Seal having stress control groove

• US 9,617,818 B2
• Filed: 03/24/2014
• Issued: 04/11/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Onesubsea IP UK Limited (Schlumberger NV)
• Original Assignee: Onesubsea IP UK Limited (Schlumberger NV)
• Inventors: Kocurek, Christopher George, Carringer, Brandon
• Primary Examiner(s): Bomar, Shane
• Application Number:
  US14/223,889
• Publication Number:
  US 20140203516A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,114 Days
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 33/03 Well heads; Setting-up thereof
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 33/04 Casing heads; Suspending casings or tubings in well heads
• CPC Class Codes: F16J 15/16 between relatively-moving surfaces F16J15/50, F16J15/52 take precedence; bellows pistons F16J3/06; piston-rings or ring sealings of similar construction F16J9/00
• CPC Class Codes: F16J 15/166 with means to prevent the extrusion of the packing
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 21/03 placed in the socket before connection F16L21/022, F16L21/025 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 21/035 placed around the spigot end before connection F16L21/022, F16L21/025 take precedence

Abstract

A system, including an inner body, an outer body disposed about the inner body, and a grooved seal, wherein the grooved seal includes a sealing face and first and second side faces, wherein the first side face includes a first groove, the second side face includes a second groove, and the sealing face includes a third groove, wherein one of the inner body or the outer body includes an annular channel, and the grooved seal is disposed in the annular channel to seal an annular space between the inner body and outer body, wherein the sealing face seals against one of the inner body or the outer body, the first side face having the first groove seals against a first sidewall of the annular channel, and the second side face having the second groove seals against a second sidewall of the annular channel.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

an inner body;

an outer body disposed about the inner body; and

a grooved seal, wherein the grooved seal comprises a sealing face and first and second side faces, wherein the first side face comprises a first groove, the second side face comprises a second groove, and the sealing face comprises a third groove;

wherein one of the inner body or the outer body comprises an annular channel, and the grooved seal is disposed in the annular channel to seal an annular space between the inner body and outer body;

wherein the sealing face seals against one of the inner body or the outer body, the first side face having the first groove seals against a first sidewall of the annular channel, and the second side face having the second groove seals against a second sidewall of the annular channel; and

wherein the first groove is configured to increase contact stress against the first sidewall, the second groove is configured to increase contact stress against the second sidewall, and the third groove is configured to increase contact stress against the one of the inner body or the outer body.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the grooved seal comprises a non-sealing face opposite the sealing face.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the annular channel is in the outer body.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the annular channel is in the inner body.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the inner body comprises a tubing hanger and the outer body comprises a tubing spool.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the system comprises a hydrocarbon extraction system.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the grooved seal comprises at least one spring.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein a first inner surface of the first groove is substantially perpendicular to the first side wall.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein a second inner surface of the second groove is substantially perpendicular to the second sidewall.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein a third inner surface of the third groove is substantially perpendicular to a surface of the one of the inner body or the outer body.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the sealing face comprises a projection that projects from a central portion of the sealing face.

12. A system, comprising:

a grooved seal, comprising;

a first annular face;

a second annular face opposite the first annular face;

a first annular side face and a second annular side face extending between the first annular face and the second annular face;

a first spring embedded in the grooved seal at a first intersection portion of the first annular side face and first annular face;

a second spring embedded in the grooved seal at a second intersection portion of the second annular side face and the first annular face;

wherein the first annular side face comprises a first groove disposed between the first spring and a third intersection portion of the second annular face and the first annular side face, the second annular side face comprises a second groove disposed between the second spring and a fourth intersection portion of the second annular face and the second annular side face, and the first annular face comprises a third groove.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the first annular face comprises a projection that projects from a central portion of the first annular face.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the first annular side face and the second annular side face comprise respective first and second sealing surfaces, the seal face comprises a third sealing surface.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the first, second, and third grooves are configured to increase a contact stress along the respective first, second, and third sealing surfaces.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein a body of the grooved seal is made of an elastomer comprising nitrile, hydrogenated nitrile butadiene rubber, polyether ether ketone, thermoplastic, fluroelastomer, perfluroelastomer, or perflurosilicon, or any combination thereof.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the first and second springs each comprise one of a nickel-chromium alloy and stainless steel.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein the grooved seal in configured to couple to a recess in a body, and wherein the recess is grooveless.

19. The system of claim 12, wherein the first, second, and third grooves each comprise a semi-circular cross-sectional profile extending circumferentially about an axis of the grooved seal.

20. A grooved seal, comprising:

an elastomeric body;

first and second metal springs embedded in respective first and second corner portions of the elastomeric body;

a seal face extending between the first and second corner portions having the first and second springs;

a face opposite the seal face; and

first and second side faces extending between the seal face and the face;

wherein the first side face is configured to seal the first sidewall of a recess, and the second side face is configured to seal the second sidewall of the recess;

wherein the first side face comprises a first groove, the second side face comprises a second groove, and the seal face comprises a third groove.

21. The grooved seal of claim 20, wherein the first, second, and third grooves each comprise a semi-circular cross-sectional profile extending circumferentially about an axis of the grooved seal.

22. The grooved seal of claim 21, wherein the first, second, and third grooves are configured to increase a contact stress.

23. The grooved seal of claim 20, wherein the face does not have grooves.

24. The grooved seal of claim 20, wherein the first and second side faces are axially opposite from one another, and the sealing face is an annular sealing face disposed axially between the first and second side faces.

25. A system, comprising:

an inner body;

an outer body disposed about the inner body, wherein the inner body comprises a tubing hanger and the outer body comprises a tubing spool; and

a grooved seal, wherein the grooved seal comprises a sealing face and first and second side faces, wherein the first side face comprises a first groove, the second side face comprises a second groove, and the sealing face comprises a third groove;

wherein one of the inner body or the outer body comprises an annular channel, and the grooved seal is disposed in the annular channel to seal an annular space between the inner body and outer body;

wherein the sealing face seals against one of the inner body or the outer body, the first side face having the first groove seals against a first sidewall of the annular channel, and the second side face having the second groove seals against a second sidewall of the annular channel.

26. A system, comprising:

an inner body;

an outer body disposed about the inner body; and

a grooved seal, wherein the grooved seal comprises a sealing face and first and second side faces, wherein the first side face comprises a first groove, the second side face comprises a second groove, and the sealing face comprises a third groove;

wherein one of the inner body or the outer body comprises an annular channel, and the grooved seal is disposed in the annular channel to seal an annular space between the inner body and outer body;

wherein the sealing face seals against one of the inner body or the outer body, the first side face having the first groove seals against a first sidewall of the annular channel, and the second side face having the second groove seals against a second sidewall of the annular channel; and

wherein a first inner surface of the first groove is substantially perpendicular to the first side wall.

27. A system, comprising:

an inner body;

an outer body disposed about the inner body; and

a grooved seal, wherein the grooved seal comprises a sealing face and first and second side faces, wherein the first side face comprises a first groove, the second side face comprises a second groove, and the sealing face comprises a third groove and projection that projects from a central portion of the sealing face;

wherein one of the inner body or the outer body comprises an annular channel, and the grooved seal is disposed in the annular channel to seal an annular space between the inner body and outer body;

wherein the sealing face seals against one of the inner body or the outer body, the first side face having the first groove seals against a first sidewall of the annular channel, and the second side face having the second groove seals against a second sidewall of the annular channel.