Pressure regulator for fluid hammer reduction

A method of reducing hydraulic shock in a BOP system, the BOP system including a pressure regulator having an input port and an output port, and a regulator piston that moves between an open position and a closed position based on a change in hydraulic pressure applied to the regulator piston via a pilot port, the open position creating a fluid path between the input port, an internal passage in the regulator piston, and the output port so that fluid can flow therebetween, and the closed position severing the fluid path, the method comprising:

• (a) initiating a function in the BOP system;
• (b) flowing a function fluid between the function and the fluid path of the pressure regulator when the pressure regulator is in the open position;
• (c) monitoring a position of the function as the function moves to predict when the function nears a cycle end;
• (d) transmitting information about the position of the function to a controller that controls the amount of hydraulic pressure applied to the regulator piston via the pilot port;
• (e) determining when the function reaches a predetermined position prior to the cycle end;
• and
• (f) when the function reaches the predetermined position, adjusting the hydraulic pressure on the regulator piston via the pilot port to begin moving the regulator piston toward the closed position, the adjusting comprising moving a regulator fluid in or out of a space adjacent an end of the regulator piston opposite the internal passage of the regulator piston.