Frac system with flapper valve

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11598173-B2
Application number	US-202017135849-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 28, 2020
Priority date	Sep 13, 2018
Publication date	Mar 7, 2023
Grant date	Mar 7, 2023

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 system comprising:
a body having a stem aperture with an aperture axis, a first port, a second port, and a fluid flow path between the first and second ports;
a flapper valve within the body, wherein the flapper valve is configured to move between an open position and a closed position to open and close the fluid flow path; and
a stem disposed in the stem aperture and extending along a stem axis coaxial with the aperture axis, wherein the stem axis and the aperture axis are oriented at an angle crosswise to a central axis of the fluid flow path, and the stem is configured to move axially along the stem axis and the aperture axis within the stem aperture to move the flapper valve between the open position and the closed position.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the body is configured to couple to a component of a hydrocarbon extraction system.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the body comprises a head of the hydrocarbon extraction system.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the body comprises a third port in fluid communication with the first and second ports.

5. The system of claim 1 , comprising an actuator coupled to the stem outside of the body.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the stem axis is oriented at the angle not perpendicular to the central axis.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the stem axis is offset from a first rotational axis of the flapper valve.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the stem is coupled to the flapper valve at a second rotational axis, and the second rotational axis is disposed between the stem axis and the first rotational axis.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the stem comprises a first protrusion extending laterally away from the stem axis, the flapper valve comprises a second protrusion extending laterally away from the first rotational axis, and the first and second protrusions couple together at the second rotational axis.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the body comprises a cavity along the fluid flow path between the first and second ports, the cavity is at least partially surrounded by an inner surface of the body, the inner surface has a recess, and a first protrusion of the stem and/or a second protrusion of the flapper valve is configured to move into the recess when the flapper valve moves between the open position and the closed position.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the recess is disposed adjacent the stem aperture.

12. The system of claim 1 , comprising a seal sleeve disposed about the stem in the stem aperture in the body.

13. The system of claim 1 , comprising a valve coupled to the body, wherein the flapper valve is configured to control fluid flow relative to the valve.

14. The system of claim 13 , comprising a lubricator coupled to the valve.

15. A system, comprising:
a body having a stem aperture, a first port, a second port, and a fluid flow path between the first and second ports;
a flapper valve within the body, wherein the flapper valve is configured to move between an open position and a closed position to open and close the fluid flow path; and
a stem disposed in the stem aperture and extending along a stem axis, wherein the stem axis is oriented at a constant angle crosswise and not perpendicular to a central axis of the fluid flow path, and the stem is configured to move along the stem axis at the constant angle within the stem aperture to move the flapper valve between the open position and the closed position.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the constant angle is an acute angle relative to the central axis at the first port, the stem aperture extends from an exterior to an interior of the body, and the stem aperture is configured to guide the stem to move only along the stem axis.

17. The system of claim 15 , wherein the flapper valve is configured to move between the open position and the closed position at the first port.

18. The system of claim 15 , wherein the stem axis is offset from a first rotational axis of the flapper valve.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the stem is coupled to the flapper valve at a second rotational axis, and the second rotational axis is disposed between the stem axis and the first rotational axis.

20. A system, comprising:
a body having a stem aperture, a first port, a second port, and a fluid flow path between the first and second ports;
a flapper valve within the body, wherein the flapper valve is configured to move between an open position and a closed position to open and close the fluid flow path; and
a stem disposed in the stem aperture and extending along a stem axis from an exterior to an interior of the body, wherein the stem axis is oriented at an angle crosswise to a first rotational axis of the flapper valve, and the stem is configured to move axially along the stem axis within the stem aperture to move the flapper valve between the open position and the closed position.

21. The system of claim 20 , wherein an aperture axis of the stem aperture is coaxial with the stem axis of the stem at the angle, the stem is coupled to the flapper valve, and the angle is an acute angle.

22. The system of claim 19 , wherein the stem comprises a first protrusion extending laterally away from the stem axis, the flapper valve comprises a second protrusion extending laterally away from the first rotational axis, and the first and second protrusions couple together at the second rotational axis.

Assignees

• Cameron Int Corp

Inventors

• Tibbs Cody
• Byrne Jana
• Clifton Justin

Classifications

• E21B2200/05

  Flapper valves · CPC title

• E21B33/068 Primary

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

• E21B43/26

  by forming crevices or fractures · CPC title

• E21B34/02 Primary

  in well heads · CPC title

• E21B43/2607

  Surface equipment specially adapted for fracturing operations · CPC title