Ram Body Seal Composite Structure for Extrusion Resistance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing seals for ram bodies in blowout preventers face challenges in maintaining effective sealing under varying pressures and stresses, which can lead to catastrophic blowouts and equipment damage.
Innovation Solution
A seal with an integrated structure composed of a high modulus and low modulus composite material, where the high modulus material forms channels for the low modulus material to move through during energization and return to, maintaining the seal's original geometry for reuse.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a traditional seal structure is used for ram bodies, then the seal can maintain initial geometry, but it cannot effectively manage stress and pressure changes leading to extrusion and loss of sealing capability
Solution Approach 1:
The seal is divided into two distinct composite materials with different mechanical properties: a high modulus material providing structural support and extrusion resistance, and a low modulus material providing sealing compliance. This segmentation allows each material to specialize in its function, resolving the contradiction between maintaining sealing capability and resisting extrusion forces.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses a composite structure combining high modulus and low modulus materials in a single integrated seal component. The high modulus material resists extrusion while the low modulus material maintains sealing contact, together solving the contradiction between structural strength and sealing reliability that cannot be achieved with a single material.
2Reliability
If the seal material is made more compliant to maintain sealing under pressure, then sealing capability improves, but the material becomes more susceptible to extrusion damage
Solution Approach 1:
Different regions of the seal have different material properties: the low modulus material provides local compliance for sealing contact with the ram body, while the high modulus material provides local strength to resist extrusion. This local differentiation of material quality resolves the contradiction between needing compliance for sealing and strength for integrity.
3Device complexity
If a single material is used for the seal, then the structure is simpler, but it cannot provide both extrusion resistance and sealing compliance simultaneously
Solution Approach 1:
The seal incorporates channels that allow the low modulus material to dynamically flow and redistribute in response to varying pressure and stress conditions. This dynamic behavior enables the seal to adapt to different operating conditions, providing both extrusion resistance and sealing compliance despite the increased structural complexity.
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 integrated structure effectively manages stress and pressure changes, preventing extrusion and ensuring the seal's integrity and reusability by allowing the low modulus material to flow and return within the high modulus channels, maintaining the seal's original geometry and functionality.
Implementation Method 1
an integrated structure of a first composite material and a second composite material. The first composite material may include at least one channel and may include the second composite material within the at least one channel
Data Source
AI summary
A seal in a ram body includes an integrated structure of a first composite material having at least one channel and a second composite material within such at least one channel, which in turn allows movement therethrough of such a second composite material during energizing of a ram body and which allows return of such a second composite material to, at least in part, an integrated structure of such a seal so that such a seal remains reusable.