Choke Element With Concave Impact Face For Erosion Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
High velocity fluids causing erosional wear on piping due to high differential pressures across flow restricting devices, leading to reduced piping life, especially in injection wells with low injection wellhead pressures, as traditional methods like blast tees or soft elbows are not entirely effective.
Innovation Solution
A choke element with a concave conical fluid impact face and radial passages that disperse fluid flow, creating turbulent conditions to reduce pressure and velocity, thereby minimizing erosion, and featuring external threads for secure installation within a tubular element.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stress or pressure
If a flow restricting device is used to reduce downstream pressure, then downstream pressure is reduced, but fluid velocity increases causing erosional wear on piping
Solution Approach 1:
The flow restriction is divided into multiple segments: an upstream restriction element and a downstream restriction element separated by a chamber. This segmentation allows the fluid to pass through multiple restriction points rather than one, reducing velocity at each stage and preventing excessive velocity buildup that would cause erosion.
Solution Approach 2:
The choke assembly is nested within the flow line, with the body fitting inside the flow line interior. The upstream and downstream restriction elements are nested within the body, creating a compact multi-functional device that integrates flow restriction, velocity reduction, and erosion protection in a single nested structure.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If traditional methods like blast tees or soft elbows are used to reduce erosion, then some erosion protection is provided, but they are not entirely effective and piping life is still reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The device converts the harmful high-velocity jet flow into beneficial turbulent flow patterns within the chamber. The fluid that would otherwise cause erosion is redirected to impact the upstream face of the body and mix within the chamber, dissipating energy and reducing erosional potential before exiting through the downstream restriction.
Solution Approach 2:
The chamber acts as an intermediary between the upstream and downstream restriction elements. It provides a transition zone where high-velocity fluid from the upstream restriction is decelerated, mixed, and redirected before entering the downstream restriction, preventing direct high-velocity flow that would cause erosion in traditional single-stage chokes.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If fluid flow velocity is decreased to reduce erosion, then erosional wear is reduced, but pressure drop across the restriction increases
Solution Approach 1:
The pressure drop is segmented into two stages: one across the upstream restriction and another across the downstream restriction. This distributed pressure drop approach reduces the velocity buildup between restrictions compared to a single restriction, allowing velocity reduction for erosion protection while managing overall pressure drop more effectively.
4Device complexity
If a single-stage flow restriction is used, then device complexity is low, but velocity reduction is insufficient to prevent erosion
Solution Approach 1:
The single-stage restriction is segmented into two stages (upstream and downstream restrictions) with a chamber in between. This segmentation provides enhanced velocity reduction capability while maintaining relatively simple construction using standard choke body geometry and internal elements.
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 choke element effectively reduces fluid velocity and pressure, minimizing erosional impact on piping by distributing fluid flow evenly through annular areas and collision zones, resulting in reduced erosion and extended piping life.
Implementation Method 1
creates turbulent flow on the concave conical face, and thereby minimizes erosion on the inlet portion of the velocity impact flow disperser body
Implementation Method 2
The radial passages may have a common point of intersection within the body. The flow area of the axial passage at the downstream end of the body may be greater than the flow area of the axial passage at the radial passages
Data Source
AI summary
A choke for a flow line having an inner diameter has a body with an upstream end, a downstream end, and a sidewall that extends between the upstream end and the downstream end. The sidewall has a diameter that is sized to fit within the inner diameter of the flow line. A fluid impact face is provided at the upstream end of the body. The fluid impact face has a recessed central portion. One or more passages provide fluid communication between the downstream end and the sidewall of the body.