MONITORING SYSTEM FOR HIGH PRESSURE FLUID FLOW CONNECTOR

Abstract: A monitoring system for a fluid flow connector (1, 2) such as for oil or gas production flow is able to maintain the integrity of the seal at a junction between fluid conduits (33) and generate a warning signal or activate a secondary seal (43) in the event of main seal (42) failure. The monitoring system of the invention is used with a hydraulic seal to which barrier fluid is supplied under pressure. The pressure of the barrier fluid is sensed at the seal and compared to the applied pressure. A drop in pressure indicates a leaking seal and a warning signal may be generated and/or a secondary seal brought into operation. The system is particularly useful when a plurality of junctions of conduits are present in a connector. Independent supplies of barrier fluid to the seals at each junction are provided so that identification of a leaking seal is accurate and timely.

Description: MONITORING SYSTEM FOR HIGH PRESSURE FLUID FLOW CONNECTOR FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a monitoring system for high pressure fluid flow connector. The invention is particularly applicable to the fluid flow connector described in applicant's co-pending co-filed U.K. application number 95 22 325.1 entitled "Fluid Flow Connector" and number 95 22 327.7 entitled "High Pressure Fluid Connector" or without the sealing arrangement described in applicant's co-pending and co-filed U.K. application number 95 22 326.9 entitled "Sealing Arrangement" . Such fluid flow connectors are particularly useful in the oil and gas industry for use in floating buoys supporting subsea oil or gas risers or on -he deck, or in the hold of a transport or storage vessel such as an oil tanker. These type of connectors are large and heavy pieces of equipment in use in harsh conditions and thorough reliability is an important factor in the choice of apparatus. Any breakdown results in enormous costs and loss of production and the downtime of any facility must be minimised. Hence it is important to be able to repair any faults quickly and effectively. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In known such connectors, for example, as described in US 4 828 292, designers have produced connectors which allow some play between parts so as to reduce mechanical stresses and improve reliability. An improved sealing system for such connectors is known from PCT/NO94/00120. The known technology has concentrated on improving the reliability of the seals. Nonetheless when seals do fail a considerable loss of production time results and in this industry lost production time is extremely expensive . The present invention provides a system for monitoring the integrity of a junction between two conduits in relatively rotationally movable fluid flow connectors carrying a production fluid under high pressure, the arrangement comprising: a sealing member for the junction, a supply of barrier fluid to a side of the seal remote from the production fluid to activate the seal, a pressure sensor for detecting the barrier fluid pressure at the seal, means for activating a secondary seal and generating a warning signal if the pressure sensor detects a pressure change indicative of a leaking main seal. Thus the invention provides an instantaneous indication of potential leakage. The system is preferably arranged to automatically activate a back-up, secondary seal, but additionally or alternatively a warning signal can be generated. Where a plurality of conduit junctions are in use, then separate barrier fluid supplies should be applied to each of the main seals for the junctions. In this way, when a main seal fails, not only can the appropriate secondary seal be brought into operation but also a visual signal can indicate which seal in particular has failed. Thus the repair engineer can be alerted at the earliest possible opportunity and need waste no extraneous expensive downtime in tracing the failure, he can strip down the connector to gain immediate access to the failed seal. For a better understanding of the present invention and to show how the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made to the single figure of the accompanying drawings which shows a cross-section of a part of a high pressure fluid flow connector and indicates the monitoring system of the present invention schematically. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING In the Figure a connector is shown between a male core member 1 and a female member outer member 2. A production fluid such as oil or gas flows in axial bores 31 which each connect with an annual groove at the junction between a radial passageway 32 in male member 1 and a fluid conduit 33 in female member 2. These junctions are sealed by means of sealing arrangements comprising a main seal 42 and a secondary seal 43. These seals are formed of lip-seals with generally U- shaped cross-sections with the opening of the U pointing away from the production fluid (in the embodiment: illustrated this is away from central core 1) . The U-shaped sealing rings are seated in channels and form rings around the core 1. These are dynamic seals sealing between relatively rotational surfaces so as to allow the female 2 to rotate about core member 1. The seals are activated by a pressure differential and thus a barrier fluid is supplied to each main seal 42 via a channel 44 formed in each fluid carrying segment of the female member 2. Each segment has its own independently monitor able barrier fluid supply and the pressure of the barrier fluid applied to the main seal is slightly high than the pressure of the fluid in the conduit. Typically the production fluid in the conduit would be at a pressure of around 500 bar and the barrier fluid could be applied at a pressure of 530 or 540 bar. These values are given as examples only and are not intended to limit the scope of this invention. The secondary seals 43 are also supplied with barrier fluid through supply channels 16 which are interconnected. The secondary barrier fluid is supplied at the same pressure as the primary barrier fluid i.e. slightly above the pressure of the production fluid flowing in the conduits. In this way the secondary seal "sees" the same pressure on each side of the seal and thus does not actively seal under normal working conditions . The secondary seals have a common barrier fluid supply 45. It will also be seen from Figure 1 that the main environment seals 34 are supplied with barrier fluid from the main barrier fluid source and the secondary environment 35 is supplied with barrier fluid from the secondary barrier fluid supply 45. The main barrier fluid supply 46 comprises a main barrier fluid pump 47 and standby pump 48. The barrier fluid is pumped through a non-return valve 49 and supplied to each of the segment channels 44 via service valves 49 orifices 50 and monitoring gauge or pressure transmitter 51. An accumulator 52 is also provided to keep the applied pressure constant and avoid activating the pumps constantly. The secondary barrier fluid supply comprises secondary barrier fluid pump 53 and standby pump 54 supplying secondary barrier fluid through non-return valve 55 and service valve 56, through orifice 57 and pass gauge 58 to channels 16 in female member 2. Again an accumulator 59 is provided . In operation the main seals 42 seal a junction of the production fluid conduits. The main barrier fluid lubricates the seals 42 and the arrangement is such that female member 2 can rotate around male member 1. Secondary seals 43 do not actively seal under normal operating conditions and thus do not experience any wear. The main barrier fluid is supplied at a constant pressure and the pressure at each of the main seals is independently monitored by means of dedicated gauges 51. If a main seal fails, then the main barrier fluid will leak into the production fluid and there will be a loss of pressure in the relevant supply channel 44. This loss of pressure is detected by the relevant gauge and alerts the engineer observing the system. However, the loss of pressure at the main seal 42 automatically causes the secondary seal to experience a pressure differential thus activating it to seal the junction of the conduits as a substitute for the main seal. The secondary seal operates in exactly the same way providing a lubrication and allowing relative movement of the core 1 and the female member 2. Hence there is no need to shut down the connector immediately. Repair of the main seal 42 can be left for example until the next regular service is scheduled or until weather conditions improve. When the system is shut down to repair the main seal, the engineer already knows which seal has failed and can take the appropriate action. This is of course a considerable advantage for a connector of this sort particularly in the high volume and difficult environment in which the oil and gas industry operate.

Claims: CLAIMS 1 A system for monitoring the integrity of a junction between two conduits in relatively rotationally movable fluid flow connectors carrying a production fluid under high pressure, the arrangement comprising: a sealing member for the junction, a supply of barrier fluid to a side of the seal remote from the production fluid to activate the seal, a pressure sensor for detecting the barrier fluid pressure at the seal, means for activating a secondary seal and generating a warning signal if the pressure sensor detects a pressure change indicative of a leaking main seal. 2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the barrier fluid is supplied at a pressure higher than that of the production fluid flowing in the conduits. 3. A system according to claim 2, wherein the barrier fluid pressure is between 2 and 10% higher. 4. A system according to claim 2, wherein the barrier fluid pressure is between 3 and 6% higher. 5. A system according to any preceding claim, wherein the barrier fluid supply comprises a pump, a non-return valve, an accumulator and means for monitoring the state of the accumulator and activating the pump if the level of fluid in the accumulator attains a predetermined level. 6. A system according to any preceding claim wherein the pressure sensor comprises a gauge and a flow constriction. 7. A system according to any preceding claim comprising a secondary barrier fluid supply to the or each secondary seal independently of the main seal supply. 8. A system according to claim 7 wherein the secondary barrier fluid supply is common to all the secondary seals. 9. A plurality of systems according to any preceding claim for monitoring respective ones of a plurality of junctions between fluid conduits wherein there is a separate barrier fluid supply to the main seal at each junction.

Inventors: ERSTAD JOSTEIN, ERSTAD, JOSTEIN
Applicants: ERSTAD JOSTEIN, FRAMO ENG AS, FREEMAN JACQUELINE CAROL, ERSTAD, JOSTEIN, FRAMO ENGINEERING A/S, FREEMAN, JACQUELINE, CAROL
Application year: 1996
Main classification: F16L27
IPC codes: F16L27