Annulus Safety Valve Sealing for Bidirectional Pressure Fail-Safe
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wellhead assembly components lack effective solutions for controlling flow and sealing against both upstream and downstream pressures, particularly in scenarios where external forces can compromise the integrity of the sealing mechanism.
Innovation Solution
A valve assembly with an inner sealing assembly that includes a piston coupled to a poppet, biased towards a closed position by springs, and actuated to an open position by control fluid, providing a metal-to-metal seal capable of withstanding both upstream and downstream pressures, and designed to automatically close in response to loss of sealing integrity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional valve sealing mechanism is used, then the valve can control flow in one direction, but it cannot effectively seal against both upstream and downstream pressures simultaneously
Solution Approach 1:
The valve is divided into two separate sealing systems: an upstream sealing assembly with a first seal and first biasing member, and a downstream sealing assembly with a second seal and second biasing member. Each sealing assembly independently handles pressure from one direction, allowing the valve to effectively seal against both upstream and downstream pressures simultaneously without requiring a single complex sealing mechanism.
2Reliability
If external forces compromise the sealing mechanism, then sealing integrity is lost, but the valve should automatically close to maintain safety
Solution Approach 1:
The valve incorporates a feedback mechanism where the biasing members continuously monitor the sealing status. If external forces compromise the sealing integrity, the biasing members automatically detect the pressure differential and drive the closure member to close the valve, maintaining safety without requiring complex external control systems. The valve self-regulates based on the sealing condition feedback.
Solution Approach 2:
The valve is designed to automatically respond to sealing failures without external intervention. The biasing members provide continuous restoring force that automatically closes the valve when sealing integrity is compromised, making the system self-correcting and eliminating the need for complex external control mechanisms to detect and respond to failures.
3Strength
If a metal-to-metal seal is used to withstand high pressures, then sealing strength is improved, but the sealing mechanism becomes more vulnerable to external forces
Solution Approach 1:
The valve incorporates biasing members that apply continuous pre-compression force to the metal-to-metal seals before pressure differentials occur. This beforehand cushioning ensures the seals maintain intimate contact and sealing integrity even when external forces or pressure differentials attempt to separate the sealing surfaces, protecting the strong metal-to-metal seal from vulnerability to external forces.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The valve assembly effectively controls flow and maintains a secure seal against both directions of pressure, ensuring reliable operation even when external forces compromise the sealing mechanism, acting as a fail-safe closed valve.
Implementation Method 1
A valve assembly with an inner sealing assembly that includes a piston coupled to a poppet, biased towards a closed position by springs
Implementation Method 2
Control fluid may be routed into a control chamber within the valve to overcome the biasing force and drive the inner sealing assembly toward the open position
Implementation Method 3
providing a metal-to-metal seal capable of withstanding both upstream and downstream pressures
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus includes a valve having a hollow body and an inner sealing assembly positioned in the hollow body. The inner sealing assembly includes a piston and can be moved between an open position and a closed position to selectively control flow along a flow path through the valve. The flow path includes a bore of the piston that allows flow through the piston, and pressure within the valve from a fluid in the flow path within the valve biases the inner sealing assembly toward the closed position to stop flow through the valve. Additional systems, devices, and methods are also disclosed.