Advanced Materials Research Vols.

201-203 (2011) pp 326-331

Online available since 2011/Feb/21 at www.scientific.net
© (2011) Trans Tech Publications, Switzerland
doi:10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMR.201-203.326

FEM Analysis of Plug Packer Based on the Model of Mooney-Rivlin

Ce Zhang1, a,Shimin Zhang1, b ,Dai Geng1, c ,Jianming Zheng1, d ,Wenbin Fan2, e

1
College of Mechanical and Transportation Engineering, China University of Petroleum (Beijing),
Beijing, China
2
Offshore oil engineering Co.LTD, Tianjin, China
a
zhangce032@163.com, bzsm7481976@163.com, cgengdai_2006@163.com, d
d
zhengjianming216@gmail.com, efanwb@mail.cooec.com.cn

Keyword: Intelligent Isolation; Nonlinear FEM Analysis; Axial Compression Experiment; Packer

Abstract. The technology of Pipeline high-pressure intelligent isolation is a new technology which
has been developed by Company PSI since the 1990’s, and the core technology, packer’s sealing
performance has been blocked from then on. In this paper, we study the Polyurethane columns
specimen of different hardness though ANSYS, then fit with the curve from the experiments, in
order to get the Polyurethane columns’ Mechanical constants of Model Mooney-Rivlin. Calculate
the deformation between two statuses, then according to isolation pressure and anti-convexity of
packer we choose the packer of appropriate hardness. Finally, analysis the packer under different
pressure, get the working curve of isolation ability, and the outlet can be used in the design of
packer.

Introduction
Pipeline intelligent isolation is a kind of a remote controlled tetherless and highly piggable high
pressure isolation tool. [1] It is designed to isolate some segment of pipeline while at operating
pressure. Using smartplug system do not need to reduce pipeline pressure and without bleeding
down the entire pipeline system. The primary advantage of using the smartplug as a method of
pressure isolation is the ability to minimize production down time. At present, TDW Company in
United States has specific commercial product serving in land and offshore pipeline maintenance.
Because of a blockade against technology overseas, while domestic study is also in its infancy,
there are no relative products coming out currently. The 3D model of pipeline high-pressure
intelligent isolation is shown in Fig 1.

Fig1.Pipeline high-pressure intelligent isolation

All rights reserved. No part of contents of this paper may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without the written permission of TTP,
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 Advanced Materials Research Vols. 201-203 327

The advantages of polyurethane material are anti-abrasion and oil resistance. According to the
condition of crude oil transportation we choose polyurethane material to manufacture the packer.
Polyurethane rubber has the feature of incompressibility and large deformation, so its mechanical
property includes the nonlinear of geometry and material, and it is difficult to analyze the packer’s
mechanical property. In this paper, we get the Compression stress-Strain Curve through
experiments, then simulate the polyurethane cylinder’s Compression stress-Strain Curve by ANSYS
FEM, and fit with the curve getting from the experiments, so the best one of C 01 C10 is the real

C10 and C 01 of polyurethane. Finally, using the real C10 and C 01 analyze the packer through the

method of nonlinear FEM analysis.

Parameter C10 and C 01 of model Mooney-Rivlin

Rubber material elasticity theory. In Mooney-Rivlin Model, the strain energy density function is:
W = C10 ( I 1 − 3) + C 01 ( I 2 − 3) (1)
In this formula, W is strain potential; I 1 and I 2 are deformation tensor; C10 and C 01 are parameter

of Mooney-Rivlin Model.
In engineering project, if tension and compression deformation is not more than 25% and shear
deformation is not more than 75%, we call it rubber’s small deformation. The relationship between its
Poisson’s ratio µ , elastic modulus E 0 ,shear modulus G and material parameter is:

G = E 0 2(1 + µ ) = 2(C10 + C 01 ) (2)

According to the anti-compression feature of rubber, we get the Poisson’s ratio µ = 0.5

So the relationship between G, E 0 , C10 and C 01 is:

G = E 0 3 = 2(C10 + C 01 ) (3)
[3]
According to the IRHD of rubber H r and E 0 getting from the experiments , after fitting, we get:
E 0 = (15.75 + 2.15 × H r ) (100 − H r ) (4)
[3]
From formula (3)and(4), we get that the C10 + C 01 depends on IRHD hardness.
Polyurethane specimen’s axial compression experiments. We do compression experiments on
polyurethane cylinders with diameter 25mm and height 30mm, using a high-accurate multifunction
machine. We use three same specimens. Suppose the biggest compression ratio is 50%, compress
velocity is 300mm/min, and machine record the strength-deformation curve graph and texting point
information automatically.
The geometry shape and the load of the polyurethane specimen are axisymmetric. Set up FEM
model on axis profile, polyurethane specimen use the Mooney-Rivlin model, then divide grids upon
polyurethane specimen by symmetry element HYPER56 and PLANE42.Suppose the metal plate
and polyurethane specimen is a contacting couple. Boundary condition is the lower metal plate is
fixed, and load Y-displacement constraints upon the higher one. [4]
In this paper, we do experiments on three different polyurethane specimens with IRHD
75HS ,80HS and 85HS, with function(4), the value of C10 and C 01 are shown in Table1.
328 Advanced Manufacturing Systems, ICMSE 2011

Now, there are three different value of C 01 C10 , then let ANSYS calculate the Axial
Compression loading- deformation curve, and fit with the curve getting from the experiments.
Table1. The value of C10 and C 01 under different C 01 C10
IRHD 75HS IRHD 80HS IRHD 85HS

C 01 C10 C10 C 01 C 01 C10 C10 C01 C 01 C10 C10 C01

0.05 1.124 0.056 0.05 1.490 0.075 0.05 2.101 0.105

0.25 0.944 0.236 0.25 1.252 0.313 0.25 1.765 0.441
0.50 0.787 0.393 0.50 1.043 0.522 0.50 1.471 0.735
Data from the experiment and FEM analysis curve are fitted with each other, which is shown
in fig2.
Test curve 7k
Test curve
5k C01/C10=0.05 Simulation curve C01/C10=0.05 Simulation curve
6k
C01/C10=0.25 Simulation curve C01/C10=0.25 Simulation curve
Axial compression load/N

Axial compression load/N

4k C01/C10=0.50 Simulation curve 5k C01/C10=0.50 Simulation curve

3k 4k

3k
2k
2k
1k
1k

0 0
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16
Deformation /mm Deformation /mm

Fig2.a IRHD75HS Fig2.b IRHD80HS

9k
Test curve
8k C01/C10=0.05 Simulation curve
7k C01/C10=0.25 Simulation curve
Axial compression load/N

C01/C10=0.50 Simulation curve

6k

5k

4k

3k

2k

1k

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16
Deformation /mm

Fig2.c IRHD 80HS

Fig2. Data from experiment fitting with FEM analysis curve
When deformation is lower than 20%, the curve from experiments is almost the same as the
simulation curve, and when C 01 C10 =0.05 polyurethane specimens with IRHD of 75HS, 80HS,

85HS can be fitted well.

Pipeline intelligent isolation packer’s simulation analysis.

The pipeline intelligent isolation is put in from the launch side, the tool is in unsetting status, which
is actually a tube cleaner. When it receives a setting command, the micro-hydraulic power system
makes the isolation axial shrink. Packer bears the axial loading, so generate an axial compression
 Advanced Materials Research Vols. 201-203 329

and a radial expanding deformation, this make the packer’s outer surface contacts with pipe inner
wall, in order to isolate a ring space in pipeline, achieving a function of isolation. Changing from
the isolation’s unsetting status to setting status can be seen in fig.3.

Fig. 3 Setting process

The pressure head, bowl, packer, pipe inner surface and loading are all axisymmetric, using the
axisymmetric condition to set up the packer’s axial-compression nonlinear FEM model. Use
axisymmetric unit PLANE42 in pressure head, bowl and pipe inner wall, elastic modulus
EX=2.06E11, Poisson’s ratio PRXY=0.3. Use axisymmetric unit HYPER56, C10 and C 01 come from

the outcome of fitting. Suppose three contacting couples: packer and pressure head; packer and
bowl; packer and inner surface of pipeline. Use contacting couple unit TARGE170 and
CONTAC174. [5]
During the pre-isolating process, the packers with different IRHD of 75HS,80HS,85HS, under
pressure 10Mpa, the pressure at which contact with pipeline inner wall is shown in fig.4.

Fig4.b packer IRHD 80HS

Fig4.a packer IRHD75HS

Fig4.c packer IRHD85HS

Fig.4. pre-setting process, the pressure of contacting point
330 Advanced Manufacturing Systems, ICMSE 2011

We can see from fig.4, the different packers whose IRHD are 75HS,80HS, 85HS, contact
pressure between pipeline and packer is 2.593MPa,1.995MPa, 1.108MPa. Under the 10MPa
pressure, the higher the IRHD, the smaller the pre-isolating pressure, so the shorter the sealing
length.
Isolating process, the packers with different IRHD of 75HS,80HS,85HS, under pressure 10Mpa,
the pressure at which contact with pipeline inner wall is shown in fig.5.

Fig5.b packer IRHD 80HS

Fig5.a packer IRHD75HS

Fig5.c packer IRHD85HS

Fig5. Setting process, pressure between packer and pipeline

We can see from fig.5, under 10MPa pressure, the different packers whose IRHD are 75HS,80HS,
85HS, contact pressure between pipeline and packer is 12.473MPa,11.497MPa, 10.502MPa. For the
sealing property of high-pressure intelligent isolation has a close relationship with the contacting
pressure between pecker’s outer surface and pipe inner surface, we can evaluate the sealing property
through peak contacting pressure. Without “shoulder protrusion”, the larger the peak contacting
pressure, the higher the sealing pressure which the packer can bear.
Consider all the discussion above, we chose the material with IRHD 80HS as making the packer.
During the process of isolating, the changing of contacting pressure between packer and pipeline is
shown in fig6.
 Advanced Materials Research Vols. 201-203 331

Fig.6 process of packer’s working

As can be seen from fig.6, from A to B, packer begins to pre-setting under 10Mpa of cylinder
pressure, and the pressure of pre-setting is 1.995Mpa. From B to C, under the cylinder pressure and
the pressure between two sides, the compression of the packer is going on until isolating. At the point
of C, the operator send a signal to let the hydraulic system power off, the pressure of two sides of
cylinder is balance, the contacting pressure between packer and pipeline change from point C to D.
From D to E, the contacting pressure between packer and pipeline is bigger than pipeline pressure, so
the packer is under self-isolation status. From E to A, the contacting pressure between packer and
pipeline is smaller than pipeline pressure, so the isolation is unset.

Conclusion
The mechanic performance of intelligent isolation packer is very complex. In this paper, according to
the working environment of isolation, we choose polyurethane to make the packer for its unti-wear
and oil resistant. Then by fitting the experiment of cylinder specimens with FEM analysis get the
parameters of Model Mooney-Rivlin. By using Model Mooney-Rivlin, simulate the pre-setting and
setting status, choose the 80HS polyurethane to make the packer, and its performance of sealing and
convex are good. Finally, FEM analysis the 80HS packer under different pipeline pressure, we get the
curve of isolating ability. The result of the research can guide the design of packer and the isolation’s
working process.

References
[1] Mark Sim,Moaiad Abdulla. Non-invasive remote pressure isolation reduces flaring and product
loss,18th colloquium of CGA,13 may 2009.
[2] Jianghan petroleum administration production technology institute. Packer theoretical basis and
application [M].Beijing: petroleum industry press, 1983.
[3] Pedro A.N., editor. Rubber engineering-how to design rubber accessories [M], Beijing: chemical
industry press, 2002.
[4] Liang Zuo,Feixiong Xiao. a kind of method for determining the materials manufacturing of
Rubber Mooney - Rivlin model materials coefficient, material manufacturing.
[5] Saeed Moaveni. Finite element analysis: theory and application with ANSYS[M]. Beijing:
electronics industry press 2008.
Advanced Manufacturing Systems, ICMSE 2011
10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMR.201-203

FEM Analysis of Plug Packer Based on the Model of Mooney-Rivlin

10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMR.201-203.326