Flow control device and flow control method

摘要

A method for reversible temperature sensitive control of the flow of fluid in oil and/or gas production, involves a control device or an autonomous valve operating by the Bernoulli principle and includes a moveable disk or body provided within a housing for opening and closing the valve, involving use of the Curie-effect in order to position the body in a preferred position within the housing at a temperature below a certain, preferred transition or Curie temperature. An apparatus for reversible temperature sensitive control of the flow of fluid in oil and/or gas production including a control device or an autonomous valve operating by the Bernoulli principle and including a moveable disk or body provided within a housing for opening and closing the valve, the body and housing including a ferromagnetic material having a certain, preferred Curie temperature, the temperature being selected in order to position the body in a preferred position in the housing during installation or operation.

主权项

1. A flow control device for controlling the flow of fluid from an oil and/or gas reservoir of a well into a production pipe positioned within the reservoir, the flow control device comprising a movable body provided within a housing, the movable body being arranged to adjust the flow of fluid through the control device autonomously by utilizing the Bernoulli principle, the housing comprising first ferromagnetic material having a first Curie temperature, the body comprising second ferromagnetic material having a second Curie temperature, and at least one of the first and second ferromagnetic material forming a permanent magnet, with the Curie-effect acting so as to hold the body in a predetermined position within the housing at a temperature below the lower of the first and second Curie temperatures, the predetermined position being either an open position or a closed position, and so as to allow the body to move freely at a temperature above the lower Curie temperature, said lower Curie temperature being selected in order to hold the body in the predetermined position in the housing during installation of a said production pipe comprising the flow control device into the well.