US 12,385,576 B2
Smart back pressure valve and methods of use
Abdulrahman Anwar Al Essa, Dammam (SA)
Assigned to SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY, Dhahran (SA)
Filed by SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY, Dhahran (SA)
Filed on May 2, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/310,576.
Prior Publication US 2024/0369157 A1, Nov. 7, 2024
Int. Cl. G01M 3/28 (2006.01); F16K 37/00 (2006.01)
CPC F16K 37/0091 (2013.01) [G01M 3/2876 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A back pressure valve, comprising:
a valve body having opposing upper and lower ends; and
a pressure testing system extending from the lower end of the valve body and providing:
a pressure housing defining an interior at least partially filled with a compressible fluid;
a piston axially translatable within the interior and including a piston head that forms a seal against an inner wall of the pressure housing, and a piston rod extending distally from the piston head;
a motor operatively coupled to the piston rod and operable to drive the piston toward and away from the valve body; and
a pressure gauge assembly configured to monitor and report a pressure within the interior,
wherein, as the motor advances within the interior, the compressible fluid is compressed and the pressure within the interior increases, and
wherein, the pressure gauge assembly reporting that the pressure stabilizes after a predetermined time interval is a positive indication that the valve body properly holds pressure.