Co-axial Inverted Piston Actuator Pumping System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional fracking pumps experience flow ripple due to variations in flow rate, leading to increased component failure rates and high wear on valves, as they require many strokes per unit time to achieve a desired flow rate, limiting stroke distance and durability.
Innovation Solution
A pumping system utilizing electric linear actuators with multiple motors and a controller to coordinate the flow rate of multiple pumping units, ensuring a substantially constant total flow rate through alternating phases, reducing wear on valves and allowing for longer stroke distances.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional reciprocating pumps use crankshaft and connecting rod mechanism with multiple pistons to achieve desired flow rate, then the flow rate can be smoothed out, but flow ripple still occurs causing pressure pulses that increase component failure rates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the conventional crankshaft and connecting rod mechanism with a linear actuator system that directly converts rotational motion to linear reciprocating motion of the piston. This substitution eliminates the mechanical complexity and flow ripple associated with traditional mechanisms, thereby improving component reliability while maintaining productivity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses multiple linear actuators with offset pulses to dynamically balance the flow rate. By coordinating the reciprocating motion of multiple pistons with different phase angles, the system maintains a substantially constant total flow rate, reducing pressure pulses and component failure rates
2Productivity
If conventional pumps use a large number of pistons with offset pulses to smooth out flow rate, then total flow rate can be maintained, but valve wear increases due to many strokes per unit time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent dynamically coordinates multiple linear actuators to operate with offset pulses, where each actuator-piston-valve set operates at a different phase. This dynamic phasing allows fewer strokes per unit time while maintaining constant flow rate, significantly reducing valve wear and improving durability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs periodic reciprocating motion of pistons driven by linear actuators, where each piston completes its stroke cycle at a different time. This periodic action with offset timing distributes the mechanical stress and valve operations over time, reducing cumulative wear while maintaining continuous flow
3Productivity
If conventional pumps require many strokes per unit time to achieve desired flow rate, then flow rate can be maintained, but stroke distance is limited and wear on valves increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses dynamically coordinated linear actuators to extend the effective stroke distance of each piston. By overlapping the reciprocating cycles of multiple pistons with different phase angles, the system achieves longer individual stroke distances while maintaining continuous flow rate through coordinated operation
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system achieves a constant flow rate, reducing component failure rates and improving valve durability by distributing the flow rate evenly across multiple units, enabling operation with one unit offline for simplified maintenance.
Implementation Method 1
The linear actuator is configured to rotate a nut about the axis, in response to power provided to at least one motor and to translate the hollow threaded shaft along the axis, in response to rotation of the nut
Implementation Method 2
in response to power provided to at least one motor
Implementation Method 3
The linear actuator may include the nut, a ring gear fixed to the nut, and a plurality of pinion gears, each pinion gear meshing with the ring gear and fixed to a rotor of a respective one of the plurality of plurality of motors
Data Source
AI summary
A pumping system for fracking fluid is designed to provide nearly constant flow rate. The pumping system includes a set of linear actuator pumping units, each driven by at least one electric motor. Each pumping unit includes a hollow threaded shaft driven by the linear actuator, two hollow cylinders fixed to an interior of the hollow shaft, and hollow pistons in each of the hollow cylinders. The hollow cylinders and hollow pistons form two pumping chambers. A first pumping chamber expels fluid when the linear actuator is moving in a first direction and a second pumping chamber that expels fluid when the linear actuator is moving in an opposite direction. The speeds of the actuators are coordinated such that a total flow rate of the pumping system is substantially constant.