temperature in chamber A and chamber B, so as to control the formation or decomposition of hydrates in the chamber and adjust the pressure of chamber A and chamber B, thereby controlling the movement of piston 8, wherein the temperature control range is 0℃-20℃.

[0036] Sensor: Temperature sensor 3 and pressure sensor 2 can monitor the temperature and pressure changes of the two chambers in real time, and control the phase change of hydrates in combination with the hydrate phase equilibrium change curve to realize the opening and closing operation of the valve.

[0037] Embodiment 1:

[0038] Both chambers of the entire valve are in a fully closed state. Under the condition that the temperature of chamber A and chamber B is not controlled, the pressure of chamber A and chamber B is the same, and the piston is in a fixed position. At this time, the channel in the center of the piston is interconnected with the pipeline to form a passage, and the fluid flows out of the valve. At this time, the valve is in a fully open state.

[0039] Embodiment 2:

[0040] Close the open valve: adjust the temperature of chamber A (or B) through a thermoelectric cooling / heating device. When the temperature reaches the hydrate phase equilibrium temperature, hydrates will form in chamber A (or B), causing the pressure in chamber A (or B) to drop, driving the piston to move toward the hydrate formation chamber A (or B). The channel in the center of the piston will be offset from the pipeline, thereby adjusting the fluid flow. When the channel in the center of the piston is completely offset from the pipeline, it means that the valve is closed and the fluid can no longer pass through the valve.

[0041] Embodiment three:

[0042] Open the closed valve: adjust the temperature of chamber A (or B) through the thermoelectric cooling / heating device. When the temperature is higher than the hydrate phase equilibrium temperature, the hydrate in chamber A (or B) will decompose, causing the pressure in chamber A (or B) to increase, driving the piston to move toward chamber B (or A), and the channel in the center of the piston slowly overlaps with the pipeline channel, thereby adjusting the fluid flow. When the channel in the center of the piston completely overlaps with the pipeline, it means that the valve is fully opened.

[0043] The drawings in the specification of this application are for schematic purposes only. The sizes and shapes of the components shown therein are not actually limited but are merely schematic representations. In actual implementation, the components can be reasonably configured and adjusted according to specific needs and actual conditions.

[0044] It should be noted that, in this article, relational terms such as first and second, etc. are only used to distinguish one entity or operation from another entity or operation, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Moreover, the terms "include", "comprise" or any other variants thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, so that a process, method, article or device including a series of elements includes not only those elements, but also other elements not explicitly listed, or also includes elements inherent to such process, method, article or device.

[0045] Finally, it should be noted that the above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the aforementioned embodiments, those skilled in the art can still modify the technical solutions described in the aforementioned embodiments or replace some of the technical features therein by equivalents. Any modification, equivalent replacement, improvement, etc. made within the spirit and principle of the present invention shall be included in the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A valve driven by hydrate phase change, characterized in that: include: The valve has two chambers (1): both can be injected with water and hydrate-forming gas, and can regulate the pressure in the chamber (1) through the formation or decomposition of hydrates under specific temperature and pressure conditions. It can also rely on only one chamber (1) to regulate the formation and decomposition of hydrates, and the other chamber (1) can be injected with pure gas for regulation; The two chambers (1) of the valve are connected by a piston (8) with a central hole: the piston (8) with a central hole is connected to the two chambers (1), wherein the central hole is connected to a pipeline to form a fluid passage, and the piston (8) is driven to move by controlling the pressure difference, thereby changing the position of the central hole to adjust the valve to be open or closed; Thermoelectric cooling / heating device (5): used to adjust the temperature in the chamber (1), thereby controlling the formation and decomposition process of the hydrate; Sensor: comprising a temperature sensor (3) and a pressure sensor (2), which are used to monitor the valve status in real time, control the hydrate phase change by changing the ambient temperature, regulate the pressure in the chamber (1), and realize precise control of the valve switch.

2. A hydrate phase change driven valve and control method thereof according to claim 1, characterized in that: The valve driving mechanism can drive the piston (8) to move in response to the pressure change caused by the formation or decomposition of hydrates, thereby closing or opening the valve.

3. A hydrate phase change driven valve and control method thereof according to claim 2, characterized in that: The hydrate-forming gas (such as methane, carbon dioxide, ethane, propane, etc.) injected into the chamber (1) can change the phase equilibrium conditions of hydrate formation by changing the gas composition according to the use conditions, and the liquid injected into the chamber (1) can adjust the phase equilibrium conditions of hydrate formation by adding thermodynamic inhibitors (such as methanol, ethanol, ethylene glycol, NaCl, etc.).

4. A hydrate phase change driven valve and control method thereof according to claim 1, characterized in that: The driving force for opening and closing the valve is based on the pressure difference generated by the hydrate phase change, and the hydrate phase equilibrium conditions can be adjusted by changing the type of hydrate-forming gas or adding thermodynamic inhibitors to further control the opening and closing sensitivity of the valve.

5. The hydrate phase change driven valve and control method thereof according to claim 1, characterized in that: The sensor and intelligent control unit also includes a data analysis module, which is capable of processing data from the temperature sensor (3) and the pressure sensor (2), and predicting the state change of the hydrate based on the data, thereby issuing valve operation instructions in advance.

6. A hydrate phase change driven valve and control method thereof according to claim 1, characterized in that: The valve is provided with a thermoelectric cooling / heating device (5) which can be remotely controlled to adjust the temperature in the chamber (1) and control the formation and decomposition of hydrates in the chamber (1), thereby generating a driving force to adjust the opening and closing of the valve.

7. A hydrate phase change driven valve and control method thereof according to claim 1, characterized in that: It is suitable for submarine pipelines, fluid transportation control in extreme environments and energy-saving fluid management systems, and can realize automatic control of valves without external force.

8. The hydrate phase change driven valve and control method thereof according to claim 1, characterized in that: The opening position of the piston (8) assembly can be set to adjust the initial state of the valve according to different application conditions.

9. A hydrate phase change drive control method according to claims 1-8, characterized in that: When it is necessary to close or open the valve, the temperature and pressure of the two chambers (1) can be adjusted by remotely controlling the thermoelectric cooling / heating device (5) to promote the formation or decomposition of hydrates, and the pressure difference generated by the formation or decomposition of hydrates can be used to push the piston (8) to move, thereby driving the valve to close or open; the temperature and pressure in the two chambers (1) can be monitored and analyzed in real time to ensure the accuracy and timeliness of valve operation.

10. The method for controlling the hydrate phase change drive according to claim 1, characterized in that: During the entire working process, the temperature and pressure sensor (2) can continuously collect data and optimize the valve operation strategy to improve the stability and efficiency of the system.

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