Injection Valve Reference Pressure Port Decouples Flow Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing injection valves in the oil and gas industry face challenges with hydrostatic fall-through and pressure fluctuations, leading to inconsistent fluid injection rates and potential equipment damage due to the reliance on outlet pressure and fluid compressibility, which causes surges and vacuums in the injection line.
Innovation Solution
An injection device with a housing having an inlet, an outlet, and a reference pressure port, where the valve member is moved by pressures at the inlet and reference port to control flow, reducing reliance on outlet pressure and minimizing its effect, thus maintaining a consistent injection rate and preventing hydrostatic fall-through.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional injection valve relying on outlet pressure is used, then the valve can prevent reverse flow, but the injection rate becomes inconsistent due to pressure fluctuations and hydrostatic fall-through
Solution Approach 1:
A reference pressure port is introduced as an intermediary element that provides a stable reference pressure (typically atmospheric or annulus pressure) to the poppet chamber. This reference pressure acts as a mediator that decouples the injection valve operation from outlet pressure fluctuations, allowing consistent injection rates by maintaining a stable pressure differential across the poppet seal.
Solution Approach 2:
The harmful dependence on outlet pressure is extracted from the valve operation by providing a separate reference pressure source. The outlet pressure is removed from the pressure balance equation that controls poppet movement, eliminating its harmful fluctuating effect on injection rate consistency while retaining the valve's reverse flow prevention function.
2Adaptability or versatility
If outlet pressure is used to control the valve member, then the valve responds to pressure changes at the target location, but this causes surges and vacuums in the injection line due to fluid compressibility
Solution Approach 1:
The reference pressure port serves as an intermediary that provides a stable pressure reference independent of outlet pressure fluctuations. By using this intermediary reference pressure in the poppet chamber, the system maintains adaptability to target location conditions while eliminating the harmful surges and vacuums caused by direct outlet pressure control of the compressible injection fluid.
3Ease of operation
If the valve relies on fluid pressure differential to operate, then the valve can control flow based on pressure conditions, but this creates vacuum conditions that change fluid state and reduce effectiveness
Solution Approach 1:
The reference pressure port introduces a stable reference pressure (atmospheric or annulus pressure) as an intermediary that prevents the injection line from experiencing vacuum conditions. This intermediary pressure source ensures the poppet chamber maintains a healthy pressure differential for flow control while avoiding the harmful vacuum states that would cause fluid state changes and reduce injection effectiveness.
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 ensures a consistent fluid injection rate, reduces the risk of equipment damage, and maintains a positive pressure in the injection line, avoiding vacuum conditions and fluid state changes that can lead to reduced effectiveness.
Implementation Method 1
fluid pressures at the inlet and reference pressure port act to cause said valve member to move within the housing to vary flow between the inlet and the outlet
Implementation Method 2
a reference pressure port for communicating with a source of reference pressure, wherein the reference pressure port is isolated from the outlet
Data Source
Figure 1~3
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Figure 8~9
AI summary
An injection device (200) for use in injecting a fluid into a target location comprises a housing (202) defining an inlet (204) for communicating with a source of injection fluid, an outlet (206) for communicating with a target injection location, and a separate reference port (208) for communicating with a reference pressure source. The device (200) also includes first and second valve members (216, 218) mounted within the housing (202), wherein the second valve member (218) defines a flow path (220) therethrough to facilitate fluid communication between the inlet (204) and outlet (206) of the housing (202). A sealing arrangement (222) is provided between the second valve member (218) and the housing (202) and is configured such that fluid pressure at the housing inlet (204) and housing reference port (208) apply a force on the second valve member (218) to cause said second valve member (218) to move relative to the first valve member (216) and vary flow between the inlet and the outlet (204, 206)