External pressure testing fixture for tubing unions
A system may include a sealing sleeve disposable about a tubing union joining a lower tubing and an upper tubing, at least one lower seal disposable proximate a lower end of the tubing union between the sealing sleeve and the lower tubing, and at least one upper seal disposable proximate an upper end of the tubing union between the sealing sleeve and the upper tubing. The at least one upper seal, the at least one lower seal, and the sealing sleeve form a pressure test cavity about the tubing union. The system may also include a fluid path configured to provide fluid communication between the pressure test cavity and a pressure test port.
1 . A system, comprising:
a sealing sleeve disposable about a tubing union joining a lower tubing and an upper tubing;
a lower seal support disposable between a lower portion of the sealing sleeve and the lower tubing:
an inner lower seal disposable axially between a lower end of the tubing union and the lower seal support and disposable radially between a protruding member of the lower seal support and the lower tubing;
an outer lower seal disposable axially between the lower end of the tubing union and the lower seal support and disposable radially between the protruding member of the lower seal support and
the sealing sleeve, wherein the lower seal support is configured to restrain axially outward expansion of the outer lower seal and the inner lower seal;
at least one upper seal disposable proximate an upper end of the tubing union between the sealing sleeve and the upper tubing, and wherein the at least one upper seal, the at least one lower seal, and the sealing sleeve form a pressure test cavity about the tubing union; and
a fluid path configured to provide fluid communication between the pressure test cavity and a pressure test port; and
a support housing disposable about the sealing sleeve, wherein the support housing is configured to restrain outward expansion of the sealing sleeve in response to pressure increasing within the pressure test cavity.
2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the sealing sleeve comprises a hollow- cylindrical shape.
3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the sealing sleeve is configured to extend axially across the tubing union from the lower tubing to the upper tubing.
4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the sealing sleeve comprises a stiff material having an elastic modulus between 1.0 Gigapascals (GPa) and 4000 GPa.
5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least oneinner lower seal, the outer lower seal, and the at least one upper seal each comprise an O-ring, a cup seal, or some combination thereof.
6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the inner lower seal, the outer lower seal and the at least one upper seal each comprise a flexible material having an elastic modulus between 1.0 MegaPascal (MPa) and 1.0 GPa.
7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the support housing comprises base portion and a lid portion each having a half hollow cylindrical shape, and wherein the base portion and the lid portion are configured to clamp about the tubing union in a locked position.
8 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a locking mechanism to hold the support housing in a locked position.
9 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising an upper seal support disposable proximate the upper seal wherein the upper seal support is configured to restrain axially outward expansion of the upper seal in response to pressure increasing within the pressure test cavity.
10 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the fluid path extends through the sealing sleeve.
11 . A system, comprising:
a sealing sleeve disposable about a tubing union joining a lower tubing and an upper tubing;
at least one lower seal disposable proximate a lower end of the tubing union between the sealing sleeve and the lower tubing;
at least one upper seal disposable proximate an upper end of the tubing union between the sealing sleeve and the upper tubing, and wherein at least one upper seal, the at least one lower seal, and the sealing sleeve form a pressure test cavity about the tubing union; and
a fluid path configured to provide fluid communication between the pressure test cavity and a pressure test port; and
a support housing disposable about the sealing sleeve, wherein the support housing is configured to restrain outward expansion of the sealing sleeve in response to pressure increasing within the pressure test cavity
at least one seal support disposable proximate the upper seal, the lower seal, or some combination thereof, wherein the at least one seal support is configured to restrain axially outward expansion of the upper seal, the lower seal, or some combination thereof in response to pressure increasing within the pressure test cavity, and wherein the fluid path extends through the at least one seal support.
12 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the upper seal support, the lower seal support or some combination thereof comprises a stiff material having an elastic modulus between 1.0 GPa and 4000 GPa.
13 . The system of claim 9 , wherein an axially inner surface of a lower portion of the support housing is configured to interface with an axially outer surface of the lower seal support to restrain axial movement of the lower seal support in response to pressure increasing within the pressure test cavity, and wherein an axially inner surface of an upper portion of the support housing is configured to interface with an axially outer surface of the upper seal support to restrain axial movement of the upper seal support in response to pressure increasing within the pressure test cavity.
14 . A system, comprising:
a sealing sleeve disposable about a tubing union joining a lower tubing and an upper tubing;
a lower seal disposable proximate a lower end of the tubing union between the sealing sleeve and the lower tubing;
an upper seal disposable proximate an upper end of the tubing union between the sealing sleeve and the upper tubing; and
at least one seal support disposable proximate the upper seal, the lower seal, or some combination thereof, and wherein the at least one seal support, the upper seal, the lower seal, and the sealing sleeve form a pressure test cavity about the tubing union;
a fluid path extending through the at least one seal support, wherein the fluid path is configured to provide fluid communication between the pressure test cavity and a pressure test port; and
a support housing disposable about the sealing sleeve, wherein the support housing is configured to restrain outward expansion of the sealing sleeve in response to pressure increasing within the pressure test cavity.
15 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the support housing comprises base portion and a lid portion each having a half hollow cylindrical shape, and wherein the base portion and the lid portion are configured to clamp about the sealing sleeve in a locked position.
16 . The system of claim 14 , wherein a radially inner surface of the support housing is configured to interface with a radially outer surface of the sealing sleeve to restrain radially outward expansion of the sealing sleeve in response to pressure increasing within the pressure test cavity.
17 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the sealing sleeve comprises a flexible material having an elastic modulus between 1.0 MPa and 1.0 GPa.
18 . The system of claim 14 , further comprising a locking mechanism to hold the support housing in a locked position.
19 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the sealing sleeve comprises a hollow-cylindrical shape.
20 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the sealing sleeve is configured to extend axially across the tubing union from the lower tubing to the upper tubing.