Balanced Plug Assembly for Stable High-Pressure Farm Tap Regulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Flow to open and flow to close type farm-tap regulators in the oil and natural gas industry are sensitive to inlet pressures, leading to limited inlet pressure ranges and reduced flow capacity due to the force required to overcome high inlet pressures.
Innovation Solution
A removable balanced plug assembly that delivers upstream fluid pressure to a balance chamber, reducing inlet sensitivity and increasing flow capacity by counteracting inlet pressure on the valve stem, allowing for larger orifice sizes and more consistent setpoints.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If flow to open type regulator is used, then sensitivity to inlet pressure control is improved, but flow capacity is reduced due to force required to overcome inlet pressure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the counterweight principle by introducing a balance chamber that receives inlet pressure to counteract the inlet pressure force on the valve disc. This allows the valve to overcome high inlet pressures without requiring proportionally larger actuator forces, thereby maintaining both pressure sensitivity and flow capacity. The balance chamber effectively creates a counterbalancing force that offsets the harmful inlet pressure effect.
2Productivity
If larger orifice sizes are used to increase flow capacity, then flow capacity is improved, but inlet pressure range becomes limited due to force required to overcome inlet pressure
Solution Approach 1:
The balance chamber provides a counterbalancing force that enables larger orifices to function across a broader inlet pressure range. By counteracting the inlet pressure force, the system can accommodate larger flow capacities without being constrained by the actuator's ability to overcome inlet pressure, thus expanding the adaptable inlet pressure range.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the pressure distribution parameters within the valve by introducing the balance chamber. This allows the system to maintain force balance across varying inlet pressures and orifice sizes, enabling larger orifices to operate effectively across a wider pressure range than would be possible in a conventional regulator.
3Adaptability or versatility
If flow to close type regulator is used, then inlet pressure range is extended, but outlet set point decreases as inlet pressure increases
Solution Approach 1:
The balance chamber counteracts the inlet pressure force on the valve disc, preventing the outlet set point from decreasing as inlet pressure increases. This counterbalancing effect maintains force equilibrium, allowing the regulator to handle a wide inlet pressure range while keeping the outlet set point stable and predictable.
Solution Approach 2:
The balance chamber creates a feedback mechanism where inlet pressure is sensed and automatically counterbalanced. This feedback loop ensures that changes in inlet pressure are compensated for in real-time, maintaining stable outlet set point control across the full inlet pressure range.
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 solution minimizes inlet sensitivity, enabling farm tap regulators to handle higher inlet pressures up to 13789 kPa (2000 psig) and provides increased flow capacities with larger orifice sizes, while maintaining consistent setpoints, and can be retrofitted to existing regulators for improved performance.
Implementation Method 1
The balanced plug assembly delivers upstream fluid pressure to a balance chamber, reducing inlet sensitivity and increasing flow capacity for a given valve seat (or orifice) size
Data Source
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AI summary
A balanced farm tap regulator includes a valve housing having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet connected by a fluid passageway. A valve seat is disposed in the fluid passageway. A removable balanced plug assembly includes a valve stem having a stem balanced fluid passage, a disk that cooperates with a valve seat to control fluid flow, and a stem guide that is removably attached to the valve housing. The disk includes a disk balanced fluid passage that is fluidly connected with the stem balanced fluid passage. The stem guide is removably attached to the valve housing, the stem guide including an inwardly extending guide flange and an externally extending guide flange. The inwardly extending guide flange cooperates with the valve stem to form a balance chamber, and the stem balanced fluid passage is fluidly connected to the balance chamber and to the disk balanced fluid passage.