Systems and methods of sealing fluids at eccentric temperatures in static and dynamic environments
Disclosed herein are components, systems, and methods for sealing and pressurizing fluids at eccentric temperatures. Embodiments of a high-pressure system include static seals, dynamic seals, or both. A fluid tight seal formed between abutting surfaces of stationary, adjacent components is movable, via rolling contact between the abutting surfaces, as a temperature of the adjacent components enters the eccentric temperature range. The materials of the adjacent components may be selected based on their thermal expansion and contraction characteristics, and respective geometries of components of the high-pressure system may be selected to maintain a minimal gap between moving, adjacent components of the high-pressure system.
1 . A method of pressurizing a fluid at an eccentric temperature, the method comprising:
changing a temperature of the fluid to an eccentric temperature within a range of between −350° F. and 32° F. or between 90° F. and 1,000° F.;
transferring the fluid, while maintaining the fluid at the eccentric temperature, into a pressure chamber of a pressure vessel;
pressurizing the fluid within the pressure chamber, while maintaining the fluid at the eccentric temperature, to a high pressure of between 15,000 psi and 200,000 psi; and
transferring the fluid out of the pressure chamber, while maintaining the fluid at the eccentric temperature and at the high pressure.
2 . The method of claim 1 wherein
changing the temperature of the fluid includes heating the fluid to an elevated temperature between 90° F. and 1,000° F.
3 . The method of claim 1 wherein
changing the temperature of the fluid includes cooling the fluid to a reduced temperature of between 32° F. and −350° F.
4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
abutting the pressure vessel with an adjacent component that is stationary with respect to the pressure vessel, thereby forming a fluid tight barrier that is positioned to block passage of the fluid within the pressure chamber between the pressure vessel and the adjacent component.
5 . The method of claim 4 wherein the adjacent component is an end cap that blocks at least a portion of an opening of the pressure chamber.
6 . The method of claim 5 wherein the end cap includes a first check valve through which the fluid is transferred into the pressure vessel.
7 . The method of claim 6 wherein the end cap includes a second check valve through which the fluid is transferred out of the pressure vessel.
8 . The method of claim 4 , further comprising:
abutting a surface of the pressure vessel with a surface of the adjacent component to form the fluid tight barrier, wherein the surface of the pressure vessel is curved, the surface of the adjacent component is curved, or both the surface of the pressure vessel and the surface of the adjacent component are curved.
9 . The method of claim 8 wherein at least one of the curved surfaces is convex.
10 . The method of claim 8 wherein at least one of the curved surfaces is concave.
11 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
thermally expanding one or both of the pressure vessel and the adjacent component, thereby moving the fluid tight barrier from a first location to a second location.
12 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
rolling the surface of the pressure vessel along the surface of the adjacent component, thereby moving the fluid tight barrier from the first location to the second location.
13 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
rolling the surface of the adjacent component along the surface of the pressure vessel, thereby moving the fluid tight barrier from the first location to the second location.
14 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
changing a contact angle measured between a tangent line that intersects the fluid tight barrier and is tangent to at least one of the curved surfaces and an axis of elongation of the pressure vessel.
15 . The method of claim 4 wherein the adjacent component is a first adjacent component, and the fluid tight barrier is a first fluid tight barrier, the method further comprising:
abutting the pressure vessel with a second adjacent component that is stationary with respect to the pressure vessel, thereby forming a second fluid tight barrier that is positioned to block passage of the fluid within the pressure chamber between the pressure vessel and the second adjacent component.
16 . The method of claim 15 wherein the second adjacent component is an end cap with a bore hole extending therethrough, the method further comprising:
advancing a plunger through the bore hole, into the pressure chamber, and toward the first adjacent component, thereby pressurizing the fluid to the high pressure.
17 . The method of claim 16 wherein the second adjacent component includes a seal carrier that forms the bore hole, and a bearing, the method further comprising:
positioning the bearing within the bore hole such that the bearing is between the seal carrier and the plunger; and
thermally expanding one or both of the seal carrier and the bearing, thereby:
reducing a size of a first gap between the seal carrier and the bearing; and
reducing a size of a second gap between the bearing and the plunger.
18 . The method of claim 17 wherein the seal carrier and the bearing are made from different materials such that the seal carrier and the bearing have different rates of thermal expansion.
19 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising:
positioning a seal member within the bore hole such that:
a first surface of the seal member abuts the plunger; and
a second surface of the seal member abuts both the seal carrier and the bearing, such that the seal member blocks both the first gap and the second gap.