Hydraulic Valve Arrangement for Blowout Preventer

Abstract

A blowout preventer control system includes a valve block having a solenoid valve face and a hydraulic valve face. Solenoid valve cavities extend into the valve block front the solenoid valve face, each solenoid valve cavity containing an electrically actuated solenoid valve. Hydraulic valve cavities extend into the valve block from the hydraulic valve face, each containing a hydraulic valve. A solenoid valve supply passage in the valve block joins each of the solenoid valve cavities. A solenoid valve pilot passage in the valve block extends from one of the solenoid valve cavities to tine of the hydraulic valves. A hydraulic valve supply passage in the valve block joins each of the hydraulic valve cavities. A hydraulic valve outlet passage extends from each of the hydraulic valve cavities out of the valve block.

2 . The system according to claim  1 , wherein:
 the valve block has a solenoid valve face;   a solenoid valve cavity extends into the valve block from the solenoid valve face;   the solenoid valve is mounted in the solenoid valve cavity; and   the valve block portion of the pilot passage has an inner end that joins the solenoid valve cavity.   
     
     
         3 . The control system according to claim  1 , wherein:
 a hydraulic valve supply passage extends within the valve block to the hydraulic valve cavity;   a hydraulic valve outlet passage extends within the valve block hydraulic valve cavity; and   movement of the hydraulic valve in one direction selectively opens the hydraulic valve supply passage to the hydraulic valve outlet passage.   
     
     
         4 . The system according to claim  1 , wherein:
 the valve block has a solenoid valve face;   a solenoid valve cavity extends into the valve block from the solenoid valve face;   the solenoid valve is mounted in the solenoid valve cavity;   the valve block portion of the pilot passage has an inner end that joins the solenoid valve cavity;   a solenoid valve supply passage extends within the valve block to the solenoid valve cavity; and   actuation of the solenoid valve causes hydraulic fluid to flow from the solenoid valve supply passage into the pilot passage.   
     
     
         5 . The control system according to claim  1 , wherein:
 a hydraulic valve supply passage extends within the valve block to the hydraulic valve cavity;   a hydraulic valve outlet passage extends within the valve block hydraulic valve cavity;   the valve block has a solenoid valve face;   a solenoid valve cavity extends into the valve block from the solenoid valve face;   the solenoid valve is mounted in the solenoid valve cavity;   the valve block portion of the pilot passage has an inner end that joins the solenoid valve cavity; and   a solenoid valve supply passage extends within the valve block to the solenoid valve cavity.   
     
     
         6 . A blowout preventer control system, comprising;
 a valve block having a solenoid valve face and a hydraulic valve face;   a plurality of solenoid valve cavities extending into the valve block from the solenoid valve face;   a plurality of electrically actuated solenoid valves, each secured within one of the solenoid valve cavities;   a plurality of hydraulic valve cavities extending into the valve block from the hydraulic valve face;   a plurality of hydraulic valves, each secured within one of the hydraulic valve cavities;   a solenoid valve supply passage in the valve block that joins each of the solenoid valve cavities and provides a pilot supply of hydraulic fluid to each of the solenoid valves;   a plurality of solenoid valve pilot passages in the valve block, each extending from one of the solenoid valve cavities to one of the hydraulic valves to provide a hydraulic pilot signal to one of the hydraulic valves when one of the solenoid valves is electrically actuated;   a hydraulic valve supply passage in the valve block that joins each of the hydraulic valve cavities and provides a hydraulic fluid supply to each of the hydraulic valves; and   a plurality of hydraulic valve outlet passages, each extending from one of the hydraulic valve cavities out of the valve block, to flow hydraulic fluid from the hydraulic valve supply passage out one of the hydraulic valve outlet passages when said one of use hydraulic valves receives one of the pilot signals.   
     
     
         7 . The system according to claim wherein:
 each of the hydraulic valves has an inner portion located within one of the hydraulic valve cavities and an outer portion protruding outward from the valve block; and wherein the system further comprises:   a cap secured to the hydraulic valve face and enclosing the outer portion of one of the hydraulic valves; wherein   each of the pilot passages has a valve block portion in the valve block and a cap portion in a side wall of the cap; and   the valve block portion of each of the pilot passages sealingly registers with the cap portion of one of the pilot passage at the hydraulic valve face.   
     
     
         8 . The system according to  claim 4  wherein:
 each of the hydraulic valves has an inner portion located within one of the hydraulic valve cavities and an outer portion protruding outward from the valve block; and wherein the system further comprises; 
 a plurality of caps, each secured by a plurality of fasteners to the hydraulic valve face and enclosing the outer portion of one of the hydraulic valves; wherein 
 each of the pilot passages has a valve block portion in the valve block and a cap portion in a side wall of one of the caps; and 
 the valve block portion of each of the pilot passages sealingly registers with the cap portion of one of the pilot passage at the hydraulic valve face. 
 
     
     
         9 . The system according to  claim 6 , wherein;
 the solenoid valve cavities are side-by-side along a length of the valve block; and   the solenoid valve supply passage extends lengthwise within the valve block.   
     
     
         10 . The system according to  claim 6 , wherein:
 the hydraulic valve cavities are side-by-side along a length of the valve block; and   the hydraulic valve supply passage extends lengthwise within the valve block.   
     
     
         11 . The system according to  claim 6 , wherein:
 the solenoid valve cavities me side-by-side along a length of the valve block;   the solenoid valve supply passage extends lengthwise within the valve block;   the hydraulic valve cavities are side-by-side along a length of the valve block; and   the hydraulic valve supply passage extends lengthwise within the valve block parallel wit the solenoid valve supply passage.   
     
     
         12 . The control system according to  claim 6 , wherein;
 the valve block has a hack on an opposite side from the hydraulic valve face; and each of the hydraulic valve outlet passages extends from one of the hydraulic valve cavities to the back.   
     
     
         13 . The control system according to  claim 6 , wherein;
 the valve block has two ends feeing in opposite direction;   the solenoid valve supply passage has an inlet at one of the ends; and   the hydraulic valve supply passage has an inlet atone of the ends.   
     
     
         14 . A blowout preventer control system, comprising:
 a valve block laving a solenoid valve face and a hydraulic valve face;   a plurality of solenoid valve cavities spaced side-by-side along a length of the valve block, each of the solenoid valve cavities extending into the valve block from the solenoid valve face;   a plurality of electrically actuated solenoid valves, each secured within one of the solenoid valve cavities;   a plurality of hydraulic valve cavities spaced side-by-side along a length of the valve block, each of the hydraulic valve cavities extending into the valve block from the hydraulic valve face;   a plurality of hydraulic valves, each having an inner portion secured within one of the hydraulic valve cavities and an outer portion protruding from the hydraulic valve face, the outer portion having a piston;   a plurality of hydraulic valve caps, each secured to the hydraulic valve face and having a piston chamber that sealingly receives the piston of one of the hydraulic valves;   a solenoid valve supply passage in the valve block that joins each of the solenoid valve cavities and provides a pilot supply of hydraulic fluid to each of the solenoid valves;   a plurality of solenoid valve pilot passages, each having a valve block portion in the valve block and extending from one of the solenoid valve cavities to the hydraulic valve face, each of the pilot passages having a cap portion extending within a side wall of one of the caps to one of the piston chambers:   a hydraulic valve supply passage in the valve block that joins each of the hydraulic valve cavities and provides a hydraulic fluid supply to each of the hydraulic valves; and   a plurality of hydraulic valve outlet passages, each extending from one of the hydraulic valve cavities out of the valve block, to flow hydraulic fluid from the hydraulic valve supply passage out one of the hydraulic valve outlet passages when said one of the hydraulic valves receives one of the pilot signals.  15 . The system according to  claim 14 , wherein:   the solenoid valve supply passage extends lengthwise within the valve block; and   the hydraulic valve supply passage extends lengthwise within the valve block parallel with the solenoid valve supply passage.  16 . The control system according to  claim 14 , wherein:   the valve block has a back on an opposite side from the hydraulic valve face; and   each of the hydraulic valve outlet passages extends from one of the hydraulic valve cavities to the back.   
     
     
         17 . The control system according to  claim 14 , wherein:
 the valve block has two ends facing in opposite direction;   the solenoid valve supply passage has an inlet at one of the ends; and   the hydraulic valve supply passage has an inlet at one of the ends.   
     
     
         18 . The control system according to  claim 14 , further comprising:
 a plurality of solenoid valve covers, each mounted to the solenoid valve face over one of the solenoid valves.   
     
     
         19 . The control system according to  claim 14 , further comprising:
 a plurality of solenoid valve covers, each mounted to the solenoid valve face over one of the solenoid valves;   a solenoid valve housing mounted to the solenoid valve face and enclosing the plurality of solenoid valve covers.   
     
     
         20 . The control system according to  claim 14  wherein the solenoid valve face and the hydraulic valve face are in planes perpendicular to each other.