Diverter valve

Abstract

Provided is a diverter valve including a housing assembly having a plurality of ports and a drum assembly disposed in the housing. The drum assembly including a plurality of passages for selectively coupling the ports, wherein an axial position of the drum assembly with respect to the ports determines which ports are active and which parts are dormant Further provided is a method of operating a diverter valve, including disposing a drum of the diverter valve in a first position, wherein the first position is configured to provide a first passage from an inlet of the diverter valve to a first outlet of the diverter valve, the first passage comprising a first bend-pipe extending crosswise to an axis of the drum and comprising a first radius of curvature that is at least five times an internal diameter of the first bend-pipe, and moving the drum along the longitudinal axis through the diverter valve to a second position, wherein the second position is configured to provide a second passage from the inlet of the diverter valve to a second outlet of the diverter valve, the second passage comprising a second bend-pipe extending crosswise to the axis of the drum and comprising a second radius of curvature that is at least five times an internal diameter of the second bend-pipe.

1 . A system, comprising:
 a fluid flow valve configured to control a fluid flow of a fluid between first and second components of a hydrocarbon system, wherein the fluid flow valve comprises:
 a housing comprising a housing axis, a first port, a second port, and a third port; 
 a first fluid diverter passage disposed in the housing, wherein a first flow path through the first fluid diverter passage extends along a first plane crosswise to the housing axis, and the first fluid diverter passage is configured to selectively move in an axial direction along the housing axis between first open and closed positions relative to the first and second ports; and 
 a second fluid diverter passage disposed in the housing, wherein a second flow path through the second fluid diverter passage extends along a second plane crosswise to the housing axis, the first and second planes are axially offset relative to one another along the housing axis, and the second fluid diverter passage is configured to selectively move in an axial direction along the housing axis between second open and closed positions relative to the first and third ports. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , comprising a fluid source coupled to the fluid flow valve. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , comprising the first component of the hydrocarbon system. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the first component comprises a well, a tree, or a surface vessel disposd on a body of water. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first flow path through the first fluid diverter passage has a first curvature that extends along the first plane crosswise to the housing axis. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the first fluid diverter passage has a first radius of curvature that is at least five times a first diameter of the first fluid diverter passage. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the second flow path through the second fluid diverter passage has a second curvature that extends along the second plane crosswise to the housing axis. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the first fluid diverter passage has a first radius of curvature that is at least five times a first diameter of the first fluid diverter passage, and the second fluid diverter passage has a second radius of curvature that is at least five times a second diameter of the second fluid diverter passage. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the second fluid diverter passage comprises a first passage portion that splits into a second passage portion and a third passage portion. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first flow path through the first fluid diverter passage extends in a first direction along the first plane crosswise to the housing axis, the second flow path through the second fluid diverter passage extends in a second direction along the second plane crosswise to the housing axis, and the first and second directions diverge from one another. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein at least one of the first or second fluid diverter passages has a curved passage portion or an angled passage portion. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second planes are normal to the housing axis and parallel to one another. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second fluid diverter passages are coupled to a drum having a range of motion in the axial direction along the housing axis within the housing. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , comprising an actuator coupled to the drum, wherein the actuator is configured to drive the drum to move along the range of motion in the axial direction along the housing axis, and the actuator comprises an electric drive or a hydraulic drive. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , comprising one or more position sensors configured to monitor a position of the drum along the range of motion in the axial direction along the housing axis within the housing. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the drum, the first fluid diverter passage, and the second fluid diverter passage are integrated together as a one-piece structure. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the first fluid diverter passage is offset by a first offset distance relative to a centerline of the drum, and the second fluid diverter passage is offset by a second offset distance relative to the centerline of the drum. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid flow valve comprises a third fluid diverter passage disposed in the housing, wherein a third flow path through the third fluid diverter passage extends along a third plane crosswise to the housing axis, and the third fluid diverter passage is configured to selectively move in the axial direction along the housing axis between third open and closed positions relative to the first, second, and third ports. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the third fluid diverter passage comprises a first passage portion that splits into a second passage portion and a third passage portion. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the first flow path through the first fluid diverter passage extends in a first direction along the first plane crosswise to the housing axis, the second flow path through the second fluid diverter passage extends in a second direction along the second plane crosswise to the housing axis, the third flow path through the third fluid diverter passage extends in a third direction along the third plane crosswise to the housing axis, and the first, second, and third directions diverge from one another. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the second fluid diverter passage extends lengthwise along an axis, and the second fluid diverter passage has a wall that extends only partially around the axis such that the second fluid diverter passage is partially open lengthwise along the axis. 
     
     
         22 . A system, comprising:
 a first component of a hydrocarbon system; and   a fluid flow valve configured to control a fluid flow of a fluid between the first component and a second component of the hydrocarbon system, wherein the fluid flow valve comprises:
 a housing comprising a housing axis, a first port, a second port, and a third port; 
 a first fluid diverter passage disposed in the housing, wherein a first flow path through the first fluid diverter passage extends along a first plane crosswise to the housing axis, and the first fluid diverter passage is configured to selectively move in an axial direction along the housing axis between first open and closed positions relative to the first and second ports; and 
 a second fluid diverter passage disposed in the housing, wherein a second flow path through the second fluid diverter passage extends along a second plane crosswise to the housing axis, the first and second planes are axially offset relative to one another along the housing axis, and the second fluid diverter passage is configured to selectively move in an axial direction along the housing axis between second open and closed positions relative to the first and third ports. 
   
     
     
         23 . A system, comprising:
 a fluid flow valve configured to control a fluid flow of a fluid between first and second components of a hydrocarbon system, wherein the fluid flow valve comprises:
 a housing comprising a housing axis, a first port, a second port, and a third port; 
 a drum having a range of motion in the axial direction along the housing axis within the housing, wherein the drum comprises a plurality of fluid diverter passages axially offset from one another relative to the housing axis, and the plurality of fluid diverter passages diverge relative to one another. 
   
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein the first port, the second port, and the third port are disposed in a common plane extending crosswise to the housing axis. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein one of the plurality of fluid diverter passages comprises a first passage portion that splits into a second passage portion and a third passage portion.