Movement detection circuit of solenoid shear seal valve on subsea pressure control system and method of detecting movement of solenoid actuator

• US 8,542,006 B2
• Filed: 12/16/2008
• Issued: 09/24/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hydril USA Distribution LLC (GE Vernova, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hydril USA Manufacturing LLC (GE Vernova, Inc.)
• Inventors: Liu, Zhen
• Primary Examiner(s): Vazquez, Arleen M
• Assistant Examiner(s): LE, SON T
• Application Number:
  US12/336,191
• Publication Number:
  US 20100148755A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,743 Days
• Field of Search: 324/207.16, 324/522, 324/207.24, 324/207.26, 324/226, 324/654, 324/123.R, 324/76.11, 361/152, 361/154, 361/160, 361/170, 361/187
• US Class Current: 324/207.16
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 33/0355 Control systems, e.g. hydraulic, pneumatic, electric, acoustic, for submerged well heads
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 5/2013 by a movable ferromagnetic element, e.g. a core G01D5/2033 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 2007/185 with armature position measurement
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 2007/1861 using derivative of measured variable
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 7/1844 Monitoring or fail-safe circuits for relays H01H47/002

Abstract

A solenoid current monitoring circuit of a solenoid actuator includes a solenoid drive board configured to receive a control signal, a sensing resistor configured to detect a current signal of a solenoid coil of the actuator resulting from the control signal, and a differentiator configured to differentiate the current signal. The solenoid current monitoring circuit detects the movement of the solenoid actuator based on a change in the differentiated current signal caused by a change in inductance of the solenoid coil.

Claims

1. A solenoid current monitoring circuit of a solenoid actuator, the solenoid current monitoring circuit comprising:

a solenoid drive board configured to receive a control signal;

a sensing resistor configured to provide for detection of a current signal of a solenoid coil of the solenoid actuator resulting from the control signal;

a differentiator configured to differentiate the current signal;

a first signal processing circuit configured to separate the differentiated current signal into a rising-edge pulse indicating movement of an armature of the solenoid actuator in a first direction in relation to the solenoid coil; and

a second signal processing circuit configured to separate the differentiated current signal into a falling-edge pulse indicating movement of the armature of the solenoid actuator in a second direction in relation to the solenoid coil, the second direction being opposite to that of the first direction,

wherein the solenoid current monitoring circuit detects respective directional movement of the actuator based on a detection of one of the rising-edge pulse and the falling-edge pulse.

2. The solenoid current monitoring circuit of claim 1, further comprising:

an amplifier circuit positioned and configured to amplify the current signal received by the differentiator.

3. The solenoid current monitoring circuit of claim 2, further comprising:

a first pulse gate configured to filter electrical noise from the rising-edge pulse; and

a second pulse gate configured to filter electrical noise from the falling-edge pulse.

4. The solenoid current monitoring circuit of claim 1, further comprising a first flip-flop circuit configured to report physical movement of the actuator in the first direction, and a second flip-flop circuit to report physical movement of the armature in the second direction.

5. The solenoid current monitoring circuit of claim 1, wherein the falling-edge pulse is produced when the solenoid is energized and the rising-edge pulse is produced when the solenoid is de-energized.

6. The solenoid current monitoring circuit of claim 1, wherein movement of the armature in the first direction is movement of the armature away from the solenoid coil, and movement of the armature in the second section is movement toward the solenoid coil.

7. A method of determining movement of a solenoid actuator, the method comprising:

transmitting a control signal to a solenoid drive board of the solenoid actuator;

obtaining a current signal from a solenoid coil of the solenoid actuator resulting from the control signal;

differentiating the current signal to obtain a pulse, wherein the pulse is generated by a change in the differentiated current signal caused by a change in inductance of the solenoid coil upon movement of the actuator;

separating the current signal, providing a rising-edge pulse when movement of an armature of the solenoid actuator is in a first direction in relation to the solenoid coil and a falling-edge pulse when movement of the armature is in a second direction opposite that of the first direction to thereby distinguish between pulses generated from energization and de-energization of the solenoid coil; and

identifying directional movement of the actuator based on detection of the rising-edge pulse and the falling-edge pulse, respectively, when occurring.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

filtering electrical noise from the rising-edge pulse and the falling-edge pulse.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein identifying the directional movement of the actuator comprises using a first flip-flop circuit that receives the rising-edge pulse as an input, and a second flip-flop circuit that receives the falling-edge pulse as an input.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein movement of the actuator activates a subsea hydraulic switch.

11. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

installing the solenoid actuator in a subsea electrical system to activate hydraulic switches in a subsea pressure control system for blowout prevention.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein movement of the armature in the first direction is movement of the armature away from the solenoid coil, and movement of the armature in the second section is movement toward the solenoid coil.

13. The method of claim 7, wherein the falling-edge pulse is produced when the solenoid is energized and the rising-edge pulse is produced when the solenoid is de-energized.

14. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing computer executable instructions, wherein the instructions, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform operations to determine movement of a solenoid actuator, the operations comprising:

transmitting a control signal to a solenoid drive board;

obtaining a current signal from a solenoid coil of the actuator resulting from the control signal;

differentiating the current signal to obtain a pulse, wherein the pulse is generated by a change in the differentiated current signal caused by a change in inductance of the solenoid coil upon movement of the actuator;

separating the current signal, providing a rising-edge pulse when movement of an armature of the solenoid actuator is in a first direction in relation to the solenoid coil and a falling-edge pulse when movement of the armature is in a second direction opposite that of the first direction to thereby distinguish between pulses generated from energization and de-energization of the solenoid coil; and

identifying directional movement of the actuator based on detection of rising-edge pulse and the falling-edge pulse, respectively, when occurring.

15. The processor of claim 14, wherein the operations further comprise:

filtering electrical noise from the rising-edge pulse and the falling-edge pulse; and

wherein the falling-edge pulse is produced when the solenoid is energized and the rising-edge is produced when the solenoid is de-energized.

16. The processor of claim 14, wherein identifying the directional movement of the actuator comprises using a first flip-flop circuit that receives the rising-edge pulse as an input, and a second flip-flop circuit that receives the falling-edge pulse as an input.

17. A sub-sea pressure control system, comprising:

a hydraulic flow path;

a hydraulic valve in flow communication with the hydraulic flow path;

a solenoid actuator connected to the hydraulic valve, the solenoid actuator being configured to operate the hydraulic valve; and

a solenoid current monitoring circuit configured to monitor a current of the solenoid actuator, the solenoid current monitoring circuit comprising,

a solenoid drive board configured to receive a control signal,

a sensing resistor configured to provide for detection of a current signal of a solenoid coil of the actuator resulting from the control signal,

a differentiator configured to differentiate the current signal,

a first signal processing circuit configured to separate the differentiated current signal into a rising-edge pulse indicating movement of an armature of the solenoid actuator in a first direction in relation to the solenoid coil, and

a second signal processing circuit configured to separate the differentiated current signal into a falling-edge pulse indicating movement of the armature of the solenoid actuator in a second direction in relation to the solenoid coil, the second direction being opposite to that of the first direction,

wherein the solenoid current monitoring circuit detects respective directional movement of the actuator based on a detection of one of the rising-edge pulse and the falling-edge pulse.

18. The sub-sea pressure control system of claim 17, further comprising:

an amplifier circuit positioned and configured to amplify the current signal.

19. The sub-sea pressure control system of claim 17, further comprising:

a first pulse gate configured to filter electrical noise from the rising-edge pulse;

a second pulse gate configured to filter electrical noise from the falling-edge pulse;

a first flip-flop circuit configured to report physical movement of the actuator in the first direction; and

a second flip-flop circuit to report physical movement of the armature in the second direction.

20. The sub-sea pressure control system of claim 17, wherein movement of the armature in the first direction is movement of the armature away from the solenoid coil, and movement of the armature in the second section is movement toward the solenoid coil.