Subsea Hydraulic Coupling Seals for Pressure and Misalignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing subsea hydraulic couplings face challenges in maintaining a fluid-tight seal, particularly under varying pressure conditions, with existing metal and non-metal seals showing limitations in sealing effectiveness and resistance to misalignment and pressure changes.
Innovation Solution
A female subsea coupling member equipped with multiple pressure-energized metal seals, configured to increase sealing effectiveness in response to internal hydraulic fluid pressure or external hydrostatic pressure, utilizing a seal cartridge with pressure-energized metal C-seals and O-ring seals to ensure a tight seal between the female member and the male coupling probe.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional metal seals or soft seals are used in subsea hydraulic couplings, then the coupling can be assembled and disassembled, but the sealing effectiveness deteriorates under varying pressure conditions and misalignment
Solution Approach 1:
The seal member is designed with a dynamic structure that allows it to change its sealing surface configuration in response to pressure changes and misalignment. The seal member can deform or adjust its position to maintain effective sealing contact between the probe and coupling body under varying operational conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing mechanism utilizes changes in pressure parameters to enhance sealing effectiveness. The seal member is configured to respond to internal hydraulic fluid pressure or external hydrostatic pressure, allowing the sealing force to increase with pressure rather than decrease, thereby maintaining reliability under high-pressure subsea conditions.
2Reliability
If pressure-energized metal seals are used to improve sealing under pressure, then sealing effectiveness increases, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The seal member integrates multiple sealing functions into a single component. The seal member combines the functions of sealing against the probe, withstanding pressure differential, and accommodating misalignment, thereby reducing the need for multiple separate sealing elements and simplifying the overall assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The seal member is designed to self-adjust and self-energize in response to pressure changes. The sealing force is automatically increased by the internal or external pressure acting on the seal member, eliminating the need for additional actuation mechanisms or complex control systems to maintain sealing effectiveness.
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 enhances sealing effectiveness by utilizing pressure-energized metal seals that adapt to fluid pressure, providing a reliable and durable seal even under conditions of misalignment and pressure fluctuations, thus ensuring the integrity of hydraulic connections in subsea applications.
Implementation Method 1
The sealing effectiveness of the seal increases in response to fluid pressure which may be internal fluid pressure or external, ambient pressure
Implementation Method 2
a seal member, which may include an O-ring seal and a pressure-energized metal C-seal
Data Source
AI summary
A female undersea hydraulic coupling member is equipped with a plurality of pressure-energized metal seals configured to seal between the body of the female member and the probe of a corresponding male hydraulic coupling member in response to ambient hydrostatic pressure and/or hydraulic fluid pressure. Pressure-energized metal seals may also be provided to seal between the body of the female coupling member and a removable seal retainer or seal cartridge. In one particular preferred embodiment, the pressure-energized seals are back-to-back metal C-seals separated by annular seal supports having a generally T-shaped cross section and retained on one or more shoulders in the body of the female member by a removable seal cartridge.