Safety valve with electrical actuator
A downhole valve assembly includes a safety valve and an actuator that opens and/or closes the valve. The actuator can be an electro-hydraulic actuator (EHA), an electro mechanical actuator (EMA), or an electro hydraulic pump (EHP). The downhole safety valve can also include an electric magnet. The electric magnet can act as or control a magnetic decoupling mechanism to control closure of the safety valve.
1 . An electro-mechanical coupling, comprising:
an actuator comprising a piston, wherein the piston is extendable and retractable;
a base member;
an electric magnet;
a magnet, wherein one of the electric magnet and the magnet is operably coupled to the piston, and the other of the electric magnet and the magnet is selectively operably couplable to the base member; and
a mechanical advantage mechanism configured to enhance a holding force of the electric magnet with the magnet when the electric magnet is activated, wherein activation of the electric magnet is configured to operably couple the electric magnet and the magnet such that axial movement of the piston causes axial movement of the base member, wherein subsequent deactivation of the electric magnet is configured to operably de-couple the electric magnet and the magnet to allow movement of the base member relative to the actuator, wherein the mechanical advantage mechanism comprises a latch mechanism, wherein the latch mechanism comprises:
an outer collet;
an inner collet disposed at least partially within the outer collet; and
a spring, wherein when the electric magnet is activated, the outer collet is locked relative to the inner collet against a force of the spring, and wherein when the electric magnet is deactivated, the spring unlocks the outer collet and the inner collet.
2 . The electro-mechanical coupling of claim 1 , wherein the actuator is an electro-mechanical actuator.
3 . An electric safety valve comprising the electro-mechanical coupling of claim 1 , wherein the electric safety valve is fully electric.
4 . The electric safety valve of claim 3 , wherein the base member is operably coupled to a flow tube of the electric safety valve.
5 . An electric safety valve assembly, comprising:
a flapper;
a return spring;
an internal tubing sleeve;
an actuator comprising a piston, wherein the piston is extendable and retractable; and
an electro-mechanical coupling configured to selectively operably connect the piston and the internal tubing sleeve, wherein the electro-mechanical coupling comprises:
an electric magnet operably coupled to the piston;
a magnet selectively operably couplable to the internal tubing sleeve; and
a latch mechanism configured to provide a mechanical advantage to enhance a holding force of the electric magnet with the magnet when the electric magnet is activated, and wherein the latch mechanism comprises an inner collet, an outer collet, and a latch spring.
6 . The electric safety valve assembly of claim 5 , wherein the electric magnet is configured to have sufficient holding force to compress the latch spring, and insufficient holding force to compress the return spring without the mechanical advantage of the latch mechanism.
7 . The electric safety valve assembly of claim 5 , wherein the actuator is an electro-mechanical actuator.
8 . An electro-mechanical coupling, comprising:
an actuator comprising a piston, wherein the piston is extendable and retractable;
a base member;
an electric magnet;
a magnet, wherein one of the electric magnet and the magnet is operably coupled to the piston, and the other of the electric magnet and the magnet is selectively operably couplable to the base member; and
a mechanical advantage mechanism configured to enhance a holding force of the electric magnet with the magnet when the electric magnet is activated, wherein activation of the electric magnet is configured to operably couple the electric magnet and the magnet such that axial movement of the piston causes axial movement of the base member, wherein subsequent deactivation of the electric magnet is configured to operably de-couple the electric magnet and the magnet to allow movement of the base member relative to the actuator, wherein the mechanical advantage mechanism comprises a double latch mechanism, wherein the double latch mechanism comprises:
an outer collet;
an inner collet disposed at least partially within the outer collet;
an inner rod disposed at least partially within the inner collet;
an outer spring disposed about the inner collet;
at least one inner spring disposed about the inner rod; and
at least one ball disposed on an outer diameter of the inner rod, wherein when the electric magnet is activated, the outer collet is locked relative to the inner collet against a force of the outer spring, and wherein when the electric magnet is deactivated, the double latch mechanism unlocks in a two stage release.
9 . The electro-mechanical coupling of claim 8 , wherein the actuator is an electro-mechanical actuator.
10 . The electro-mechanical coupling of claim 8 , wherein the at least one inner spring and the at least one ball act as a first stage of the two stage release, and the outer spring acts as a second stage of the two stage release.