HIGH-PRESSURE PLUNGER PUMP AND USE OF A HIGH-PRESSURE PLUNGER PUMP

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a high-pressure plunger pump according to the preamble of claim 1 and the use of such a high-pressure plunger pump.

[0002] A generic high-pressure plunger pump is known, for example, from DE 10 2016 124 422 A1 or EP 3 201 474 A1.

[0003] High-pressure plunger pumps of this type are used to generate working pressures of up to 4000 bar. For this purpose, the high-pressure plunger pump has one or more oscillating plungers. Each plunger draws a volume of fluid into a working chamber of the plunger pump via a control valve designed as a suction valve and discharges it under high pressure through an outlet valve. The plunger is driven by a drive shaft driven by a drive device, for example, an electric motor.

[0004] Such high-pressure plunger pumps have proven themselves in practice.

[0005] The object of the present invention is to adapt a generic high-pressure plunger pump for a further field of application.

[0006] This object is achieved by a high-pressure plunger pump having the features of claim 1.

[0007] The high-pressure plunger pump according to the invention has at least one plunger arrangement with a working chamber and a plunger arranged to be axially movable back and forth in the working chamber.

[0008] The high-pressure plunger pump further comprises at least one first control valve and at least one second control valve, wherein the two control valves are connected to a valve housing with at least one high-pressure line and at least one low-pressure line.

[0009] The high-pressure line is closably connected to the working chamber via the first control valve. The low-pressure line is closably connected to the working chamber via the second control valve. The valve housing has a high-pressure connection that opens into the high-pressure line.

[0010] The at least one first control valve and the at least one second control valve can be controlled via a control unit such that a high-pressure fluid supplied via the high-pressure connection of the valve housing can be supplied to the working chamber and can be discharged via a low-pressure connection of the at least one second control valve after driving the plunger, wherein the at least one plunger is coupled to a generator via a drive shaft.

[0011] The high-pressure plunger pump has a second plunger arrangement with a working chamber and a plunger arranged to be axially movable back and forth in the working chamber, as well as at least one pressure valve and at least one suction valve, which are connected to a valve housing with at least one high-pressure line and at least one low-pressure line.

[0012] The high-pressure line is closably connected to the working chamber by the pressure valve and the low-pressure line by the suction valve, wherein the at least one plunger is coupled to a third drive shaft via a second drive shaft, wherein the third drive shaft is also coupled to the first drive shaft.

[0013] With the high-pressure plunger pump according to the invention, the design of the control valves as separately controllable control valves via the control unit creates the possibility of using the high-pressure plunger pump for energy recovery.

[0014] Instead of or in addition to providing a high-pressure fluid, the operation of the high-pressure plunger pump can be virtually reversed by the control of the control valves according to the invention, so that a high-pressure fluid can be guided via the high-pressure line into the working chamber of the high-pressure plunger pump and thereby drives the at least one plunger, which in turn is coupled via a drive shaft to a generator, via which at least part of the relaxation energy that arises during pressure-reducing processes can be recovered.

[0015] The design of the high-pressure plunger pump enables, on the one hand, an increase in pressure of the working fluid through the second plunger arrangement during use, wherein the energy for driving the plungers of the second plunger arrangement can be extracted at least partially or completely through the expansion of the high-pressure working fluid introduced into the first plunger arrangement, which drives the first drive shaft and can be transferred to the second drive shaft by coupling via the third drive shaft.

[0016] Advantageous embodiments of the invention are the subject of the subclaims.

[0017] According to an advantageous embodiment variant, at least three, in particular five plunger arrangements are provided, each with a plunger, wherein each of the plungers is assigned a first control valve and a second control valve.

[0018] The arrangement of at least three plunger assemblies with separately controllable control valves enables simple and reliable operation of the high-pressure plunger pump to drive the generator.

[0019] According to a further embodiment, the at least one first control valve and the at least one second control valve can be controlled by the control unit to operate both as an inlet valve and as an outlet valve. The generator can preferably also be operated as a motor.

[0020] This enables the use of the high-pressure plunger pump, for example, in a pressure control system, where the high-pressure plunger pump, on the one hand, generates the necessary working pressure in the working fluid and provides a process setup and, on the other hand, is able to absorb excess high pressure from the process setup and, in the process, converts the expansion energy into electrical energy, instead of discharging the expansion energy unused to the outside via a drain valve.

[0021] According to an advantageous design variant, the control valves can be controlled pneumatically, electrically or hydraulically.

[0022] According to a preferred embodiment, the control unit is coupled to one or more sensors, each of which provides one or more operating parameter data of the high-pressure plunger pump, in particular the rotational position of the drive shaft, a pressure of a fluid in the high-pressure line and / or the low-pressure line.

[0023] By providing these operating parameters, improved control of the control valves by the control unit is ensured.

[0024] According to a preferred embodiment, the control unit has at least one data interface for recording external operating parameter data, in particular of a process structure upstream of the high-pressure plunger pump.

[0025] Such external operating parameter data can be, for example, the system pressure of the upstream process.

[0026] The inventive use of a high-pressure plunger pump for pressure control in a hydraulic process setup is characterized in that the high-pressure plunger pump is designed according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the high-pressure plunger pump is coupled to the process setup in such a way that, in pumping operation, the high-pressure plunger pump supplies the process setup with a fluid having a predetermined high pressure, wherein the control valves are controlled via the control unit in such a way that the at least one plunger is driven by a motor-driven drive shaft.

[0027] During motor operation of the high-pressure plunger pump, the fluid is supplied at the predetermined high pressure via the high-pressure line and the control valves are controlled via the control unit such that the drive shaft is driven by the at least one plunger, wherein the drive shaft is coupled to a generator for power generation.

[0028] In a further use of a high-pressure plunger pump for pressure control in a hydraulic process setup, in which the high-pressure plunger pump is designed as described above, the high-pressure plunger pump is coupled to the process setup in such a way that the fluid is supplied to the high-pressure plunger pump via the high-pressure line at a high pressure predetermined by the hydraulic process setup, and the control valves are controlled by the control unit in such a way that the drive shaft is driven by the at least one plunger, wherein the drive shaft is coupled to a generator for power generation.

[0029] Such a use serves, for example, as a replacement for a pressure relief valve, whereby with such a pressure relief valve the excess high pressure is released unused into the environment, while by using the high-pressure plunger pump this excess pressure is used for energy recovery via the high-pressure plunger pump.

[0030] Preferred embodiments are explained in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. They show: Figure 1 is a schematic isometric representation of an energy recovery arrangement with a high-pressure plunger pump, Figure 2 is an isometric representation of a plunger arrangement with a valve housing arranged thereon with separately controllable control valves, Figure 3 is a sectional view through a plunger arrangement, Figure 4 is a schematic isometric representation of a further embodiment of a high-pressure plunger pump and Figure 5 is a sectional view through the plunger arrangement of the Figure 4 high pressure plunger pump shown.

[0031] In the following description of the figures, terms such as top, bottom, left, right, front, rear, etc., refer exclusively to the exemplary representation and position of the high-pressure plunger pump, plunger, working chamber, valve housing, control valve, generator, and the like chosen in the respective figures. These terms are not to be understood as limiting; i.e., these references may change due to different operating positions or the mirror-symmetrical design, etc.

[0032] In Figure 1 The reference number 1 designates an embodiment of an energy recovery arrangement.

[0033] The central component of this energy recovery arrangement 1 is a high-pressure plunger pump 2, which is coupled to a generator 11 via a first drive shaft, preferably with the interposition of a clutch 12. A frame 13 of the energy recovery arrangement 1 serves to fix the high-pressure plunger pump 2, the clutch 12 and the generator 11.

[0034] In the embodiment shown, the high-pressure plunger pump 2 has five plunger arrangements 3, each with a working chamber 31 and a plunger 32 arranged to be axially movable back and forth in the working chamber 31, as shown in the sectional view in Figure 3 is shown as an example.

[0035] In principle, a high-pressure plunger pump 2 with only one such plunger arrangement 3 is also conceivable.

[0036] For each of the plunger arrangements 3, a first control valve 5 and a second control valve 6 are provided, which are connected to a valve housing 4.

[0037] The valve housing 4 has a high-pressure line 41 for each of the first control valves 5 and a low-pressure line 42 for each of the second control valves.

[0038] The high-pressure line 41 and the low-pressure line 42 are connected to the working chamber 31 of the plunger arrangement 3 at their end remote from the respective control valve 5, 6.

[0039] The valve housing 4 further comprises a high-pressure connection 43 which opens into the high-pressure line(s) 41 and serves to supply or discharge a high-pressure fluid.

[0040] A further fluid connection 61 is provided on each of the second control valves 6, as shown in the Figures 1 to 3 is shown.

[0041] The at least one first control valve 5 and the at least one second control valve 6 can be controlled via a control unit 7 such that a high-pressure fluid supplied via the high-pressure connection 43 of the valve housing 4 can be supplied to the working chamber 31 and can be discharged via a low-pressure connection 61 of the at least one second control valve 6 after driving the plunger 32.

[0042] The at least one plunger 32 is coupled to a generator 11 via the drive shaft 9, as previously explained.

[0043] The high-pressure plunger pump 2 is further characterized in that the control valves 5, 6 can be operated by the control unit 7 both as inlet valves and as outlet valves.

[0044] This enables the high-pressure plunger pump 2 to operate both for energy recovery and for the provision of a high-pressure fluid.

[0045] The control valves 5, 6 are preferably pneumatically controlled. Control of the control valves 5, 6 using an electric or hydraulic drive is also conceivable.

[0046] Equipping the high-pressure plunger pump 2 with control valves 5, 6 that can be controlled both as inlet valves and as outlet valves enables the use of a high-pressure plunger pump 2 for energy recovery.

[0047] Such energy recovery is known to date for turbines used in hydropower or pumped-storage power plants, for example, or for axial piston motors used in seawater reverse osmosis systems. These aforementioned applications typically operate at pressures of up to 100 bar.

[0048] Such pump systems cannot be used at higher pressures above 200 bar.

[0049] For improved control of the control valves 5, 6, the control unit 7 is preferably coupled to one or more sensors, each of which provides one or more operating parameters of the high-pressure plunger pump 2, in particular the rotational position of the drive shaft 9, a pressure of a fluid in the high-pressure line 41 and / or the low-pressure line 42.

[0050] In a preferred embodiment, the control unit 7 further comprises at least one data interface for acquiring external operating parameter data. Such external operating parameter data are data from a process setup upstream of the high-pressure plunger pump 2.

[0051] If the expansion of a pressurized fluid is necessary in such a process setup, the pressurized fluid can be supplied via the high-pressure connection 43 of the high-pressure plunger pump 2.

[0052] For this purpose, a sensor in the upstream process setup sends a signal to the control unit 7, which then opens the control valve 5 so that the high-pressure fluid passes through the high-pressure line 41 into the working chamber 31 of the plunger 32 and there pushes the plunger 32 from a compression position into an expansion position.

[0053] In conjunction with this, the first drive shaft, which is coupled to the generator 11, is moved in a rotational manner, so that the introduction of the high-pressure fluid into the working chamber 31 of the plunger arrangement 3 causes power generation and thus energy recovery in the generator.

[0054] By arranging a sensor, for example, on the first drive shaft, the control of the individual control valves 5, 6 via the control unit 7 is further improved.

[0055] Thus, in a high-pressure plunger pump 2 with a plurality of plunger arrangements 3, by detecting the respective rotational position of the drive shaft 9, it can be determined which of the first control valves 5 is opened first after triggering an energy recovery signal in order to apply pressure to precisely one of the plungers 32 of the arrangement of a plurality of plunger arrangements 3 which is in a drive position corresponding to the optimal compression position during pumping operation.

[0056] Two applications for the use of such a high-pressure plunger pump 2 are explained below.

[0057] In a first use of the high-pressure plunger pump 2 for pressure control in a hydraulic process setup, the high-pressure plunger pump is coupled to the process setup in such a way that in pumping operation, i.e. in classic use of the high-pressure plunger pump 2, the high-pressure plunger pump 2 supplies the process setup with a fluid at a predetermined high pressure.

[0058] This is done by driving the plunger 32 by the generator 11, which can also be operated as a motor, and an energy source driving it.

[0059] A low-pressure fluid is sucked into the working chamber 31 of the plunger arrangement 3 by moving the plunger 32 from a compression position to an expansion position via the low-pressure connection 61 of the second control valve 6, which in this case functions as an inlet, and is compressed back into the displacement position when the plunger 32 is subsequently driven by the external motor 10 and is passed on to the process structure via the high-pressure line 41 and the high-pressure connection 43, into which the high-pressure line 41 opens.

[0060] In this manner known per se, the sequence of opening and closing of the control valves 5, 6 takes place, wherein in pumping operation the first control valves are switched as outlet valves and the control valves 6 as inlet valves.

[0061] If pressure has to be released from the hydraulic process setup, the control valves 5, 6 of the high-pressure plunger pump 2 are switched to an energy recovery mode in which the high-pressure plunger pump 2 acts as a motor.

[0062] In this motor operation of the high-pressure plunger pump 2, the high-pressure fluid with the predetermined high pressure is fed into the working chamber 31 of the plunger arrangement 3 via the high-pressure connection 43 and the high-pressure line 41 with the first control valve 5 open.

[0063] This causes the plunger 32 to be driven, and this drive movement is transmitted to the first drive shaft 9, which in turn causes current to be generated in the generator 11 through its coupling with the generator 11.

[0064] In a second use of the high-pressure plunger pump 2, it serves as a relief valve, in particular as a pressure relief valve.

[0065] Here, the functionality of the high-pressure plunger pump 2 as a classic pump is omitted.

[0066] The high-pressure plunger pump 2 is inserted here as a relief valve in an upstream process structure, so that a high pressure to be discharged is guided into the high-pressure plunger pump 2 in the manner previously described as motor operation of the high-pressure plunger pump 2, which causes energy recovery by generating electricity in the generator 11 via the plunger(s) 32 and the drive shaft 9.

[0067] In addition to the input parameters for controlling the control unit 7 already described above, it is also conceivable to record the system pressure of the upstream process or the inlet pressure of the fluid upon entry into the upstream process as control parameters.

[0068] It is also conceivable to record the speed of the drive shaft 9, the volume flow of the fluid in the high-pressure line 41 or the low-pressure line 42.

[0069] The Figures 4 and 5 The further embodiment variant of a high-pressure plunger pump according to the invention shown has, in addition to the first plunger arrangement 3, a second plunger arrangement 300 with a working chamber 310 and at least one plunger 320 arranged to be axially movable back and forth in the working chamber 310.

[0070] Here, too, preference is given to Figures 4 and 5 shown, several, in particular five plungers 320 are provided.

[0071] Je Plunger is here, as in Figure 5 shown, a pressure valve 500 and a suction valve 600 are provided, which are connected to a valve housing 400 with a high pressure line 410 and a low pressure line 420.

[0072] The high pressure line 410 is closably connected to the working chamber 310 by the pressure valve 500 and the low pressure line 420 is closably connected to the working chamber 310 by the suction valve 600.

[0073] The at least one plunger 320 is coupled to a third drive shaft 9 via a second drive shaft, wherein the third drive shaft 9 is also coupled to the first drive shaft.

[0074] The third drive shaft 9 is preferably designed as a pinion shaft. The first and second drive shafts are preferably designed as crankshafts.

[0075] In addition to the Figures 4 and 5 In addition to the parallel arrangement of the first plunger arrangement 3 to the second plunger arrangement 300 shown, a series arrangement of the plunger arrangements 3, 300 is also conceivable.

[0076] The second plunger arrangement 300 and the associated valves serve exclusively to increase the pressure of a working fluid, so that this area of the high-pressure plunger pump works as a pump, with the high-pressure working fluid being pumped to a Figure 4 The working fluid is introduced into the high-pressure plunger pump via a low-pressure connection 700.

[0077] The energy required for the operation of this area is provided partially or even completely via the coupling of the three drive shafts through the other area of the high-pressure plunger pump with the first plunger arrangement and the control valves associated with it. List of reference symbols

[0078] 1Energy recovery arrangement 2High-pressure plunger pump 3Plunger arrangement 31Working space 32Plunger 4Valve housing 41High-pressure line 42Low-pressure line 43High-pressure connection 5First control valve 6Second control valve 61Inlet / Outlet 7Control unit 8Plunger housing 9Third drive shaft 11Generator / motor 12Clutch 13Frame 300Plunger arrangement 310Working space 320Plunger 400Valve housing 410High-pressure line 420Low-pressure line 430High-pressure connection 500Pressure valve 600Suction valve 700Low pressure connection

Claims

1. High pressure plunger pump (2), comprising - at least one plunger arrangement (3) with a working chamber (31) and a plunger (32) arranged to move axially back and forth in the working chamber (31), - at least one first control valve (5) and at least one second control valve (6), which are connected to a valve housing (4) with at least one high-pressure line (41) and at least one low-pressure line (42), - wherein the high-pressure line (41) is connected to the working chamber (31) in a sealable manner by the first control valve (5) and the low-pressure line (42) is connected to the working chamber (31) in a sealable manner by the second control valve (6), - wherein the valve housing (4) has a high-pressure connection (43) that opens into the high-pressure line (41), - wherein the at least one first control valve (5) and the at least one second control valve (6) can be actuated via a control unit (7) in such a way that a fluid, which is supplied via the high-pressure connection (43) of the valve housing (4) and is under high pressure, can be supplied to the working chamber (31) when the first control valve (5) is open and can be discharged via a low-pressure connection (61) of the at least one second control valve (6) after the plunger (32) has been driven, - wherein the at least one plunger (32) is coupled to a generator (11) via a first driveshaft, - a second plunger arrangement (300) with a working chamber (310) and a plunger (320) arranged to move axially back and forth in the working chamber (310), characterized by - at least one pressure valve (500) and at least one suction valve (600), which are connected to a valve housing (400) with at least one high-pressure line (410) and at least one low-pressure line (420), - wherein the high-pressure line (410) is connected to the working chamber (310) in a sealable manner by the pressure valve (500) and the low-pressure line (420) is connected to the working chamber (310) in a sealable manner by the suction valve (600), - wherein the at least one plunger (320) is coupled to a third driveshaft (9) via a second driveshaft, - wherein the third driveshaft (9) is also coupled to the first driveshaft.

2. High-pressure plunger pump (2) according to claim 1, characterized in that at least three, preferably five, plunger arrangements (3) are provided, each with one plunger (32), wherein each of the plungers is assigned a first control valve (5) and a second control valve (6).

3. High-pressure plunger pump according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the control valves (5, 6) can be operated in a regulatable manner by the control unit (7) both as an inlet valve and as an outlet valve.

4. High-pressure plunger pump according to claim 3, characterized in that the generator (11) can also be operated as a motor.

5. High-pressure plunger pump according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the control valves (5, 6) can be actuated pneumatically, electrically or hydraulically.

6. High-pressure plunger pump according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the control unit (7) is coupled to one or more sensors, each of which provides one or more operating parameter data of the high-pressure plunger pump, in particular the rotational position of the first driveshaft, a pressure of a fluid in the high-pressure line (41) and / or the low-pressure line (42).

7. High-pressure plunger pump according to claim 6, characterized in that the control unit (7) has at least one data interface for recording external operating parameter data, in particular of a process assembly upstream of the high-pressure plunger pump.

8. Use of a high-pressure plunger pump for pressure regulation in a hydraulic process assembly, characterized in that the high-pressure plunger pump is designed according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the high-pressure plunger pump is coupled to the process assembly in such a way that - in pumping operation, the high-pressure plunger pump supplies a fluid at a predetermined high pressure to the process assembly, wherein the control valves (5, 6) are controlled via the control unit (7) such that the at least one plunger (32) is driven by a motor-driven driveshaft, and - in motor operation of the high-pressure plunger pump, the fluid is supplied at the predetermined high pressure via the high-pressure line (41) and the control valves (5, 6) are controlled via the control unit (7) in such a way that the driveshaft (9) is driven by the at least one plunger (32), wherein the driveshaft is coupled to a generator (11) to generate electricity.

9. Use of a high-pressure plunger pump for pressure control in a hydraulic process assembly, characterized in that the high-pressure plunger pump is designed according to one of the preceding claims 1 to 8, wherein the high-pressure plunger pump is coupled to the process assembly in such a way that - the fluid is supplied to the high-pressure plunger pump at a high pressure predetermined by the hydraulic process structure via the high-pressure line (41) and the control valves (5, 6) are controlled via the control unit (7) in such a way that the driveshaft (9) is driven by the at least one plunger (32), wherein the driveshaft is coupled to a generator (11) to generate electricity.