Abstract:
A locking device is used for locking at least a piston associated with an operating element of a valve, a choke, a blowout preventer or some other unit used in the field of oil/natural gas drilling and/or oil/natural gas production. The locking device comprises a sleeve, which is axially displaceable relative to the piston and which is threadedly engaged with a rotatably supported rod for displacement in an axial direction. The rod is drivingly connected to a motor. In order to be able to determine, by means of simple structural measures, the position of the piston for each of its positions in a sufficiently precise and reproducible manner, the locking device is provided with a position sensor, which extends from a fixed point through a longitudinal bore of the lock rod up to the hydraulic piston and by means of which a distance between the piston and the fixed point can be detected.
Abstract:
mechanisms are provided to securely access systems of a distributed computer system by entering passwords. Some systems are accessible by equal, and some systems are accessible by different passwords. The mechanisms store information, which systems (I, II) are accessible by equal, and which are accessible by different passwords and ask to enter a proper password when opening a session by accessing a system of the distributed computer system. The mechanisms cache the password and use the stored information to verify, if another system to be accessed during the current session is accessible by an equal password like a system already accessed during said session. If the result of the verification is true, the mechanisms re-use the adequate cached password. If the result of the verification is false, the mechanism ask to enter a proper password to access the other system and cache the password required to access the other system in a way that during the current session, it can be re-used when accessing other systems accessible by the same password.
Abstract:
A magnetic holding brake (1) having at least one turning brake member (4) allocatable to a rotatable part (2) of an actuator (3) and a fixed brake member (6) allocatable to a torque-proof part (5) of the actuator (3). The turning brake member (4) and the fixed brake member (6) each at least have one permanent magnet (7, 8) of different polarity. The permanent magnets are lying opposite to each other in a pre-defined relative position of the turning brake member (4) and the fixed brake member (6) under exertion of a braking or holding torque. In this manner, the possibility exists that a holding in the so-called “fail as is”-mode is more easily and reliably and at the same time cost-efficiently achievable without wear or further energy demand.
Abstract:
An actuating device for displacing a control device, such as a gate valve or other control mechanism, in particular for use in oil or gas production systems, includes a motor-gear unit and a threaded spindle drive, which is operable by said motor-gear unit. The threaded spindle drive includes at least a threaded spindle and a screw nut. The threaded spindle is displaceable in an essentially axial-direction so as to displace the control device between an advance position and a retracted position. The threaded spindle drive further includes a position holding means holding the attained position of the threaded spindle. The position holding means is directly connected to a motor shaft of the motor-gear unit so as to apply a holding torque to said motor shaft.
Abstract:
A power and signal distribution system comprises a converter unit connected to a plurality of control units. The converter unit and the control units are arranged in areas difficult to access, for instance on the sea bed. The converter unit is connected to a remote monitoring and supplying device via at least one cable connection. Each control unit has assigned thereto at least one production apparatus for crude oil or natural gas corresponding gate valves, chokes, biops, actuators.In some embodiments, the power and signal distribution system the converter unit comprises a data separation device and a voltage converter. The converted voltage from the voltage converter is transmitted together with data/signals from the converter unit to at least one of the control units.
Abstract:
The present invention relates to the field of operation of Information Technology (IT) resources 11, and the area of automation software. In particular, it relates to a method and respective system for performing a reconfiguration of a plurality of resources (11), wherein said resources (11) reside on multiple different system platforms (10, 12, 14) including a mainframe, with a policy-based automation manager. In order to provide a reconfiguration method with an improved switching facility between such configurations it is proposed to perform the steps of: a) using a predefined (410) automation choice group (48) as a part of a predetermined automation policy, wherein said automation choice group (48) has at least two different members (46, 50) and each member represents an alternative set of resource configurations, wherein at most one member is allowed to be active at a time, b) pre-selecting one group member (46) as “preferred” to be activated in case a predetermined automation choice group is determined for operation, c) and providing a user interface (56) for triggering a reconfiguration of said resources (11) according to said automation policy, d) initiating an automatic change from a first resource configuration into a second resource configuration, when said trigger is actuated.
Abstract:
The invention relates to a rotating regulating device, especially for a valve comprising a pivotable or rotatable valve body. Said device comprises at least one actuating device for rotating a regulating element which can be connected to the valve body in a moveable manner. The aim of the invention is to improve one such rotating regulating device in such a way that in its precise and reproducible, and can be especially automatically actuated. In order to achieve this, the regulating element is a rotating collar which is rotationally positioned in relation to a bearing collar, and the actuating device comprises at least one mechanism which converts a linear movement into a rotational movement.
Abstract:
An actuator for displacing a control device including a valve, a gate valve or the like, in particular for use in oil or gas production systems, said actuator comprising an electric drive and a thread drive displaceable by means of said electric drive. The thread drive comprises at least a threaded spindle and a screw nut. The threaded spindle is displaceable in a substantially axial direction between an advanced position and a retracted position so as to displace the control device.In order to improve an actuator of this kind in such a way that advantages of an already known actuator will be maintained on the basis of a smaller number of components and a more compact structural design and a reduction of the manufacturing costs can simultaneously be accomplished, the electric drive comprises at least one torque motor with a hollow shaft, said hollow shaft being connected to the driven side of a safety clutch unit such that it is secured against rotation relative thereto. This safety clutch unit is, on the driving side thereof, connected in a motion-transmitting manner to the screw nut which is supported such that it is rotatable and axially non-displaceable. In this way, it is additionally achieved that the actuator in question can also be used for units that are already in use.
Abstract:
A method of selecting active members of resource groups is disclosed. The method includes assigning a first label from a predetermined static label set to a first member of a first resource group. The method includes assigning a second label from the predetermined static label set to a second member of the first resource group. The method further includes assigning the first label to a third member of a second resource group. The method includes assigning the second label to a fourth member of the second resource group. The method also includes selecting an active label from the predetermined static label set in response to a command received at a computing system. Upon selection of the active label from the predetermined static label set, computing resources identified by members associated with the active label are automatically placed online and computing resources identified by members associated with a label other than the active label are automatically placed offline.
Abstract:
A locking device is used for locking at least a piston associated with an operating element of a valve, a choke, a blowout preventer or some other unit used in the field of oil/natural gas drilling and/or oil/natural gas production. The locking device comprises a sleeve, which is axially displaceable relative to the piston and which is threadedly engaged with a rotatably supported rod for displacement in an axial direction. The rod is drivingly connected to a motor. In order to be able to determine, by means of simple structural measures, the position of the piston for each of its positions in a sufficiently precise and reproducible manner, the locking device is provided with a position sensor, which extends from a fixed point through a longitudinal bore of the lock rod up to the hydraulic piston and by means of which a distance between the piston and the fixed point can be detected.