Seal assembly for pipeline isolation tool and methods of use

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12092255-B2
Application number	US-202318117947-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 6, 2023
Priority date	Jul 30, 2020
Publication date	Sep 17, 2024
Grant date	Sep 17, 2024

Abstract

A seal assembly for a pipeline plug may include a pressure head including a forcing face. The seal assembly may include a primary tapered ring including an expansion face. The expansion face may abut the forcing face. The seal assembly may include primary seal ring. The seal assembly may include a squeezer assembly, the squeezer assembly including at least one seal face, the seal face abutting the primary seal ring. The seal assembly may include a secondary tapered ring, the secondary tapered ring including a wedge squeezer face, the wedge squeezer face abutting a wedge face of the squeezer assembly. The seal assembly may include a bowl, the bowl including a wedge face, the wedge face in abutment with an expansion face of the secondary tapered ring.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A seal assembly comprising:
a pressure head, the pressure head including a forcing face
a primary tapered ring adapted for radial expansion during a setting operation of the seal assembly, the primary tapered ring including an expansion face, the expansion face abutting the forcing face;
a primary seal ring;
a squeezer assembly, the squeezer assembly including at least one seal face, the seal face abutting the primary seal ring;
a secondary tapered ring, the secondary tapered ring including a wedge squeezer face, the wedge squeezer face abutting a wedge face of the squeezer assembly; and
a bowl, the bowl including a wedge face, the wedge face in abutment with an expansion face of the secondary tapered ring.

2. The seal assembly of claim 1 , wherein the pressure head includes a slot formed in the face opposite the forcing face, the slot being annular.

3. The seal assembly of claim 1 , wherein the primary tapered ring comprises a plurality of primary tapered ring segments.

4. The seal assembly of claim 3 , wherein each primary tapered ring segment includes a primary tapered ring rabbet, each primary tapered ring rabbet configured to slidingly engage a second primary tapered ring rabbet of an adjacent primary tapered ring segment.

5. The seal assembly of claim 1 , wherein the primary seal ring is formed from an elastomeric material.

6. The seal assembly of claim 1 , wherein the squeezer assembly comprises a large squeezer ring and a small squeezer ring, wherein the inner seal is positioned between the large squeezer ring and the small squeezer ring.

7. The seal assembly of claim 6 , wherein the seal face is formed on the large squeezer ring and the wedge face is formed on the small squeezer ring.

8. The seal assembly of claim 6 , wherein the seal face is formed on the small squeezer ring and the wedge face is formed on the large squeezer ring.

9. The seal assembly of claim 6 , wherein the primary seal ring extends at least partially between the large squeezer ring and the small squeezer ring.

10. The seal assembly of claim 1 , wherein the secondary tapered ring comprises a plurality of wedge segments.

11. The seal assembly of claim 10 , wherein each wedge segment includes a wedge rabbet, each wedge rabbet configured to slidingly engage a second wedge rabbet of an adjacent wedge segment.

12. The seal assembly of claim 1 , wherein the primary tapered ring includes a seal roof and a seal lip formed in the face opposite the expansion face, the seal roof and seal lip defining a seal pocket, wherein the primary seal ring is positioned at least partially within the seal pocket.

13. The seal assembly of claim 1 , wherein the primary seal ring further comprises a return flange.

14. The seal assembly of claim 12 , wherein the secondary tapered ring includes a return pocket, the return flange of the primary seal ring positioned at least partially within the return pocket.

15. The seal assembly of claim 1 , wherein the squeezer assembly further includes an inner seal.

16. A pipeline plug comprising:
a plug body, the plug body being tubular;
an actuation mechanism, the actuation mechanism including a fixed head and a movable head, the fixed head coupled to the plug body; and
a seal assembly positioned about the plug body between the fixed head and the movable head, the seal assembly including:
a pressure head, the pressure head including a forcing face;
a primary tapered ring adapted for radial expansion during a setting operation of the seal assembly, the primary tapered ring including an expansion face, the expansion face abutting the forcing face,
a primary seal ring;
a squeezer assembly, the squeezer assembly including a seal face, the seal face abutting the primary seal ring;
a secondary tapered ring, the secondary tapered ring including a wedge squeezer face, the wedge squeezer face abutting a wedge face of the squeezer assembly; and
a bowl, the bowl including a wedge face, the wedge face in abutment with an expansion face of the secondary tapered ring.

17. The seal assembly of claim 16 , wherein the pressure head includes a slot formed in the face opposite the forcing face, the slot receiving the fixed head, the slot being annular.

18. The seal assembly of claim 16 , wherein the primary tapered ring comprises a plurality of primary tapered ring segments.

19. The seal assembly of claim 18 , wherein each primary tapered ring segment includes a primary tapered ring rabbet, each primary tapered ring rabbet configured to slidingly engage a second primary tapered ring rabbet of an adjacent primary tapered ring segment.

20. The seal assembly of claim 16 , wherein the primary seal ring is formed from an elastomeric material.

21. The seal assembly of claim 16 , wherein the squeezer assembly comprises a large squeezer ring and a small squeezer ring, wherein the inner seal is positioned between the large squeezer ring and the small squeezer ring.

22. The seal assembly of claim 21 , wherein the seal face is formed on the large squeezer ring and the wedge face is formed on the small squeezer ring.

23. The seal assembly of claim 21 , wherein the seal face is formed on the small squeezer ring and the wedge face is formed on the large squeezer ring.

24. The seal assembly of claim 16 , wherein the secondary tapered ring comprises a plurality of wedge segments.

25. The seal assembly of claim 24 , wherein each wedge segment includes a wedge rabbet, each wedge rabbet configured to slidingly engage a second wedge rabbet of an adjacent wedge segment.

26. The pipeline plug of claim 16 , wherein the movable head is movable relative to the fixed head by hydraulic pressure, pneumatic pressure, or electromechanically.

27. The pipeline plug of claim 16 , wherein the primary tapered ring includes a seal roof and a seal lip formed in the face opposite the expansion face, the seal roof and seal lip defining a seal pocket, wherein the primary seal ring is positioned at least partially within the seal pocket.

28. The pipeline plug of claim 16 , wherein the primary seal ring further comprises a return flange.

29. The pipeline plug of claim 28 , wherein the secondary tapered ring includes a return pocket, the return flange of the primary seal ring positioned at least partially within the return pocket.

30. The pipeline plug of claim 16 , wherein the squeezer assembly further includes an inner seal.

Assignees

• Tdw Delaware Inc

Inventors

• Giles Paul
• Fardsalehi Humon Glenn

Classifications

• F16L55/11

  Plugs {(F16L55/128 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• F16L55/1125

  fixed by rotating a limited amplitude · CPC title

• F16L55/1283

  Plugging pig · CPC title

• F16L55/136 Primary

  the closure device being a plug fixed by radially expanding or deforming a split ring, hooks or the like · CPC title