Pressure volume regulator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9970559-B2
Application number	US-201314649693-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 2, 2013
Priority date	Dec 11, 2012
Publication date	May 15, 2018
Grant date	May 15, 2018

Abstract

Pressure volume regulator ( 20 ) for control of supply and pressure of barrier fluid for pumps and compressors subsea, comprising an inlet ( 18 ) for barrier fluid at an inlet pressure, a first outlet ( 19 ) and a second outlet ( 15 ), the inlet pressure is higher than the first outlet pressure that is higher than the second outlet pressure. The pressure volume regulator is distinctive in that the inlet and the second outlet are interlocked between a movable longitudinal interlock member ( 5 ) with valve elements operatively arranged at either end, the length of the interlock member plus said valve elements is shorter than the distance between an open-close valve mechanism of the inlet and an open-close valve mechanism of the second outlet.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A pressure volume regulator for control of supply and pressure of barrier fluid for pumps and compressors subsea, the pressure volume regulator comprising:
an inlet for barrier fluid at an inlet pressure;
a first outlet and a second outlet;
wherein the inlet pressure is higher than a first outlet pressure, the first outlet pressure being higher than a second outlet pressure;
wherein the inlet and the second outlet are interlocked by a movable longitudinal interlock member;
wherein inlet valve elements are operatively arranged at an end of the inlet;
wherein outlet valve elements are arranged at an end of the second outlet;
wherein the movable longitudinal interlock member extends in a longitudinal direction between the inlet and the second outlet and is movable in said longitudinal direction by pressurized fluid in the inlet and the second outlet, respectively;
wherein a length of the movable longitudinal interlock member, said inlet valve elements, and said outlet valve elements in a closed position is shorter than a distance between an open position of the inlet valve elements and an open position of the outlet valve elements; and
wherein the movable longitudinal interlock member is configured to ensure that the inlet and the second outlet are never in the open position for flow simultaneously.

2. The pressure volume regulator according to claim 1 , wherein the movable longitudinal interlock member can be moved between an upper position, a neutral position, and a lower position;
wherein, in the upper position, the inlet is open and the second outlet is closed;
wherein, in the neutral position, both the inlet and the second outlet are closed;
wherein, in the lower position, the inlet is closed and the second outlet is open; and
wherein a position of the movable longitudinal interlock member is governed in substance by a pressure difference between the first outlet and a reference chamber of the second outlet.

3. The pressure volume regulator according to claim 2 , wherein:
the movable longitudinal interlock member is shaped like a mushroom with a hat and a hollow stem and with a push rod in an end toward the inlet, the push rod being configured to push a valve of said inlet valve elements to an open position;
a biasing spring arranged around and along the hollow stem of the movable longitudinal interlock member, acting from a disk that is fixed to the movable longitudinal interlock member to a sleeve that is fixed to regulator housing ensuring a higher pressure in an outlet chamber of the first outlet than in the reference chamber of the second outlet; and
the pressure of the reference chamber exerts a pressure on the hat of the movable longitudinal interlock member so as to push the movable longitudinal interlock member toward the inlet so as to open a valve of said inlet valve elements when a pressure of the second outlet and a pressure provided by the biasing spring is larger than the pressure of the outlet chamber of the first outlet.

4. The pressure volume regulator according to claim 3 , further comprising:
bellows arranged fluid tight between a fixed part of a regulator housing and an outer part of the hat of the movable longitudinal interlock member;
wherein the bellows are closed for fluid flow between the reference chamber of the second outlet and the outlet chamber of the first outlet, wherein the reference chamber is outside the bellows;
the hollow stem of the movable longitudinal interlock member, the biasing spring and the outlet valve elements arranged in the hat end of the interlock member are positioned inside the bellows; and
wherein the inside of the bellows provide a clean barrier fluid chamber.

5. The pressure volume regulator according to claim 4 , wherein the bellows comprise fatigue and corrosion resistant material.

6. The pressure volume regulator according to claim 1 , wherein a surface area, onto which the pressure of the fluid in the second outlet acts, is larger than a surface area onto which the pressure of the inlet acts by at least one of one order of magnitude, two orders of magnitude, and two to three orders of magnitude.

7. The pressure volume regulator according to claim 1 , wherein all components are made of metal or ceramic materials, not polymers of any kind.

Assignees

• Aker Subsea As
• Aker Solutions As

Inventors

• Ottestad Nils T

Classifications

• F04D13/10

  adapted for use in mining bore holes · CPC title

• F04D15/0077

  Safety measures (F04D15/02 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F16K17/04 Primary

  spring-loaded · CPC title

• F04D25/0686

  specially adapted for submerged use · CPC title

• F04B47/06 Primary

  having motor-pump units situated at great depth · CPC title