Hydraulic high pressure valve controller using the in-situ pressure difference

摘要

A hydraulic valve controller that uses an existing pressure differential as some or all of the power source for valve operation. In a high pressure environment, such as downhole in an oil or gas well, the pressure differential between the inside of a pipe and the outside of the pipe may be adequately large to drive a linear slide valve. The valve is operated hydraulically by a piston in a bore. When a higher pressure is applied to one end of the bore and a lower pressure to the other end, the piston moves in response to the pressure differential and drives a valve attached to it. If the pressure differential is too small to drive the piston at a sufficiently high speed, a pump is provided to generate a larger pressure differential to be applied. The apparatus is conveniently constructed using multiport valves, which can be rotary valves.

主权项

1. A hydraulic valve control system for use in the presence of a pressure differential, comprising:
a primary valve connected to a primary valve actuator, the primary valve actuator configured to receive a first fluid having a first pressure at a port and a second fluid having a second pressure at another port, the difference between said first pressure and said second pressure defining a pressure differential, the primary valve actuator configured to respond to said pressure differential so as to actuate said primary valve; at least one secondary valve having fluid communication with said primary valve actuator, the first fluid and the second fluid, said at least one secondary valve configured to respond to a command to place said primary valve in any desired state ranging from a fully open state to a fully closed state by applying said pressure differential to said primary valve actuator so as to actuate said primary valve; and a pump in fluid communication with said at least one secondary valve, said pump configured to respond to said command to place said primary valve in any desired state ranging from a fully open state to a fully closed state by applying a pump pressure to said primary valve actuator by way of said at least one secondary valve when said pressure differential alone is not sufficient to cause said primary valve to attain said desired state.