Process for hardfacing a progressing cavity pump/motor rotor

Abstract

A method of hardfacing a metal body, including the steps of flame spraying a metallic material onto a surface of the metal body to produce a layer of the metallic material on the metal body and fusing the layer of metallic material to provide a hardfacing layer, is improved by roughening the surface of the metal body prior to the step of flame spraying to provide a mechanical bond between the metal body and the hardfacing layer. The roughening is carried out to achieve a surface roughness adjusted to the thickness of the hardcoating. The surface roughness is preferably 40%-90% of the thickness of the hardfacing layer. A rotor for a progressing cavity pump / motor, including a metallic rotor body having a surface, and a layer of hardfacing on the surface, the hardfacing comprising of fused flame sprayed metallic material, the surface of the rotor body having an average surface roughness of at least substantially 6 mils with irregular protrusions for providing a mechanical bond between the rotor body and the hardfacing.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application claims priority from U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 60 / 826,369, entitled Process for Hardfacing a Progressing Cavity Pump / Motor Rotor, the contents of which are incorporated herein in their entirety.FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] The present invention relates generally to wear-resistant hardfacings for movable parts. More particularly, the present invention relates to hardfacings for rotors of progressing cavity pumps / motors. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] Progressing cavity pumps have been used in water wells for many years. More recently, such pumps have been found to be well suited for the pumping of viscous or thick fluids such as crude oil laden with sand. Progressing cavity pumps include a stator which is attached to a production tubing and a rotor which is attached to the bottom end of a pump drive string and is made of metallic material, usually high strength steel. [0004] Progressing cavity motors are used...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0020] It is an object of the present invention to obviate or mitigate at least one disadvantage of previous methods for hardfacing and of rotors for progressing cavity pumps / motors.

[0021] In conventional hardcoating processes using flame spraying, the coating is fused to reduce the high porosity and permeability of the sprayed-on layer. The underlying substrate may be roughened prior to flame spraying to provide increased bond strength. The result is a lower porosity, lower permeability coating with a stronger bond to the substrate. However, sprayed-on and fused coatings are still subject to pitting and spalling upon flexing and impact, even when the surface to be coated is roughened prior to application of the hardcoating.

[0022] It has now been surprisingly found by the applicant that the bond strength of the coating with the underlying substrate can be significantly increased and pitting and spalling substantially prevented, even on impact and flexing, if the surface is not only roughened prior to hardcoating, but if the surface roughness is coordinated with the coating thickness. In particular, superior bond strength is achieved when the substrate is roughened prior to spray coating by grit blasting, preferably metal grit blasting, to achieve a surface roughness, the depth of which is adjusted to at least 40% of the intended coating thickness. The result is a sufficiently deep inter-penetration of the coating and the substrate to achieve a superior bond strength, even for relatively thick coatings. The inter-penetration of the substrate and the coating to such a large degree also results in a bond strength of the coating which is substantially equal to the strength of the substrate. The maximum surface roughness is preferably 90% of the coating thickness, to avoid exposure of the substrate upon polishing of the coating or premature exposure of the substrate during use. For example, for a coating of 10 mil thickness, the surface roughness should be at least 4 mil and at most 9 mil.

[0024] Coatings providing the desired wear resistance and improved corrosion resistance are selected to increase service life.

Problems solved by technology

However, sprayed-on and fused coatings are still subject to pitting and spalling upon flexing and impact, even when the surface to be coated is roughened prior to application of the hardcoating.

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