Patent Publication Number: US-8967201-B2

Title: Pilot regulator

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is based on provisional patent application No. 61/394,811 entitled “Pilot Regulator” filed on Oct. 20, 2010, which is hereby incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to regulators and more particularly to a pilot regulator system for use in subsea applications and other desired locations that can select among several regulators. 
     A regulator as used in subsea applications regulates the pressure of fluid in lines from about 5,000 p.s.i. to 3,000 p.s.i. Pilot regulators employed in subsea applications is are employed to actuate a pilot, which acts in response to a load imposed on a valve. Most often a single pilot control valve is employed to regulate a single pressure, which in turn supplies numerous solenoid valves and functions. This creates a single point failure, which means that, upon failure, the well has to be made safe, i.e., plugged, and the blowout preventer (BOP) or lower marine raise package (LMRP) pulled for repairs. This adds a great amount of added expense for the well. 
     Thus, there exists a need for a device that can reduce down time in the event of a pilot regulator failure. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The primary advantage of the invention is to provide an improved pilot regulator system that can reduce down time of a subsea well in the event of a regulator failure. 
     Another advantage of the invention is to provide an improved pilot regulator system including a back-up regulator. 
     Another advantage of the invention is to provide a pilot regulator system that can be controlled by a remote vehicle. 
     Another advantage of the invention is to provide an improved pilot regulator system that can remotely select among more than one regulator. 
     Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following descriptions, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein, by way of illustration and example, an embodiment of the present invention is disclosed. 
     In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, there is shown a pilot regulator system having a housing with a fluid inflow port, a valve to regulate fluid flow among a plurality of fluid outflow ports, a plurality of regulator outputs each associated with one of said plurality of fluid outflow ports, and a regulator selection aperture; and an extension connected to said regulator selection aperture, said extension including a selection member that can be moved between a plurality of positions, said selection member operatively connected to said valve to select fluid flow to one of said plurality of regulator outputs. 
     In accordance with another preferred embodiment of the invention, there is shown a pilot regulator system having a housing with a fluid inflow port, a valve to regulate fluid flow among two fluid outflow ports, two regulator outputs each associated with one of said two fluid outflow ports, and a regulator selection aperture; and an extension portion connected to said regulator selection aperture, said extension portion including a selection member that can be moved between two positions, said selection member operatively connected to said valve to select fluid flow to one of two regulator outputs. 
     In accordance with another preferred embodiment of the invention, there is shown a pilot regulator system having a housing with a fluid inflow port, a valve to regulate fluid flow among two fluid outflow ports, two regulator outputs each associated with one of said two fluid outflow ports, and a regulator selection aperture; an extension portion connected to said regulator selection aperture, said extension portion including an open end for access to a selection member that can be moved between two positions, said selection member operatively connected to said valve to select fluid flow to one of said two regulator outputs; said extension portion having a slot; said selection member having an extension extending through said slot so as to be movable by either said extension or said selection member itself; and said extension portion having an expansive cross-sectional element to guide a remote vehicle to said selection member for movement thereof. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The drawings constitute a part of this specification and include exemplary embodiments to the invention, which may be embodied in various forms. It is to be understood that in some instances various aspects of the invention may be shown exaggerated or enlarged to facilitate an understanding of the invention. 
         FIG. 1 , a perspective view of a pilot regulator system according to a preferred embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 2  shows another perspective view of the pilot regulator system of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  shows a partial cutaway view of an assembly of an exemplary shuttle valve of a type that might be employed in connection with a pilot regulator of a preferred embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 4  shows an exploded assembly view of an alternate shuttle valve of a type that might be employed in connection with a pilot regulator of a preferred embodiment of is the invention. 
         FIG. 5  shows a partial cutaway side cross sectional view of a pilot regulator taken along line  5 - 5  of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 6  shows a front elevational cross sectional view of a pilot regulator according to a preferred embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 7  is a partial cutaway side cross sectional view of a pilot regulator taken along line  7 - 7  of  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring now to  FIG. 1 , a perspective view of pilot valve  10  is illustrated. Pilot valve  10  includes a housing component  11 , from which extends a first regulator  12 , a second regulator  14 , a first ball valve output side with integral pressure equalization  16  (shown in  FIG. 2 ), and a second ball valve output side with integral pressure equalization  18 . Extension portion  20  extends from housing component  11  and is oriented in a position which is generally horizontal towards the orientation of first regulator  12  and second regulator  14 . 
     Extension portion  20  expands in diameter generally outward as it extends from housing component  11 . Extension portion  20  is intended to protect components within extension portion  20  and act as a guide for a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) actuating tool. An elongated groove  22  extends near the base of extension portion  20  to approximately less than half the diameter of extension portion  20  along a portion which does not expand. A sub-member  24  protrudes through elongated groove  22  and couples to member  26 , as shown in  FIG. 2 , encompassed within extension portion  20  to ensure that the ball valve is actuated to the correct orientation. 
     Member  26  is housed within the confines of extension portion  20  and is capable of rotation and thereby operating either ports and is associated with a shuttle valve as illustrated in  FIG. 3  that may be employed in a three port system with three regulators. Member  26  communicates with portions of ball valve to direct flow to one of two regulators as shown in  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 3  shows by way of alternative illustration a three way shuttle valve that would operate in conjunction with three regulators and a three way ball valve to direct flow to the output of one of each regulator through the shuttle valve while at the same time closing off the other ports of the shuttle valve. For example, in  FIG. 3  to open and close specified ports shown as ports  40 ,  42  and  44  a ball valve would direct flow to one of the associated regulators, which in turn would activate its associated shuttle valve port to permit output flow. 
     Flow diverted through particular ports of the shuttle valve encompassed within housing component  11 , is received, disseminated, and/or distributed via first regulator  12  and second regulator  14 , and if desired a third regulator, not shown. As member  26  is rotated to its fullest extent in one direction, flow communicating between first regulator  12  can be completely shut-off such that flow is only communicated between second regulator  14 . Alternatively, as member  26  is rotated to its fullest extent in another direction, flow communicating between second regulator  14  can be completely cutoff such that flow may only be communicated between first regulator  12 . As member  26  is rotated in various positions throughout the spectrum of its diameter, various inputs and outputs of pilot valve  10  can be opened and shutoff in order to allow various flow orientations to be regulated via shuttle valve  30 . 
     As a result of the various rotations of member  26 , the ports  40 ,  42 ,  44 , shown in the cutout view of the shuttle valve illustrated in  FIG. 3 , are opened and closed by flow directed through the ball valve operated by member  26 . It will be appreciated that the number of regulators and the associated number of inflow ports of the valve is not an important limitation of the present invention, though a minimum of two is required. 
     Turning next to  FIG. 4 , there is shown an exploded perspective view of a two port shuttle valve that may be used in connection with the pilot regulator of the invention.  FIG. 4  shows a two port shuttle valve having ports  41  and  43  controllable by the ROV through a control similar to member  26 . Depending on which port is desired to be opened, member  26  is diverted and thereby directs flow to one side, closing the other side of the two sided shuttle valve. 
     Turning next to  FIG. 5 , there is shown a cross sectional side view of a pilot regulator according to a preferred embodiment of the invention along line  5 - 5  of  FIG. 1 . Member  26  is operably engaged to ball valve  45  which may be positioned in at least one of two positions to control flow to the shuttle valve through a regulator such as regulator  14 . Inlet  47  permits flow into ball valve  45  upon activation of member  26 . As more readily seen in  FIG. 6 , which shows an elevational cross sectional view of a pilot regulator according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, ball valve  45  directs inlet flow to first section  50  or second section  52  depending on which regulator is intended to receive flow. As more fully shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the ROV control operates ball valve  45  directly to either first regulator  12  or second regulator  14  which then regulates output fluid to the opposing sides of the shuttle valve sections to control flow as the ROV switch or member  26  is moved from one position to the other as described above. Depending on the position of member  26 , the ball valve controls the input to the regulators and the shuttle valve automatically directs the fluid to the outlet and closes off the other regulator. 
       FIG. 7  shows another cross sectional view of the pilot regulator according to a preferred embodiment of the invention along line  7 - 7  of  FIG. 1 . This cross section is through a line that bisects second regulator  14  and shows the fluid connection  83  between ball valve  45  and the second regulator  14  and fluid connection  85  between the regulator and the shuttle valve  80 . Depending on the rotation of member  26 , the ball valve directs flow from the input  47  shown in  FIG. 5 , to one of the two regulators, in this figure, second regulator  14 , which in turn causes fluid, after being regulated from a higher psi to a lower psi, into fluid connection  85  and out the shuttle valve  80  to outlet port  65 . 
     All of the compositions and/or methods disclosed and claimed herein can be made and executed without undue experimentation in light of the present disclosure. While the compositions and methods of this invention have been described in terms of various embodiments, it will be apparent to those of skill in the art that other variations can be applied to the compositions and/or methods and in the steps or in the sequence of steps of the method described herein without departing from the concept, spirit and scope of the invention. All such similar substitutes and modifications apparent to those skilled in the art are deemed to be within the spirit, scope and concept of the invention as defined by the appended claims. 
     It will be understood that particular embodiments described herein are shown by way of illustration and not as limitations of the invention. The principal features of this invention can be employed in various embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention. All of the compositions and/or methods disclosed and claimed herein can be made and executed without undue experimentation in light of the present disclosure. Those skilled in the art will recognize, or be able to ascertain using no more than routine experimentation, numerous equivalents to the specific procedures described herein. Such equivalents are considered to be within the scope of this invention and are covered by the claims.