Seals with embedded sensors

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10161225-B2
Application number	US-201514933200-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 5, 2015
Priority date	Nov 5, 2015
Publication date	Dec 25, 2018
Grant date	Dec 25, 2018

Abstract

An apparatus for monitoring the condition of a seal, such as a seal in a blowout preventer or in another oilfield device, is provided. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a blowout preventer including a seal and a blowout preventer seal-monitoring system that includes a sensor positioned within a body of the seal and a data analyzer. The data analyzer has a processor and is configured to monitor a condition of the seal through analysis of data received by the data analyzer from the sensor positioned within the body of the seal. Additional systems, devices, and methods are also disclosed.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising:
a blowout preventer including a seal; and
a blowout preventer seal-monitoring system including a sensor including a fiber-optic sensor and positioned within a body of the seal and a data analyzer having a processor and configured to monitor a condition of the seal through analysis of data received by the data analyzer from the sensor positioned within the body of the seal, wherein the data analyzer is configured to monitor the condition of the seal using measurements, acquired with the sensor, of temperature, pressure, or forces experienced by the seal.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the seal includes a power source embedded within the body of the seal and coupled to provide power to the sensor or to at least one other component embedded in the seal.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the seal includes an antenna that is embedded within the body of the seal and facilitates wireless communication of sensor data to the data analyzer.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the sensor positioned within the body of the seal includes a strain gauge.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the blowout preventer includes a ram-type blowout preventer having a ram including the seal.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the seal is a top seal of the ram or a ram packer of the ram.

7. The apparatus of claim 5 , comprising a data receiver positioned to wirelessly receive data from the sensor within the body of the seal when the ram is in an open position in the blowout preventer.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the data receiver is a radio-frequency identification reader embedded in the blowout preventer.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the blowout preventer includes an annular blowout preventer having the seal.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is positioned in an elastomeric body of the seal.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the blowout preventer seal-monitoring system is configured to detect fluid ingress into the seal.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the sensor positioned within the body of the seal includes a wire embedded in the seal.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the wire is embedded in the seal along a wear surface of the seal.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the data analyzer is configured to detect electrical contact of the wire with another component in the event that the wire becomes exposed due to wear of the wear surface of the seal.

15. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the data analyzer is configured to detect damage to the seal by measuring continuity between opposite ends of the wire.

16. An apparatus comprising:
a seal having a non-conductive body; and
a wear sensor embedded in the non-conductive body along a wear surface of the non-conductive body such that the wear sensor enables detection of a predetermined amount of wear of the non-conductive body at the wear surface, wherein the wear sensor is a wire sensor, the wear surface is a sealing surface of a ram packer, and the wire sensor extends along the sealing surface from one end of the ram packer to an opposite end of the ram packer.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 , comprising a data analyzer coupled to the wire sensor and configured to detect the predetermined amount of wear of the non-conductive body at the wear surface by detecting electrical contact of the wire sensor with a different conductive component resulting from exposure of the wire sensor due to the predetermined amount of wear having occurred.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the data analyzer is configured to detect damage to the seal via continuity testing across the wire sensor.

19. A method comprising:
Acquiring physical operating data comprising temperature, pressure, or forces experienced by an elastomeric seal of an oilfield component with a sensor including a fiber-optic sensor embedded in an elastomeric sealing portion of the elastomeric seal;
processing the physical operating data acquired with the sensor embedded in the elastomeric sealing portion of the elastomeric seal; and
determining a condition of the elastomeric sealing portion via the processed physical operating data.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein acquiring physical operating data with the sensor includes measuring strain on the elastomeric seal during operation of the oilfield component.

21. The method of claim 19 , wherein the elastomeric seal of the oilfield component is a blowout preventer seal, and processing the physical operating data acquired with the sensor embedded in the elastomeric sealing portion of the elastomeric seal includes processing the physical operating data acquired with the sensor embedded in the blowout preventer.

22. The method of claim 21 , comprising wirelessly receiving the acquired physical operating data from the elastomeric seal.

23. The method of claim 22 , wherein wirelessly receiving the acquired physical operating data from the elastomeric seal includes wirelessly receiving the acquired physical operating data from the elastomeric seal via a data receiver embedded within a body of a blowout preventer in which the blowout preventer seal is disposed.

24. The method of claim 23 , wherein:
a ram of the blowout preventer includes the blowout preventer seal, and the ram moves away from an open position toward a closed position and then returns to the open position;
acquiring physical operating data with the sensor embedded in the elastomeric sealing portion of the elastomeric seal includes acquiring physical operating data from the sensor embedded in the blowout preventer seal while the ram is not in the open position; and
wirelessly receiving the acquired physical operating data from the elastomeric seal via the data receiver includes wirelessly receiving, while the ram is in the open position, the physical operating data that was acquired while the ram was not in the open position.

25. The method of claim 19 , wherein the oilfield component is a subsea component, acquiring physical operating data with the sensor includes acquiring physical operating data with the sensor while the oilfield component is deployed underwater, and processing the physical operating data acquired with the sensor includes processing the physical operating data after retrieval of the oilfield component out of the water.

Assignees

• Cameron Int Corp

Inventors

• Jaffrey Andrew
• Matteucci Brian
• Gaude Edward C

Classifications

• G01L1/22

  using resistance strain gauges · CPC title

• E21B33/076

  specially adapted for underwater installations · CPC title

• E21B2200/01

  Sealings characterised by their shape · CPC title

• G01L1/242

  the material being an optical fibre · CPC title

• G01N3/00

  Investigating strength properties of solid materials by application of mechanical stress · CPC title