Seal assembly with accumulator ring

A well sealing assembly for sealing between the interior surface of a housing and the exterior of a tubular body, said tubular body having a first exterior surface, a second exterior surface which has a larger diameter than said first exterior surface and a tapered surface between said first and second surfaces, comprising

• a seal ring assembly having a resilient ring with upper and lower flat surfaces, an interior convex surface and an exterior flat surface and annular metal end caps having flat portions bonded on said upper and lower flat surfaces of said resilient ring, inner legs tapering with the convex interior surface of said resilient ring and outer legs on the flat exterior surface of said resilient ring, the interior surface of said resilient ring being in close spaced relationship to said first surface of said tubular member when said seal ring assembly surrounds said first surface,
• an accumulator ring axially positioned adjacent to the seal ring assembly on the side of the seal ring assembly to be exposed to a high pressure fluid, wherein said accumulator ring has an exterior and an interior, wherein the interior has a void fraction defining an accumulator volume and said accumulator ring has at least one channel providing communication between the exterior of the accumulator ring and the accumulator volume, wherein in an installed position exposed to high pressure fluids, the accumulator volume fills with fluid and during an explosive decompression event, the at least one channel allows the fluid in the accumulator ring to escape at a rate sufficient to allow the exterior to compress the seal ring assembly for a sufficient amount of time to minimize the explosive decompression effects on the resilient ring of the seal ring assembly;
• and
• means for moving said seal ring assembly axially from its position surrounding said first surface of said tubular member, over said tapered surface and into its set position surrounding said second surface,
• said resilient ring having sufficient resiliency and volume to expand outward when moved to said set position to seal against said interior housing surface and to move the exterior legs of said end caps into metal-to-metal sealing engagement with said interior housing surface and to seal against said second surface with said interior legs in metal-to-metal sealing engagement with said second surface.

A seal assembly for high pressure applications, said assembly comprising:

• a first member having a first surface;
• a second member having a second surface, wherein the first surface and second surface oppose and are spaced from each other when the first and second members are joined;
• a third surface and a fourth surface, wherein each of the third and fourth surfaces is integral to, attached to or supported by one of the first and second surfaces and wherein the third surface and fourth surface oppose and are spaced from each other,
• wherein the first, second, third and fourth surfaces define a seal gland therewithin;
• a ring seal positioned within the seal gland, wherein the ring seal being axially compressible to sealingly engage the first surface and the second surface and the ring seal is susceptible to explosive decompression effects;
• and
• an accumulator ring positioned within the seal gland on the side of the ring seal to be exposed to a high pressure fluid, wherein said accumulator ring has an exterior and an interior, wherein the interior has a void fraction defining an accumulator volume and said accumulator ring has at least one channel providing communication between the exterior of the accumulator ring and the accumulator volume, wherein in an installed position exposed to high pressure fluids, the accumulator volume fills with fluid and during an explosive decompression event, the at least one channel allows the fluid in the accumulator ring to escape at a rate sufficient to allow the exterior to compress the ring seal for a sufficient amount of time to minimize the explosive decompression effects on the ring seal.