Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US7836946?ie=ISO-8859-1&dq=6,108,703
Timestamp: 2014-03-17 17:13:23
Document Index: 317265675

Matched Legal Cases: ['Application No. 2003', 'art 2', 'Application No. 05270083', 'art 1', 'art 2', 'ART 1', 'ART 2']

Patent US7836946 - Rotating control head radial seal protection and leak detection systems - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign inAdvanced Patent SearchPatentsA system and method for reducing wear to radial seals in a rotating control device. The seals may be cooled by a thermal transfer fluid circulating through a passageway making more than one pass. Also, the differential pressure between multiple seals may be regulated and lowered, thereby increasing seal...http://www.google.com/patents/US7836946?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US7836946 - Rotating control head radial seal protection and leak detection systemsAdvanced Patent SearchPublication numberUS7836946 B2Publication typeGrantApplication numberUS 11/366,078Publication dateNov 23, 2010Filing dateMar 2, 2006Priority dateOct 31, 2002Also published asCA2580177A1, CA2580177C, CA2729427A1, CA2729427C, CA2756090A1, CA2756093A1, EP1830034A2, EP1830034A3, EP2631419A1, EP2636841A1, EP2639400A1, US7934545, US8113291, US8353337, US20060144622, US20110036629, US20110168382, US20120138366, US20130192896Publication number11366078, 366078, US 7836946 B2, US 7836946B2, US-B2-7836946, US7836946 B2, US7836946B2InventorsThomas F. Bailey, James W. Chambers, Don M. Hannegan, Mark F. GravouiaOriginal AssigneeWeatherford/Lamb, Inc.Export CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (102), Non-Patent Citations (203), Referenced by (1), Classifications (13), Legal Events (1) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetRotating control head radial seal protection and leak detection systemsUS 7836946 B2Abstract A system and method for reducing wear to radial seals in a rotating control device. The seals may be cooled by a thermal transfer fluid circulating through a passageway making more than one pass. Also, the differential pressure between multiple seals may be regulated and lowered, thereby increasing seal life.
1. A thermal transfer system adapted for use with a rotating control head, comprising:
a first member movable relative to a second member;
one of the members having a thermal transfer surface;
a first seal positioned with one of the members for sealing the first member with the second member while the first member moves relative to the second member;
a thermal transfer fluid circulated with at least one of the members;
said second member defining a passageway formed to extend around the thermal transfer surface more than once; and
the thermal transfer surface transferring thermal units through the thermal transfer fluid in said passageway circulated around the thermal transfer surface.
a seal carrier;
the thermal transfer surface comprises a surface of the seal carrier;
the seal carrier being a component of one of the members; and
the first seal positioned with the seal carrier for sealing the first member with the second member while the first member moves relative to the second member.
3. The system of claim 2, wherein said passageway comprises:
a spiral slot.
4. The system of claim 3 wherein the spiral slot circulates a unidirectional flow of the thermal transfer fluid.
5. The system of claim 2 further comprising a port formed in the seal carrier to communicate with the first seal and to regulate the pressure of the fluid on the first seal.
6. The system of claim 2 further comprising a second seal positioned with the seal carrier and for sealing the first member and the second member.
7. The system of claim 6 further comprising a port formed in the seal carrier to communicate with the first seal and the second seal and to regulate the pressure of the fluid between the first seal and the second seal.
8. The system of claim 6 further comprising the first seal allowing a first flow of the thermal transfer fluid to pass by the first seal, and the second seal allowing a second flow of the thermal transfer fluid to pass by the second seal, wherein the second flow is greater than the first flow.
9. The system of claim 6 wherein one of the seals allows flow of fluid at a first pressure and the other seal allows flow of fluid at a second pressure, wherein the first pressure is higher than the second pressure.
10. The system of claim 1, wherein said passageway comprises:
11. The system of claim 10 wherein the spiral slot circulates a unidirectional flow of the thermal transfer fluid.
at least one bearing in fluid communication with the first member and the second member.
13. The system of claim 12 wherein the thermal transfer fluid communicates with the at least one bearing.
14. The system of claim 12 further comprising a tubular wherein one of the members having a bore sized to receive the tubular.
15. The system of claim 12 wherein the at least one bearing comprising:
a radial bearing, and
a thrust bearing.
16. The system of claim 1 wherein the thermal transfer fluid is an unctuous combustible substance that is at least liquefiable on warming.
17. The system of claim 1 further comprising a port formed in one of the members to communicate with the first seal and to regulate the pressure of the fluid on the first seal.
18. The system of claim 1 further comprising a second seal positioned with one of the members and for sealing the first member and the second member.
19. The system of claim 18 further comprising a port formed in one of the members to communicate with the first seal and the second seal and to regulate the pressure of the fluid between the first seal and the second seal.
20. The system of claim 18 further comprising the first seal allowing a first flow of the thermal transfer fluid to pass by the first seal, and the second seal allowing a second flow of the thermal transfer fluid to pass by the second seal, wherein the second flow is greater than the first flow.
21. The system of claim 18 wherein one of the seals allows flow of fluid at a first pressure and the other seal allows flow of fluid at a second pressure, wherein the first pressure is higher than the second pressure.
22. A system adapted for use with a rotating control head, comprising:
a passageway formed in one of said members;
a unidirectional flow of a fluid in said passageway for circulating the fluid into, with and out of the rotating control head;
a first seal positioned with one of the members for providing a predetermined flow value of the fluid between the first member and the second member; and
a port formed in one of the members, the port communicating with the first seal to regulate the fluid flowing by the first seal.
23. The system of claim 22 further comprising a second seal positioned with the first member and the second member, wherein one of the seals allows flow of fluid at a first pressure and the other seal allows flow of fluid at a second pressure.
24. The system of claim 22 further comprising a second seal positioned with the first member and the second member, wherein the first seal allowing a first flow of the fluid to pass by the first seal, and the second seal allowing a second flow of the fluid to pass by the second seal, wherein the second flow is different than the first flow.
25. A thermal transfer system adapted for use with a rotating control head, comprising:
a second seal positioned with one of the members for sealing the first member with the second member, wherein the first seal allows flow of fluid at a first pressure and the second seal allows flow of fluid at a second pressure different than the first pressure;
said second member defining a passageway formed to extend about the thermal transfer surface; and
the thermal transfer surface transferring thermal units through a unidirectional flow of the thermal transfer fluid in said passageway traversing about the thermal transfer surface.
26. The system of claim 25, wherein said passageway comprises a spiral slot formed on one of the members adjacent the thermal transfer surface.
27. A thermal transfer system adapted for use with a rotating control head, comprising:
a seal carrier having a thermal transfer surface;
the seal carrier being a component of one of the members;
a first seal positioned with the seal carrier for sealing the first member and the second member;
the thermal transfer surface transferring thermal units through the thermal transfer fluid in said passageway adjacent the first seal.
28. The system of claim 27, wherein the first seal positioned with the seal carrier for sealing the first member with the second member while the first member moves relative to the second member.
29. The system of claim 27, wherein said passageway comprises:
a tortuous path formed on one of the members adjacent the first seal.
30. The system of claim 29, wherein the tortuous path comprise:
a spiral slot adjacent the first seal.
31. The system of claim 30 wherein said passageway comprises a spiral slot that circulates a unidirectional flow of the thermal transfer fluid.
32. The system of claim 29 wherein the tortuous path circulates a unidirectional flow of the thermal transfer fluid.
34. The system of claim 33 wherein the thermal transfer fluid communicates with the at least one bearing.
35. The system of claim 27 wherein the thermal transfer fluid is a liquid.
36. The system of claim 35 wherein the liquid is an unctuous combustible substance.
37. The system of claim 27 wherein the thermal transfer fluid is a gas.
38. The system of claim 27 further comprising a port formed in one of the members to communicate with the first seal and to regulate the pressure of the fluid on the first seal.
39. The system of claim 27 further comprising a second seal positioned with one of the members and for sealing the first member and the second member.
40. The system of claim 39 further comprising a port formed in one of the members to communicate with the first seal and the second seal and to regulate the pressure of the fluid between the first seal and the second seal.
41. The system of claim 39 further comprising the first seal allowing a first flow of the thermal transfer fluid to pass by the first seal, and the second seal allowing a second flow of the thermal transfer fluid to pass by the second seal, wherein the second flow is greater than the first flow.
42. The system of claim 39 wherein one of the seals allows flow of fluid at a first pressure and the other seal allows flow of fluid at a second pressure, wherein the first pressure is higher than the second pressure.
43. The system of claim 27 further comprising a port formed in the seal carrier to communicate with the first seal and to regulate the pressure of the fluid on the first seal.
44. The system of claim 27 further comprising a second seal positioned with the seal carrier and for sealing the first member and the second member.
45. The system of claim 44 further comprising a port formed in the seal carrier to communicate with the first seal and the second seal and to regulate the pressure of the fluid between the first seal and the second seal.
46. The system of claim 44 further comprising the first seal allowing a first flow of the thermal transfer fluid to pass by the first seal, and the second seal allowing a second flow of the thermal transfer fluid to pass by the second seal, wherein the second flow is greater than the first flow.
47. The system of claim 44 wherein one of the seals allows flow of fluid at a first pressure and the other seal allows flow of fluid at a second pressure, wherein the first pressure is higher than the second pressure.
48. A system adapted for use with a rotating control head, comprising:
a unidirectional flow of a fluid in said passageway for circulating the fluid with the rotating control head;
one of the members having a seal carrier;
a first seal positioned with the seal carrier for sealing the first member with the second member while providing a predetermined flow value of the fluid between the first member and the second member; and
a port formed in the seal carrier, the port communicating with the first seal to regulate the fluid flowing by the first seal.
49. The system of claim 48 further comprising a second seal positioned with the first member and the second member, wherein one of the seals allows flow of fluid at a first pressure and the other seal allows flow of fluid at a second pressure.
50. The system of claim 48 further comprising a second seal positioned with the first member and the second member, wherein the first seal allowing a first flow of the fluid to pass by the first seal, and the second seal allowing a second flow of the fluid to pass by the second seal, wherein the second flow is different than the first flow.
51. A thermal transfer system adapted for use with a rotating control head, comprising:
a first seal positioned with one of the members for sealing the first member with the second member;
the thermal transfer surface transferring thermal units through the thermal transfer fluid in said passageway adjacent the first seal and the second seal.
52. The system of claim 51, wherein said passageway comprises a spiral slot formed on one of the members that extends around the thermal transfer surface adjacent the first seal and the second seal more than once.
53. A thermal transfer system adapted for use with a first member rotatable relative to a second member, comprising:
the second member having a seal carrier;
the seal carrier having a surface adjacent to a portion of the second member;
the second member having at least one passageway adjacent to the seal carrier surface; and
the at least one passageway extending more than once around the seal carrier surface.
54. The system of claim 53 wherein the seal carrier having a seal.
55. The system of claim 53 wherein the passageway is a spiral slot formed with one of the members.
56. A thermal transfer system adapted for use with a first member rotatable relative to a second member, comprising:
the second member having at least one passageway defined by the seal carrier surface; and
the at least one passageway extending a distance equal to more than once around the seal carrier along a tortuous path on the seal carrier surface.
57. A thermal transfer system adapted for use with a first member rotatable relative to a second member, comprising:
the seal carrier being adjacent to the first member;
at least one passageway in the second member defined by the seal carrier; and
the at least one passageway making at least one revolution around the seal carrier
wherein the passageway comprises a spiral slot formed with one of the members.
58. A thermal transfer system adapted for use with a rotating control head, comprising:
the at least one passageway making at least more than one revolution around the seal carrier.
59. A thermal transfer system adapted for use with a rotating control head, comprising:
a first seal positioned with one of the members for sealing the first member with the second member; and
a second seal positioned with one of the members for sealing the first member with the second member, wherein the first seal allows flow of fluid at a first predetermined pressure and the second seal allows flow of fluid at a second predetermined pressure different than the first predetermined pressure. Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/285,336 entitled �Active/Passive Seal Rotating Control Head� filed Oct. 31, 2002, and U.S. application Ser. No. 10/995,980 entitled �Riser Rotating Control Device� filed Nov. 23, 2004, both of which are incorporated by reference in their entirety for all purposes.
Furthermore, U.S. Ser. No. 10/995,980 discloses in FIG. 14 a remote control display 1400 having a hydraulic fluid indicator 1488 to indicate a fluid leak condition. FIG. 18 of the '980 application further discloses that the alarm indicator 1480 and horn are activated based in part on the fluid leak indicator 1488 being activated for a predetermined time.
In particular, the present invention relates to a system and method for cooling a rotating control head while regulating the pressure on the upper top radial seal in the rotating control head to reduce its PV factor. The improved rotating control head includes an improved cooling system using one fluid to cool the radial seals and bearings in combination with a reduced PV factor radial seal protection system.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS So that the manner in which the above recited features of the present invention can be understood in detail, a more particular description of the invention, briefly summarized above, may be had by reference to embodiments, some of which are illustrated in the appended drawings: It is to be noted, however, that the appended drawings illustrate only typical embodiments of this invention and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope, for the invention may be used in other equally effective embodiments.
While FIG. 9 shows the rotating control head 900 latched in a housing H above a diverter D, it is contemplated that the rotating control heads as shown in the figures could be positioned with any housing or riser as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,138,774, 6,263,982, 6,470,975, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/281,534, filed Oct. 28, 2002 and published Jun. 12, 2003 under U.S. Patent Application No. 2003-0106712-A1, or U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/995,980, filed Nov. 23, 2004, all of which are assigned to the assignee of the present invention and incorporated herein by reference for all purposes.
The retainer member LP, primary piston P and secondary piston SP of the latching system are mechanically illustrated in FIG. 9 (latching system is in its closed or latched position), schematically shown in FIG. 15A, and their operations are described in the flowcharts in FIGS. 18A, 18B, 23 and 24. Alternative latching systems are disclosed in FIGS. 1 and 8 and in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/995,980, filed Nov. 23, 2004.
Valve positions on valve V80 and valve V90, shown in FIG. 15B, and valve V160, shown in FIG. 15A, are moved to provide a pressure in the rotating control head that is above the wellbore pressure P2. In particular, the wellbore pressure P2 is measured by pressure transducer PT70, shown in FIG. 15A. Depending on the wellbore pressure P2, valve V90 and valve V80 (FIG. 15B) are either open or closed. By opening either valve, pressure in the rotating control head can be reduced by allowing fluid to go back to tank 634. Also, depending on pressure in the rotating control head, valve V160 will move to a position that selects a different size orifice. The orifice size, e.g. 3/32″ or ⅛″ (FIG. 15A), will determine how much back pressure is in the rotating control head. By using this combination of valves V80, V90 and V160, four different pressures can be achieved.
If the measured fluid value, such as fluid volume value or fluid rate value, from flow meter FM10 is not within a predetermined tolerance of the measured fluid value from flow meter FM20, then alarms 120, 130 or 140, as described below in Table 2, are activated. For example, if the measured flow value to the bearing assembly B is greater than the measured flow value from the bearing assembly plus a predetermined percentage tolerance, then alarm 120 is activated and light LT90 on control console CC is turned on. Also, a text message is displayed on display monitor DM on the control console CC, such as �Alarm 120�Losing Oil.� For example, this loss could be from the top radial seals leaking oil to the atmosphere, or the bottom radial seals leaking oil down the wellbore.
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International Model 7000 Rotating Control Head, 1991 (4 pages).202Williams Tool Company-Home Page-Under Construction Williams Rotating Control Heads (2 pages); Seal-Ability for the pressures of drilling (2 pages); Williams Model 7000 Series Rotating Control Heads (1 page); Williams Model 7000 & 7100 Series Rotating Control Heads (2 pages); Williams Model IP1000 Rotating Control Heads (2 pages); Williams Conventional Models 8000 & 9000 (2 pages); Applications Where using a Williams rotating control heas while drilling is a plus (1 page); Williams higher pressure rotating control head systems are Ideally Suited for New Technology Flow Drilling and Closed Loop Underbalanced Drilling (UBD) Vertical and Horizontal (2 pages); and How to Contact Us (2 pages).203Williams Tool Company�Home Page�Under Construction Williams Rotating Control Heads (2 pages); Seal-Ability for the pressures of drilling (2 pages); Williams Model 7000 Series Rotating Control Heads (1 page); Williams Model 7000 & 7100 Series Rotating Control Heads (2 pages); Williams Model IP1000 Rotating Control Heads (2 pages); Williams Conventional Models 8000 & 9000 (2 pages); Applications Where using a Williams rotating control heas while drilling is a plus (1 page); Williams higher pressure rotating control head systems are Ideally Suited for New Technology Flow Drilling and Closed Loop Underbalanced Drilling (UBD) Vertical and Horizontal (2 pages); and How to Contact Us (2 pages).Referenced byCiting PatentFiling datePublication dateApplicantTitleWO2012052402A2Oct 17, 2011Apr 26, 2012Weatherford/Lamb, Inc.Latching apparatus and methodClassifications U.S. Classification166/84.2, 277/333International ClassificationE21B19/24Cooperative ClassificationF16K41/046, F16J15/324, E21B36/001, E21B33/085, E21B47/10European ClassificationE21B34/16, E21B33/08B, E21B36/00B, F16J15/32C, F16K41/04B2Legal EventsDateCodeEventDescriptionJun 27, 2006ASAssignmentOwner name: WEATHERFORD/LAMB, INC., TEXASFree format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:BAILEY, THOMAS F.;CHAMBERS, JAMES W.;HANNEGAN, DON M.;AND OTHERS;REEL/FRAME:017868/0129Effective date: 20060302RotateOriginal ImageGoogle Home - Sitemap - USPTO Bulk Downloads - Privacy Policy - Terms of Service - About Google Patents - Send FeedbackData provided by IFI CLAIMS Patent Services©2012 Google