Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
31 2~56~
This invention is generally directedtoflUldflow
control valves and, in particular, to drilling choke
type valves for controlling drilling fluid circulation
flow during well drilling operations.
The control of the circulation of drilling
fluids during hydrocarbon well drilling operations has
presented a number of unique f low control problems. The
presence of the earth cuttings and other highly abrasive
solids in the drilling fluids have frequently interfered
lQ with or damaged the valve sufficiently to block operating
movement of the flow closure elements. The presence in
the drilling fluid of corrosive fluids that are encount-
ered in the earth formations during drilling has in many
instances resulted in sufficient corrosion of the valve
working parts to render th~ valve ineffective. The
valves were also extremely difficul-t to operate at the
high working pressures unless a complicated arrangement
for balancing urging of operating fluid pressure on the
movable flow control components was provided. In addi-
tion, the high operating pressure of the drilling fluidoften resulted in the restricted or throttled flow ero-
ding or cutting the flow control components such as
valve seats and can in time create a leakage flow path
in the valve body itself.
Many drilling choke valves of rugged and simple
construction and design have been developed in the past
for use during drilling operations. Most drilling choke
~ , ,
valves have also been made relatively easy to repair or
otherwise maintain in the field. Despite such ease of
maintenance, there has remained a need for a drilling
choke valve that will indicate a failure condition i5
about to occur in order that preventative-type attention
w.ill be performed prior to failure. As valve failure
would ordi.narily result in loss of drilliny fluid control
and could ultimately result in loss of the well itself,
such an indication of an incipient failure condition is
a highly desirable valve characteristic or featureA
The present invention relates to a fluid flow
control valve adapted for use in severe operating condi-
tions encountered during earth drilling operations, said
valve including a valve housing having a valve body and a
valve bonnet, said valve body having means for connecting
in a flow containing conduit to-form a portion thereof,
said valve body having a flow passage formed therethrough
which is secured by said connecting means in flow commun-
ication with the flow containing conduit for enabling the
flow of contained fluid through said flow passage, said
flow passage having an inlet portion defining an inlet
longitudinal axis and an outlet portion defining an out-
let longitudinal axis, said valve bonnet releasably se-
cured to said valve body and having an opening formed
therethrough to provide clearance for a valve stem means
to extend from said flow closure element exteriorly of
said valve housing, tubular seat means having a central
opening, said seat means disposed in said ~low passage
for forming a sealable flow port through which fluid
flow through said flow passage is directed, said flow
port arranged in said tu~ular seat means for directing
the flow of throttled fluid radially inwardly into said
central opening of said tubular seat means when flowing
through said flow passaye, a flow closure element dis-
posed in said flow passage Eor operating movernent to andfrom a first position sealing with said seat means for
blocking flow of fluid through said flow port and a sec-
ond position for enabling ~low of fluid through said flow
port, an erosion control nozzl.e disposed in said flow
~9~
-- 3 --
passage adjacent said tubular seat means, said erosion
control nozzle protecting said valve housing from the
damaging effects of the throttled flow of flow from said
central opening of said tubular seat means, said tubular
seat means and/erosion control nozzle disposed in said
outlet portion, means sealing said erosion control nozzle
with said valve housing at spaced locations to isolate
said housing from contact with the throttled fluid flow-
ing through said flow passage, indicator means communica-
ting with said flow passage isolated by said means forsealing between said erosion control nozzle and said valve
housing at spaced locations for signaling fluid leakage
adjacent said erosion control nozzle, valve stem means
operably mounted with said housing and operably connected
with said flow closure element for moving said flow clo-
sure element to and from the first and second positions
for controlling flow of fluid through said flow passage,
said valve stem means includes a rod extending through
said opening ln said bonnet and sealed with said bonnet
to block leakage of fluid therebetween, and actuator means
mounted with said housing for operating said valve stem
means to move said flow closure element to and from the
first and second position in response to command signals
tra~smitted to said actuator means wherein said actuator
means controls the position of said flow closure element
to control the flow of fluid through said flow port.
The preferred embodiment utilizes a right an-
gled valve body or housing having flanged end connectors.
A bolted bonnet that is easily removed to permit access to
the valve interior for maintenance and assembly purposes
is preferably utilized.
Further features and advantages of the present
invention will become evident from the following descrip-
tion of a preferred embodimen-t of the invention taken
together with the accompanying drawings wherein:
Fig. l is a side view in section of a fluid flow
- control valve of the present invention operated to the
S6~
-- 4 --
open or flow enabling position;
Fig. 2 is an exterior view of the valve of
Fig. 1 taken from a different angle; and
Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 of the
valve operated to the closed or flow blocking position.
The valve apparatus of the present invention,
generally designated A in the Figs., is utili~ed for
controlling flow of fluids through a fluid containing
conduit (not illustrated) in the usual manner. Prefera-
bly, the fluid flow control valve apparatus A of the pre-
sent invention is used in controlling the flow of dril-
ling fluids under the severe operating conditions usual-
ly encountered during earth drilling operations.
The valve apparatus A includes a valve housing,
generally designated H formed by a Tee-angled valve body
member 10 and valve bonnet 12 which is releasably se-
cured thereto in the usual flanged manner by equi-circum-
ferentially spaced helically threaded bolting 14 (Fig. 2)
receiving rotatable securing nuts 16. An O-ring 11 seals
between the bod~ 10 and bonnet 12 to prevent leakage of
fluid therebetween in the usual manner. The body 10 is
preferably of the right-angled Tee-type provided with a
flanged inlet end connection lOa and a corresponding
flanged outlet end connection lOb for securing with the
fluid containing conduit in the usual manner. It is, of
course, understood -that any other known suitable end con-
nections may be formed on the valve body 10 without de-
parting from the spirit of the present invention.
The valve body 10 has a fluid flow passage 18
formed therethrough which is secured by the end connec-
tion flangQs lOa and lOb in flow communication,,with the
flow conduit in order that the valve body 10 will form a
portion of the fluid containing conduit. The internal
flow passage 18 has a regular cylindrical inlet flow
portion 18a disposed adjacent the inlet flange lOa and
a regular cylindrical outlet flow portion 18b disposed
adjacent the outlet flanye lOb. The normal or desired
flow direction of the fluid is from the inlet passage
- f ~ 9S6~
~ 5
18a into the outlet passage 18b which are arranged in
flow communication and at right angles to each other.
The longitudina]. axes (not illustrated) defined by the
cylindrical inlet portion 18a and the longitudinal axis
of the cylindrical outlet portion 18b also preferably
intersect at right angles to each other.
Disposed within the outlet portion 18b of the
flow passage 18 is a tubular erosion con-trol nozzle 20
and a tubular flow control seat 22. The flow control
seat seal ring 24 engages the seat 22 for securing the
seat 22 and erosion control nozzle 20 in the outlet
portion 18b when the bonnet 12 is installed using the
bolts 14 and nuts 16. An outwardly projecting collar
20a of the erosion control nozzle 20 limits movement
Of the nozzle 20 through the outlet portion 18b in the
usual manner while a central passage 20b forms the de-
sired path for the outlet flow. An O-ring 21 blocks
leakage of fluid between the sea~ 22 and nozzle 20. The
upper seal ring 24 carries alignment and anti~rotation
pins 24a and 24b to prevent its relative rotational move-
ment with either the seat 22 or bonnet 12, respectively.
The seal ring 24 also carries O-rings 24c and 24d for
sealing with the flow closure element 26 and bonnet
12, respectively, to control leakage of fluid therebe-
tween.
, ~eciprocally disposed within the seat 22 andseal ring 24 is a sleeve or tubular flow closure element
26 that is operably connected with the valve stem 28
by threads 28a and lock nut 29. The valve stem 28 ex-
tends upwardly from the flow closure element 26 througha sealed opening 12a formed in the removable valve bonnet
12. The stem 28 is used to control the operating move-
ment of the flow closure element 26 from exteriorly of
the valve housing H in the usual manner. In the present
instance~ the stem 28 reciprocates the flow closure ele-
ment 26 within the fixed seat 22 in the valve body 10 for
controlling flow of fluid through the valve apparatus A.
~95610
-- 6 --
The valve seat 22 is provided with a central
passage 22a in which the flow control element 28 reci-
procates and through which the fluid from the inlet por-
tion 18a of the flow passage 18 flows into before flowing
outwardly into passage 20b through the outlet portion
18b of the valve body 10. One or more flow throttling
ports 22b are formed through the wall of the tubular
seat member 22 for enabling communication from exterior-
ly of the seat 22 radially inwardly to the central por-
tion 22a where it commlmicates in turn with the outletportion 18b. Preferably, the ports 22b are radially
opposed or oppositely positioned on the tubular seat
member 22 in order that the inwardly flow into the bore
22a will impinge upon corresponding flow from the oppos-
ite port 22b for minimizing flow turbulence and flow cut-
ting or erosion of the seat 22.
The tubular flow closure element is movable
from the first or fully open position illustrated in Fig~
1 for enabling flow of fluid through the ports 22b to the
second or closed position illustrated in Fig. 3 for
blocking flow through the port 22b. Intermediate these
two limit positions, the flow closure element 22 partial-
ly covers the ports 22b for regulating the rate of fluid
flow through the valve 22. While a triangular port
opening 22b is illustrated, it is understood that the
shape of the ports 22a will determine the flow response
operating characteristics o the valve 10 and that ports
22a of other shapes may also be employed.
The erosion contro] nozzle 20 is secured by the
3~ seat 22 and seal ring 24 engaging the bonnet 12 as des-
cxibed above. The collar 20a formed on the erosion con-
trol nozzle 20 engages corresponding annular shoulder
~ormed by the valve body 10 to provide the lower stop
for the erosion control nozz~e. When secured in the out-
let portion 18b, a pair of longitudinally spaced seals30 and 32 effect longitudinally spaced seals between the
- valve body 10 and the erosion control nozzle 20. The
-- ~L,'~9~6~
spaced seals efEected by the O-rings 30 and 32 create
an operating fluid pressure excluded or isolated area
between the valve body 10 and the erosion contxol noz-
zle 20. Should the erosion control nozzle 20 develop
5 a leak such as caused by flow erosion or other undesired
consequences of the throttled operating fluid flow,
fluid pressure in the area between the seals 30 and 32
will increase to the operating fluid pressure level.
The presence of such fluid pressure would slgnal that
10 the erosion control nozzle 20 has failed and that erosion
damage to the valve body 10 is about to occur from the
throttled flow.
The valve body 10 has a leakage port lOc
formed therein which communicates with the normally fluid
15 pressure isolated area between the O-rings 30 and 32.
Should the operating fluid pressure enter the isolated
area, such pressure will also be co~nunicated through the
leakage port lOc. An indicator or signal apparatus gen-
erally designated 36 is mounted with the valve body 10
20 by threadedly engaging threads lOd formed in the outer
portion of the leakage ports lOc. The indicator appara-
tus 36 includes an outer housing member 38 and a closure
cap 40 that are secured together by threaded engagement
at 41. The outer housing 38 and cap 40 form a central
25 cavity 42 which is placed in communication with the leak-
age port lOc and isolated area.
Disposed within the central cavity 42 is a
fluid responsive piston 44 and a biasing spring 46. The
biasing spring 46 urges the fluid piston 44 to the nor-
30 mal or inactive position toward the valve body 10. Asignal member 48 is operably associated with the fluid
responsive piston and when the fluid responsive piston is
in the inactive position illustrated in Fig. 1, the sig-
nal member 48 is substantially retracted within the outer
35 housing 38 and end cap 40. When operating fluid pressure
comanunicated through the leakage ports lOc urges on the
fluid responsive piston 44 for effecting its movement,
the piston will overcome the urging of spring 46 and move
956~
-- 8 --
the signal member 48 to an indicating position extending
from the end cap 40 for providing a signal that the ero-
sion control nozzle 20 is leaking and incipient failure
condition exists in the valve body. In the illustrated
embodiment the signal member ~8 is provided with a
bleed closure cap 48a which closes off pneumatic bleed
line 50 when moved to the extended or indicating posi-
tion. With the bleed line 50 closed the pressure will
increase in the bleed line 50 for giving a remote indica-
tion or signal that incipient failure conditions existin the valve.
Removably mounted on the valve bonne~ 20 is a
valve remote actuator or operator, generally designated
60~ It is to be understood, however, that a manual valve
actuator is equally well suited for operation of the
valve apparatus A. Such a remote valve actuator 60 is
well known to those skilled in the art and need not be
described in extensive detail. In general, the actuator
60 is provided with a fluid responsive piston 62 that is
operably connected with -the valve stem 28 to effect its
reciprocating motion and thereby effect the operating
movement of the flow closure element 26 relative to the
flow ports 22 in the usual manner. In the illustrated
embodiment fluid pressure acting on the lower side 62a
of the piston 62 will urge the piston 62 to move upward-
ly. This will move the flow closure element 26 upwardly
to the open position. Fluid pressure introduced above
the operating piston 62 will act on the pressure respon-
sive surface 62b and will urge the piston 62 and stem
28 with the flow closure element 26 downwardly to the
closed position for shutting off flow through the valve
apparatus A in the usual manner. Suitable operating
condition position indicator mechanism, generally desig-
nated 6~, may be connected with stem extension 28a for
providing a remote signal of the operating condition of
the valve A to ensure that it is properly responding to
remote commands.
g
In the use and operation of the present inven-
tion the valve A is assembled in the manner indicated
and connected in the flow conduit for controlling the
flow of fluid. Control fluid pressure urging on the
actuator piston 62 will control movement of the valve
stem 28 and the connected flow closure element 26 to
control flow through the port 22b in the usual manner.
When the flow closure element 26 is in the open or par-
tially open position operating fluid flow will pass
through the inlet portion 18 and through the flow port
22b of the tubular seat 22 into the central cavity 22a.
The flow is then downwardly through the erosion control
nozzle 22 and out of the valve A.
When the operating fluid flow throttled through
the flow port 22 erodes or otherwise causes leakage of
fluid into the isolated area between the seals effected
by the O~ring 30 and 32 with the erosion control nozzle
20, the increased fluid pressure will be communicated
through the leakage port lOc to the fluid responsive
piston 44. Movement of the fluid responsive piston 44
overcomes the urging of the biasing spring 46 for extend-
ing the signal member 48 to provide a signal that the
incipient failure or leakage condition exists. When the
remote indicator bleed line 50 is employed, the ~losure
48a will enable pressure build-up in the remote indicator
line 50 to remotely indicate the leakage condition exists
at the valveO
The ~oregoing disclosure and description of the
invention are illustrative and explanatory thereof, and
3n various changes in the size, shape and materials, as well
as in the details of the illustrated construction may be
made without departing from the spirit of the invention.
