Flow control in pipelines

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025103067-A1
Application number	US-202318373952-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 27, 2023
Priority date	Sep 27, 2023
Publication date	Mar 27, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

A flow control system includes a conduit having an interior surface, and a flow control device connected to the interior surface of the conduit and disposed along the interior surface of the conduit for a first length. The flow control device includes an expandable element that expands inwardly from the interior surface, from a retracted position to an expanded position. The expandable element defines at least a portion of a flow path configured to control a flow of fluid through the conduit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A flow control system, comprising:
a conduit comprising an interior surface; and a flow control device connected to the interior surface of the conduit and disposed along the interior surface of the conduit for a first length, the flow control device comprising an expandable element configured to expand inwardly from the interior surface from a retracted position to an expanded position, the expandable element defining at least a portion of a flow path configured to control a flow of fluid through the conduit.

2 . The flow control system of claim 1 , wherein:
in the retracted position of the expandable element, the expandable element defines the flow path having a first flow area along the expandable element, and in the expanded position of the expandable element, the expandable element defines the flow path having a second flow area along the expandable element, the second flow area being smaller than the first flow area.

3 . The flow control system of claim 2 , wherein
the expandable element comprising an outer surface and an inner surface and having a hollow cylindrical shape, the inner surface of the expandable element configured to expand radially inwardly from the interior surface of the conduit from the retracted position to the expanded position of the expandable element, and the first flow area comprises a first circular area defining a first diameter and the second flow area comprises a second circular area defining a second, smaller diameter.

4 . The flow control system of claim 1 , wherein the expandable element is coupled directly to the interior surface of the conduit.

5 . The flow control system of claim 1 , wherein the flow control device further comprises an actuator connected to the expandable element, the actuator configured to drive the inward expansion of the expandable element.

6 . The flow control system of claim 5 , wherein the actuator comprises a hydraulic actuator.

7 . The flow control system of claim 5 , further comprising a communication system communicably connected to the actuator, the communication system configured to control the actuator to actuate the expandable element.

8 . The flow control system of claim 7 , further comprising at least one sensor configured to sense a characteristic of the fluid in the flow path, and the communication system configured to control the actuator in response to a signal from the at least one sensor.

9 . The flow control system of claim 1 , wherein the expandable element comprises an inflatable bladder, the inflatable bladder configured to inflate from the retracted position to the expanded position.

10 . The flow control system of claim 1 , wherein the first length comprises an entire longitudinal length of the conduit.

11 . The flow control system of claim 1 , wherein the conduit comprises a pipeline extending at least partially between a well head of a hydrocarbon production well and a surface facility.

12 . A method for flowing fluid in a conduit, the method comprising:
directing, with a flow control device positioned within a conduit, a fluid along a flow path defined at least partially by the flow control device, the flow control device being connected to an interior surface of the conduit and extending along the interior surface of the conduit for a first length; and actuating an expandable element of the flow control device within the conduit, the expandable element configured to move between a retracted position and an expanded position of the flow control device, wherein the expandable element is configured to expand inwardly from the interior surface from the retracted position to the expanded position.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein actuating the expandable element comprises expanding the expandable element from the retracted position to the expanded position within the conduit.

14 . The method of claim 12 , wherein actuating the expandable element comprises adjusting the flow path from a first flow area along the expandable element to a second, different flow area along the expandable element.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein:
the expandable element comprises an inner surface and an outer surface and comprises a hollow cylindrical shape, actuating the expandable element comprises expanding the inner surface of the expandable element radially inwardly from the interior surface of the conduit from the retracted position to the expanded position, and the first flow area comprises a first circular area defining a first diameter and the second flow area comprises a second circular area defining a second, smaller diameter.

16 . The method of claim 12 , wherein actuating the expandable element of the flow control device within the conduit comprises driving, with an actuator, the expandable element from the retracted position to the expanded position.

17 . The method of claim 12 , wherein actuating the expandable element of the flow control device comprises inflating an inflatable bladder of the flow control device within the conduit.

18 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
sensing, with at least one sensor, a characteristic of the fluid in the flow path; and receiving, at a communication system, a signal from the at least one sensor; wherein the actuating of the expandable element occurs based on the received signal from the at least one sensor.

19 . A flow control device, comprising:
an inflatable bladder connected to an interior surface of a conduit and disposed along the interior surface of the conduit for a first length, the inflatable bladder configured to expand inwardly from the interior surface from a first, retracted position to a second, expanded position, and an inner surface of the inflatable bladder defining at least a portion of a flowpath configured to guide a fluid through the conduit.

20 . The flow control device of claim 19 , wherein the inflatable bladder comprises a hollow cylindrical shape, and the inner surface of the inflatable bladder defines the flowpath having a circular flow area along the inner surface of the inflatable bladder.

Assignees

• Saudi Arabian Oil Co

Inventors

• Aljuaydi Haitham
• Kidwai Mustafa
• Kaki Mohammed Ahmed

Classifications

• F16K7/07 Primary

  by means of fluid pressure · CPC title

• G05D7/0635

  by action on throttling means (G05D7/0688, G05D7/0694 take precedence) · CPC title

• F16K7/10 Primary

  with inflatable member · CPC title

• G05D7/0617 Primary

  specially adapted for fluid materials · CPC title