Patent Application
20190360637
Many industries utilize remotely actuated hydraulic valves. Such valves are relatively expensive and require significant lubrication typically using relatively expensive lubricant. Therefore, it is imperative to adequately lubricate each valve in order to maximize the valves life while at the same time not over lubricating the valves which waste the expense of lubricant. Additionally, over lubricating the valves may in some instances obstruct the passageway through the valve due to the excessive lubricant interfering with other equipment that may be run into the well. Generally, each valve has to be lubricated hourly during operation. Typically, a high pressure stroking pump is used to force the lubricant into the desired areas of each valve. In the past the lubricant pump operator has been required to count the number of strokes the pump makes in order to determine the amount of lubricant pushed into each valve. Unfortunately, due to distractions at the wellsite is unusual for the lubricant pump operator to maintain a precise stroke count. Proper greasing decreases the cost of operating the well, improves reliability of the valves, and does not interfere with the proper functioning of other equipment within the wellbore.
Another problem is that many of the valves needing lubrication may have internal pressures of 15,000 psi. Therefore, in order to grease a valve under pressure (in order pump the grease in the first place) the pump must create sufficient pressure to overcome the pressure in the valve in order for the grease to flow into the valve. Currently utilized flow meters are paddle wheels or in line wetted meters. Unfortunately, even the lower pressure 10,000 psi units fail when operated in this grease environment. The sealing greases and additives destroy the flowmeters. The reliability, in particular of the frac valves is highly dependent upon the grease. The grease or lubricant protects the interior of the valve from the high amounts of proppant and other chemicals in the fluid which in turn moves through the valves.
In an embodiment of the current invention a lubrication flow meter has been designed primarily for use with frac valves on a wellhead. However, any device that needs lubrication under high pressure, including choke manifolds, blowout preventers, or any other production valves that are subject to high pressure may utilize such a flowmeter. In an embodiment the flow meter counts each half stroke of the pump until reset. Therefore, the meter is able to maintain a cumulative total of high-pressure grease that is pumped by the particular pump until it is reset. The pump may track the number of half strokes of the pump or it may track the number of full strokes of the pump. While a mechanical counter may be used it is envisioned that an electronic counter may be used. It is envisioned that non-volatile memory is used in the electronic counter to store the total amount of grease pumped prior to reset or other parameters concerning the amount of grease pumped such as how much grease is pumped per hour, per day, or per month. Other parameters that may be included in an electronic high-pressure flowmeter are the number of strokes made by the pump or the conversion of each stroke into a quantity of grease pumped for the quantity is rendered in whichever unit system as desired by the operator. For instance the volume of each stroke is determined and the parameter is input into the electronic flowmeter along with other information such as: each stroke pumping grease downstream or is grease merely pumped in one direction while the internal volume of the pump is refilled when the pump strokes in the opposite direction.
MOW nonvolatile memory will retain the information stored within it even when the memory loses power. By including an electronic counter the electronic counter may be remotely accessed by radio or via the Internet or the electronic counter may be directly accessed such as downloading the data into an external drive, removing the memory from the counter and accessing the data at a remote location, or even printing the stored parameters remotely or locally.
A lubrication flow meter system comprising a pump, a pressure sensor providing an electronic wellbore pressure indication, wherein the pump provides lubricant at greater than wellbore pressure, a frack valve having a through bore, a grease cavity, and a port between an exterior of the frack valve the grease cavity. A programmable logic controller switches on the pump at predetermined pressure or time intervals, wherein the programmable logic controller switches off the pump upon reaching predetermined pressure, time, or volume limits. An alarm is activated upon exceeding predetermined pressure, time, or volume limits
It is generally envisioned that the current embodiment of a high-pressure lubrication flow meter is a nonwetted system, i.e. none of the parts of the flowmeter contact the lubricant in the production string. The current embodiment uses a magnetic proximity sensor that senses a position indicator installed on the pump such that a magnet on the stroke arm of the pump will engage a magnet sensor at a location along the stroke of the pump. In some instances, the sensor may be on the stroke arm of the pump and the magnet is located along the stroke of the pump. In other instances, a light sensor may be utilized where the light sensor is located along the stroke of the pump and a stroke is sensed when the light source interrupted or in other cases when the light source is sensed.
When including a pressure sensor with lubrication flowmeter the lubrication flowmeter may be programmed to provide an alert when low pressure is sensed. Such low pressure could indicate a failure of a check valve, an air pocket, or the grease source being empty or low.
In an alternative to calculating the volume amount of greased pumped based on the displacement of each stroke of the pump is envisioned that the amount of grease pumped may be calculated based upon the size of an orifice where the pressure within the pump is monitored allowing the lubrication flow meter to determine the amount of grease passing through the orifice in a certain period of time. It is preferred that the pressure on both the upstream side of the orifice as well as the downstream side of the orifice are monitored.
While the embodiments are described with reference to various implementations and exploitations, it will be understood that these embodiments are illustrative and that the scope of the inventive subject matter is not limited to them. Many variations, modifications, additions and improvements are possible.
Plural instances may be provided for components, operations or structures described herein as a single instance. In general, structures and functionality presented as separate components in the exemplary configurations may be implemented as a combined structure or component. Similarly, structures and functionality presented as a single component may be implemented as separate components. These and other variations, modifications, additions, and improvements may fall within the scope of the inventive subject matter.
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/676,830 that was filed on May 25, 2018.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62676830 | May 2018 | US |
