Metal encapsulated composite seal

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9951575-B2
Application number	US-52529508-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 22, 2008
Priority date	Mar 8, 2007
Publication date	Apr 24, 2018
Grant date	Apr 24, 2018

Abstract

A system, in certain embodiments, has a composite seal with both a metal shell and an elastic core, such as an elastomer core. In one embodiment, the composite seal has an annular metal shell with a top, a bottom, and a seal interface disposed between the top and the bottom. The composite seal also has an elastomer disposed within the annular metal shell, wherein the elastomer is configured to impart pressure against the seal interface.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system, comprising:
a composite seal, comprising:
an annular metal shell comprising an axial top, an axial bottom, and a seal interface disposed axially between the axial top and the axial bottom, wherein the seal interface comprises a plurality of annular ribs axially spaced apart in the annular metal shell; and
an elastomer disposed within the annular metal shell, wherein the elastomer is configured to impart pressure against the plurality of annular ribs along the seal interface.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the elastomer is completely contained and sealed within the annular metal shell.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the annular metal shell is a preformed hollow metal ring configured to receive the elastomer.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the annular metal shell comprises separate first and second shell portions coupled together at an intermediate joint.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the annular metal shell comprises an elastomer injection passage.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the elastomer injection passage is sealed by a plug.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of annular ribs in the annular metal shell comprises a plurality of inner annular ribs disposed along an inner annular seal surface and a plurality of outer annular ribs disposed along an outer annular seal surface.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the plug is threaded into the elastomer injection passage.

9. The system of claim 1 , comprising a thermoplastic ring disposed axially between the plurality of annular ribs.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the thermoplastic ring comprises a PEEK material.

11. The system of claim 1 , comprising a spring disposed within the annular metal shell along with the elastomer, wherein the spring is configured to bias inner and outer annular seal surfaces of the annular metal shell radially away from one another.

12. The system of claim 1 , comprising a wellhead having the composite seal.

13. The system of claim 1 , comprising a component having a mating seal interface, wherein each rib of the plurality of annular ribs seals radially against the mating seal interface.

14. The system of claim 13 , comprising a mineral extraction system having the component and the composite seal.

15. A system, comprising:
a composite seal, comprising:
a first metal seal interface;
a second metal seal interface, wherein the first and second metal seal interfaces are oriented opposite from one another;
an elastomer extending between and coupled to the first and second metal seal interfaces;
a spring disposed in the elastomer, wherein the spring extends between and contacts the first and second metal seal interfaces, and the spring and the elastomer cooperatively provide a sealing force against the first and second metal seal interfaces.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the elastomer is completely contained and sealed within a hollow metal shell having the first and second metal seal interfaces.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the hollow metal shell comprises a preformed hollow annular enclosure having an elastomer injection passage.

18. The system of claim 16 , comprising a plug threaded into an opening in a wall of the hollow metal shell.

19. The system of claim 15 , wherein the spring extends between and contacts a first annular rib disposed along the first metal seal interface and a second annular rib disposed along the second metal seal interface.

20. The system of claim 15 , wherein the spring curves from the first metal seal interface to the second metal seal interface.

21. The system of claim 15 , the first metal seal interface is disposed along an inner circumference of the composite seal, and the second metal seal interface is disposed along an outer circumference of the composite seal.

22. The system of claim 21 , wherein the first metal seal interface comprises a first plurality of ribs and adjacent recesses axially spaced apart from one another along the inner circumference, and the second metal seal interface comprises a second plurality of ribs and adjacent recesses axially spaced apart from one another along the outer circumference.

23. A method, comprising:
forming a hollow metal ring having a metal seal interface and an internal cavity; and
filling the internal cavity of the hollow metal ring with an elastomer after forming the hollow metal ring; and
metallically sealing the hollow metal ring about the elastomer.

24. The method of claim 23 , comprising positioning a first metal ring portion adjacent to a second metal ring portion to define the hollow metal ring.

25. The method of claim 24 , wherein filling comprises inserting a first portion of the elastomer into the first metal ring portion and separately inserting a second portion of the elastomer into the second metal ring portion.

26. The method of claim 25 , wherein metallically sealing comprises welding the first metal ring portion to the second metal ring portion after inserting the first and second portions of the elastomer.

27. The method of claim 24 , wherein filling comprises inserting the elastomer into the first or second metal ring portions prior to positioning, and metallically sealing comprises welding the first and second metal ring portions together after positioning.

28. The method of claim 23 , wherein filling comprises injecting the elastomer through a passage into the internal cavity of the hollow metal ring, and metallically sealing comprises filling the passage with a metal.

29. The method of claim 23 , comprising positioning a mechanical spring within the elastomer, wherein the mechanical spring extends between and contacts opposite first and second metal seal interfaces of the hollow metal ring.

30. The method of claim 23 , wherein the hollow metal ring comprising an axial top, an axial bottom, and the metal seal interface disposed axially between the axial top and the axial bottom, wherein the metal seal interface comprises a plurality of annular ribs axially spaced apart in the hollow metal ring, and each rib of the plurality of annular ribs is configured to seal radially against a mating seal interface.

Assignees

• Haynes Brian
• Onesubsea Ip Uk Ltd

Inventors

• Haynes Brian

Classifications

• Y10T29/49993

  Filling of opening · CPC title

• F16J15/128

  with metal covering · CPC title

• E21B33/03 Primary

  Well heads; Setting-up thereof · CPC title

• E21B2200/01

  Sealings characterised by their shape · CPC title

• E21B2033/005

  Fixed Constructions · mapped topic