Regulator having check valve manifold for use in subsea control circuit

An apparatus for a subsea control module used in a subsea environment, the apparatus comprising:

• a gate valve having a movable gate;
• an actuator connected to the gate valve and being configured to move the movable gate in response to hydraulic pressure of a hydraulic fluid;
• a directional control valve having an input, an output, and a vent, the input in communication with a hydraulic fluid source, the vent in communication with the subsea environment, the directional control valve being operable in first and second states, the directional control valve in the first state communicating the hydraulic fluid from the input to the output, the directional control valve in the second state communicating the output with the vent;
• and
• a regulator comprising:
• a supply-side in communication with the output of the directional control valve;
• an outlet-side in communication with the actuator;
• a seal arrangement disposed between the supply-side and the outlet-side, the seal arrangement being configured to reduce the hydraulic pressure of the hydraulic fluid communicated from the supply-side to the outlet-side, the seal arrangement configured to prevent communication of the hydraulic pressure at the outlet-side to the supply-side;
• and
• a bypass being configured to prevent the hydraulic pressure at the supply-side from bypassing the seal arrangement and communicating with the actuator, the bypass being configured to permit at least a portion of the hydraulic pressure at the outlet-side to bypass the seal arrangement and to communicate with the output of the directional control valve.

A method used for a subsea control module in a subsea environment, the method comprising:

• activating an actuator for a gate valve by:
• operating a directional control valve in a first state,
• reducing hydraulic pressure of a hydraulic fluid supplied from the directional control valve to the actuator using a seal arrangement in a regulator, the seal arrangement disposed between a supply-side and an outlet-side of the regulator, the supply-side in communication with the directional control valve, the outlet-side in communication with the actuator, and
• preventing the hydraulic pressure from the directional control valve from bypassing the seal arrangement in the regulator through a bypass to the actuator;
• and
• deactivating the actuator for the gate valve by:
• operating the directional control valve in a second state,
• preventing the hydraulic pressure at the outlet-side of the regulator from communicating through the seal arrangement in the regulator to the supply-side of the regulator, and
• permitting at least a portion of the hydraulic pressure from the actuator to bypass the seal arrangement through the bypass and to communicate with the directional control valve.