Frac system with flapper valve

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10876370-B2
Application number	US-201816130884-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 13, 2018
Priority date	Sep 13, 2018
Publication date	Dec 29, 2020
Grant date	Dec 29, 2020

Abstract

A frac system including a frac tree. The frac tree includes a frac head. The frac head defines a first inlet, a second inlet, and an outlet. The frac head receives frac fluid through the first inlet and directs the frac fluid to the outlet fluidly coupled to a wellhead. A valve couples to the second inlet of the frac head. A flapper valve is within the frac head. The flapper valve moves between an open position and a closed position to control fluid flow to the valve through the second inlet. The flapper valve aligns with a first axis of the outlet and the second inlet in the closed position and aligns with a second axis of the first inlet in the open position.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A frac system, comprising:
a frac head, the frac head defining a first inlet, a second inlet, and an outlet, wherein the frac head is configured to receive frac fluid through the first inlet and direct the frac fluid to the outlet fluidly coupled to a wellhead;
a flapper valve within the frac head, wherein the flapper valve is configured to move between an open position and a closed position to control fluid flow through the second inlet; and
a seal sleeve disposed about a stem in a stem aperture in the frac head, wherein the stem is configured to move the flapper valve between the open position and the closed position.

2. The system of claim 1 , comprising a valve coupled to the second inlet of the frac head and a lubricator coupled to the valve, wherein the flapper valve is configured to control a fluid flow to the valve through the second inlet.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the valve is a gate valve.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the flapper valve couples to the frac head with a connector, the flapper valve is configured to rotate about the connector between the open and closed positions in response to movement of a yoke in a crosswise direction relative to a central axis of the second inlet.

5. The system of claim 1 , comprising an actuator system configured to open and close the flapper valve, wherein the actuator system comprises an actuator configured to move the flapper valve between the open position and the closed position, wherein an actuation axis of the actuator is oriented at an acute angle relative to a central axis of the second inlet.

6. The system of claim 1 , comprising a seal within a circumferential groove about the second inlet.

7. The system of claim 1 , where in the stem extends crosswise to a central axis of the second inlet, and the stem is configured to move axially within the stem aperture to move the flapper valve between the open position and the closed position.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the frac head defines a recess, the recess is configured to enable a hinge of the flapper valve to rotate inwardly into the recess in the open position of the flapper valve and outward from the recess in the closed position of the flapper valve.

9. A system comprising:
a frac head, the frac head defining a stem aperture, a first inlet, a second inlet, and an outlet, wherein the frac head is configured to receive frac fluid through the first inlet and direct the frac fluid to the outlet fluidly coupled to a wellhead;
a flapper valve within the frac head, wherein the flapper valve is configured to move between an open position and a closed position to open and close the second inlet to control fluid flow to a valve;
an actuator coupled to the frac head and configured to actuate the flapper valve; and
a stem disposed in the stem aperture extending crosswise to a central axis of the second inlet, wherein the stem is configured to couple the flapper valve to the actuator, and the stem is configured to move axially within the stem aperture to open and close the flapper valve.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the actuator comprises an electric actuator, a pneumatic actuator, a hydraulic actuator, or a combination thereof.

11. The system of claim 9 , comprising a seal sleeve within the frac head, wherein the seal sleeve is configured to form a seal in the stem aperture of the frac head.

12. The system of claim 9 , wherein the stem disposed in the stem aperture extends at an acute angle relative to the central axis of the second inlet.

13. The system of claim 9 , wherein the stem is configured to move axially along a first axis within the stem aperture, the flapper valve is configured to rotate about a second axis between open and closed positions, and the second axis is offset and crosswise relative to the first axis.

14. The system of claim 9 , comprising the valve and a lubricator coupled to the valve.

15. The system of claim 9 , comprising a seal within a circumferential groove about the second inlet.

16. A frac system, comprising:
a flapper valve system;
a frac head, the frac head defining a stem aperture, a first inlet, a second inlet, and an outlet, wherein the frac head is configured to receive frac fluid through the first inlet and direct the frac fluid to the outlet fluidly coupled to a wellhead;
a flapper valve within the frac head, wherein the flapper valve is configured to move between an open position and a closed position to control fluid flow through the second inlet; and
a stem extending along a first axis of the stem aperture and coupling with the flapper valve, wherein the first axis of the stem is oriented at an acute angle relative to a central axis of the second inlet, and the stem is configured to move the flapper valve between the open position and the closed position.

17. The frac system of claim 16 , comprising:
a valve coupled to the frac head, wherein the flapper valve is configured to control a flow of fluid to the valve;
a lubricator coupled to the valve; and
an actuator coupled to the stem.

18. The frac system of claim 16 , wherein the flapper valve is configured to rotate about a second axis between the open position and the closed position, and the second axis is offset and crosswise relative to the first axis.

Assignees

• Cameron Int Corp

Inventors

• Tibbs Cody
• Byrne Jana
• Clifton Justin

Classifications

• E21B2200/05

  Flapper valves · CPC title

• E21B43/26

  by forming crevices or fractures · CPC title

• E21B33/068 Primary

  having provision for introducing objects or fluids into, or removing objects from, wells (cementing-heads E21B33/05) · CPC title

• E21B34/02 Primary

  in well heads · CPC title

• E21B43/2607

  Surface equipment specially adapted for fracturing operations · CPC title