Spherical Hydraulic Coupler Sealing Under Misalignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current hydraulic couplers in subsea and other applications face challenges with misalignment, leading to stress and reaction forces due to bending of attached tubulars and complex interfaces required for float connections, which are not always feasible or efficient.
Innovation Solution
A misalignment accommodating hydraulic coupler design featuring a spherical interface with a face-seal and radial seal, allowing tilting of connectors to accommodate axial offset and angular misalignment, eliminating the need for floating attachments and complex interfaces, and utilizing a poppet valve mechanism with a spring bias for sealing and fluid flow management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If float connection systems are used to accommodate misalignment, then misalignment is accommodated, but the interface becomes complicated and reaction forces increase
Solution Approach 1:
The connector incorporates a spherical interface that allows angular misalignment through rotation and tilt movements. The spherical geometry enables the connector to accommodate misalignment in multiple directions while maintaining a relatively simple interface structure, eliminating the need for complex float connection systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The connector is designed with dynamic freedom to tilt and rotate relative to the main body, allowing it to adapt to misalignment conditions. This dynamic capability is achieved through a simple spherical interface rather than a complicated float mechanism, reducing both complexity and reaction forces.
2Adaptability or versatility
If float connection systems are used to accommodate misalignment, then misalignment is accommodated, but reaction forces from tube bending increase
Solution Approach 1:
The spherical interface enables the connector to accommodate angular misalignment through rotation and tilt, significantly reducing the bending moments and reaction forces that would otherwise be transmitted to the attached tubulars. The curved geometry allows stress distribution and misalignment absorption.
Solution Approach 2:
By allowing the connector to dynamically tilt and rotate on the spherical interface, the system accommodates misalignment without generating large reaction forces from tube bending. The dynamic freedom reduces the stiffness that would otherwise create high reaction forces.
3Device complexity
If a spherical interface with tilting connector is used, then misalignment is accommodated and interface is simplified, but sealing contact must be maintained independent of tilt
Solution Approach 1:
A face seal is introduced as an intermediary element between the spherical connector and connector seat. The face seal maintains continuous contact with the spherical surface regardless of the connector's tilt angle, ensuring reliable sealing while allowing the simple spherical interface to accommodate misalignment.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing approach changes from point or line contact to face contact, where the entire sealing surface remains in contact with the spherical interface during tilting. This parameter change ensures sealing reliability independent of the tilt angle while maintaining the simplicity of the spherical interface.
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 design effectively reduces reaction forces from tubular bending and simplifies the coupling process by maintaining sealing contact independent of tilt, enabling reliable fluid transfer without complex interfaces, suitable for subsea and topside applications where manual coupling is difficult.
Implementation Method 1
a valve body spring biasing the poppet valve body in a forward direction against a valve seat
Implementation Method 2
a face-seal arranged on a spherical interface to ensure sealing independent of a tilt away from an axis of stabbing
Implementation Method 3
By locating a radial seal at a larger diameter than the face-seal on each of the spherical interfaces, an internal pressure will ensure face-seal loading
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a hydraulic coupler. The coupler comprises a male and female coupling, each with a poppet valve moveably supported by an inner surface of a main body of the coupling. Each coupling further comprises a movable connector part in its front end with a spherical rear surface accommodating a spherical connector seat in the main body, where the connector is provided with sealing means between the connector part and the main body of the coupling.