Optimisation of spool offset of sleeve valve considering opening frequency

Abstract

ABSTRACT The sleeve valve is a crucial component of the integrated water distributor utilised in offshore oilfields for waterflooding. Spool offset is highly correlated with sticking. However, the existing design does not consider the opening frequency, leading to elevated offset and deviating from the design goal. Therefore, a novel design method is proposed herein. The frequency of operation opening is categorised into the primary and the secondary operating conditions. The sensitivity of design parameters was identified using Morris sensitivity analysis, and genetic algorithms were used to optimise target variables for different operating conditions. The simulation results show that an average of 65.06% reduces the offset, and an average of 19.5% increases the mass flow rate. In particular, the offsets are near zero under the primary working condition. This approach can offer significant guidance for valve design under unique operation conditions of openings.