A needle throttle valve suitable for high pressure and super high pressure drilling equipment

Abstract

A needle-type throttle valve suitable for both high-pressure and ultra-high-pressure drilling and production equipment has a main body in the shape of a quadrangular prism with a U-shaped three-way valve cavity machined inside. A valve cover assembly, a union nut, and a valve stem are sequentially installed on the top of the valve body and in the valve cavity. A valve seat cover, a sealing gasket, and a hard alloy valve seat are installed in the valve cavity below the valve body. The left side of the valve body and the valve cavity serve as the inlet channel, while a pressure relief valve is installed on the right side. A handwheel and an indicator cover are fixed to the upper end of the valve stem, and a needle valve core is connected to the lower end of the valve stem. The needle valve core extends into the center hole of the valve seat to regulate the flow rate. The indicator cover, fitted onto the cylinder at the top of the valve cover, displays the flow rate regulation status. Under high-pressure conditions, the sealing assembly uses two layers of lace rubber sealing rings, and a short valve seat is used. Under ultra-high-pressure conditions, the sealing assembly uses a combination of three layers of sealing rings with different cross-sections, and a long valve seat is used. This design ensures pressure and wear resistance, accurate metering, good versatility, and cost-effectiveness.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to a "needle-type throttle valve" used in oil and gas drilling and production equipment. Background Technology

[0002] Needle valves, with their simple structure, wide adjustment range, accurate flow control, and ease of maintenance and replacement, have become the most widely used, longest-established, and most widely used type of throttle valve. However, with changes in my country's oil and gas extraction situation, the pressure levels and working diameters of oil and gas drilling equipment are constantly increasing, which has become a major development trend. Existing needle valves, under the impact of high pressure or ultra-high pressure sand-containing fluids exceeding 100MPa, suffer from problems such as rapid wear of the valve core and seat, easy damage to seals, incompatibility of parts, and difficulty in supporting and fixing the bulky valve. Therefore, it is essential to innovate the design of needle valves to meet the needs of high-pressure and ultra-high-pressure oil and gas drilling equipment. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The purpose of this invention is to provide a special needle-type throttle valve that can be adapted to both high-pressure and ultra-high-pressure oil and gas drilling and production equipment by replacing two parts of the same size.

[0004] This utility model includes a valve body, a valve cover, a union nut, a valve stem, a handwheel, an indicator cover, a pressure relief valve, a needle valve core, a valve seat cover, and a valve seat. Its key features are: the main body of the valve body is a quadrangular prism with a stud head machined at the upper end; a U-shaped three-way valve cavity is machined inside the valve body; a valve cover assembly, a union nut, and a valve stem are sequentially installed on the top of the valve body and in the valve cavity; a valve seat cover, a sealing gasket, and a hard alloy valve seat are installed in the valve cavity below the valve body; the left side of the valve body and the valve cavity are the inlet channel. A pressure relief valve is installed in a stepped hole with tapered pipe threads on the right side of the valve body; the threaded part of the valve stem is connected to the threaded hole in the center of the valve cover, and the rough smooth part of the valve stem is in contact with the sealing assembly installed in the center hole of the valve cover. The handwheel and the indicator cover are fixed at the upper end of the valve stem with a flat key, a large flat washer, a spring washer and a hex bolt. The needle valve core is connected at the lower end of the valve stem with a groove and a set screw. The needle valve core extends into the center hole of the valve seat to regulate the flow rate, and the indicator cover is fitted on the cylinder at the upper end of the valve cover to show the flow rate regulation status.

[0005] Furthermore, under high-pressure conditions, the sealing rings used in the sealing assembly are two layers of lace rubber sealing rings, and the valve seat used is a short valve seat; under ultra-high-pressure conditions, the sealing rings used in the sealing assembly are three layers of combined sealing rings with different cross-sections, and the valve seat used is a long valve seat.

[0006] Furthermore, the needle valve core used in this utility model has a flat cylinder and two opposing radial screw holes at the top, and the other parts are cones with a 30° pointed angle. The center is a cylindrical blind hole with a bottom cone, which is perpendicular to the radial screw holes on both sides. The needle valve core is made of 12Cr13 steel as the main body, and a cobalt chromium tungsten (molybdenum) hard alloy wear-resistant layer with a thickness of ≥3 mm is deposited on its conical surface.

[0007] Because the valve body of this invention is a quadrangular prism, it is more conducive to the support and fixation of high-pressure, ultra-high-pressure, and large-diameter valves. The use of a needle valve core and a hard alloy valve seat with hard alloy overlay provides superior wear resistance and a longer service life. Furthermore, as vulnerable parts, the valve core and valve seat employ easy-to-disassemble fixing methods at their own components and at the connection between the valve body and valve cover, allowing for convenient replacement and significantly extending the valve's service life. An indicator cover fitted onto the cylinder at the top of the valve cover displays the adjustment status, preventing wind and sand in Northwest China from corroding the flow adjustment indicator and the valve's internal components. A locking screw and oil cup are installed in the upper middle part of the valve cover to assist in locking the valve stem, preventing loosening, and providing rotational lubrication. In addition, this invention uses two sealing components and valve seats of the same assembly size to address high-pressure and ultra-high-pressure conditions respectively, ensuring throttle valve performance, improving the versatility of other components, reducing costs, and facilitating production. Attached Figure Description

[0008] Figure 1 This is a full sectional view of the overall structure of this utility model adapted to high-voltage working conditions;

[0009] Figure 2 This is a full sectional view of the overall structure of this utility model adapted to ultra-high pressure working conditions;

[0010] Figure 3 This utility model Figure 1 , Figure 2 Schematic diagram of cross-section at point AA;

[0011] Figure 4 This utility model Figure 1 Enlarged cross-sectional diagram of the medium elastic sealing ring;

[0012] Figure 5 This utility model Figure 1 A magnified top view of the valve seat gland and the valve seat itself.

[0013] The component names shown in the diagram are as follows:

[0014] 1. Valve body, 2. Valve cover, 3. Union nut, 4. Locking screw, 5. Valve stem, 6. Flat key, 7. Large flat washer, 8. Spring washer, 9. Hex bolt, 10. Handwheel, 11. Indicator cover, 12. Oil cup, 13. Shaft retaining ring, 14. Elastic sealing ring, 15. Sealing assembly, 16. Hole retaining ring, 17. Pressure relief valve, 18. Set screw, 19. Needle valve core, 20. Valve seat gland, 21. Sealing washer, 22. Valve seat, 23. Wear-resistant layer. Detailed Implementation

[0015] The specific embodiments of this utility model will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings:

[0016] Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 3 The main components of this utility model include a valve body 1, a valve cover 2, a union nut 3, a valve stem 5, a handwheel 10, an indicator cover 11, an oil cup 12, a pressure relief valve 17, a needle valve core 19, a valve seat cover 20, and a valve seat 22. Together with matching seals and connecting parts, they form a unique needle throttle valve product. To handle both high-pressure and ultra-high-pressure conditions, this utility model offers two options for the sealing assembly 15 and valve seat 22, each with the same assembly dimensions but significantly different shapes. Under high-pressure conditions, the sealing ring used in the sealing assembly 15 is a two-layer lace rubber sealing ring, and the valve seat 22 is a short valve seat. Under ultra-high-pressure conditions, the sealing ring used in the sealing assembly 15 is a combination of three layers with different cross-sections, and the valve seat 22 is a long valve seat.

[0017] In the main components of this utility model, the valve body 1 is a quadrangular prism, with a stud head machined at the upper end of the quadrangular prism. A U-shaped three-way valve cavity is machined inside the valve body 1. The center of the U-shaped three-way valve cavity is a chamber with a large cylindrical hole. The left side is a cylindrical through hole of the same diameter, the upper part is a cylindrical through hole with a flared mouth, and the lower part is a stepped through hole composed of a larger diameter threaded hole, a relief groove, and a smaller diameter cylindrical hole. A valve cover assembly, a union nut 3, and a valve stem 5 are sequentially installed on the top of the valve body 1 and in the valve cavity. A valve seat cover 20, a sealing washer 21, and a valve seat 22 are installed in the valve cavity below the valve body 1. The left side of the valve body 1 and the valve cavity are the inlet channels, and the valve seat and the valve cavity below the valve body 1 are the outlet channels. A trapezoidal gasket groove and evenly distributed stud holes are machined at both the inlet and outlet of the channels for external connection. A pressure relief valve 17 is installed in a stepped hole with tapered pipe threads on the right side of the valve body 1 to release residual pressure in the valve cavity during maintenance.

[0018] The valve cover assembly consists of a valve cover 2, a locking screw 4, an oil cup 12, a shaft retaining ring 13, an elastic sealing ring 14, a sealing assembly 15, and a bore retaining ring 16. As the main body of the valve cover component, the valve cover 2 is a hollow rotating part. The middle and upper parts are two cylinders with different diameters, and the lower part is a cylinder with the same diameter. Between the middle and lower cylinders is a raised shoulder with a right-angled plane on the top and a 45° slope on the bottom. The throttling adjustment position line and the equivalent orifice diameter value are engraved on the surface of the upper cylinder with a smaller diameter. The locking screw 4 and oil cup 12 are respectively installed in two symmetrical threaded holes above the middle cylinder with a larger diameter. The shaft retaining ring 13 is installed in a groove below the middle. The elastic sealing ring 14 is installed in two grooves below the lower cylinder with the same diameter. The center of the valve cover 2, from top to bottom, has a trapezoidal threaded hole, a slightly larger diameter cylindrical hole, a cylindrical hole with an enlarged diameter for installing the sealing component 15, and a groove for the mounting hole retaining ring 16.

[0019] The union nut 3 is a common nut part in union joint components manufactured according to international standards. Its outer surface is a cylinder with three evenly distributed flanges on the top of the cylinder to facilitate hammering for disassembly and assembly. Its inner center has a stepped through hole consisting of a small-diameter cylindrical hole, a large-diameter relief groove, and a slightly smaller-diameter threaded hole, which is used to connect the valve body 1 and the pressure valve cover 2.

[0020] The valve stem 5 consists of, from top to bottom, a cylindrical end with the smallest diameter, a trapezoidal screw with an increased diameter, a thicker smooth rod with an even larger diameter, and a cylindrical end with a reduced diameter. On the surface of the cylindrical end with the smallest diameter above it, there is an axial groove for mounting a flat key 6. On the surface of the cylindrical end with a reduced diameter below it, there is an annular groove. A spiral blind hole is machined on its top. The valve stem 5 is made entirely of 12Cr13 steel and is hardened to withstand the impact of high-pressure and ultra-high-pressure sand-containing fluids. The screw portion of valve stem 5 is connected to the threaded hole in the center of valve cover 2. The rough rod portion of valve stem 5 is in contact with the sealing assembly 15 installed in the center hole of valve cover 2. The handwheel 10 and the indicator cover 11 are fixed at the upper end of valve stem 5 by a flat key 6, a large flat washer 7, a spring washer 8 and a hex bolt 9. The needle valve core 19 is connected at the lower end of valve stem 5 by a groove and a set screw 18. Driven by the handwheel 10, valve stem 5, carrying the needle valve core 19, penetrates into the center hole of valve seat 22 and moves up and down to regulate the flow. The indicator cover 11 is fitted on the cylinder at the upper end of valve cover 2 and displays the flow regulation status as valve stem 5 moves up and down.

[0021] The indicator cover 11 is a hollow cylindrical part with an open top cover and a 45° chamfered bottom edge to facilitate observation of the throttling adjustment position line and the equivalent orifice diameter value on the upper cylinder of the valve cover 2.

[0022] Figure 1 , Figure 4In the valve cover component, the two elastic sealing rings 14 have parallel straight edges on the radial section, an arc-shaped groove on the inner edge, and an arc-shaped protrusion on the outer edge. The material is "FKM fluororubber" or "HNBR high-saturation hydrogenated nitrile rubber", which can effectively prevent leakage of high-pressure or ultra-high-pressure fluids.

[0023] The sealing assembly 15 in the valve cover component of this utility model consists of two layers of metal gaskets and two different sealing rings in the middle. These are two components with the same assembly dimensions but significantly different shapes: under high-pressure conditions, the sealing rings used in the sealing assembly 15 are two layers of lace-shaped rubber sealing rings; under ultra-high-pressure conditions, the sealing rings used in the sealing assembly 15 are three layers of combined sealing rings with different cross-sections. The lace-shaped rubber sealing rings are standard parts, and their material is "FKM fluororubber" or "HNBR high-saturation hydrogenated nitrile rubber"; the three layers of combined sealing rings with different cross-sections consist of a square V-groove sealing ring on the top, a symmetrical wing-shaped sealing ring on the second, and a bell-shaped composite sealing ring on the third. When stacked: the V-groove below the top sealing ring matches the tip above the second sealing ring; the V-groove and square groove below the second sealing ring match the tip above the bell-shaped composite sealing ring on the third; and a ⊥-shaped retaining ring is inserted into the inner cavity of the bell-shaped composite sealing ring on the third. To cope with ultra-high pressure conditions, the entire body of the square V-groove section sealing ring, the symmetrical wing section sealing ring, and the ⊥-shaped retaining ring in the combined seal 15, as well as the shell of the bell-shaped section composite sealing ring, are all molded from "PEEK polyether ether ketone" special engineering plastic. Inside the cavity of the bell-shaped section composite sealing ring, there is a ring spring with a top bent into an arc and a V-shaped section. This ring spring is made of "Elgiloy" non-magnetic alloy thin steel plate by stamping and welding.

[0024] The needle valve core 19 used in this utility model has a flat cylinder and two opposing radial screw holes at the top, and the other parts are cones with a 30° pointed angle. The center is a cylindrical blind hole with a bottom cone, which is perpendicular to the radial screw holes on both sides. The needle valve core 19 is made of 12Cr13 steel as the main body, and a cobalt chromium tungsten (molybdenum) hard alloy wear-resistant layer 23 with a thickness of ≥3 mm is welded on its conical surface to achieve the best effect in terms of wear resistance, corrosion resistance, machinability and quality cost.

[0025] Figure 1 , Figure 5 In the middle, the valve seat cover 20 is a hollow cylindrical part made of 12Cr13 steel and quenched. Its outer periphery is a stud body so that it can be screwed into the threaded hole with a larger diameter at the bottom of the valve body 1. Its center is a stepped hole with a smaller diameter at the top and a larger diameter at the bottom so as to press the valve seat 22. Four evenly distributed grooves are cut on the upper surface of the valve seat cover 20 so as to be disassembled and installed with a wrench.

[0026] The valve seat 22 used in this utility model consists of two parts with the same assembly dimensions but significantly different shapes: a short valve seat for high-pressure operation and a long valve seat for ultra-high-pressure operation. Both parts are made of tungsten-cobalt hard alloy YG8 material. The short valve seat is composed of two short cylindrical assemblies with a smaller upper diameter and a larger lower diameter, which are clamped by the center hole of the valve seat cover 20. The long valve seat extends downward from the short valve seat to cover the entire outlet channel of the valve body 1, thereby enhancing the protection of the valve body 1. The center of both the short and long valve seats is a cylindrical through hole of the same diameter, which is used to throttle the flow in conjunction with the needle valve core 19.

[0027] The handwheel 10, oil cup 12 and pressure relief valve 17 used in this utility model are all common parts for petroleum machinery; the other flat keys, screws, bolts, washers and retaining rings are all common standard parts, and will not be described in detail.

Claims

1. A needle-type throttle valve suitable for both high-pressure and ultra-high-pressure drilling and production equipment, comprising a valve body, valve cover, union nut, valve stem, handwheel, indicator cover, pressure relief valve, needle valve core, valve seat gland, and valve seat, characterized in that: The valve body is primarily a quadrangular prism with a stud head machined at its upper end. Inside the valve body is a U-shaped three-way valve chamber. A valve cover assembly, union nut, and valve stem are sequentially mounted on the upper part of the valve body and within the valve chamber. A valve seat gland, sealing washer, and hard alloy valve seat are installed in the valve chamber below the valve body. The left side of the valve body and the valve chamber serve as the inlet channel. A pressure relief valve is installed in a stepped hole with tapered pipe threads on the right side of the valve body. The threaded portion of the valve stem connects to the threaded hole in the center of the valve cover, while the rough, smooth portion of the valve stem contacts the sealing assembly installed in the center hole of the valve cover. A handwheel and indicator cover are secured to the upper end of the valve stem using a flat key, large flat washer, spring washer, and hexagonal bolts. A needle valve core is connected to the lower end of the valve stem using a groove and set screw. The needle valve core extends into the center hole of the valve seat for flow regulation, and the indicator cover, fitted onto the cylinder at the upper end of the valve cover, displays the flow regulation status.

2. The needle-type throttle valve according to claim 1, applicable to both high-pressure and ultra-high-pressure drilling and production equipment, is characterized in that: Under high pressure conditions, the sealing rings used in the sealing assembly are two layers of lace rubber sealing rings, and the valve seat used is a short valve seat; under ultra-high pressure conditions, the sealing rings used in the sealing assembly are three layers of combined sealing rings with different cross-sections, and the valve seat used is a long valve seat.

3. The needle-type throttle valve according to claim 2, applicable to both high-pressure and ultra-high-pressure drilling and production equipment, is characterized in that: The lace-shaped rubber sealing ring is a standard part, and its material is "FKM fluororubber" or "HNBR high-saturation hydrogenated nitrile rubber". It is a combination of three layers with different cross-sections. The top layer is a sealing ring with a square V-groove cross-section, the second layer is a sealing ring with a symmetrical airfoil cross-section, and the third layer is a composite sealing ring with a bell-shaped cross-section. When stacked: the V-groove under the top sealing ring matches the tip of the second sealing ring, the V-groove and square groove under the second sealing ring match the tip of the third layer of the composite sealing ring with a bell-shaped cross-section, and a ⊥-shaped retaining ring is inserted in the inner cavity of the third layer of the composite sealing ring with a bell-shaped cross-section.

4. The needle-type throttle valve according to claim 1, applicable to both high-pressure and ultra-high-pressure drilling and production equipment, is characterized in that: The center of the ┣-shaped three-way valve chamber inside the valve body is a chamber with a large cylindrical hole. On the left side is a cylindrical through hole of the same diameter, above is a cylindrical through hole with a flared mouth, and below is a stepped through hole composed of a larger diameter threaded hole, a relief groove, and a smaller diameter cylindrical hole.

5. The needle-type throttle valve according to claim 1, applicable to both high-pressure and ultra-high-pressure drilling and production equipment, is characterized in that: The valve cover is a hollow rotating part. The middle and upper parts are two cylinders with different diameters, and the lower part is a cylinder of the same diameter. Between the middle and lower cylinders is a raised shoulder with a right-angled plane on top and a 45° slope on the bottom. The surface of the upper cylinder with a smaller diameter is engraved with the position line for throttling adjustment and the equivalent orifice diameter value. The upper cylinder with a larger diameter has two symmetrical threaded holes above it, which are respectively equipped with locking screws and oil cups. A groove in the lower middle section contains a shaft retaining ring. The lower cylinder with the same diameter has two grooves below it, each containing an elastic sealing ring. The center of the valve cover, from top to bottom, consists of a trapezoidal threaded hole, a slightly larger diameter cylindrical hole, a cylindrical hole with an enlarged diameter for installing the sealing component, and a groove for the mounting hole retaining ring.

6. The needle-type throttle valve according to claim 1, applicable to both high-pressure and ultra-high-pressure drilling and production equipment, is characterized in that: The valve stem, from top to bottom, consists of a cylindrical end with the smallest diameter, a trapezoidal screw with an increased diameter, a thicker smooth rod with an even larger diameter, and a cylindrical end with a reduced diameter. The surface of the cylindrical end with the smallest diameter at the top has an axial groove for mounting a flat key, and the surface of the cylindrical end with a reduced diameter at the bottom has an annular groove. A spiral blind hole is machined at the top of the stem. The entire valve stem is made of 12Cr13 steel and has undergone quenching treatment.

7. The needle-type throttle valve according to claim 1, applicable to both high-pressure and ultra-high-pressure drilling and production equipment, is characterized in that: The needle valve core has a flat cylinder and two opposing radial screw holes at the top, while the rest of the parts are cones with a 30° pointed angle. The center is a cylindrical blind hole with a bottom cone, which is perpendicular to the radial screw holes on both sides. The needle valve core is made of 12Cr13 steel, and a cobalt chromium tungsten hard alloy wear-resistant layer with a thickness of ≥3 mm is welded onto its conical surface.

8. The needle-type throttle valve according to claim 1, applicable to both high-pressure and ultra-high-pressure drilling and production equipment, is characterized in that: Valve seat is Two parts with the same assembly dimensions but significantly different shapes are both made of tungsten-cobalt hard alloy YG8 material. The short valve seat consists of two short cylindrical assemblies with a smaller diameter at the top and a larger diameter at the bottom. The long valve seat is a pipe that extends downward from the short valve seat, covering the entire outlet channel of the valve body. At the center of both the short and long valve seats is a cylindrical through hole of the same diameter.

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