Variable load valve actuator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11486501-B2
Application number	US-201817289031-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 13, 2018
Priority date	Dec 13, 2018
Publication date	Nov 1, 2022
Grant date	Nov 1, 2022

Abstract

Embodiments of an equalizing device for use with a safety valve and a safety valve are provided herein. In one embodiment, the equalizing device includes at least a tubular having a central bore extending axially there through, the tubular having a ball seat. The equalizing device may further include a ball positioned proximate the ball seat, the ball configured to move from a first position engaged with the ball seat to a second position disengaged from the ball seat to equalize pressure across the safety valve, and an arced ring positioned radially outside the ball, the arced ring configured to keep the ball engaged with the ball seat when in the first position and maintain the ball radially outside the ball seat when in the second position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A valve actuator, comprising:
an outer mandrel having an outer notch in an inner radial surface of the outer mandrel;
an inner mandrel having an inner notch in an outer radial surface of the inner mandrel, wherein the outer mandrel and the inner mandrel together define a spring chamber having a first and second portion;
an expandable ring separating the first and second portions of the spring chamber, the expandable ring configured to move radially between the inner notch to the outer notch as the outer and inner mandrel move relative to one another;
a first spring positioned in the first portion of the spring chamber; and
a second spring positioned in the second portion of the spring chamber, the first and second springs configured to sequentially extend to move a control arm to close a valve.

2. The valve actuator according to claim 1 , wherein the inner notch has one or more inner notch sidewalls, wherein at least one of the one or more inner notch sidewalls is angled toward the first spring.

3. The valve actuator according to claim 2 , wherein the inner notch has two opposing substantially parallel inner notch sidewalls.

4. The valve actuator according to claim 1 , wherein the outer notch has one or more outer notch sidewalls that are substantially perpendicular to the inner radial surface of the outer mandrel.

5. The valve actuator according to claim 1 , wherein the first spring is a nested spring.

6. The valve actuator according to claim 1 , wherein the second spring is a Bellville spring.

7. The valve actuator according to claim 1 , wherein the first spring is configured to sequentially release before the second spring, and further wherein a spring load of the second spring is greater than a spring load of the first spring.

8. A valve assembly, comprising:
a valve body;
a valve member configured to control flow through the valve body;
a control arm coupled with the valve member, the control arm configured to move the valve member between at least a first valve open position and a second valve closed position; and
a valve actuator coupled to the control arm, the valve actuator including:
an outer mandrel having an outer notch in an inner radial surface of the outer mandrel;
an inner mandrel having an inner notch in an outer radial surface of the inner mandrel, wherein the outer mandrel and the inner mandrel together define a spring chamber having a first and second portion;
an expandable ring separating the first and second portions of the spring chamber the expandable ring configured to move radially between the inner notch to the outer notch as the outer and inner mandrel move relative to one another;
a first spring positioned in the first portion of the spring chamber; and
a second spring positioned in the second portion of the spring chamber, the first and second springs configured to sequentially move the control arm to move the valve member between the first open position and the second closed position.

9. The valve assembly according to claim 8 , wherein the inner notch has one or more inner notch sidewalls, wherein at least one of the one or more inner notch sidewalls is angled toward the first spring.

10. The valve assembly according to claim 9 , wherein the inner notch has two opposing substantially parallel inner notch sidewalls.

11. The valve assembly according to claim 8 , wherein the outer notch has one or more outer notch sidewalls that are substantially perpendicular to the inner radial surface of the outer mandrel.

12. The valve assembly according to claim 8 , wherein the first spring is a nested spring.

13. The valve assembly according to claim 8 , wherein the second spring is a Bellville spring.

14. The valve assembly according to claim 8 , wherein the valve member is a ball valve.

15. The valve assembly according to claim 8 , wherein the first spring is configured to sequentially release before the second spring, and further wherein a spring load of the second spring is greater than a spring load of the first spring.

16. A method for actuating a valve between an open position and a closed position, the method comprising:
placing a valve assembly within a conduit, the valve assembly including:
a valve body;
a valve member configured to control flow through the valve body;
a control arm coupled with the valve member, the control arm configured to move the valve member between at least a first valve open position and a second valve closed position; and
a valve actuator coupled to the control arm, the valve actuator including:
an outer mandrel having an outer notch in an inner radial surface of the outer mandrel;
an inner mandrel having an inner notch in an outer radial surface of the inner mandrel, wherein the outer mandrel and the inner mandrel together define a spring chamber having a first and second portion;
an expandable ring separating the first and second portions of the spring chamber, the expandable ring configured to move radially between the inner notch to the outer notch as the outer and inner mandrel move relative to one another;
a first spring positioned in the first portion of the spring chamber; and
a second spring positioned in the second portion of the spring chamber, the first and second springs configured to sequentially move the control arm to move the valve member between the first open position and the second closed position; and

triggering the valve actuator to release the first spring and then release the second spring to move the control arm such that the control arm moves the valve member to the second valve closed position.

17. The method for actuating a valve according to claim 16 , wherein the inner notch has one or more inner notch sidewalls, wherein at least one of the one or more inner notch sidewalls is angled toward the first spring.

18. The method for actuating a valve according to claim 17 , wherein the inner notch has two opposing substantially parallel inner notch sidewalls.

19. The method for actuating a valve according to claim 16 , wherein the first spring axially moves the inner mandrel to a first position allowing the expandable ring to move radially outward into the outer notch, and then the second spring axially moves the inner mandrel to a second position.

20. The method for actuating a valve according to claim 16 , wherein a spring load of the second spring is greater than a spring load of the first spring.

Assignees

• Halliburton Energy Services Inc

Inventors

• Wright Adam Davis

Classifications

• F16K27/06

  of taps or cocks · CPC title

• E21B34/06 Primary

  in wells · CPC title

• F16K5/0647 Primary

  Spindles or actuating means · CPC title

• E21B2200/04

  Ball valves · CPC title

• E21B34/00 Primary

  Valve arrangements for boreholes or wells · CPC title