System for operating hydraulic apparatus

Claim 2

Means for operating an assembly of apparatus containing hydraulically actuated devices comprising: a first chamber and a second chamber in said apparatus; a hydraulic fluid in said chambers; means for selectively increasing and reducing pressure in said chambers individually; a hydraulic fluid actuated device in said apparatus; a first conduit means communicating with said device for conducting a pressurized hydraulic fluid thereto for the actuation of said device; a second conduit means communicating with said device for conducting discharged hydraulic fluid therefrom; means for selectively increasing the pressure in the first said chamber to an amount greater than the pressure in the second said chamber to condition said first chamber as a pressure chamber for said hydraulic fluid and to condition said second chamber as a receiving chamber for the discharged said hydraulic fluid; means operable subsequently for increasing the pressure in said second chamber while simultaneously reducing the pressure in said first chamber thereby to condition said second chamber as a pressure chamber for said hydraulic fluid and said first chamber as a receiving chamber for the discharged said hydraulic fluid; and means for selectively connecting said first conduit to the chamber conditioned as said pressure chamber while simultaneously connecting said second conduit to the chamber conditioned as said receiving chamber without venting to the ambient atmosphere said means operable for increasing the pressure in said second chamber while simultaneously reducing the pressure in said first chamber as said receiving chamber to enable said hydraulic fluid to flow from said pressure chamber to actuate said device and thence to flow from said device to said receiving chamber; said chambers and said conduits and said device forming a closed system for retaining all of said hydraulic fluid within said apparatus during the continued operation thereof.

Claim 3

Means in accordance with claim 1, wherein said hydraulic fluid operated device comprises a plurality of discrete hydraulic fluid operated units, and wherein said discrete units have operatively connected thereto respective complementary said first and said second conduit means, respective valve means in said respective complementary conduit means, and means for operating a said respective valve means independently of other said respective valve means to operate a selected said discrete unit independently of other said discrete units, means for operating said plurality of discrete units by hydraulic fluid from a common said pressure chamber, and means for conveying said discharged hydraulic fluid from said plurality of units to a common said receiving chamber.

Claim 4

Means in accordance with claim 2 including: means for maintaIning the pressure in said common pressure chamber at a substantially constant amount of the increased pressure; and means for maintaining the pressure in said common receiving chamber at a substantially constant amount of the reduced pressure; while units of said plurality of discrete units are being operated.

Claim 5

Means in accordance with claim 3 wherein: the pressure in said common receiving chamber is maintained at substantially atmospheric pressure.

Claim 6

Means for operating apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said means operable subsequently to increase the pressure in said second chamber while simultaneously reducing the pressure in said first chamber comprises a pressure activated device associated with the said receiving chamber, means operatively connected to said pressure activated device and operative to increase the pressure in one of said chambers while simultaneously reducing the pressure in the other said chamber, said pressure activated device operating when the pressure in said receiving chamber exceeds a preselected amount to cause the pressure in said receiving chamber to be increased to condition said receiving chamber to become a subsequent said pressure chamber and simultaneously to cause the pressure in said pressure chamber to be reduced to condition said pressure chamber to become a subsequent said receiving chamber.

Claim 7

Means for operating apparatus in accordance with claim 1 including a pressurizing gas for placing pressure in said pressure chamber, a pressure activated device associated with the said receiving chamber in operative relationship, valve means for directing said pressurizing gas to one of said chambers and for releasing said pressurizing gas from the other said chamber, means connecting said pressure activated device and said valve means in operative relationship, said pressure activated device being arranged to operate said valve means when the pressure in the chamber conditioned as a said receiving chamber exceeds a preselected amount, said valve means operating to direct said pressurizing gas to said receiving chamber to condition said receiving chamber as a subsequent said pressure chamber and to release said gas from said pressure chamber to condition said pressure chamber as a subsequent said receiving chamber.

Claim 8

Means for operating apparatus in accordance with claim 6 including, a high pressure gas receiver and a low pressure gas receiver, said high pressure gas receiver comprising said means for placing pressure in said pressure chamber, means for selectively operably connecting said high pressure gas receiver alternatively and sequentially to one of said first and said second chambers to condition said one chamber as a said pressure chamber while simultaneously operably connecting said low pressure gas receiver to the other said chamber to condition said other chamber as a said receiving chamber.

Claim 9

Means in accordance with claim 7 wherein said apparatus is positioned at a body of water, said gas receivers are located above the surface of said body of water and a substantial portion of said apparatus including said chambers is submerged below the surface of said water, respective conduit means connecting said gas receivers with said chambers in said submerged apparatus, valve means in said respective conduit means, and means for operating said valve means automatically to selectively place the said respective conduit means in communication alternatively with selected said chambers.

Claim 10

Apparatus in accordance with claim 2 wherein said units and said respective valve means and said means for operating said respective valve means are submerged in a body of water, a remote control means for controlling the operation of said means for operating said respective valve means, said remote control means being located above the surface of said body of water, and means for transmitting a controlliNg signal from said remote control means to said submerged apparatus to initiate the operation of a said respective valve means.

Claim 11

A control system for a device submerged in a body of water comprising: a first chamber and a second chamber with each said chamber constructed to receive and discharge selectively and alternately a hydraulic fluid, a hydraulic fluid in said chambers, a high pressure source of gas for pressurizing said chambers, a first conduit means communicating with said source, a low pressure reservoir for said gas, a second conduit means communicating with said low pressure reservoir, a first valve means in said first and said second conduit means for connecting said high pressure source to one of said chambers to condition said one chamber as a high pressure chamber for said hydraulic fluid and for connecting said low pressure reservoir to the other said chamber to condition said other chamber, as a low pressure chamber for said hydraulic fluid, said first valve means being operable selectively and alternately to reverse the said high pressure and said low pressure conditions of each of said chambers, without venting said gas to the ambient atmosphere to selectively condition one of said chambers as said low pressure reservoir, a device submerged in a body of water actuated by hydraulic fluid in said system, a high pressure conduit means connectable to said device for conducting pressurized hydraulic fluid to said device to actuate said device, a low pressure conduit means connectable to said device for conducting discharged said hydraulic fluid away from said device, a second valve means in communication with said high pressure conduit and said low pressure conduit and operable for placing said high pressure conduit in communication with the said one chamber conditioned as a high pressure chamber and for placing said low pressure conduit in communication with the said other chamber conditioned as a low pressure chamber, and means for operating said first and said second valve means.

Claim 12

A control system for a device submerged in a body of water comprising: a first chamber and a second chamber with each said chamber constructed to receive and discharge selectively and alternately a hydraulic fluid, a hydraulic fluid in said chambers, a high pressure source of gas for pressurizing said chambers, a first conduit means communicating with said source, a low pressure reservoir for said gas, a second conduit means communicating with said low pressure reservoir, a first valve means in said first and said second conduit means for connecting said high pressure source to one of said chambers to condition said one chamber as a high pressure chamber for said hydraulic fluid and for connecting said low pressure reservoir to the other said chamber to condition said other chamber, as a low pressure chamber for said hydraulic fluid, said first valve means being operable selectively and alternately to reverse the said high pressure and said low pressure conditions of each of said chambers, without venting said gas to the ambient atmosphere to selectively condition one of said chambers as said low pressure reservoir, a device submerged in a body of water actuated by hydraulic fluid in said system, a high pressure conduit means connectable to said device for conducting pressurized hydraulic fluid to said device to actuate said device, a low pressure conduit means connectable to said device for conducting discharged said hydraulic fluid away from said device, a second valve means in communication with said high pressure conduit and said low pressure conduit and operable for placing said high pressure conduit in communication with the said one chamber conditioned as a high pressure chamber and for placing said low pressure conduit in communication with the said other chamber conditioned as a low pressure chamber, and means for operating said first and said second valve means.

Claim 13

A control system in accordance with claim 10 including means responsive to a predetermined increase in pressure in said low pressure conduit for automatically initiating operation of said first and said second valve means.

Claim 14

A control system in accordance with claim 10 wherein said control system is a system for controlling the operation of apparatus on a submerged well and said device is positioned at the submerged wellhead including said source of pressurizing gas and said low pressure reservoir located above the surface of said water, said first and said second conduit means extending from respectively the said source of pressurizing gas and said low pressure reservoir through the said body of water to the submerged apparatus, a signal-generating means located above the surface of said water for controlling the operation of said system remotely, and means for transmitting a controlling signal from said signal-generating means to the submerged apparatus to energize the said submerged device.

Claim 15

A control system for a subsea well including submerged hydraulically operated well control devices comprising a remotely operated submerged hydraulic fluid system for operating said well control devices, a plurality of chambers in said submerged system, said plurality of chambers including at least one high pressure chamber and at least one low pressure chamber for a hydraulic fluid, a first reservoir of high pressure gas for pressurizing said high pressure chambers, a second reservoir at substantially atmospheric pressure for connection to said low pressure chambers to maintain said low pressure chambers at substantially atmospheric pressure, said first and said second reservoirs located above the surface of said body of water, respective conduits extending from said reservoir to the submerged said chambers, first valve means in said conduits and located in said submerged system, means for operating said first valve means to place said first reservoir in communication with selected first chambers of said plurality of chambers to condition said selected first chambers to be high pressure chambers for said hydraulic fluids, means for operating said first valve means to place said second reservoir in communication with selected second chambers of said plurality of chambers to condition said selected second chambers to be said low pressure chambers, means for operating said first valve means to reverse the communication of said high pressure reservoir with said plurality of chambers to place said high pressure reservoir in communication with said selected second chambers to condition said second chambers as high pressure chambers and to place said atmospheric pressure reservoir in communication with said selected first chambers to condition said first chambers as low pressure chambers, second conduit means in said submerged hydraulic systems, said second conduit means connecting respective ones of said plurality of chambers with corresponding ones of said well control devices, second valve means in said second conduit means, means for operating said second valve means to connect a respective said high pressure chamber in communication with a corresponding one of said well control devices to introduce energizing said hydraulic fluid to said one device, and to connect a respective said low pressure chamber in communication with said one device to conduct said hydraulic fluid discharged from said one device to said low pressure chamber, and means for initiating the operating of said first valve means and said second valve means, said submerged hydraulic fluid system forming a closed system for retaining all of the said hydraulic fluid within the said system during the continued operation thereof.

Claim 16

A control system for a subsea well including submerged hydraulically operated well control devices comprising a remotely operated submerged hydraulic fluid system for operating said well control devices, a plurality of chambers in said submerged system, said plurality of chambers including at least one high pressure chamber and at least one low pressure chamber for a hydraulic fluid, a first reservoir of high pressure gas for pressurizing said high pressure chambers, a second reservoir at substantially atmospheric pressure for connection to said low pressure chambers to maintain said low pressure chambers at substantially atmospheric pressure, said first and said second reservoirs located above the surface of said body of water, respective conduits extending from said reservoir to the submerged said chambers, first valve means in said conduits and located in said submerged system, means for operating said first valve means to place said first reservoir in communication with selected first chambers of said plurality of chambers to condition said selected first chambers to be high pressure chambers for said hydraulic fluids, means for operating said first valve means to place said second reservoir in communication with selected second chambers of said plurality of chambers to condition said selected second chambers to be said low pressure chambers, means for operating said first valve means to reverse the communication of said high pressure reservoir with said plurality of chambers to place said high pressure reservoir in communication with said selected second chambers to condition said second chambers as high pressure chambers and to place said atmospheric pressure reservoir in communication with said selected first chambers to condition said first chambers as low pressure chambers, second conduit means in said submerged hydraulic systems, said second conduit means connecting respective ones of said plurality of chambers with corresponding ones of said well control devices, second valve means in said second conduit means, means for operating said second valve means to connect a respective said high pressure chamber in communication with a corresponding one of said well control devices to introduce energizing said hydraulic fluid to said one device, and to connect a respective said low pressure chamber in communication with said one device to conduct said hydraulic fluid discharged from said one device to said low pressure chamber, and means for initiating the operating of said first valve means and said second valve means, said submerged hydraulic fluid system forming a closed system for retaining all of the said hydraulic fluid within the said system during the continued operation thereof.

Claim 17

A control system in accordance with claim 13 including means for positioning said initiating means above the surface of said body of water, and means for transmitting a control signal from said initiating means to said submerged system.

Claim 18

A control system in accordance with claim 13 including a pressure sensitive device in communication with said low pressure chambers, means operatively connecting said pressure sensitive device to said first and said second valve means, said pressure sensitive device being arranged to be actuated at a predetermined pressure to initiate the operation of said first and said second valve means to reverse the communication of said high pressure and said atmospheric pressure reservoirs with the respective said chambers and to reverse the communication of said high pressure chamber and said low pressure chamber with said one device.