Rotating Control Device Hydraulic Latching and Bearing Preload
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional rotating control devices for jackup rigs suffer from mechanical wear, high maintenance costs, and safety risks due to failure of bearing assemblies and clamping mechanisms, leading to increased downtime and total cost of ownership.
Innovation Solution
A simplified rotating control device design featuring hydraulically-actuated, clamp-less latching assemblies with piston-driven dogs and indirectly mounted tapered-thrust bearings, along with a unique seal carrier design for accurate bearing preload and easy seal replacement, reducing wear and maintenance needs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional bearing assemblies and clamping mechanisms are used in rotating control devices, then the device can maintain structural stability, but mechanical wear occurs leading to high maintenance costs and safety risks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces conventional mechanical bearing assemblies and clamping mechanisms with a hydraulic latching system. The hydraulic actuators drive dogs that latch onto recesses in the seal carrier, eliminating the need for traditional bearings and mechanical clamps. This substitution reduces mechanical wear and maintenance requirements while maintaining structural stability during rotation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs hydraulic actuators to drive the latching dogs into engagement with the seal carrier recesses. The hydraulic system provides reliable locking force without the mechanical wear associated with conventional clamping mechanisms. The hydraulic connection means maintain fluid communication between actuators and dogs, enabling controlled engagement and disengagement of the latching system.
2Stability of the object's composition
If conventional clamping mechanisms are used to secure seal assemblies, then the structure remains stable, but the complexity of the device increases due to multiple components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates unnecessary intermediate components from the sealing system. The seal elements are directly mounted to the seal carrier without requiring separate clamping mechanisms or bearing assemblies. The hydraulic dogs directly secure the seal carrier to the rotating assembly, simplifying the overall structure while maintaining stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The hydraulic dogs serve multiple functions: they provide structural support, enable rotation, and secure the seal carrier assembly. This multi-functional design replaces multiple separate components (bearings, clamps, support structures) with a single integrated hydraulic latching system, reducing overall device complexity.
3Ease of manufacture
If traditional seal mounting methods are used, then seals can be installed, but mechanical wear occurs and replacement is time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the sealing system into a modular seal carrier assembly that can be independently removed and replaced. The seal elements are mounted on the seal carrier, which is secured by hydraulic dogs. This segmentation allows the seal carrier to be quickly detached as a complete unit, enabling rapid seal replacement without disassembling the entire rotating control device.
Solution Approach 2:
The seal elements are pre-mounted on the seal carrier assembly before installation into the rotating control device. The hydraulic latching system is pre-configured to secure the seal carrier. This preliminary preparation allows for quick installation and replacement, minimizing downtime during maintenance operations.
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 significantly reduces non-productive downtime, extends the productive life of the seal and bearing assembly, and ensures safety by maintaining stability even when hydraulic power is lost, while lowering upfront and total costs of ownership.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of hydraulically-actuated piston-driven dogs that are disposed about an outer surface of a recessed portion of a rotating control device and that are controllably extendable radially into a groove of a seal carrier
Implementation Method 2
indirectly mounted tapered-thrust bearings
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A
Figure 2B
AI summary
A rotating control device includes a bowl housing with an inner aperture to receive a seal and bearing assembly. A plurality of hydraulically-actuated fail-last-position latching assemblies are disposed about an outer surface of the bowl housing to controllably extend a plurality of piston-driven dogs radially into a groove of the seal and bearing assembly. The seal and bearing assembly includes a housing, a mandrel disposed within an inner aperture of the housing, a first interference-fit sealing element attached to a bottom distal end of the mandrel, a plurality of tapered-thrust bearings indirectly mounted to the housing, a preload spacer disposed between top and bottom tapered-thrust bearings, a plurality of jam nuts to adjust a preload of the tapered-thrust bearings, and a lower seal carrier attached to the seal and bearing housing comprising a plurality of dynamic sealing elements that contact the mandrel.