Fracture Coupling Assembly for Oil Pipeline Breakout
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing coupling assemblies for oil and gas pipelines face issues with inaccurate breakout force settings and jamming during decoupling, particularly when multiple shear components are used, leading to false activations and misalignment of the probe within the socket.
Innovation Solution
A coupling assembly utilizing a single tension component that extends between the male and female members along a linear path, designed to fracture at a predetermined tensile force, ensuring precise breakout accuracy and reducing jamming likelihood by maintaining axial alignment until the last seal is withdrawn.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If multiple shear components are used to prevent decoupling, then the coupling strength is improved, but the breakout precision deteriorates due to sequential failure causing false activation
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the coupling assembly into distinct male and female members with specific geometric features (probe and socket) that create a single-plane fracture mechanism. This segmentation allows the coupling to maintain strength through the interaction of these features while ensuring breakout occurs precisely when the fracture plane forms, eliminating the sequential failure problem of multiple shear components.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts the fracture mechanism from a distributed multi-component shear system and concentrates it into a single-plane fracture feature. By taking out the sequential failure characteristic and replacing it with a simultaneous fracture plane, the system achieves both the necessary coupling strength and the desired breakout precision.
2Strength
If multiple shear components are used to prevent decoupling, then the coupling strength is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the functions of multiple shear components into a single integrated fracture plane mechanism. The male probe and female socket are designed with complementary geometric features that collectively provide the coupling strength previously requiring multiple separate shear components, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining or improving strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The fracture plane mechanism serves multiple functions simultaneously: it prevents decoupling under normal operation, provides a precise breakout mechanism, and eliminates the need for separate shear pins or components. This multi-functionality reduces the overall complexity of the coupling assembly while maintaining the necessary strength characteristics.
3Ease of operation
If shear pins with larger holes are used to allow insertion, then the ease of assembly is improved, but the probe misalignment occurs during withdrawal causing jamming
Solution Approach 1:
The invention incorporates preliminary alignment features in the male probe and female socket geometry that ensure proper coaxial alignment during the insertion process. This preliminary action of alignment prevents the misalignment that would otherwise occur during withdrawal, eliminating the jamming problem while maintaining ease of assembly through the same geometric features.
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 provides precise control over the breakout force and minimizes jamming by allowing the tension component to fracture into two parts, ensuring the male and female members separate without misalignment, thus enhancing the reliability and safety of pipeline connections.
Implementation Method 1
a tension component carries the axial tensile load of the coupling assembly
Implementation Method 2
apply sufficient tensile force to fracture the tension component. Thus the tension component is designed to fracture in to two parts along a single fracture
Data Source
AI summary
A coupling assembly is provided having a first member and a second member. The first member is able to be coupled to the second member by relative movement along a coupling axis. In use, a tension component carries the axial tensile load of the coupling assembly. In order to decouple the coupling without removing the tension component, it is necessary to apply sufficient tensile force to fracture the tension component. Thus the tension component is designed to fracture in to two parts along a single fracture. Advantageously, because only a single tensile component is used, the precision in the set force necessary to decouple the two parts is improved. The coupling assembly is particularly suitable to joining two part of an oil pipeline in order to provide a safety, breakout function.