Multiple Spring Subsurface Safety Valve

a safety valve and spring technology, applied in the direction of fluid removal, sealing/packing, borehole/well accessories, etc., can solve the problem of reducing the flow and achieve the effect of maximizing the cross-sectional area of the flow tub

Inactive Publication Date: 2009-09-24
BAKER HUGHES INC
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0005]A subsurface safety valve that features vertically stacked springs that are each independently supported in the valve housing, or housings, and each having an opposite end that bears on a shoulder connected to the flow tube is described. When mounted this way their applied force is additive as they are in effect mounted in parallel between the housing and the flow tube for overcoming hydrostatic pressure in deep set applications that can exceed 20,000 feet. The stacking also allows the cross-sectional area of the flow tube to be maximized for a given housing outside diameter dictated by well conditions.

Problems solved by technology

One of the problems with this design is that it decreased the flow area of the flow tube for a given outside dimension of the valve housing to make such a spring assembly fit in the housing.

Method used

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  • Multiple Spring Subsurface Safety Valve
  • Multiple Spring Subsurface Safety Valve

Examples

Experimental program
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Embodiment Construction

[0008]FIG. 1 shows a housing assembly 10 with supports 12 and 14 on which springs 16 and 18 respectively bear. A flow tube 20 has a passage 22 through it and a lower end 24 that is disposed near a flapper 26 that is shown against its seat 28. Springs 16 and 18 when compressed by applied pressure in a control line driving a piston connected to the flow tube 20 (all of which except the flow tube 20 are not shown as their design is known to those skilled in the art and which are not the central focus of the invention) are pushed in compression by downward movement of the flow tube 20 that moves shoulders 30 and 32 to push the flapper 26 away from its seat 28. As long as pressure is maintained in the control line (not shown) the springs 16 and 18 will stay compressed. If pressure is released or leaks out of the control line and / or bypasses the associated piston (not shown) the force transmitted by the springs 16 and 18 will be strong enough to push the flow tube 20 up hole allowing the ...

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PUM

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Abstract

A subsurface safety valve features vertically stacked springs that are each independently supported in the valve housing and each having an opposite end that bears on a shoulder connected to the flow tube. When mounted this way their applied force is additive as they are in effect mounted in parallel between the housing and the flow tube for overcoming hydrostatic pressure in deep set applications that can exceed 20,000 feet. The stacking also allows the cross-sectional area of the flow tube to be maximized for a given housing outside diameter dictated by well conditions.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]The field of this invention is subsurface safety valves and more particularly those intended for use in deep applications where closure depends on overcoming hydrostatic pressure in a well.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]Subsurface safety valves are commonly used to prevent unwanted flow from reaching the surface and causing a dangerous condition. A common design involves a flapper that is held open by a flow tube. A control line from the surface extends to a piston in the housing of the safety valve which is coupled to the flow tube. Applied pressure on the piston shifts the flow tube down against a flapper that rotates about a pivot that is generally spring loaded. The advancing flow tube comes down in front of the rotated flapper and the safety valve remains in the open position as long as pressure is maintained in the control line from the surface. The act of opening the safety valve by moving the flow tube also compresses a closure spring. The closu...

Claims

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Application Information

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Patent Type & Authority Applications(United States)
IPC IPC(8): E21B34/00
CPCE21B34/101
Inventor BURRIS, JOHN E.CARNEY, ALLEN P.SMITH, II, TROY L.
Owner BAKER HUGHES INC
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