Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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PRESSURE SWITCH
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present disclosure relates generally to a pressure switch and more
particularly to a
durable switch that can activate at low pressures while in a high pressure
environment.
BACKGROUND
Hydrocarbons, such as oil and gas, are produced from subterranean reservoir
formations
that may be located onshore or offshore. The processes involved in recovering
hydrocarbons
from a reservoir are becoming increasingly complex. Subterranean production is
a highly
expensive and extensive endeavor and the industry generally relies heavily
upon educated
predictions of reservoir conditions to characterize the reservoir prior to
making substantial
investments to optimize well placement within the reservoir, optimize
production of
hydrocarbons, and performing the necessary steps to produce, process and
transport the
hydrocarbons from the reservoir.
An operation at a well environment may require that a wellhead connection unit
(WCU) be
brought on site. Typically, one arm of the WCU will connect to a source, for
example, a
manifold or manifold trailer, that provides or supplies a pressurized fluid
and then another arm of
the WCU will connect to the wellhead. For example, a crane may be utilized to
connect the
WCU to the wellhead using a crane. The crane picks or lifts an arm of the
wellhead connection
unit and moves the arm over to the wellhead. A remote connector is disposed on
each arm of the
wellhead connection unit. An arm is positioned such that the remote connector
of the arm
engages the wellhead. Fluid flows from the manifold trailer into a first arm
of the WCU coupled
to the manifold trailer. The fluid is flowed through the first arm to the
second arm of the WCU.
The second arm is coupled to the wellhead such that the fluid flows through
the second arm to
the wellhead.
The flow of fluid from the manifold through the arm of the WCU coupled to the
wellhead
is pressurized. This pressurization may be hazardous to personnel and the
surrounding
environment. For example, opening up or activating the hydraulics system at
the wellhead that
connects the remote connector to the wellhead before depressurization may
release pressurized
fluid. Such a release may cause harm or injury to the surrounding environment
including
personnel and equipment. A fail-safe system that prevents the remote connector
from
disengaging from the wellhead while the manifold is pressurized is needed.
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is an illustrative well environment, according to one or more aspects
of the present
disclosure.
FIG. 2 is an illustrative pressure switch assembly in closed position,
according to one or
more aspects of the present disclosure.
FIG. 3 is an illustrative pressure switch assembly in an open position,
according to one or
more aspects of the present disclosure.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart for a method of controlling disengagement of a remote
controller
using a pressure switch system, according to one or more aspects of the
present disclosure.
FIG. 5 is a flowchart for a method of controlling disengagement of a remote
connector
using a pressure switch system, according to one or more aspects of the
present disclosure.
FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an information handling system, according to
one or more
aspects of the present disclosure.
While embodiments of this disclosure have been depicted and described and are
defined by
reference to exemplary embodiments of the disclosure, such references do not
imply a limitation
on the disclosure, and no such limitation is to be inferred. The subject
matter disclosed is
capable of considerable modification, alteration, and equivalents in form and
function, as will
occur to those skilled in the pertinent art and having the benefit of this
disclosure. The depicted
and described embodiments of this disclosure are examples only, and not
exhaustive of the scope
of the disclosure.
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION
At a well site environment, a wellhead is generally coupled to other equipment
so that fluid
may be flowed to the wellhead. Personnel may be required to assist with
engaging and
disengaging tubing or piping. For example, a wellhead connection unit (WCU),
for example, for
example, an ExpressKinectTM Wellhead Connection Unit (EKWCU) or an
ExpressKinectTM
Quicklatch (EKQL) (both available from Halliburton), at a well site
environment may be utilized
to provide faster connection of the wellhead to a fluid as compared to
traditional rig-up
equipment. The WCU, for example, a EKWCU, may comprise a plurality of arms.
One arm
may couple to a manifold while another arm may couple to the wellhead via a
remote connector
of the arm. Fluid may flow from the manifold through the arms. The fluid that
is flowed to the
wellhead may be pressurized. The pressurization of the fluid may vary
according to different
stages of an operation. Thus, before disengagement of the remote connector,
for example, an
EKQL, from the wellhead, the pressure must be eliminated or reduced to prevent
harm or injury
to personnel or equipment at or about the wellhead.
To increase safety during operation and to comply with industry or customer-
specific
requirements, the present disclosure provides a fail-safe switch system or
pressure switch
assembly that prevents the remote connector from disengaging from the wellhead
while
pressurized. The fail-safe system must operate or function at both high and
low pressures.
However, typical pressure transducers have operating ranges that do not span
both high and low
pressures. According to one or more aspects of the present disclosure, a fail-
safe switch system
operates or functions accurately at both high and low pressure ranges to
provide a safety
mechanism that activates at low pressures while maintaining functionality at
very high pressures
to prevent disengagement of the remote connector for a wide range of
pressurization. For
example, the fail-safe switch system of the present disclosure may operate
accurately from a low
pressure threshold of at or about thirty pounds per square inch (PSI)
(approximately 206.843
kilopascals (kPa)) to a high pressure threshold of at or about 15,000 PSI
(approximately
103421.35kPa) to 22,500 PSI (approximately 155132.04 kPa).
In one or more embodiments of the present disclosure, an environment may
utilize an
information handling system to control, manage or otherwise operate one or
more operations,
devices, components, networks, any other type of system or any combination
thereof. For
purposes of this disclosure, an information handling system may include any
instrumentality or
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aggregate of instrumentalities that are configured to or are operable to
compute, classify,
process, transmit, receive, retrieve, originate, switch, store, display,
manifest, detect, record,
reproduce, handle, or utilize any form of information, intelligence, or data
for any purpose, for
example, for a maritime vessel or operation. For example, an information
handling system may
be a personal computer, a network storage device, or any other suitable device
and may vary in
size, shape, performance, functionality, and price. The information handling
system may include
random access memory (RAM), one or more processing resources such as a central
processing
unit (CPU) or hardware or software control logic, ROM, and/or other types of
nonvolatile
memory. Additional components of the information handling system may include
one or more
disk drives, one or more network ports for communication with external devices
as well as
various input and output (I/O) devices, such as a keyboard, a mouse, and a
video display. The
information handling system may also include one or more buses operable to
transmit
communications between the various hardware components. The information
handling system
may also include one or more interface units capable of transmitting one or
more signals to a
controller, actuator, or like device.
For the purposes of this disclosure, computer-readable media may include any
instrumentality or aggregation of instrumentalities that may retain data,
instructions or both for a
period of time. Computer-readable media may include, for example, without
limitation, storage
media such as a sequential access storage device (for example, a tape drive),
direct access
storage device (for example, a hard disk drive or floppy disk drive), compact
disk (CD), CD
read-only memory (ROM) or CD-ROM, DVD, RAM, ROM, electrically erasable
programmable
read-only memory (EEPROM), and/or flash memory, biological memory, molecular
or
deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) memory as well as communications media such wires,
optical
fibers, microwaves, radio waves, and other electromagnetic and/or optical
carriers; and/or any
combination of the foregoing.
Illustrative embodiments of the present invention are described in detail
herein. In the
interest of clarity, not all features of an actual implementation may be
described in this
specification. It will of course be appreciated that in the development of any
such actual
embodiment, numerous implementation-specific decisions may be made to achieve
the specific
implementation goals, which may vary from one implementation to another.
Moreover, it will
be appreciated that such a development effort might be complex and time
consuming, but would
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nevertheless be a routine undertaking for those of ordinary skill in the art
having the benefit of
the present disclosure.
The terms "couple" or "couples," as used herein are intended to mean either an
indirect or
direct connection. Thus, if a first device couples to a second device, that
connection may be
through a direct connection, or through an indirect electrical connection via
other devices and
connections. Similarly, the term "communicatively coupled" as used herein is
intended to mean
either a direct or an indirect communication connection. Such connection may
be a wired or
wireless connection such as, for example, Ethernet or LAN. Such wired and
wireless
connections are well known to those of ordinary skill in the art and will
therefore not be
discussed in detail herein. Thus, if a first device communicatively couples to
a second device,
that connection may be through a direct connection, or through an indirect
communication
connection via other devices and connections.
FIG. 1 illustrates a well site environment 100, according to one or more
aspects of the
present invention. Well site environment 100 comprises a wellhead 160 at a
surface 130. In one
or more embodiments, wellhead 160 may be located at a subsurface or subsea
location. A
wellhead connection unit 105 may comprise a hydraulics system 102, a first arm
140 (for
example, a pipe, tube or line) coupled to a remote connector 120, a second arm
142 (for example,
a pipe, tube or line) coupled to a source 107, and a pressure switch assembly
150. The remote
connector 120 couples the first arm 140 to the wellhead 160. In one or more
embodiments,
remote connector 120 may couple any one or more arms 140 to any type of
wellhead, to a rig, or
to another arm or piping at a surface 130 where the wellhead or arm or piping
are at any location.
The second arm couples to a source 107, for example, a pressurized fluid
source such as a
manifold or manifold trailer. Pressure switch assembly 150 is fluidly coupled
to the wellhead
160. For example, pressure switch assembly 150 may be coupled between the
first arm 140 and
the second arm 142. In one or more embodiments, an in-line connector 110, for
example a T-
connector, couples the pressure switch assembly 150 to the first arm 140 and
the second arm
142.
Pressure switch system 190 comprises a pressure switch assembly 150 and a
controller
180. The controller 180 may be communicatively coupled to the pressure switch
assembly 150.
In one or more embodiments, controller 180 is coupled directly or indirectly,
wired or wirelessly
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or any combination thereof to pressure switch assembly 150. In one or more
embodiments,
controller 180 may be included within pressure switch assembly 150. In one or
more
embodiments, controller 180 may be located at a surface 130 of the well site
environment 100 or
may be located remotely from the well site environment 100.
In one or more embodiments, the second arm 142 may flow fluid 170 from the
source 107
through first arm 140 and remote connector 120 to the wellhead 160. Fluid 170
may be
pressurized at a high pressure by the source 107. In one or more embodiments,
fluid 170 may be
flowed at one or more high pressures and one or more flow rates to the
wellhead 160 as required
by one or more operations, for example, a stimulation operation. The remote
connector 120
must withstand high pressures such as those used in stimulation operations and
must provide
rapid and convenient connection of the arm 140 to the wellhead 160 without
damage to any
personnel or other components or equipment at the well site environment 100.
While the present
disclosure references a stimulation operation, any high pressure operation may
utilize any one or
more embodiments of the present disclosure. A hydraulics system 102 comprises
a hydraulic
line 108, a hydraulic valve 104 and an actuator 106. The hydraulic line 108
couples the
hydraulic valve 104 to the actuator 106. The actuator 106 is communicatively
coupled directly
or indirectly, wired or wirelessly or any combination thereof to the
controller 180. The hydraulic
valve 104 when actuated by the actuator 106 allows the remote connector 120 to
be disengaged
from the wellhead 160. For example, the controller 180 may actuate the
actuator 106 when one
or more measurements from the pressure switch assembly 150 are indicative of a
safe pressure or
a pressure that is at or below a pressure threshold. The pressure switch
system 190 provides a
fail-safe safety mechanism such that the hydraulic valve 104 is not permitted
to be actuated when
pressurized fluid 170 or pressure at the remote connector 120 is at or exceeds
a threshold
pressure.
In one or more embodiments, the controller 180 may be disposed or positioned
within the
WCU 105, proximal to the WCU 105 or remote from the WCU 105. In one or more
embodiments, the controller 180 may comprise an information handling system,
for example,
information handling system 600 of FIG. 6.
FIG. 2 is an illustrative pressure switch assembly 150 in a closed position,
according to one
or more aspects of the present disclosure. The pressure switch assembly 150
comprises a body
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202, a diaphragm 204, a pin 206, a compression assembly 208, a dart 210,
communication
pathway 214, pressure release 216, adjusting nut 222 and connector 224. A
fastener 212 couples
a cap 218 to a first end of the body 202 to position or secure a sensor 220 to
the body 202. A
second end of the body 202 comprises a connector 224. Connector 224 couples
the body 202 to
the connector 110 of the well site environment 100 of FIG. 1. A diaphragm 204
is disposed or
positioned within the connector 224. The diaphragm 204 may be flush, abut, or
otherwise
proximal to the pin 206. The diaphragm 204 presses, pushes or exerts a
pressure or force against
the pin 206 based on a pressure of a fluid 170 that is at or exceeds a
diaphragm pressure
threshold associated with the diaphragm 204. For example, a pressurized fluid,
such as
pressurized fluid 170 of FIG. 1, may be flowed to the wellhead 160 at one or
more pressures. As
the pressure of the pressurized fluid 170 increases, the diaphragm 204 is
deflected or transitioned
to an energized position. As the diaphragm 204 transitions to the energized
position, the
diaphragm 204 contacts the pin 206. In one or more embodiments, the diaphragm
204 comprises
a elastomer material.
A chamber 226 may comprise an adjusting nut 222, a compression assembly 208, a
dart
210 and a pin 206. The pin 206 is disposed or positioned between the diaphragm
204 and the
dart 210. In one or more embodiments, the dart 210 may be threaded in the pin
206 or otherwise
coupled to the pin 206 such that the pin 206 and the dart 210 translationally
move together
within the chamber 226. As the diaphragm 204 applies a pressure on the pin 206
based on the
pressurized fluid 170, a pressure is exerted against the dart 210 by the pin
206. In one or more
embodiments, the dart 210 may be disposed at least partially within or coupled
to a compression
assembly 208, for example, a spring. An adjusting nut 222 is used to set a
preloading force on
the compression assembly 208. The pressure exerted against the dart 210 is
compared to a
compression threshold and based on this comparison the compression assembly
208 compresses
allowing the dart 210 to translationally move towards the sensor 220. For
example, when the
pressure exerted against the dart 210 reaches or exceeds a compression
threshold associated with
the compression assembly 208, the dart 210 translationally moves towards the
sensor 220. The
sensor 220 detects or senses dart. For example, the sensor 220 detects the
proximity,
positioning, or location of the dart 210 to the sensor 220. The sensor 220
communicates or
transmits one or more measurements or one or more signals to a controller, for
example,
controller 180 of FIG. 1. The one or more measurements or one or more signals
may indicate
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that the proximity, location or distance of the dart 210 is at, about or
within a reading range or
location associated with the sensor 220. For example, the dart 210 is
transitioned to a location
that is sensed by the sensor 220. This reading range is based, at least in
part, on a predetermined
safe pressure for disengagement of the remote connector 120. Generally, the
reading range is
predetermined based on one or more factors related to safe pressures for
disengagement of the
remote connector 120 including but not limited to industry standards, customer
requirements,
specifications associated with the remote connector 120, any other standard,
requirement or
specification and any combination thereof. When the diaphragm 204 is deflected
such that the
dart 210 is at or about the predetermined reading range or location, the
pressure switch assembly
150 is in the closed position.
In one or more embodiments, the sensor 220 may couple to a controller 180 of
FIG. 1. The
sensor 220 may communicate or transmit one or more measurements or signals to
the controller
180. The one or more measurements or signals are indicative of an unsafe
disengagement
pressure such that the remote connector, for example, an EKQL, should be
prevented from being
disengaged from the wellhead. In one or more embodiments, the controller 180
may
communicate or transmit a signal to the hydraulic system 102 that causes the
hydraulic system
102 to bypass a hydraulic valve 104 that prevents the remote connector 120
from being
disengaged from the wellhead 160. In one or more embodiments, any one or more
of the
hydraulics system 102, the hydraulic valve 104, and the actuator 106 may
comprise a manual
override. In one or more embodiments, sensor 220 may communicate or transmit
one or more
measurements or one or more signals to the controller 180 at one or more timed
intervals,
interrupts, semaphores or one or more other triggers, upon a detected pressure
or location of the
dart 210 (for example, when the proximity of the dart 210 to the sensor 220 is
at or about the
pressure threshold), upon a request from the controller 180, any other
criteria, and any
combination thereof.
In one or more embodiments, a pressure release 216 may comprise a cylindrical
aperture
that extends from a top of the pressure switch assembly 150 to the chamber
226. The pressure
release 216 may provide a release for any trapped pressure in the chamber 226.
FIG. 3 is an illustrative pressure switch assembly 150 in an open position,
according to one
or more aspects of the present disclosure. FIG. 3 illustrates the diaphragm
204 in an unenergized
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position such that the diaphragm 204 does not press, push or exert a force
against the pin 206.
For example, when pressure in the arm or line 140 is at a pressure that does
cause the diaphragm
204 to deflect as discussed above with respect to FIG. 2, the pressure switch
assembly 150 is in
an open position and the remote connector is disengageable from the wellhead.
For example, to
the controller 180 may receive one or more measurements from the sensor 220
and communicate
or transmit a signal to a hydraulics system 102 based on the one or more
measurements that
allows or permits a hydraulic valve 104 to be released and the remote
connector 120 to be
disengaged from the wellhead 160.
If the pressure switch assembly 150 is in a closed position, as discussed
above with respect
to FIG. 2, once the pressure of the pressurized fluid 170 falls below a
pressure level that causes
deflection of the diaphragm 204, the pressure switch assembly 150 transitions
to an open
position as illustrated in FIG. 3.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart for controlling disengagement of a remote connector
using a pressure
switch system 190, according to one or more aspects of the present disclosure.
At step 402, a
pressurized fluid 170 is flowed at a first pressure to or through a remote
connector 120 coupled
to an arm 140 of a WCU 105 to a wellhead 160. At step 404, the pressure switch
assembly 150
of a pressure switch system 190 receives the pressurized fluid 170. Based on
the first pressure,
the diaphragm 204 of the pressure switch assembly 150 transitions to an
energized position. At
step 406, the deflection or transition of the diaphragm 204 causes a pin 206
disposed or
positioned between the diaphragm 204 and a dart 210 to press, push, contact or
otherwise exert a
force against the dart 210. At step 408, it is determined if a pressure at the
dart 210 exceeds a
compression pressure associated with the compression assembly 208 based, at
least in part, on
any one or more of the first pressure, the diaphragm 204 and the pin 206. For
example, when the
first pressure is at or exceeds the diaphragm pressure threshold, the
diaphragm 204 transitions to
the energized position which causes lathe diaphragm 204 to press against the
pin 206. When the
diaphragm 204 presses against the pin 206, the pin 206 to apply a pressure or
force against the
dart 210 that exceeds a compression pressure associated with the compression
assembly 208. At
step 410, the dart 210 based, at least in part, on the first pressure and
contact with the pin 206
moves transitionally or translationally in a chamber 226 such that the dart
210 is positioned or
located at or about a predetermined reading range associated with the sensor
220. For example,
the predetermined reading range or location may be set to indicate that a
pressure threshold has
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been reached or exceeded such that disengagement of the remote connector 120
would cause
harm to personnel, the surrounding environment or both.
At step 412, the sensor 220 senses the dart 210 as the dart 210 has
translationally moved
within the predetermined reading range associated or location with the sensor
220. At step 414,
the sensor 220 transmits or communicates one or more measurements or one or
more signals to a
controller 180 of the pressure switching system indicative of the state of the
pressure switch
assembly 150. For example, the pressure switch assembly 150 is in a closed
position when the
dart 210 is within the predetermined reading range or location. In one or more
embodiments, the
one or more measurements or one or more signals are indicative of the
positioning or location of
the dart 210. At step 416, the controller 180, after receiving the one or more
measurements or
one or more signals, determines the state or positions of the pressure switch
assembly 150. For
example, the controller 180 determines if the pressure switch assembly 150 is
in a closed
position based on the one or more measurements or the one or more signals from
the sensor 220.
At step 418, the controller 180 controls disengagement of the remote connector
120 using
the pressure switch system 190 based, at least in part, on the determination
from step 416. In one
or more embodiments, the controller 180 coupled to the pressure switch
assembly 150
communicates or transmits one or more signals to a hydraulics system 102 based
on the one or
more measurements or the state of the pressure switch assembly 150. For
example, the
controller 180 communicates or transmits one or more signals to the hydraulics
system 102 that
causes the hydraulics line 108 to bypass a hydraulic valve 104 when the
pressure switch
assembly 150 is in a closed position. Bypass of the hydraulic valve 104
prevents disengagement
of the remote connector 120 from the wellhead 160. For example, the pressure
switch assembly
150 transitions between an open position and a closed position based on a
pressure and this
transition between positions controls the disengagement of the remote
connector 120.
FIG. 5 is a flowchart for a method of controlling disengagement of a remote
connector 120
using a pressure switching system 190, according to one or more aspects of the
present
disclosure. At step 502, the first pressure at the remote connector 120 is
reduced to a second
pressure. For example, the pressure of the pressurized fluid 170 flowed
through a remote
connector 120 coupled to an arm 140 of a WCU 105 is reduced or flow of the
pressurized fluid
170 is discontinued or reduced to a second pressure. At step 504, as pressure
of the pressurized
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fluid 170 reaches or falls below the second pressure, the diaphragm 204
transitions from the
energized position as discussed above with respect to FIG. 4 to an unenergized
position. At step
506, as the diaphragm 204 retracts or transitions to the unenergized position,
the force or
pressure on the pin 206 is reduced based on the transitioning of the diaphragm
204. At step 508,
as the pressure on the pin 206 is reduced the dart 210 transitions away or the
dart 210
translationally moves in the chamber 226 away from the sensor 220 or outside
the predetermined
reading range, for example, a predetermined reading threshold or location. For
example, the
pressure from the pin 206 exerted or applied on the dart 210 is compared to
the compression
threshold of the compression assembly 208. Based on this comparison, the
compression
to assembly 208 expands or uncompresses causing the dart to transition away
from the sensor 220
toward the diaphragm 204.
At step 510, the dart 210 is transitioned beyond the predetermined reading
threshold or
location associated with the sensor 220. At step 512, the sensor 220
communicates or transmits
one or more measurements or one or more signals to the controller 180. At step
514, after the
controller 180 receives the one or more measurements, the controller 180
communicates or
transmits one or more signals to the hydraulics system 102 based on the
received one or more
measurements or one or more signals. At step 516, the hydraulics system 102
engages or
actuates a hydraulic valve 104 such that the remote connector 120 is
disengageable from the
wellhead 160 based on the one or more measurements or one or more signals
transmitted by the
controller 180.
FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example information handling system 600,
according to
one or more aspects of the present disclosure. The controller 180 may take a
form similar to the
information handling system 600. A processor or central processing unit (CPU)
601 of the
information handling system 600 is communicatively coupled to a memory
controller hub
(MCH) or north bridge 602. The processor 601 may include, for example a
microprocessor,
microcontroller, digital signal processor (DSP), application specific
integrated circuit (ASIC),
or any other digital or analog circuitry configured to interpret and/or
execute program
instructions and/or process data. Processor 601 may be configured to interpret
and/or execute
program instructions or other data retrieved and stored in any memory such as
memory 603 or
hard drive 607. Program instructions or other data may constitute portions of
a software or
application for carrying out one or more methods described herein. Memory 603
may include
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read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), solid state memory, or
disk-based
memory. Each memory module may include any system, device or apparatus
configured to
retain program instructions and/or data for a period of time (for example,
computer-readable
non-transitory media). For example, instructions from a software or
application may be
retrieved and stored in memory 603 for execution by processor 601.
Modifications, additions, or omissions may be made to FIG. 6 without departing
from the
scope of the present disclosure. For example, FIG. 6 shows a particular
configuration of
components of information handling system 600. However, any suitable
configurations of
components may be used. For example, components of information handling system
600 may
be implemented either as physical or logical components. Furthermore, in some
embodiments,
functionality associated with components of information handling system 600
may be
implemented in special purpose circuits or components. In other embodiments,
functionality
associated with components of information handling system 600 may be
implemented in
configurable general purpose circuit or components. For example, components of
information
handling system 600 may be implemented by configured computer program
instructions.
Memory controller hub 602 may include a memory controller for directing
information to
or from various system memory components within the information handling
system 600, such
as memory 603, storage element 606, and hard drive 607. The memory controller
hub 602 may
be coupled to memory 603 and a graphics processing unit (GPU) 604. Memory
controller hub
602 may also be coupled to an I/O controller hub (ICH) or south bridge 605.
I/O controller hub
605 is coupled to storage elements of the information handling system 600,
including a storage
element 606, which may comprise a flash ROM that includes a basic input/output
system
(BIOS) of the computer system. I/O controller hub 605 is also coupled to the
hard drive 607 of
the information handling system 600. I/O controller hub 605 may also be
coupled to an I/O
chip or interface, for example, a Super I/O chip 608, which is itself coupled
to several of the I/O
ports of the computer system, including keyboard 609 and mouse 610.
In one or more embodiments, a pressure switch system comprises a pressure
switch
assembly fluidly coupled to a wellhead, wherein the pressure switch assembly
comprises a
diaphragm, a pin coupled to the diaphragm, a dart coupled to the pin and a
sensor proximal to
the dart, a remote connector coupled to the wellhead and a controller coupled
to the pressure
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switch assembly, wherein the sensor transmits one or more measurements to the
controller when
the dart is within a reading range associated with the sensor, and wherein the
controller controls
disengagement of the remote connector based on the one or more measurements.
In one or more
embodiments, the pressure switch assembly further comprises a compression
assembly, wherein
the dart is at least one of disposed within or coupled to the compression
assembly. In one or
more embodiments, wherein the compression assembly comprises a spring. In one
or more
embodiments, the pressure switch assembly further comprises an adjusting nut
that sets a
preloading force on the compression assembly. In one or more embodiments, the
system further
comprises a first arm coupled to the pressure switch assembly and a manifold
and a second arm
coupled to the pressure switch assembly and the remote connector; where fluid
flows from the
manifold to the wellhead. In one or more embodiments, the system further
comprises a
hydraulics unit, wherein the hydraulics unit comprises an actuator
communicatively coupled to
the controller, a hydraulic valve coupled to the remote connector and a
hydraulic line coupled to
the hydraulic valve and the actuator, wherein actuation of the hydraulic valve
by the actuator
.. allows the remote connector to be disengaged from the wellhead. In one or
more embodiments,
the controller controls actuation of the actuator based on the one or more
measurements.
In one or more embodiments, a method for controlling disengagement of a remote
connector comprises flowing a fluid at a first pressure through a remote
connector to a wellhead,
wherein a pressure switch assembly is coupled to the remote connector, and
wherein the pressure
switch assembly comprises a diaphragm, a pin coupled to the diaphragm, a dart
coupled to the
pin and a sensor proximal to the dart, transitioning the diaphragm to an
energized position based
on the first pressure to exert a force against the pin, pressing the pin
against the dart based on the
force, transitioning the dart to a location within a reading range associated
with the sensor,
detecting by the sensor the dart and controlling disengagement of the remote
connector based on
one or more measurements from the sensor. In one or more embodiments,
transitioning the dart
to the location within the reading range comprises compressing a compression
assembly,
wherein the draft is at least one of disposed within or coupled to the
compression assembly. In
one or more embodiments, the compression assembly comprises a spring. In one
or more
embodiments, the pressure switch assembly further comprises an adjusting nut
that sets a
preloading force on the compression assembly. In one or more embodiments,
controlling
disengagement of the remote connector comprises actuating a hydraulic valve,
wherein the
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hydraulic valve is coupled to the remote connector. In one or more
embodiments, the controller
controls actuation of the hydraulic valve based on the one or more
measurements.
In one or more embodiments, a pressure switch assembly fluidly coupled to a
wellhead
comprises a diaphragm, a pin coupled to the diaphragm, a dart coupled to the
pin and a sensor
proximal to the dart, a remote connector coupled to the wellhead, at least one
processor and a
memory including non-transitory executable instructions that, when executed,
cause the at least
one processor to receive one or more measurements from the sensor when the
dart is within a
reading range associated with the sensor and control disengagement of the
remote connector
based on the one or more measurements. In one or more embodiments the pressure
switch
assembly further comprises a compression assembly, wherein the dart is at
least one of disposed
within or coupled to the compression assembly. In one or more embodiments, the
compression
assembly comprises a spring. In one or more embodiments, the one or more
measurements are
indicative of an unsafe disengagement pressure. In one or more embodiments,
the non-transitory
executable instructions that, when executed, further cause the at least one
processor to transmit a
signal to a hydraulic system, wherein the signal causes the hydraulic system
to bypass a
hydraulic valve that prevents the remote connector from being disengaged from
the wellhead. In
one or more embodiments, the non-transitory executable instructions that, when
executed,
further cause the at least one processor to receive from the sensor one or
more measurements
indicative of a state of the pressure switch assembly. In one or more
embodiments, controlling
disengagement of the remote connector is based on the state of the pressure
switch assembly.
As would be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art, with the
benefit of this
disclosure, the methods of the present disclosure may be implemented on
virtually any type of
information handling system regardless of the platform being used. Moreover,
one or more
elements of the information handling system may be located at a remote
location and connected
.. to the other elements over a network. In a further embodiment, the
information handling system
may be implemented on a distributed system having a plurality of nodes. Such
distributed
computing systems are well known to those of ordinary skill in the art and
will therefore not be
discussed in detail herein.
Therefore, the present invention is well adapted to attain the ends and
advantages
.. mentioned as well as those that are inherent therein. The particular
embodiments disclosed
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above are illustrative only, as the present invention may be modified and
practiced in different
but equivalent manners apparent to those skilled in the art having the benefit
of the teachings
herein. Furthermore, no limitations are intended to the details of
construction or design herein
shown, other than as described in the claims below. It is therefore evident
that the particular
illustrative embodiments disclosed above may be altered or modified and all
such variations are
considered within the scope and spirit of the present invention. Also, the
terms in the claims
have their plain, ordinary meaning unless otherwise explicitly and clearly
defined by the
patentee. The indefinite articles "a" or "an," as used in the claims, are each
defined herein to
mean one or more than one of the element that it introduces.
A number of examples have been described. Nevertheless, it will be understood
that
various modifications can be made. Accordingly, other implementations are
within the scope
of the following claims.
