Collet-Type Wellhead Connector With Variable Tooth Height
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Solution Overview
Problem
Subsea hydraulic connectors used in oil and gas applications face challenges in efficiently distributing load and maintaining a secure, gas-tight seal, particularly due to the limitations of early connectors with single contact surfaces and the need for improved stress distribution and reliability.
Innovation Solution
The connector design features a plurality of teeth and grooves with varying heights and angles, arranged circumferentially around a central axis, allowing for interlocking tooth/groove pairs that provide enhanced load transfer and sealing capabilities, with a main piston mechanism for locking and unlocking the connection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single contact surface is used in the connector, then the device complexity is reduced, but the load distribution efficiency deteriorates and stress concentration occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The single contact surface is segmented into multiple teeth (at least two) arranged circumferentially around the connector. Each tooth engages with a corresponding groove in the body, distributing the load across multiple contact points instead of a single surface, thereby improving stress distribution while maintaining structural simplicity
Solution Approach 2:
The contact interface is transitioned from a two-dimensional single surface to a three-dimensional multi-tooth configuration. The teeth extend radially inward from the connector outer surface, creating multiple engagement levels that distribute load more effectively across the connection interface
2Reliability
If multiple teeth with varying heights are used, then the load distribution and sealing performance are improved, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
Different teeth are designed with different heights to correspond to different groove depths in the body. This local variation allows each tooth-groove pair to engage optimally, with taller teeth providing stronger engagement for higher stress regions and shorter teeth for lower stress regions, improving overall connection reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The tooth height parameter is varied across different teeth in the circumferential arrangement. This parameter change enables the connector to accommodate varying groove depths in the body, optimizing the engagement and load distribution characteristics for different regions of the connection interface
3Strength
If the tooth height is made greater than groove depth for all tooth/groove pairs, then the load transfer efficiency is improved, but the ease of operation (connection and disconnection) deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The relationship between tooth height and groove depth is optimized locally for each tooth-groove pair. Some teeth have height greater than their corresponding groove depth for strong engagement, while others have height less than groove depth to facilitate easier disconnection, allowing the connector to balance load transfer efficiency with operational ease across different regions
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
This design enhances load transfer efficiency, reduces wear, and improves the reliability of the connection by distributing stress more effectively across the connector surfaces, maintaining a secure seal and reducing the risk of failure.
Implementation Method 1
The connectors introduce a preload into the connection by using hydraulic pressure to drive the connecting segments into a mating locking profile on the components being connected
Implementation Method 2
A plurality of tooth/groove pairs each comprise one of the plurality of teeth and one of the plurality of grooves that axially correspond whereby each of the plurality of tooth/groove pairs engage when the first jaw interlocks with the first body
Implementation Method 3
This preload may energize the gasket to provide high contact stresses between sealing profiles to resist fluid or gas penetration
Data Source
AI summary
A connecting assembly for connecting a first body and a second body. The first body includes multiple grooves formed on an outside of the first body near a connecting end. The connecting assembly includes a connector. The connector includes multiple connecting segments arranged circumferentially around a central longitudinal axis; and a first jaw formed on an inside of the segments. The first jaw includes multiple teeth. Each tooth includes: a leading side facing an axial center of the connector; a top side; and a trailing side opposite the leading side. A tooth height is measured between a base of the tooth and an intersection between the leading side and the top side of the tooth. At least two of the tooth/groove pairs have a difference between tooth height and groove depth that are different from each other.