Hydraulic Flushing System with Isolation Valve
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hydraulic flushing systems for subsea hydrocarbon wells face issues with particle contamination blockage and sea pollution due to venting contaminated hydraulic fluid, which can lead to failure of safety valves and environmental hazards.
Innovation Solution
Replacing the flushing directional control valve with a hydraulically operated fluid isolation valve having a larger orifice, which vents contaminated fluid into a well service line instead of the sea, reducing the risk of blockage and pollution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a directional control valve (DCV) is used for flushing hydraulic fluid, then the hydraulic line can be flushed, but the small orifice (3mm diameter) is prone to blockage from contaminating particles
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the flushing function from the original DCV and implements it through a separate dedicated flushing valve. This separates the flushing operation from the normal control operation, allowing the flushing valve to be optimized specifically for particle tolerance with a larger orifice design, while the original DCV maintains its precise control function.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the critical parameter of the flushing valve orifice from 3mm diameter to a significantly larger diameter. This parameter change increases the valve's tolerance to particle contamination while maintaining adequate flushing capability, directly resolving the blockage problem.
2Productivity
If flushed hydraulic fluid is vented to the sea, then the flushing system can operate, but contaminated fluid containing hydrocarbons causes sea pollution
Solution Approach 1:
The invention introduces a service line as an intermediary pathway for the flushed hydraulic fluid. Instead of direct venting to the sea, the contaminated fluid is routed through the service line back to the host facility where it can be properly contained and disposed of, eliminating direct environmental pollution while maintaining flushing operation.
3Reliability
If hydraulic fluid is flushed through a small orifice DCV, then flushing can be achieved, but the DCV may fail to close resulting in total failure of SCSSV control
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments the valve functions by creating separate dedicated valves for flushing operations and normal control operations. The flushing valve handles only flushing with a larger orifice design, while the original DCV handles precise control operations. This segmentation prevents cross-contamination of functions and eliminates the risk of flushing particles affecting control reliability.
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 prevents particle contamination blockage and minimizes sea pollution, ensuring reliable operation of hydraulic control systems and maintaining environmental safety by redirecting contaminated fluid away from the ocean.
Implementation Method 1
The FIV is typically controlled by hydraulic operation
Data Source
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AI summary
A hydraulic flushing system comprising a hydraulic downhole control line (8) that runs from a hydraulic source to a surface controlled sub-surface safety valve (1) of an underwater hydrocarbon extraction facility, said hydraulic downhole control line (8) having a directional control valve (6) therein; and a purge line (9) that runs from the hydraulic downhole control line (8) downstream of the directional control valve (6) to a service line (14), said purge line (9) having a fluid isolation valve (13) therein.