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Chinese Journal of Mechanical Engineering
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Metal sealing performance of subsea X-tree wellhead connector sealer

Chinese Journal of Mechanical Engineering volume 28, pages 649–656 (2015)Cite this article

Abstract

The metal sealing performance of subsea X-tree wellhead connectors is crucial for the safety and reliability of subsea X-trees. In order to establish the theoretical relation between metal sealing ring’s contact stress and its structural parameters and working pressure, a mechanical analysis method for double-cone sealing of high pressure vessels is applied in analyzing the metal sealing ring under the condition of preload and operation. As a result, the formula of the unit sealing load for the metal sealing ring under operation with residual preload is shown in this paper, which ensures that the metal sealing ring has an excellent sealing effect and can prevent the metal sealing ring from yielding. Besides, while analyzing the sealing process of the metal sealing ring, the change rule of contact stress and working pressure is concluded here, putting forward that the structural parameters of the metal sealing ring are the major factors affecting the change rule. Finally, the analytical solution through theoretical analysis is compared with the simulation result through finite element analysis in a force feedback experiment, and both are consistent with each other, which fully verifies for the design and calculation theory on metal sealing ring’s contact stress and its structural parameters and working pressure deduced in this paper. The proposed research will be treated as an applicable theory guiding the design of metal seal for subsea X-tree wellhead connectors.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Mechanical and Transportation Engineering, China University of Petroleum, Beijing, 102249, China

    Honglin Zhao, Rui Chen, Xiaolan Luo, Menglan Duan, Yinghui Lu & Guowei Fu

  2. Kingdream Public Limited Company, Wuhan, 430223, China

    Hongping Tian & Daohui Ye

Authors
  1. Honglin Zhao
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  2. Rui Chen
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  3. Xiaolan Luo
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  4. Menglan Duan
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  5. Yinghui Lu
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  6. Guowei Fu
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  7. Hongping Tian
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  8. Daohui Ye
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Honglin Zhao.

Additional information

Supported by National Hi-tech Research and Development Program of China (863 Program, Grant No. 2012AA09A205)

ZHAO Honglin, born in 1962, is currently a professor and a master tutor at Offshore Oil & Gas Center, China University of Petroleum, Beijing, China. His research interests include offshore oil and gas equipment.

CHEN Rui, born in 1989, achieved her master of engineering degree from China University of Petroleum, Beijing, China, in 2013.

LUO Xiaolan, is currently an associate professor and master tutor at Offshore Oil & Gas Center, China University of Petroleum, Beijing, China.

DUAN Menglan, born in 1966, is currently a professor and a PhD candidate supervisor at Offshore Oil & Gas Center, China University of Petroleum, Beijing, China.

LU Yinghui, born in 1989, is currently a master candidate of mechanical engineering at China University of Petroleum, Beijing, China.

FU Guowei, born in 1989, is currently a master candidate of mechanical engineering at China University of Petroleum, Beijing, China.

TIAN Hongping is currently a senior engineer at Kingdream Public Limited Company, China.

YE Daohui is currently an engineer in Kingdream Public Limited Company, China.

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Zhao, H., Chen, R., Luo, X. et al. Metal sealing performance of subsea X-tree wellhead connector sealer. Chin. J. Mech. Eng. 28, 649–656 (2015). https://doi.org/10.3901/CJME.2015.0309.026

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.3901/CJME.2015.0309.026

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