JPS5911799B2 - fitting - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a device for connecting and disconnecting submarine pipes or flow channels, and more particularly relates to an apparatus for connecting and disconnecting submarine pipes or channels, and more particularly, to
or) relates to a method of connecting a flow path to a closed-loop hydraulic power control system in which the flow path conveys a control fluid used for controlling the operation of valves in a gas well production system.

For example, the systems disclosed and claimed in U.S. Pat. In some types of subsea or submerged systems used for handling purposes, control fluids are routed to actuate hydraulically actuatable valves or other functional components of submerged production piping. It is used to transport various parts of the system.

In the above-mentioned submarine production system, the pipes buried underwater and the channels attached to the pipes can be recovered and connected to the non-recoverable channels of the closed-loop hydraulic control system.

The present invention is a subsea fitting or connection, particularly a fitting used for the purpose of connecting a number of submerged retrievable piping passages to a number of submerged non-retrievable piping passages of a closed loop hydraulic system. related to improvements.

The coupling of the present invention is specifically designed for connection and disconnection for subsea operation and closed loop hydraulic control fluid systems.

This joint can be assembled and disassembled underwater under pressure without leakage of hydraulic control fluid or outside seawater flowing into the control system, and can be assembled and disassembled under pressure using a remote-controlled external tool. and any other desired features to assist in connecting them together.

Alignment devices on each joint half move that half axially and radially to make the connection proper.

In addition, when the joint is fully connected, a metal-to-metal seal seals the joint.

Such dual seals are particularly desirable at remote subsea locations.

According to the technical idea of the present invention, a large number of joints used for the purpose of connecting submarine hydraulic flow channels are arranged at both ends of the flow channels to be connected together.

The flow passages are located within the conduits and one half of each fitting is located within a flange forming the end of each conduit.

Apparatus is provided for bringing the conduits toward each other and locking them together using an external, remotely controllable tool.

A valve arrangement within each fitting half closes the end of the flow path when the fitting halves are separated from each other.

When the fittings are connected to create a connection between the channels, the valve system opens and fluid can flow through the channels.

A guide device is provided on the flange to assist in achieving final axial and rotational alignment when the fitting halves are brought into close proximity together for connection.

Each fitting half is disposed within the flange, and a fitting or device capable of floating the fitting in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the conduit to adjust for axial or angular misalignment of the fitting is attached to each fitting half. It is a provision.

The sealing device in conjunction with the fitting halves cooperate to prevent external fluids from entering the flow path during connection and disconnection of the fitting.

Another sealing device formed on the fitting halves seals the fitting connection once the fitting halves are assembled.

Referring to Figures 1 to 5, each number 1
A boss or connecting flange 10 is shown which screws onto a transfer conduit 11 in which a number of (five) flow channels, designated 2, are installed.

The connecting flange 10 and the transfer conduit 11 form a shoulder 13 at their connection.

The connecting flange 10 is provided with a tapered shoulder locking surface 14.

The surface of the connecting flange 10 is engraved with guiding recesses 15, which are shown 90 DEG out of phase in FIG.

One half or male half 17 of each of the number (five) hydraulic couplings is positioned in a hole formed in the connecting flange 10 and connected at one end thereof to one of the channels 12. , the other end extends to the surface of the connecting flange 10.

Another boss or connecting flange 20 is connected to the transfer conduit 21 by means of threaded bolts 22.

Five additional channels 23 are installed in the transfer conduit 21, each connected to one of the merging channels 12 (see FIG. 5).

The connecting flange 20 is provided with a tapered shouldered locking surface 24.

The face of the connecting flange 20 includes two guide pins 25, shown 90° out of phase in FIG. It engages with the notch 15.

Another half or female half 18 of each of the five hydraulic couplings is positioned in a hole formed in the connecting flange 20 and connected at one end thereof to one of the channels 23; At the other end, it extends beyond the plane of the connecting flange 20.

A stop ring 27 is secured to the transfer conduit 21 and a tapered shouldered stop surface 28 is provided at the end of the transfer conduit 21.
is formed.

A movable cylindrical sleeve 29 is disposed about the transfer conduit 21 and is tapered at one end 30 to substantially the same extent as the stop surface 28 tapers.

The inner surface of the cylindrical sleeve 29 is notched at 31 for the purpose of providing a stop shoulder 32 engageable with the stop ring 27.

A plurality of spring-expandable locking fingers 35 extend from the annular collar portion 36 and are secured to the cylindrical sleeve 29 and secured to the ring member 37 by bolts 38.
It is bolted on.

Ring member 37 extends outwardly beyond the outer peripheral edge of annular collar portion 36.

The locking finger 35 is formed with an outwardly tapered surface 40 and an inner conical end surface 41.

A notch 42 formed in the inner surface of each locking finger is provided with tapered walls 43 and 44 that are matingly engaged with the locking surface 14 of the connecting flange 10 and the locking surface 24 of the connecting flange 20, respectively.

Spaced apart collars 46 and 41, inner tapered surface 4
A movable cylindrical housing 45 with 8 locking fingers 35
is surrounding.

In the retracted position of the cylindrical housing 45, the collar 47 abuts the ring member 37.

One of the hydraulic joints is shown in more detail in FIGS. 6-9.

A male sleeve member 50 is threadedly connected or directly welded to the channel 12 and has a connecting flange 10 on its outer surface.
An annular cutout 51 is provided adjacent to the shoulder 52 of the holder.

A snap ring 53 is disposed within the annular cutout 51 and engages the shoulder 52 .

A further annular cutout 55 is cut into the outer surface of the annular sleeve 50, which together with a cutout 56 on the inner surface of the connecting flange 10 forms an enlarged annular cutout, which A split ring type holder 57 is positioned within the notch.

An annular groove 58 is also cut into the outer surface of the sleeve member 50.

The front end of the sleeve member 50 is provided with a tapered shouldered seating surface 69.

The sleeve member 50 is attached to the front inner surface 59 of the sleeve member 50.
It is tapered to provide a valve seat for a poppet valve, generally designated 60, contained within and secured to the flow passage 12.

The poppet valve 60 includes a valve member 61 that includes a ring-shaped seal member 62 and is connected to one end portion of a core frame 63 of the valve.

The other end of the valve core frame 63 extends through an opening in a plate member 64 provided with a flow passage 65 and fixed to the flow passage 12 .

A spring 66 is held between the valve member 61 and the plate member 64;
The ring-shaped seal 62 is engaged with the face 59 of the valve seat.

The shape of the valve member 61 is generally conical and slopes to a pointed end 68 that extends slightly beyond the free end of the sleeve member 50 when the valve member is in the fully closed position. .

The female sleeve member 70 is threaded into the channel 23 and is provided with an annular cutout 71 on its outer surface adjacent to the shoulder 72 of the connecting flange 20 .

A snap ring 73 is disposed within the annular cutout 71 and engages the shoulder 72.

The outer surface of the female sleeve member 70 is provided with a further annular cutout 75, which together with the annular cutout 76 on the inner surface of the connecting flange 20 forms an expandable cutout, into which a further annular cutout 75 is provided. The deformable split ring-shaped holder 77 is positioned here.

A notch 91 is provided on the inner surface of the front end of the female sleeve member 70, and an O-ring 92 is disposed within the notch.

Tapered shoulders 93 and 94 formed on the inner surface of female sleeve member 70 reduce the inner diameter of female sleeve member 70.

A metal gasket 95 is positioned adjacent shoulder 93.

The forward inner surface of the reduced diameter section is tapered to provide a valve seating surface 96 for a poppet valve, generally designated 80, contained within female sleeve member 70 and secured to flow passage 23.

The poppet valve 80 includes a valve member 81 .
1 includes a ring-shaped sealing member 82, which is connected to one end of a core frame 83 of the valve.

The other end of the valve core frame 83 extends through an opening in a plate member 84 , which is provided with a flow passage 85 and is fixed to the flow passage 23 .

A spring 86 is held between the valve member 81 and the plate member 84, and the spring pushes the ring-shaped seal member 82 against the valve seat surface 96.
to engage.

Valve member 81 is generally conical and slopes to a pointed end 90 that extends slightly forward of shoulder 93 when poppet valve 80 is fully closed.

Each end 90 of each valve member 81 aligns with each end 68 of each poppet valve 61 when the fitting and fitting are assembled in the proper operating position.

The space 100 formed by the tip-shaped front end of the female sleeve member 70 is filled with grease before making the hydraulic joint, as shown in FIG.

The wall defining the space 100 defines a small shoulder 109 which acts as a gripping device to hold the metal gasket in the female portion of the fitting when the fitting is in the disengaged condition.

The ring of deformable retainer 77 ensures the creation of a proper joint.

The holder deforms when a load sufficient to deform the sealing gasket 95 and apply a load to the joint exceeding the sum of the internal pressure load and the gasket load is applied to the joint.

For example, these loads total approximately 2022O25450
01b).

Holder ring weighs approximately 2627.4kg (58001b)
It starts to bend at about 0.508crrL (0,2001n)
It exhibits a flat yield load curve for the movement of .

As shown more clearly in FIG. 8, the ring of retainer 71 is "S" shaped in cross section and has two end portions of a certain thickness joined by a thinner central portion 77b. It is composed of 77a and 77c.

When certain opposing pressures are applied to the two end sections, the central section begins to deform as shown in FIG.

The retainer ring functions as a compression spring, allowing a complete joint construction.

In operation, a number of hydraulic control connecting channels 12.23
If it is desired to connect a transfer conduit 21 (with a pre-fitted connecting flange 20) to a transfer conduit 11 (with a pre-fitted connecting flange 10),
An axially operable actuator (not shown) applies a force to the ring member 37 in the directions indicated by arrows ■ and ■, respectively.
and to the shoulder surface 13 (see FIGS. 4 and 5).

The locking finger 35 is driven towards the connecting flange 10 .

The conical inner end surface 41 of the locking finger 35 is connected to the connecting flange 1.
0 and 20 act as guides to direct the connecting flange 10 into an axially aligned position when they are drawn together by an axially excited actuator and assume a aligned position relative to each other as shown in FIG. do.

Guide notch 15 and guide pin 25 provide final axial and rotational alignment by engagement of guide pin 25 within guide notch 15.

Guide pin 25 also acts as a boss to protect the poppet valve in the event of an axial misalignment.

The cylindrical sleeve 29 moves towards the connecting flange 20 together with the collar 36 of the locking finger 35 until one end 30 engages a stop surface 28 formed on the front end of the transfer conduit 21 .

When an axial force is applied to the inner surface of the collar 46 of the cylindrical housing 45 in the direction of the arrow (see FIG. 5), the locking finger 3
The outer tapered surface 40 of 5 slidably engages the inner tapered surface 48 of the cylindrical housing 45 and engages surfaces 43 and 44 of the connecting flange 10, respectively, as seen in FIG. Stopping surface 14, locking surface 2 of connection flange 20
4, the expandable locking finger 35 is pushed in for the purpose of engaging the locking finger 35.

When the transfer conduits 11 and 21 are locked together in close proximity, the female and male parts of the hydraulic connection to the flow path also engage and mate as shown in FIGS. 6-9.

The female half of the joint (sleeve 70) is a removable and replaceable half of the joint at any time.

The half-rest is supported by an inflatable 0-IJ song 2 and a metal gasket 95.

Pre-filling the space 100 of each female half of the fitting with grease removes water from the closed hydraulic system connecting the channels 12 during mating of the fittings.

Grease is forced out of space 100 during initial pushing of sleeve 50 into space 100 until outer surface 112 of sleeve member 50 is in sealing engagement with O-ring 92.

At this point, the remaining grease contained within space 100 is forced through poppet valve 80 and into hydraulic flow path 23 .

In accomplishing this displacement of the grease, spring 66 is made larger than spring 86 to open poppet valve 80 instead of poppet valve 60.

However, instead of this, the stronger spring is used as spring 8.
6, in which case the remaining grease contained in the space 100 flows into the hydraulic flow path 12 through the poppet valve 60.

The selected grease is compatible with and meltable within the hydraulic control fluid.

By engaging the outer surface of the sleeve member 50 with the 0-1,1 ring 92, the channels 12 and 23 are opened and excess fluid (
water) stops flowing.

This sealing occurs before the poppet cusp ends 90 and 68 meet to open both poppet valves (see Figure 9).
.

The metal seal/gasket 95 has a half-break of the connection tool of 2.5
The last 1/10 of 4 crrL (1 inch)
) during which it engages the seating surface 69 of the sleeve member 50.

Annular groove 58 in sleeve member 50 is designed to relieve trapped pressure between O-ring 92 and metal gasket 95 during formation of the final connection.

The gasket is fully engaged 2.54cIrL (1i
Provides an adequate seal with an error of up to 2/100 (2/100) of n).

disconnecting the numerous hydraulic control connection channels 12 and 23;
If it is desired to move the transfer conduit 21 away from the transfer conduit 11, an axially operable actuator is used to push the inner surface of the collar 47 of the cylindrical housing 45 in the direction of the arrow (■).
(See FIG. 5) Applying an axial force, the outer tapered surface of the locking finger 35 is slidably separated from the inner tapered surface 48 of the housing 45 to expand the locking finger 35 and the transfer conduit 11 and The connection between 21 and 21 is released.

When the transfer conduits 11 and 21 are separated, the female and male parts of the hydraulic coupling to the flow path are also uncoupled and separated.

The metal gasket 95 is spaced apart from the shoulder 93 and attached to the shoulder 10 .
9, moving with the male fitting as it is withdrawn.

During this movement, the seal is maintained by the metal gasket 95 (i.e., the metal gasket 95 moves in constant contact with the male fitting, and by the time the metal gasket 95 reaches the shoulder 109, both Poppet valves 60 and 80 are seated and therefore remain sealed at all times.

: After the male fitting is completely withdrawn, the metal gasket 95 is retained within the female fitting.

Each fitting can be adjusted for axial or angular misalignment from being free to "float" in a plane perpendicular to the axes of the transfer conduits 11 and 21.

J The ability of the joint to "float" is provided by the retainer system that positions the joint.

Each fitting half fits into one of the connecting flanges 10 or 20 of the transfer conduit and rests on a machined split ring type retainer 57 or 77.

The retainer rests on the notched shoulders J105 and 106 and the corresponding joint surfaces 107 and 108.

The walls of the notches 55, 56 and 75.76 hold the halves of the split ring retainers 57 and 77, respectively, in place.

A snap ring 53 is mounted on each sleeve member 50 from the rear side of the connection 4 flanges 10 and 20 of each transfer conduit to limit partial axial movement of each joint, and a snap ring 53 is mounted on the female sleeve member 70. - Ring 73 is attached.

The radial "floating" of each joint half is effected by the diameter difference between the fitting half and the receiving hole of each connecting flange as well as the joint retainer and the notch in the retainer.

Typically, 0.005 in. of radial float is adequate to allow for machining tolerances for multi-bore fittings.

This radial "floating", along with the axial tolerance for devices constructed with tapered or beveled metal gaskets, makes the connection system useful as a metal-sealed, perforated, interchangeable subsea fitting. Make it seem possible.

Modifications and changes may be made to the specific exemplary embodiments of the invention as shown and/or described herein without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the claims below.

Accordingly, metal sealing gaskets other than those shown and described herein and valves other than poppet-type valves may be used with the present invention.

The foregoing has provided a complete description of the apparatus, operation, objects, and advantages of the present invention.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a view of the hydraulic coupling of the present invention in an unconnected position. FIG. 2 is a view along line 2-2 in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a view taken along line 3-3 in FIG. FIG. 4 is a view of the hydraulic fitting of FIG. 1 in a state of being assembled; FIG. 5 is a view of the hydraulic fitting of FIG. 1 after assembly. FIG. 6 shows one of the hydraulic couplings of the hydraulic fitting of FIG. 1 during assembly; FIG. 7 is a view along line 7-7 of FIG. 6. FIG. 8 shows a retainer on the female half of the hydraulic coupling of FIG. FIG. 9 is a view showing the hydraulic joint of FIG. 6 after assembly. 10... Connection flange, 11... Transfer conduit, 12... Channel, 13... Shoulder,
14... Locking surface, 15... Guide notch, 17... Male joint, 18... Female half, 20... ...Connection flange, 21...
Transfer conduit, 22...Threaded bolt, 23...
...Flow path, 24...Latching surface, 25...
...Guide pin, 27...Stop ring, 28...
... Stopping surface, 29 ... Cylindrical sleeve, 3
0... One end, 31... Notch, 32
...Stopping shoulder part, 35...Latching finger part, 3
6...Annular collar part, 37...Ring member, 38...Bolt, 40...Face, 41...End face, 42... ...notch, 4
3...Wall, 44...Wall, 45...
... Cylindrical housing, 46, 47 ... Collar, 48 ... Surface, 50 ... Sleeve member, 51 ... Annular notch, 52 ... ...Shoulder, 53...Snap ring, 55...
・Notch key, 56... Notch, 51...
Split ring type holding tool, 58... annular groove, 59.
...Front inner surface, 60 ...Poppet valve, 6
1... Valve member, 62... Seal member,
63...Core frame, 64...Plate member, 65
...flow passage, 66 ... spring, 68.
...Cusp end, 69...Seating surface, 70.
... Female sleeve member, 71 ... Annular notch, 72 ... Shoulder, γ3 ... Snap ring, 75 ... Annular Notch, 16...
... Annular notch, 77 ... Holder, 77a.
...End part, 77b...Central part, 77
c...End part, 80...Poppet valve,
81... Valve member, 82... Seal member, 83... Core frame, 84... Plate member, 8
5...Flow passage, 86...Spring, 90
・・・・・・Point end, 91 ・・・Notch, 92
...0-ring, 93...shoulder, 94
...Shoulder, 95...Gasket, 96
... Valve seat surface, 100 ... Space, 105
, 106... Notch shoulder, 107, 108...
...Joint surface, 109...Shoulder part, 110...
...male surface, 112 ... outer surface.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. In a connector used to connect submarine hydraulic flow pipes, the first flow pipe 12 and the second flow pipe 23 are connected to the end of the first flow pipe 12. The first sleeve member 50 includes a first sleeve member 50 and a second sleeve member 70 connected to the end of the second flow path pipe 23. The first sleeve member 50 can be freely inserted into the second sleeve member γ0, and the fourth sleeve member 50 a first sleeve member that closes flow through the first and second valves 60.80 and the first and second flow conduits 12.23 when not inserted into the second sleeve member 70; 50 and second sleeve member 70
a first valve 60 and a second valve 80 respectively disposed within the sleeve; and a second sleeve that engages the outer wall 112 of the first sleeve member 50 when the first sleeve member 50 is inserted into the second sleeve member 70. sealing members 92 arranged on the inner wall of the member 70; and a sealing shoulder 69 formed at the end of the first sleeve member 50;
and when the sealing shoulder 69 engages the sealing ring 95, fluid flows out from the first and second flow pipes 12.23 and into the first and second flow pipes 12.23. a sealing ring 95 arranged within the second sleeve member 70 to engage the sealing shoulder 69 on the first sleeve member 50 to prevent inflow; After the outer wall 112 of the first sleeve member is engaged but before the sealing shoulder 69 and the sealing ring 95 are engaged, the first and second valves 60.80 are opened and the second sleeve member γ0 is closed at its end. and the second valve 80, the outer wall 112 of the first sleeve member 50
engages a seal member 92 in the second sleeve member 10 while initially entering the second sleeve member 70;
As the first sleeve member continues to move into the second sleeve member 70, the sleeve is moved into the first valve 60.
and a second valve 80 into one or both of the first and second flow pipes 12.23.