Research on bearing capacity and sealing contact characteristics of the subsea wellhead connector

Abstract

This paper analyzed the bearing capacity of a subsea wellhead connector when exposed to external pressure and the bending moment in different operational modes and load conditions to determine the possible areas prone to failure. The contact between certain parts during the pre-tightening process impacts other areas, affecting the sealing performance. A symmetrical, three-dimensional periodic contact model was established via Finite Element Method (FEM) to simulate and analyze the sealing performance of the subsea wellhead connector. Furthermore, this study examined the variation laws governing contact form, preload, contact width, radial compression, and internal pressure, as well as their influence on the contact stress of the metal sealing ring. The results indicated that effective sealing was achieved at radial compression levels ranging from 0.1045 to 0.2089 mm. The preload contact stress was directly proportional to the preload and radial compression and inversely proportional to the contact width. The operational contact stress initially decreased, then increased at a higher internal pressure.