US 12,173,733 B2Granted

Choke controller, system, and method using adaptive proportional gain to control choke based on pressure setpoint

AssigneeOpla Energy Ltd.

InventorsHossein Khorshidian, Skyler Lowe, Saied Afshari

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Abstract

A controller and related system and method for controlling a choke for choking fluid flow are configured to take into account non-linear behaviors of the choke, to allow more accurate and effective control of the choke. To obtain a desired pressure drop across a choke valve, the controller is configured to monitor the position of a choke actuator coupled to the choke valve and the pressure at the inlet of the choke valve. The controller calculates an adaptive proportional gain coefficient, and optionally adaptive integral and derivative coefficients, based on the choke actuator position, to help mitigate the effects of non-linear behaviors of the choke and, where necessary, based on the inlet pressure, the controller calculates an augmentation correction to address any instability in the choke. The controller then commands the choke actuator accordingly to adjust the flow area through the choke valve.

Claims27

Dependent claims

A controller for controlling a choke actuator, the controller comprising:

a processor;
a memory device having instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the controller to:
receive, in real-time, position data for the choke actuator configured to control a choke valve that is positioned between an inlet and an outlet, the position data corresponding to a first position of the choke actuator;
receive, in real-time, pressure data associated with a fluid pressure at the inlet;
determine an adaptive proportional gain coefficient based on the position data;
determine an error based on the pressure data and a predetermined setpoint pressure;
determine a control variable based, at least in part, on the adaptive proportional gain coefficient and the error, the control variable corresponding to a movement of the choke actuator from the first position to a second position;
generate a command signal based on the control variable;
send the command signal to the choke actuator to cause the choke actuator to move as specified by the command signal;
wherein determining the control variable comprises determining the control variable at a time t (u(t)) according to:
u
⁡
(
t
)
=
Pe
⁡
(
t
)
+
I
⁢
∫
0
t
e
⁡
(
t
)
⁢
dt
+
D
⁢
de
⁡
(
t
)
dt
where P is the adaptive proportional gain coefficient, e(t) is the error at time t, I is an integral coefficient, and D is an derivative coefficient;
and
wherein the adaptive proportional gain coefficient is:
P=A[x(t)+C1]B+C2
where x(t) is a relative choke position of the choke valve derived from the position data received at time t, and A, B, C1, and C2 are constants.

45 more elements

A computer-implemented method for controlling a choke actuator, the method comprising:

monitoring a first position of the choke actuator operable to variably control a choke valve that is positioned between an inlet and an outlet;
monitoring a fluid pressure at the inlet;
determining an adaptive proportional gain coefficient based on the first position;
determining an error by comparing the fluid pressure with a predetermined setpoint pressure;
determining a control variable based, at least in part, on the adaptive proportional gain coefficient and the error, the control variable corresponding to a movement of the choke actuator from the first position to a second position;
generating a command signal based on the control variable;
sending the command signal to the choke actuator to cause the choke actuator to move as specified by the command signal;
wherein determining the control variable comprises determining the control variable at a time t (u(t) according to:
u
⁡
(
t
)
=
Pe
⁡
(
t
)
+
I
⁢
∫
0
t
e
⁡
(
t
)
⁢
dt
+
D
⁢
de
⁡
(
t
)
dt
where P is the adaptive proportional gain coefficient, e(t) is the error at time t, I is an integral coefficient, and D is an derivative coefficient;
and
wherein the adaptive proportional gain coefficient is:
P=A[x(t)+C1]B+C2
where x(t) is a relative choke position of the choke valve derived from the first position at time t, and A, B, C1, and C2 are constants.

43 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 18/298,219Filed 10 Apr 2023 · continuation
Priority: CA 312177410 Jun 2021
Published: US 2023/0279878 A17 Sep 2023
Granted: 24 Dec 2024
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification10 codes

F15B 5/006
Transducers converting variations of physical quantities, e.g. expressed by variations in positions of members, into fluid-pressure variations…
F16K 31/04
Electric ; magnetic: using a motor
G05B 11/32
Electric: with inputs from more than one sensing element; with outputs to more than one correcting element
G05B 11/42
With provision for obtaining particular characteristics, e.g. proportional, integral, differential: for obtaining a characteristic which is both…

Family

Application63/038,605Us provisional application · filed 12 Jun 2020
Application17/345,559Parent of this continuation · filed 11 Jun 2021
US 2023/0279878 A1Pre-grant publication · published 7 Sep 2023
US 11,649,837 B2Parent of this continuation
US 2022/0018365 A1Published application
US 12,173,733 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.