Multi-Plate Manifold Seal-Sub Assembly for Pressure-Spike Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Prior art hydraulic manifolds used in subsea applications, such as offshore drilling rigs, face reliability issues due to sealing integrity loss from pressure spikes and assembly difficulties, leading to potential loss of control in critical operations like blowout preventers.
Innovation Solution
A multi-plate manifold design featuring sub-manifolds with indexed openings and alignment pins, along with a seal-sub assembly that includes a recessed medial portion and o-rings to ensure fluid-tight sealing, and a leak-indicating drain channel to diagnose any leaks, enhancing assembly precision and sealing integrity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If traditional individual seals or gasket type seal plates are used to seal connecting manifold faces, then the manifold can be assembled with multiple components, but the sealing integrity is easily compromised by pressure spikes causing bolt stretching and face separation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple sealing functions into a single integrated seal plate component that spans across multiple manifold faces. This seal plate with multiple sealing surfaces eliminates the need for separate seals at each connection point, creating a unified sealing system that maintains integrity under pressure spikes by distributing sealing loads across the entire plate structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The seal plate acts as an intermediary element between the manifold components, providing a robust sealing interface that mediates the connection between multiple faces. This intermediary seal plate with its rigid structure and multiple sealing surfaces prevents direct transmission of pressure-induced separation forces to individual seal elements, thereby maintaining sealing integrity.
2Ease of manufacture
If multiple individual seals are used at each manifold connection, then assembly is possible, but the complexity of properly assembling and aligning all seals increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple separate seal elements into a single integrated seal plate assembly. This consolidation reduces the number of discrete components that need to be individually positioned and sealed, thereby simplifying the assembly process while maintaining comprehensive sealing coverage across all manifold connections.
Solution Approach 2:
The seal plate is designed with segmented sealing surfaces that correspond to different manifold connection points. Each sealing surface on the plate can be independently configured for its specific connection, allowing for standardized assembly procedures while accommodating different sealing requirements at various interfaces.
3Reliability
If traditional seals are used that require precise face contact, then sealing may be achieved, but any separation of even ten thousandths of an inch causes seal extrusion and failure
Solution Approach 1:
The seal plate incorporates flexible sealing elements or thin film seal surfaces that can accommodate minor variations in face alignment and separation. These flexible sealing components can deform to maintain contact with the mating surfaces even when there are slight separations, preventing seal extrusion and maintaining reliability without requiring extremely precise manufacturing tolerances.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical parameters of the sealing interface by using a rigid seal plate structure with distributed sealing surfaces rather than soft seals requiring precise point contact. This parameter change allows the sealing system to tolerate larger variations in face alignment and separation distance while maintaining sealing effectiveness.
Data Source
AI summary
A manifold having a first sub-manifold defining a first fluid passage, a second sub-manifold defining a second fluid passage, and a seal-sub occupying an interface between the first and second fluid passage and that seals against the first and second fluid passages to prevent fluid leaks at the interface. The first sub-manifold defines an opening for receiving the seal-sub into the first fluid passage from outside the first sub-manifold that is separate from the interface.