Disengaging Piston for Isolation Valve Re-Closing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Isolation valves with one-time remote open triggering events often fail to re-close the ball valve, limiting operational flexibility and requiring mechanical intervention for re-isolation of reservoirs.
Innovation Solution
An improved actuation/mechanical section for isolation valves, featuring a piston housing, actuation mandrel, collet piston, and holding collet, allows for hydraulic actuation followed by mechanical disengagement, enabling the ball valve to re-close after initial opening, facilitated by a pressure differential and mechanical shifting tools.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If hydraulic locking of the actuator is used to ensure reliable ball valve closure, then the ball valve can be reliably closed, but the ball valve cannot re-close after initial actuation
Solution Approach 1:
The actuator is divided into two independent parts: a hydraulic actuator section that provides initial actuation force, and a mechanical actuator section that maintains positioning. This segmentation allows the hydraulic part to be disengaged from the mechanical part, enabling the ball valve to be re-closed after initial actuation while maintaining reliable closure through the mechanical section.
Solution Approach 2:
The connection between the hydraulic and mechanical actuator sections is made dynamic rather than fixed. The hydraulic actuator can be disengaged from the mechanical actuator through a controlled disengagement mechanism, allowing the system to transition from a locked hydraulic state to a mechanically maintained state, thereby enabling re-closing capability while maintaining reliability.
2Ease of operation
If a one-time remote open triggering event is implemented, then the ball valve can be opened remotely, but mechanical intervention is required for re-isolation
Solution Approach 1:
The mechanical actuator section is designed to maintain the ball valve in its closed position automatically after initial actuation, without requiring continuous hydraulic pressure or mechanical intervention. The system serves itself by using the mechanical section to hold the valve position, eliminating the need for ongoing external intervention for re-isolation operations.
3Stability of the object's composition
If hydraulic locking is used to maintain actuator position, then the valve position is stable, but the actuation mandrel cannot be operated after initial stroke
Solution Approach 1:
The actuator is segmented into hydraulic and mechanical sections that can operate independently. The hydraulic section provides initial actuation and then disengages, allowing the mechanical section to maintain position stability without preventing subsequent operation of the actuation mandrel for re-closing the valve.
Solution Approach 2:
The mechanical actuator section serves as an intermediary that takes over the positioning function from the hydraulic actuator. This intermediary mechanism allows the actuation mandrel to be operated after the initial stroke by transferring the positioning responsibility from the hydraulic to the mechanical section, maintaining stability while enabling further operation.
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
Enables the isolation valve to maintain operational functionality post-production, allowing for re-opening and re-closing of the ball valve, enhancing operational control and reliability, and supporting higher reservoir pressures while simplifying the mechanical section.
Implementation Method 1
a piston housing that at least partially encases the actuation mandrel, wherein the piston housing and the actuation mandrel define a hydraulic chamber between an inner diameter of the piston housing and an outer diameter of the actuation mandrel
Implementation Method 2
a collet piston disposed in the piston housing, the collet piston separating the hydraulic chamber into an upper hydraulic chamber and a lower hydraulic chamber
Data Source
AI summary
An isolation valve includes a ball valve element, an actuation section to rotate the ball valve element, and a trigger section that actuates the actuation section in response to a pressure differential. The actuation section includes an actuation mandrel, a piston housing that at least partially encases the actuation mandrel, a collet piston, and a holding collet. The piston housing and the actuation mandrel define a hydraulic chamber, and the collet piston separates the hydraulic chamber into an upper hydraulic chamber and a lower hydraulic chamber. The holding collet supports the collet piston during a stroke of the actuation mandrel that is triggered by the trigger section. The collet piston is configured to assume a rest position on the actuation mandrel before and during the stroke of the actuation mandrel, and the collet piston is configured to disengage from the actuation mandrel after the stroke of the actuation mandrel.