Accumulator system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11624254-B2
Application number	US-201916543738-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 19, 2019
Priority date	Aug 17, 2018
Publication date	Apr 11, 2023
Grant date	Apr 11, 2023

Abstract

An accumulator system that includes a housing. The housing defines a function chamber and a balance chamber. A piston moves axially within the housing. The piston separates the function chamber from the balance chamber. An electric actuator couples to and drives the piston within the housing to compress and drive a first fluid out of the function chamber.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An accumulator system, comprising:
a housing, the housing defining a function chamber and a balance chamber;
a piston configured to move axially within the housing, the piston configured to separate the function chamber from the balance chamber;
an electric actuator configured to couple to and drive the piston within the housing to compress and drive a first fluid out of the function chamber;
a battery within the housing and coupled to the electric actuator;
a shaft coupled to the piston and to the electric actuator,
wherein the shaft is coupled to the electric actuator with a screw adapter, the screw adapter defining an aperture that enables the shaft to extend through the screw adapter, and wherein rotation of the screw adapter is configured to drive the piston axially; and
an anti-rotation system comprising:
an anti-rotation housing defining a cavity; and
a plurality of anti-rotation guides,

wherein the shaft is received in the cavity of the anti-rotation housing, and
wherein the plurality of anti-rotation guides blocks rotation of the shaft.

2. The accumulator system of claim 1 , wherein the electric actuator is within the balance chamber.

3. The accumulator system of claim 1 , wherein the balance chamber is configured to receive a second fluid as the piston moves in a first direction and to discharge the second fluid as the piston moves in a second direction opposite the first direction.

4. The accumulator system of claim 1 , wherein, the electric actuator includes an electric motor including a rotor and a stator, each of the rotor and the stator being disposed in the balance chamber.

5. An accumulator system, comprising:
an accumulator system housing, the accumulator system housing defining a function chamber and a balance chamber;
a piston configured to move axially within the accumulator system housing, the piston configured to separate the function chamber from the balance chamber;
an electric actuator housed in an actuator housing, the electric actuator being configured to couple to and drive the piston within the accumulator system housing to compress and drive a first fluid out of the function chamber;
a shaft configured to couple to the piston and to the electric actuator, wherein the shaft couples to the electric actuator with a screw adapter, and wherein rotation of the screw adapter is configured to drive the piston axially;
a plurality of roller screws configured to couple directly to the shaft and to the screw adapter, wherein the roller screws are configured to transfer rotation of the screw adapter to axially move the shaft;
an anti-rotation housing defining a cavity and at least one slit; and
at least one anti-rotation guide,
wherein the shaft is received in the cavity of the anti-rotation housing, and
wherein the at least one anti-rotation guide extends into the at least one slit to block rotation of the shaft by contacting the anti-rotation housing.

6. The accumulator system of claim 5 , wherein the electric actuator is within the balance chamber.

7. The accumulator system of claim 5 , wherein the balance chamber is configured to receive a second fluid as the piston moves in a first direction and to discharge the second fluid as the piston moves in a second direction opposite the first direction.

8. The accumulator of claim 5 , wherein, the electric actuator includes an electric motor including a rotor and a stator, each of the rotor and the stator being disposed in the balance chamber.

9. A mineral extraction system, comprising:
a mineral extraction component;
an accumulator system coupled to the mineral extraction component, wherein the accumulator system is configured to pressurize a fluid to actuate the mineral extraction component, the accumulator system comprising:
a housing, the housing defining a function chamber and a balance chamber;
a piston configured to move axially within the housing, the piston configured to separate the function chamber from the balance chamber;
an electric actuator configured to couple to and drive the piston within the housing to compress and drive a first fluid out of the function chamber, the electric actuator including an electric motor including a rotor and a stator, and each of the rotor and the stator being disposed in the balance chamber;
a shaft configured to couple to the piston and to the electric actuator, wherein the shaft couples to the electric actuator with a screw adapter, the screw adapter defining an aperture that enables the shaft to extend through the screw adapter, and wherein rotation of the screw adapter is configured to drive the piston axially,
an anti-rotation housing that receives the shaft; and
at least one anti-rotation guide that blocks rotation of the shaft by contacting the anti-rotation housing,
wherein the mineral extraction component is a blowout preventer.

10. The mineral extraction system of claim 9 , wherein the balance chamber is configured to receive a second fluid as the piston moves in a first direction and to discharge the second fluid as the piston moves in a second direction opposite the first direction.

11. The mineral extraction system of claim 9 , further comprising a position detection system configured to detect a position of the shaft.

12. The mineral extraction system of claim 11 , wherein the position detection system comprises a magnetic field sensor or an ultrasonic sensor.

Assignees

• Cameron Int Corp
• Schlumberger Technology Corp

Inventors

• Nault Christopher
• Givens Matthew David
• Rakhunde Vikas

Classifications

• F15B1/033

  with electrical control means · CPC title

• E21B33/06

  Blow-out preventers {, i.e. apparatus closing around a drill pipe, e.g. annular blow-out preventers (rotating blow-out preventers E21B33/085)} · CPC title

• F15B2201/31

  having rigid separating means, e.g. pistons · CPC title

• E21B33/064 Primary

  specially adapted for underwater well heads · CPC title

• E21B33/0355 Primary

  Control systems, e.g. hydraulic, pneumatic, electric, acoustic, for submerged well heads · CPC title