Wellhead Valve Actuation With Bleed-Off Pressure Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing valve arrangements for wellheads often fail to reliably open when pressure differences across the movable member are unfavorable, leading to leakage issues and the need for additional components and complex designs to manage fluid bleeding and injection.
Innovation Solution
A compact and cost-effective valve arrangement with a housing featuring a through channel divided by a separation device, including a bleed-off port connectable to an external injection fluid source, and an actuator rod with a piston for controlled movement, allowing for efficient fluid injection and bleeding while minimizing leakage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional valve arrangement is used with unfavorable pressure difference across the movable member, then the valve fails to open reliably, but adding special arrangements to force opening increases device complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The through channel is divided into a first part and a second part by a separation device. The first part receives injection fluid through the first port, while the second part communicates with the annulus. This segmentation allows independent pressure control on either side of the valve, enabling reliable valve opening even when annulus pressure is high, without requiring complex external forcing mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The separation device acts as an intermediary element between the injection fluid source and the annulus. It creates a controlled interface that allows injection fluid to be introduced into the first part of the through channel to force the valve open, while maintaining separation from the annulus side. This intermediary structure enables simple and reliable valve actuation.
2Adaptability or versatility
If additional components are added to manage fluid bleeding and injection, then fluid control capability improves, but the design becomes more complex and costly
Solution Approach 1:
The through channel serves multiple functions: it acts as a fluid passage for injection fluid, a bleeding channel for pressure relief, and a control mechanism for valve actuation. The first port can be used for both injection and bleeding operations. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate dedicated components for each function, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining full fluid control capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention merges the injection fluid pathway and the bleeding pathway into a single through channel structure. The separation device divides this unified channel into functional zones, allowing both injection and bleeding operations to occur through the same structural element. This consolidation reduces the number of separate components needed while maintaining adaptability for different fluid control scenarios.
3Volume of moving object
If a compact design is implemented, then space efficiency improves, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The separation device creates distinct sealed zones within the compact through channel structure. By segmenting the channel into first and second parts with defined sealing interfaces, the design achieves compact volume while managing sealing requirements through modular segmentation rather than requiring a single complex sealed structure.
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 reduces leakage, simplifies the design, and provides a more compact and cost-effective solution for managing pressure and fluid flow in wellhead valve operations, enabling reliable fluid injection and bleeding without the need for additional components.
Implementation Method 1
the first part and the second part are separated by a separation device that is arranged in the through channel in a sealing manner
Implementation Method 2
the pressure difference across the movable member of the valve is such that the valve will not open when injection fluid is fed into the valve, due to higher pressure on the annulus side of the valve
Implementation Method 3
it closes automatically by means of an elastic element when the infeed of injection fluid stops
Implementation Method 4
There is then a need to bleed off or vent fluid from the annulus side by forcing the valve to open
Data Source
AI summary
A valve arrangement for a wellhead of a hydrocarbon well comprises a valve for mounting in a port of a wellhead, and an actuator device for actuating the valve to move to an open position. The actuator device comprises a housing having a through channel extending between a first end, at which the valve is mounted, and a second end. The housing comprises at least one first port that leads into the through channel. The actuator device further comprises an actuator rod that is movably arranged in the through channel and configured to open the valve by the actuator rod being movable between at least a first position and a second position, and a control device arranged to control the movement of the actuator rod.