Oilfield gathering station self-cleaning gate valve

Abstract

The utility model relates to an oilfield gathering and transferring station self-cleaning gate valve belongs to oilfield valve equipment technical field. To solve the problem that the valve plate is not opened in place due to the sand accumulation at the bottom of the valve cavity when the existing horizontal gate valve is used to treat the sand-containing crude oil. The utility model discloses a valve body and valve cover, valve rod transverse setting, valve plate horizontal motion, and the sand discharge mechanism is fixedly connected on the valve rod in the valve cavity. When the valve is opened, the reversible scraper of the sand discharge mechanism is automatically turned to one side of the valve plate under the action of fluid to form a sand discharge channel. When the valve is closed, the reversible scraper is automatically closed under the action of fluid to form a push plate, which pushes the sand and gravel at the bottom of the valve cavity forward and discharges them into the main flow channel through the sand discharge pipe at the bottom of the valve body. The utility model has the advantages of simple structure and reliable action, and the automatic sand cleaning at the bottom of the valve cavity can be realized by using the opening and closing action of the valve itself, which effectively prevents the valve failure caused by sand accumulation and ensures the long-term reliable operation of the valve under the sand-containing working condition.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to a self-cleaning gate valve for an oilfield gathering and transportation station, belonging to the technical field of oilfield valve equipment. Background Technology

[0002] In the gathering and transportation stage of oil extraction, crude oil is transported from oil wells to gathering stations for preliminary processing. This crude oil typically contains gravel and impurities from the formation. To recover heat from the high-temperature crude oil in pipelines, or to prevent pipeline freezing in cold environments, pipelines and valve equipment usually require insulation layers, such as… Figure 1 As shown, an insulation box 2 is wrapped around the outside of the gate valve 1, and an insulation pipe 3 is wrapped around the outside of the pipeline.

[0003] In gathering and transmission pipelines, horizontally installed rising stem gate valves are commonly used shut-off devices. These gate valves have a horizontally positioned stem, and the valve plate reciprocates horizontally within the valve cavity to open and close the vertical flow channel. Their structure dictates that after the valve plate opens, it retracts into a cavity on one side of the flow channel; this cavity is commonly referred to in the industry as the "valve cavity." Because this valve cavity is located outside the main flow channel and has a slow flow velocity, grit and sand in the fluid are easily deposited here under gravity, especially at the bottom of the valve cavity.

[0004] Over time, more and more gravel accumulates at the bottom of the valve chamber. This gravel obstructs the valve plate during movement, preventing it from fully opening – a condition known as "incomplete opening." Furthermore, when closing the valve, the accumulated gravel can damage the sealing surfaces of the valve plate or seat, leading to permanent valve failure. Current solutions typically involve periodically shutting down the system, disassembling the valve cover, and manually cleaning the valve chamber. This is not only time-consuming and labor-intensive but also severely impacts continuous oilfield production. Utility Model Content

[0005] The purpose of this utility model is to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art and provide a self-cleaning gate valve for oilfield gathering and transportation stations that is simple in structure, reliable in operation, and can automatically remove the sand and gravel deposited at the bottom of the valve cavity by utilizing the valve's own opening and closing action.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: A self-cleaning gate valve for an oilfield gathering and transportation station includes a valve body and a valve cover. The valve body has a vertical liquid flow channel, and the valve cover is connected to an opening on the side of the valve body. A valve stem passes horizontally through the valve cover, with a handwheel at one end and the other end extending into the valve cavity of the valve body. A valve plate is connected to the inner end of the valve stem and is used for horizontal movement to block or open the liquid flow channel. It also includes a sand discharge mechanism installed in the valve cavity.

[0007] The sand removal mechanism includes a scraper assembly and a drive and connection assembly. The scraper assembly includes a scraper support and a reversible scraper hinged to the scraper support. When the valve is open, it flips open to one side of the valve plate under the action of fluid, forming a sand removal channel; when the valve is closed, it flips closed again under the action of fluid and fits tightly against the scraper support, forming a robust pusher for pushing the sand and gravel.

[0008] The drive and connection assembly connects the scraper assembly to the valve stem, enabling the horizontal reciprocating motion of the valve stem to drive the scraper assembly to move synchronously at the bottom of the valve chamber.

[0009] In addition, at the bottom of the valve chamber of the valve body, on one side of the liquid flow channel, there is a sand discharge pipe that connects the bottom of the valve chamber to the liquid flow channel, providing a channel for the pushed sand to be discharged.

[0010] This invention cleverly transforms the valve's opening and closing action into a sand-cleaning action by adding a sand-discharging mechanism linked to the valve stem inside the valve cavity. When the valve is closed, the sand-discharging mechanism pushes the deposited sand at the bottom of the valve cavity towards the sand discharge port and discharges it; when the valve is opened, it automatically opens the channel to avoid obstructing sand discharge. The entire process is fully automated, requiring no additional power or manual intervention, fundamentally solving the valve opening and closing failure caused by sand accumulation in the valve cavity.

[0011] The drive and connection assembly includes a ring, which is fitted and fixed to one end of the valve stem near the valve plate.

[0012] Preferably, the drive and connection assembly further includes an elastic telescopic mechanism connected between the collar and the scraper bracket, for enabling the scraper bracket to elastically fit against the bottom surface of the valve cavity.

[0013] Furthermore, the elastic telescopic mechanism includes a sleeve fixed to the bottom of the collar and a pin fixed to the top of the scraper bracket; the pin is slidably disposed in the sleeve, and the sleeve is also provided with a compression spring for abutting the pin.

[0014] Preferably, the bottom surface of the valve cavity faces the inlet of the sand discharge pipe and is formed as a funnel groove.

[0015] Preferably, the scraper support is a hollowed-out annular or frame-shaped structure.

[0016] Preferably, the top of the flip-up scraper is hinged to the top of the scraper bracket via a hinge shaft, and the top of the scraper bracket is provided with hinge sleeves on both sides, and the two ends of the hinge shaft are respectively detachably installed in the corresponding hinge sleeves.

[0017] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects: 1. Automatic cleaning ensures reliable valve operation: This invention integrates the sand-cleaning action with the normal opening and closing operation of the valve, making each valve closure an effective sand-cleaning operation. It can continuously and automatically remove the deposited sand and gravel at the bottom of the valve cavity, fundamentally preventing malfunctions such as improper valve opening and closing or jamming caused by sand accumulation, and greatly improving the operational reliability of the valve under harsh sandy conditions.

[0018] 2. Improved production efficiency and reduced maintenance costs: Online self-cleaning completely eliminates the need for tedious and time-consuming maintenance tasks such as shutdowns, pressure relief, valve cover disassembly, and manual sand removal required due to sand accumulation in the valve cavity. This not only significantly reduces labor maintenance costs and spare parts consumption, but more importantly, it ensures the continuity of production at the oilfield gathering and transportation station, minimizing economic losses caused by production stoppages.

[0019] 3. Protect sealing surfaces and extend valve service life: By promptly removing grit from the valve seat area, permanent damage such as scratches and dents caused by grit to the valve plate and valve seat sealing surfaces is effectively avoided when the valve is forcibly closed. This significantly extends the service life of the valve's core sealing components, thereby extending the overall service life of the valve.

[0020] 4. Simple and reliable structure, easy to implement and promote: The sand discharge mechanism of this utility model is a purely mechanical structure with few parts, reliable operation, and no complex transmission system or external energy requirement. Its design can be easily integrated into the manufacture of existing horizontal gate valves or used to modify existing valves, and it has good economic benefits and broad application prospects. Attached Figure Description

[0021] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the installation structure of this utility model (including the insulation box and insulation pipe). Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram showing the present invention after removing the insulation box and insulation pipe; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of this utility model; Figure 4 This is a longitudinal sectional view of the overall structure of this utility model; Figure 5 for Figure 4 A magnified view of part A in the middle; Figure 6 This is a cross-sectional view of the overall structure of this utility model; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the sand discharge mechanism of this utility model in the "valve open" state. Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the sand discharge mechanism of this utility model in the "valve closed" state. Figure 9This is a schematic diagram of the valve body (showing the sand discharge pipe and funnel groove inside the valve body). Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the valve body (showing the position of the sand discharge pipe on the valve body); Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the installation process of the flip-up scraper on the scraper bracket.

[0022] In the diagram: 1. Gate valve; 2. Insulation box; 3. Insulation pipe; 4. Valve body; 5. Valve cover; 6. Handwheel; 7. Valve stem; 8. Valve plate; 9. Sealing ring; 10. Sand discharge pipe; 11. Valve nut; 12. Fastening screw; 13. Collar; 14. Compression spring; 15. Tilting scraper; 16. Scraper bracket; 17. Pin; 18. Sleeve; 19. Funnel groove; 20. Hinge shaft; 21. Hinge sleeve. Detailed Implementation

[0023] The present invention will be further described below with reference to specific embodiments.

[0024] The description of this utility model is merely a structural or even functional description of the embodiments, and the scope of this utility model is not limited by the embodiments described herein.

[0025] like Figures 1-11 As shown, this embodiment is achieved through the following technical solution: This utility model provides a self-cleaning gate valve for an oilfield gathering and transportation station. The gate valve 1 can be externally fitted with an insulation box 2 according to process requirements, and the connected pipeline is fitted with an insulation pipe 3. The gate valve 1 mainly includes a valve body 4 and a valve cover. The valve stem 7 has external threads and passes horizontally through the valve cover 5. A handwheel 6 is connected to the outer end of the valve stem 7. The handwheel 6 drives the non-rotating valve stem 7 to perform horizontal linear reciprocating motion by rotating a fixed valve nut 11. The inner end of the valve stem 7 is connected to a valve plate 8, which moves horizontally within the valve cavity to block or open the vertical liquid flow channel within the valve body 4. The liquid flow channel is sealed to the valve plate 8 by a sealing ring 9.

[0026] The valve cavity of this utility model is provided with a sand discharge mechanism, which is composed of multiple components. A collar 13 is securely fitted onto the end of the valve stem 7 near the valve plate 8 by fastening screws 12, and a sleeve 18 is vertically fixed to the bottom of the collar 13.

[0027] A scraper bracket 16, with a width comparable to the valve cavity, is preferably a hollow annular or frame-shaped structure to reduce weight and fluid resistance. A pin 17 is fixedly connected to the center of its top. The pin 17 is slidably inserted into the sleeve 18. A compression spring 14 is installed inside the sleeve 18, above the pin 17. The compression spring 14 always applies downward force, allowing the bottom surface of the scraper bracket 16 to elastically fit against the bottom surface of the valve cavity, accommodating slight bulges and unevenness of the valve cavity bottom surface.

[0028] A rotatable scraper 15 is hinged to the top of the scraper bracket 16. The specific hinge structure is as follows: two hinge sleeves 21 are located on both sides of the top of the scraper bracket 16, and a hinge shaft 20 passes through the top of the rotatable scraper 15. During installation, one end of the hinge shaft 20 is first deeply inserted into one hinge sleeve 21, aligning the other end with the other hinge sleeve 21. Then, the hinge shaft 20 is moved in the opposite direction until both ends are evenly inserted into the hinge sleeves 21 on both sides, completing the installation. This design facilitates assembly, and once installed in the valve cavity, it is limited by the width of the valve cavity and will not come loose. To prevent the hinge structure from jamming due to corrosion or wear, the hinge components can be made of corrosion-resistant metal materials such as duplex stainless steel, or non-metallic materials with self-lubricating properties such as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). The components can be integrally molded by casting or injection molding, resulting in a simple structure and low manufacturing cost.

[0029] At the bottom of the valve body 4, in front of the valve plate 8 in the closed position, there is an inclined sand discharge pipe 10, which connects the bottom of the valve cavity to the main channel. A funnel groove 19 is provided at the inlet of the sand discharge pipe 10 on the bottom surface of the valve cavity to facilitate the collection and guidance of sand and gravel.

[0030] The working process or principle of this utility model: When the operator turns handwheel 6 clockwise to close the valve, valve stem 7 and valve plate 8 move towards the flow path, i.e. Figure 8 The valve moves to the right. The collar 13 moves accordingly, driving the entire sand-discharging mechanism forward. At this time, under the resistance of the fluid in front, the reversible scraper 15 automatically flips backward, tightly abutting against the scraper support 16, forming a nearly vertical and robust pusher. Under the pressure of the compression spring 14, the scraper support 16 presses firmly against the bottom surface, pushing the sand and gravel deposited at the bottom of the valve chamber forward like a bulldozer, ultimately pushing the sand and gravel into the funnel trough 19 and discharging it into the main channel through the sand-discharging pipe 10, where it is carried away by the fluid.

[0031] When the operator turns handwheel 6 counterclockwise to open the valve, valve stem 7 and valve plate 8 move deeper into the valve cavity. Figure 7 The valve moves backward to the left. The collar 13 then moves backward. At this time, under the action of the fluid in the valve chamber, the tiltable scraper 15 will automatically tilt to one side of the valve plate 8, forming an open, tilted angle. This creates a spacious channel below the scraper support 16, allowing the fluid and any entrained sand or gravel to pass freely and deposit at the rear end of the valve chamber, waiting to be cleared when the valve is closed next time.

[0032] Of course, the above description is only a preferred embodiment of this utility model and should not be considered as limiting the scope of the embodiments of this utility model. This utility model is not limited to the above examples, and all equivalent changes and improvements made by those skilled in the art within the scope of this utility model should be included in the patent coverage of this utility model.

Claims

1. A self-cleaning gate valve for an oilfield gathering and transportation station, comprising a valve body (4) and a valve cover (5), wherein the valve body is provided with a vertical liquid flow channel, and the valve cover (5) is connected to a side opening of the valve body (4); a valve stem (7) passes laterally through the valve cover (5), one end of the valve stem (7) is provided with a handwheel (6), and the other end extends into the valve cavity of the valve body (4); a valve plate (8) is connected to the inner end of the valve stem (7), and the valve plate (8) is used for horizontal movement to block or open the liquid flow channel; characterized in that, It also includes a sand discharge mechanism installed within the valve chamber, the sand discharge mechanism comprising: A scraper assembly comprising a scraper support (16) and a reversible scraper (15) hinged to the scraper support (16); when the valve is opened, the reversible scraper (15) flips open towards the valve plate (8) under the action of fluid; when the valve is closed, the reversible scraper (15) flips closed under the action of fluid and is pressed against the scraper support (16) to push gravel; A drive and connection assembly connects the scraper assembly to the valve stem (7) so that the horizontal reciprocating motion of the valve stem (7) can drive the scraper assembly to move at the bottom of the valve chamber; At the bottom of the valve chamber of the valve body (4), on one side of the liquid flow channel, there is a sand discharge pipe (10) that connects the bottom of the valve chamber with the liquid flow channel.

2. The self-cleaning gate valve for an oilfield gathering and transportation station according to claim 1, characterized in that: The drive and connection assembly includes a collar (13) which is fitted and fixed to one end of the valve stem (7) near the valve plate (8).

3. A self-cleaning gate valve for an oilfield gathering and transportation station according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The drive and connection assembly also includes an elastic telescopic mechanism connected between the collar (13) and the scraper bracket (16) to enable the scraper bracket (16) to elastically fit against the bottom surface of the valve cavity.

4. The self-cleaning gate valve for an oilfield gathering and transportation station according to claim 3, characterized in that: The elastic telescopic mechanism includes a sleeve (18) fixed to the bottom of the collar (13) and a pin (17) fixed to the top of the scraper bracket (16); the pin (17) is slidably disposed in the sleeve (18), and the sleeve (18) is also provided with a compression spring (14) for abutting the pin (17).

5. The self-cleaning gate valve for an oilfield gathering and transportation station according to claim 1, characterized in that: The bottom surface of the valve cavity faces the inlet of the sand discharge pipe (10) and forms a funnel groove (19).

6. The self-cleaning gate valve for an oilfield gathering and transportation station according to claim 1, characterized in that: The scraper support (16) is a hollow ring or frame structure.

7. The self-cleaning gate valve for an oilfield gathering and transportation station according to claim 1, characterized in that: The top of the flip-up scraper (15) is hinged to the top of the scraper bracket (16) via a hinge shaft (20). The top of the scraper bracket (16) is provided with hinge sleeves (21) on both sides. The two ends of the hinge shaft (20) are respectively detachably installed in the corresponding hinge sleeves (21).

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