High pressure sensor base

• US 4,494,568 A
• Filed: 08/26/1983
• Issued: 01/22/1985
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/1983
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cooper Cameron Corporation (Schlumberger NV)
• Original Assignee: Joy Manufacturing Company
• Inventors: Young, Terry G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Schwadron, Martin P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rivell, John A.
• Application Number:
  US06/526,732
• Time in Patent Office: 515 Days
• Field of Search: 137/15, 137/315, 137/458, 137/557, 137/561 A, 137/561 R, 137/798, 251/148
• US Class Current: 137/561.00A
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 19/0015 using switching means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0447 Including joint or coupling
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7725 Responsive to both high and low pressure or velocity
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/8326 Fluid pressure responsive indicator, recorder or alarm
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/85938 Non-valved flow dividers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/9029 With coupling

Abstract

A sensor base structure (24) for supporting high and low pressure sensors (20,22) having autoclave type connectors (44) and communicating pressurized fluid from the main flowline (10) to the sensors. The sensor base structure comprises a cylindrical manifold (52) having a longitudinal passage (54) therein and including a plurality of lateral bores (58) extending therethrough intersecting the longitudinal passage. One end (60) of each lateral bore threadably receives the autoclave connectors of the respective pressure sensors. The opposite end (61) of the bore (58) threadably receives a plug (62) having an externally threaded portion (64) and a reciprocal autoclave connector (66) facing the pressure sensor to provide a high pressure metal-to-metal seal upon contact with the respective autoclave connectors. Each plug has fluid communication means (70, 72, 74) therethrough such that when the plug is positioned within the lateral bore the reciprocal autoclave connector of the plug is in fluid communication with the longitudinal passage of the manifold. Furthermore, the plug includes a secondary sealing means (76, 78, 80) to provide a seal between the plug and lateral bore of the manifold. The plug allows the respective pressure sensors to be rotated to a preselected rotational alignment relative to each other and the sensor base while providing a metal-to-metal autoclave seal and secondary seal to prevent the escape of pressurized fluid from the sensor base structure.

Claims

1. An apparatus for receiving at least one component having an autoclave connector with an autoclave end surface and having a flow passage therein in communication with the autoclave end surface, which comprises:

a manifold having a longitudinal passage therein in communication with a fluid pressure source and having a lateral bore extending therethrough and intersecting the longitudinal passage, the lateral bore having internally threaded portions at the opposite ends thereof adjacent the outer surfaces of the manifold such that one end of the lateral bore threadably receives the autoclave connector of the component;

a cylindrical plug having an externally threaded end portion which is threadably received in the other end of the lateral bore opposite the end receiving the component, the plug further having a reciprocal autoclave connector on the other end of the plug with a reciprocal autoclave end surface facing the autoclave end surface of the component so that upon rotation of either the plug or component establishing contact between the respective autoclave end surfaces a high pressure metal-to-metal seal is obtained, the plug including a peripheral annular groove intermediate the externally threaded portion and the autoclave end surface and a radially extending cross port communicating with the annular groove and positioned in fluid communication with the longitudinal passage of the manifold, and further including an axial bore intersecting the cross port and opening to the autoclave end surface of the plug to provide fluid communication from the fluid pressure surface, through the manifold and plug of the apparatus, to the flow passage of the component thereby providing a metal-to-metal autoclave connection which is readily obtainable at a preselected rotation orientation of the component relative to the apparatus; and

sealing means provided on the plug on opposite sides of the annular groove for sealing between the plug and the lateral bore so that pressurized fluid in the longitudinal passage of the manifold or cross port of the plug is unable to communicate with the threaded portions of the lateral bore or exteriorly of the apparatus.

2. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1, in which the sealing means comprises a pair of peripheral seal grooves located around the exterior of the plug and positioned on opposite sides of the peripheral annular groove, the seal grooves each having an O-ring and back-up ring mounted therein to provide a high pressure seal between the plug and lateral bore of the apparatus.

3. An apparatus as set forth in claim 2, in which the component comprises a pair of pressure sensors for sensing high and low pressure conditions, each sensor having inlet and outlet side ports and autoclave connectors with autoclave end surfaces, which are threadably received within a respective lateral bore of the manifold, the autoclave end surface of the pressure sensors facing the autoclave end surface of the plug so that upon rotation of either the plug or pressure sensor establishing contact between the respective autoclave end surfaces a high pressure metal-to-metal seal is otained, thereby, providing an autoclave connection which is readily obtainable at preselected rotational orientation of the high and low pressure sensors relative to each other to allow the inlet and outlet side ports to be aligned with axes in the same plane to simplify piping arrangements therebetween.

4. An apparatus as set forth in claim 3, in which another component comprises a dual ended autoclave connector, one end thereof being received with the manifold and the other end being received within an in-line test valve in communication with the fluid pressure source, the test valve having a reciprocal autoclave end surface facing one end of the dual ended autoclave connector to provide a high pressure metal-to-metal seal, the other end of the dual ended autoclave connector being received within the manifold and facing the autoclave end surface of the plug so that upon rotation of either the plug or in-line dual test valve establishing contact between the autoclave end surfaces a high pressure metal-to-metal seal is obtained, thereby, providing an autoclave connection which is readily obtainable at preselected rotational orientation of the in-line test valve relative to the apparatus.

5. A sensor base structure for supporting high and low pressure sensors having autoclave connectors with autoclave end surfaces and having flow passages therein in communication with the autoclave end surfaces, which comprises:

a manifold having a longitudinal passage therein in communication with the fluid pressure source and having a plurality of lateral bores extending therethrough and intersecting the longitudinal passage, each lateral bore having internally threaded portions at the opposite ends thereof adjacent the outer surfaces of the manifold such that one end of each lateral bore threadably receives the autoclave connector of either the high or low pressure sensor;

a cylindrical plug having an externally threaded end portion which is threadably received in the other end of each lateral bore opposite the end receiving the pressure sensors, the plug having a reciprocal autoclave connector on the other end of the plug with a reciprocal autoclave end surface facing the autoclave end surface of the pressure sensor so that upon rotation of either the plug or pressure sensor establishing contact between the respective autocalve end surfaces a high pressure metal-to-metal seal is obtained, the plug including a peripheral annular groove intermediate the externally threaded portion and the autoclave end surface and a radially extending cross port communicating with the annular groove and positioned in fluid communication with the longitudinal passage of the manifold, and further including an axial bore intersecting the cross port and opening to the autoclave end surface of the plug to provide fluid communication from the fluid pressure source, through the sensor base structure, to the high and low pressure sensors, thereby, providing a metal-to-metal autoclave connection which is readily obtainable at preselected rotational orientation of the high and low pressure sensors relative to the sensor base structure; and

sealing means provided on the plug on opposite sides of the annular groove for sealing between the plug and lateral bore so that pressurized fluid from the fluid pressure source, longitudinal passage of the manifold, or cross port of the plug is unable to communicate with the threaded portions of the lateral bores or exteriorly of the sensor base structure.

6. A sensor base structure as set forth in claim 5, in which the sealing means comprises a pair of peripheral seal grooves located around the exterior of the plug and positioned on opposite sides of the peripheral annular groove, the seal grooves each having an O-ring and back-up ring mounted therein to provide a high pressure seal between the plug and lateral bore of the sensor base structure.

7. A sensor base structure for supporting high and low pressure sensors each having inlet and outlet side ports and including an autoclave connector on one end with an autoclave end surface, the pressure sensors having a central passage therein communicating with the autoclave end surface and adapted to be placed in communication with the sensor base structure and a fluid pressure source, which comprises:

a manifold having a longitudinal passage therein in communication with the fluid pressure source and having a plurality of lateral bores extending therethrough and intersecting the longitudinal passage, each lateral bore having internally threaded portions at the opposite ends thereof adjacent the outer surfaces of the manifold such that one end of each lateral bore threadably receives the autoclave connector of either the high or low pressure sensor;

a cylindrical plug having an externally threaded end portion which is threadably received in the other end of each lateral bore opposite the end receiving the pressure sensors, the plug having a reciprocal autoclave connector on the opposite end thereof with a reciprocal autoclave end surface facing the autoclave end surface of the pressure sensor so that upon rotation of either the plug or sensor establishing contact between the respective autoclave end surfaces a high pressure metal-to-metal seal is obtained, the plug including a peripheral annular groove intermediate the externally threaded portion and autoclave end surface and a radially extending cross port communicating with the annular groove and positioned in fluid communication with the longitudinal passage of the manifold, and further including an axial bore intersecting the cross port and opening to the autoclave end surface of the plug to provide fluid communication from the fluid pressure source, through the sensor base structure, to the high and low pressure sensors, thereby, providing a metal-to-metal autoclave connection which is readily obtainable at preselected rotational orientation of the high and low pressure sensors relative to each other and the sensor base to allow the inlet and outlet side ports of the respective pressure sensors to be aligned with axes in the same plane to simplify piping arrangements therebetween; and

sealing means provided on the plug on opposite sides of the annular groove for sealing between the plug and lateral bore so that pressurized fluid in the longitudinal passage of the manifold or cross port of the plug is unable to communicate with the threaded portions of the lateral bores or exteriorly of the sensor base structure.

8. A sensor base structure as set forth in claim 7, in which the sealing means comprises a pair of peripheral seal grooves located around the exterior of the plug and positioned on opposite sides of the peripheral annular groove, the seal grooves each receiving an O-ring and back-up ring therein to provide a high pressure seal between the plug and lateral bore of the sensor base structure.