Valve gate eutectic lock
AssigneeCameron International Corporation
InventorsJermetris McLin, Mark McGilvray Jr., Ovidiu Zorca
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A valve gate assembly with a eutectic implement configured to degrade in response to a force imparted along a non-parallel load path. The unique architecture employed for various embodiments ensures a non-parallel load path is employed in triggering the shift in position for a valve gate. This enhances the integrity of the eutectic implements such that a wider variety of valve gate assembly dimensions may be utilized. This, in turn, allows for such assemblies to be utilized with larger production line volumes without compromise to safety measures afforded by such safety valves.
Claims19
A valve assembly comprising:
- a valve gate at a flowline for governance of a fluid flow through the flowline;
- an actuator located within a housing adjacent the flowline and coupled to the valve gate, an axial position of the actuator relative the valve gate to determine the governance of the fluid flow with the valve gate;
- and
- a eutectic lock for holding the actuator in a retained position to allow the fluid flow through the line, wherein a failure of the eutectic locking mechanism facilitates an axial load via the actuator to stop the fluid flow with the valve gate, and wherein the failure of the eutectic locking mechanism is responsive to a predominantly non-parallel load to the axial load.
A eutectic lock for retaining an actuator at a vertical position, the lock comprising:
- an extension for interfacing an actuator component for the retaining thereof;
- and
- a eutectic implement to hold the extension in a position supporting the interfacing between the extension and the actuator, the implement non-vertically responsive to release the hold upon sufficient application of a non-parallel load thereon.
A method of governing a flow of production fluid from a well with a gate valve assembly, the method comprising:
- positioning a gate of the assembly within a production line accommodating the fluid;
- flowing the fluid through an orifice of the gate;
- and
- holding the gate open during the flowing by retaining an actuator of the assembly with an extension, the holding supported by a eutectic implement of the assembly, wherein the eutectic element is configured to deteriorate when exposed to an elevated temperature and thereby close the gate and stop flowing the fluid, wherein the deterioration of the implement is responsive to a force imparted by the actuator upon a non-parallel load path to the implement.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.