This application claims priority through India Provisional Application 202211009426 filed on Feb. 22, 2022.
For subsea hydraulic filters, it is important to cut cost by either removing redundant features, combining features which can perform functions simultaneously, or both. In existing designs, the sump housing and filter housing are separate components and add separate costs in the assembly.
Various figures are included herein which illustrate aspects of embodiments of the disclosed inventions.
In a first embodiment, referring generally to
In a preferred embodiment, hydraulic control line filter for subsea high-pressure application 100 comprises housing 2, comprising inner housing cavity 2a and pressurized fluid inlet 1a; end cap 1 disposed at first end 2b of housing 2, where end cap 1 comprises filtered fluid outlet 1b; first centralizer 4 disposed within inner housing cavity 2a, where first centralizer 4 comprises an inner first centralizer projection 4a and first centralizer cavity 4e; sump tube 3 disposed and centered within inner first centralizer cavity 4e, where sump tube 3 comprises an outer surface which, along with an inner surface of inner housing cavity 2a, defines sump tube cavity 3a there-between; and fluid filter 5 disposed in sump tube 3 and centered within sump tube 3 by filter centralizer 6, where filter centralizer 6 comprises filter centralizer projection 6b disposed at least partially inside filter element 5.
Sump tube 3 and fluid filter 5 are typically overlapped in housing 2 to make it integrated assembly. As described more fully below, hydraulic control line filter for subsea high-pressure application 100 uses a concentric and overlapping design of first centralizer 4 to centralize sump tube 3 inside housing 2 and uses filter centralizer 6 to centralize filter element 5 in sump tube 3.
In most embodiments, pressurized fluid inlet 1a is upstream of fluid flow which comprises contaminated fluid and filtered fluid outlet 1b is downstream of the fluid flow.
Hydraulic control line filter for subsea high-pressure application 100 typically may be mounted as needed, e.g., vertically. Typically, housing 2, first centralizer 4, sump tube 3, filter centralizer 6, and fluid filter 5 are all substantially tubular but can be any shape, e.g., ovoid or obround or the like, which can accommodate the functions and limitations described herein.
In certain embodiments, referring additionally to
End cap 1 may comprise a threaded portion, e.g., a male threaded portion, by which it can be affixed to a complementarily threaded portion of housing 2 and, as described herein, accommodates at least a portion of filter element 5 and sump tube 3.
Sump tube 3 comprises sump tube inner cavity 3b in fluid communication with pressurized fluid inlet 1a and fluid filter 5 is in fluid communication with filtered fluid outlet 1b and sump tube 3. In embodiments, sump tube 3 further comprises a plurality of ports 3c, e.g., three ports 3c, extending between sump tube inner cavity 3b and the outer surface of sump tube 3. The plurality of ports 3c are disposed at predefined locations, e.g., at 90° location offsets for a total of twelve ports 3c.
In an embodiment, first centralizer 4 comprises conical first end 4b which may be used to guide high pressure fluid to the periphery of first centralizer 4. In certain embodiments, first centralizer 4 comprises or is other a part of a surface control subsurface safety valve (SCSSV). For SCSSV filtration applications, hydraulic control line filter for subsea high-pressure application 100 may define an SCSSV filter and be installed in immediate proximity to the SCSSV valve.
First centralizer 4 is typically disposed at inner housing cavity 2a of housing 2 distally from end cap 1 and configured to guide fluid under pressure to a periphery of sump tube 3. In certain embodiments, first centralizer 4 further comprises a predefined number of slots 4c disposed about a periphery of first centralizer 4 through which fluid enters into sump tube cavity 3a or sump cavity 3b.
Referring additionally to
Fluid centralizer 6 may comprise a predetermined set of slots 6a on its periphery, where the predetermined set of slots 6a are configured to guide fluid coming from the plurality of ports 3c in sump tube 3 to a filtration area defined within a cavity existing between an outer surface of fluid filter 5 and sump tube inner cavity 3b.
In the operation of exemplary methods, referring back to
After the pressurized fluid reaches a level of a predetermined subset of a predetermined set of sump tube ports 3c in sump tube 3, the pressurized fluid is allowed to enter inside sump tube 3 and proceed into a filtration area via centralizer 6. Fluid filter 5 is then used to filter pressurized fluid collected in fluid filter 5 and the filtered pressurized fluid allowed to exit from an inside of fluid filter 5 through filtered fluid outlet 1b in end cap 1. The filtered fluid may then be allowed to transit to a surface control subsurface safety valve (SCSSV) or any other system requiring filtered fluid at high pressure.
Typically, fluid filter 5 is connected to the cap 1 and to filter centralizer 6; sump tube 3 is fitted to end cap 1, typically fitted over end cap 1, at first end 3d of sump tube 3 and also fitted to first centralizer 4 at second end 3e of sump tube 3 which is distal to first end 3d and housing 2 is fitted to end cap 1, typically fitted over end cap 1. In certain embodiments, end cap 1 is fitted over housing 2.
In most embodiments, housing 2 is secured to end cap 1 such as by connectors, which can be threaded connectors comprising complimentarily threaded portions of housing 2 and end cap 1, by welding the two together, or the like, or a combination thereof. By way of example and not limitation, if end cap 1 and housing 2 comprise a complimentary set of threaded portions, fluid filter 5 can be connected to end cap 1 such as by one or more welds; fluid filter 5 connected to filter centralizer 6 such as by one or more welds which may comprise filet welds; sump tube 3 fitted over or otherwise connected to end cap 1 such as by one or more welds which may comprise fillet welds; and sump tube 3 fitted to or otherwise connected to first centralizer 4 such as by welds which may comprise one or more fillet and/or bevel welds. Housing 2 is fitted over or otherwise connected to end cap 1, or end cap 1 fitted over or otherwise connected to housing 2, via the threaded connectors. In certain embodiments, a groove weld may be created between housing 2 and end cap 1 to make a seal weld.
The foregoing disclosure and description of the inventions are illustrative and explanatory. Various changes in the size, shape, and materials, as well as in the details of the illustrative construction and/or an illustrative method may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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202211009426 | Feb 2022 | IN | national |