Portable Containment Vessel for On-Site Pressure Testing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for pressure testing oilfield components in remote locations are inadequate, as they often require components to be shipped back to facilities for verification, incurring significant economic losses due to the risk of component failure and the need for controlled environments to prevent damage from potential explosive releases during high-pressure tests.
Innovation Solution
A portable containment vessel with a ballistic outer enclosure, sample tray, pressurized test fluid supply, and sensors to monitor the test specimen, allowing for on-site pressure testing with a containment fluid and pressurized test fluid, and featuring a fluid-tight membrane to seal the specimen and retain the containment fluid, enabling safe and efficient pressure integrity verification.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If pressure testing is performed in controlled environments (shielded and reinforced bunkers or subterranean facilities), then safety is improved by reducing damage from potential catastrophic failures, but device complexity and operational convenience deteriorate due to the need for specialized facilities
Solution Approach 1:
The containment system is divided into multiple layers: an inner containment vessel that directly holds the test specimen and pressurized fluid, surrounded by an outer ballistic enclosure that provides structural protection. This segmentation allows the testing system to be portable while maintaining safety, as each layer serves a specific protective function without requiring a fully reinforced bunker
Solution Approach 2:
A containment fluid is introduced between the test specimen and the outer enclosure walls to act as an intermediary. This fluid serves multiple functions: it provides cushioning in case of specimen failure, absorbs impact energy, and allows for safe testing without requiring the specimen to be directly contained in a heavily reinforced bunker, thus reducing facility complexity while maintaining safety
2Measurement precision
If components are shipped back to regional facilities for verification testing, then testing accuracy is maintained through controlled environment testing, but loss of time and productivity increase due to shipping and re-verification requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The portable containment vessel is designed to provide the same controlled testing environment capabilities at remote locations as exist at regional facilities. By integrating the containment system, fluid supply, and monitoring capabilities into a single portable unit, the system can perform accurate verification testing anywhere, eliminating the need to ship components back to centralized facilities and thus reducing verification time while maintaining testing accuracy
Solution Approach 2:
The containment system is pre-configured with all necessary components (containment fluid, pressurization systems, sensors, and ballistic enclosure) before deployment to remote locations. This preliminary preparation allows immediate testing to be performed on-site without requiring setup time or shipping delays, enabling quick verification and reducing the overall time loss associated with component validation
3Productivity
If on-site pressure testing is performed with compressible fluids at elevated pressures, then productivity is improved by enabling remote location testing, but safety deteriorates due to the potential for explosive kinetic release from catastrophic failures
Solution Approach 1:
The containment fluid is introduced into the space between the test specimen and the outer ballistic enclosure before pressurization begins. This fluid acts as a pre-positioned cushion that will absorb impact energy and contain debris in the event of catastrophic specimen failure. This beforehand cushioning enables safe on-site testing with compressible fluids at elevated pressures, allowing productivity improvement without compromising safety
Solution Approach 2:
The system accepts the inherent danger of pressurized compressible fluid testing and converts it into a benefit by using the containment fluid to absorb and distribute the energy from potential failures. Rather than avoiding on-site testing due to safety concerns, the containment system transforms the potential harm into a controlled energy absorption mechanism, enabling productive remote testing while maintaining safety
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
Enables safe and efficient on-site pressure testing of oilfield components, reducing the need for costly re-verification and minimizing economic losses by allowing remote location-based testing, thereby facilitating quicker repairs and reducing the risk of damage from potential failures during testing.
Implementation Method 1
the compressible nature of the fluid allows the build-up of significant potential energy (in the form of the compressed gas) that may experience an explosive kinetic release should the hydraulic and/or pneumatic integrity of the component specimen fail the pressure test
Implementation Method 2
at least one fluid-tight, at least semi-transparent membrane positioned within the ballistic outer enclosure, configured to seal the test specimen within the ballistic outer enclosure and to retain the containment fluid
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
AI summary
A portable containment vessel (100; 200) to perform a pressure test to a test specimen (128) includes a base skid (116, 118), a ballistic outer enclosure (102; 202) connected to the base skid (116, 118) and comprising a plurality of walls (102A-102E; 202A-202E), a door (102F; 202F), and a lock (104) to maintain the door (102F; 202F) in a closed position, a sample tray (124) configured to support the test specimen (128), wherein the sample tray (124) is operable through a doorway (122; 222) of the ballistic outer enclosure (102; 202) between a retracted position and an extended position, a containment fluid to surround the test specimen (128) while a pressurized test fluid is applied to the test specimen (128), and a sensor to indicate a failure of the pressure test.