Abstract: A flow and pressure control valve for injecting a fluid into a well, or for pumping the fluid out of the well, includes an outer housing, a mandrel within the outer housing, and a pressure element attached to the mandrel. The pressure element can be pressurized to move radially inward to constrict a longitudinally extending flow passage in the valve between the mandrel and the outer housing. In addition, the mandrel includes annular orifices, and channel segments along the outside diameter thereof, which form tortuous and circumferential flow paths through the valve. The annular orifices and channel segments are constructed to provide a desired frictional head loss, and to control the pressure and flow rate of the injected fluid to prevent cavitation and cascading. Pressurization of the pressure element can also be controlled to vary the tortuous flow path through the flow passage, or to seal the flow passage.

Abstract: An inflatable packer includes a packer mandrel and an inflatable element reinforced across its entire length and attached at each end to the packer mandrel. The inflatable element is formed of multiple layers of elastomeric material including reinforcing plies of an elastomeric base material reinforced with helically wound strands of a reinforcing material. The reinforcing strands are evenly spaced and parallel to one another and are oriented at a predetermined helical angle with respect to a longitudinal axis of the packer. The helical angle and modulus of elasticity of the reinforcing strands can be selected to allow the inflatable element to expand by a predetermined amount even though its ends are fixed.

Abstract: A packer valve for regulating the fluid flow rate and pressure within a fluid conduit such as a well, includes a housing, and an inflatable packer element mounted on an elongated mandrel. The inside diameter of the housing is formed with an arrangement of annular grooves which circumscribe the inflatable packer element. The inflatable packer element is adapted to adjust an annulus between the housing and the inflatable packer element to provide complete shutoff of fluid flow or to provide a tortuous flow path for fluid flow within the annulus. The tortuous flow path causes a frictional pressure loss. The amount of the pressure loss is controlled by the inflation pressure of the inflatable packer element, by the shape of the annular grooves, and by the length of the inflatable packer element.