Metallic Sealing Element with Compressible Intermediate Members
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing subsea coupling and sealing systems require tight tolerances and precise alignment, making them costly and complex to manufacture and assemble, and elastomer seals degrade over time, leading to potential fluid ingress.
Innovation Solution
A tube-shaped metallic sealing element with compressible intermediate members that store elastic energy upon axial compression, allowing for larger tolerances in positioning and forces, and featuring spherical and conical contact surfaces for reliable sealing, even when components are slightly misaligned, along with expandable members to increase sealing contact pressure via internal fluid pressure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If tight tolerances and precise alignment are required for coupling parts, then reliable sealing is achieved, but manufacturing cost and assembly complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the geometric parameters of the sealing surfaces from traditional flat or simple curved surfaces to specific spherical and conical surfaces with defined radii and angles. This parameter optimization allows the sealing surfaces to self-align and accommodate larger tolerances while maintaining reliable sealing, thereby reducing assembly complexity without sacrificing sealing reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs spherical contact surfaces on the male sealing member and corresponding conical contact surfaces on the female sealing member. These curved surfaces provide self-aligning characteristics that tolerate misalignment and positioning variations, eliminating the need for tight tolerances and precise alignment during assembly while ensuring reliable fluid-tight sealing
2Reliability
If elastomer seals are used, then sealing is achieved, but the seals degrade over time due to ageing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter from elastomer to metallic material for the sealing surfaces. This material substitution eliminates the ageing and degradation issues inherent to elastomers, providing indefinite service life and maintaining sealing effectiveness throughout the operational lifetime of the coupling device in subsea applications
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs corrosion-resistant metallic materials for the sealing surfaces that combine mechanical strength, corrosion resistance, and sealing capability. This material selection ensures long-term reliability and durability in the harsh subsea environment without the degradation problems associated with elastomer seals
3Manufacturing precision
If spherical and conical contact surfaces are used, then tolerance requirements are reduced, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs spherical and conical surfaces which, while requiring precise form control, can be manufactured using standard machining processes. The self-aligning nature of these curved surfaces compensates for positioning tolerances, meaning the surfaces need to be geometrically accurate but not necessarily positioned with extremely tight tolerances, balancing manufacturing precision requirements with ease of assembly
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 enables reliable, fluid-tight seals with reduced tolerance requirements, simplifying the interconnection of subsea coupling parts and maintaining sealing effectiveness over time, while being suitable for high-pressure and high-temperature applications.
Implementation Method 1
two intermediate members, which are compressible so as to be capable to store elastic energy when the sealing element is subjected to axial compression
Implementation Method 2
the respective intermediate member is expandable in the axial direction of the body by an internal fluid pressure in the internal bore of the body so as to urge the respective male sealing member outwards in the axial direction of the body against the corresponding female sealing member
Data Source
AI summary
A sealing element including a tube-shaped body of metallic material and first and second male sealing members arranged at a respective end of the body. At least two intermediate members are arranged in series in the body between the first and second male sealing members. Each one of the intermediate members is compressible so as to be capable to store elastic energy when the body is subjected to axial compression and includes a protuberance arranged in the body and extending around the center axis of the body. A coupling device provided with such a sealing element.