Single-Mass Flywheel Assembly for Pump Torsional Vibration Damping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Reciprocating pumps in fracturing operations generate high and low frequency torsional vibrations that cause damage and premature wear in driveline components, leading to shock loading and potential failure of driving equipment due to synchronization of natural sinusoidal waveforms and torsional resonance.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a single mass flywheel and/or torsional vibration dampener in the drive-train system to reduce or eliminate upstream shock loading and torsional resonance, with the flywheel connected between the gearbox or transmission and input shaft to absorb torque shocks and the damper connected to the flywheel or input shaft to dampen harmonic effects, without requiring electrical control but potentially using sensors for monitoring.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If reciprocating pumps operate at high pressure and high speed to increase productivity, then fluid pumping rate increases, but torsional vibration and shock loading increase causing driveline component damage
Solution Approach 1:
A vibration dampener assembly is introduced as an intermediary component between the reciprocating pump and the driveline components. The dampener includes a damping element with damping material that absorbs and dissipates torsional vibrations, protecting the driveline from harmful effects while allowing the pump to operate at high productivity levels
2Productivity
If reciprocating pumps are synchronized to operate in parallel on common discharge lines, then fluid pumping capacity increases, but pressure spikes and torsional distortion amplitude increase
Solution Approach 1:
The vibration dampener assembly serves as a mediator that decouples the synchronized pumps from the common driveline. By absorbing torsional vibrations and damping pressure fluctuations, it allows multiple pumps to operate in parallel without amplifying pressure spikes and torsional distortion
3Object-affected harmful factors
If traditional vibration dampening systems are used with multiple flywheels and complex controls, then torsional vibration is reduced, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and isolates the essential damping function from complex multi-flywheel systems. A single vibration dampener assembly with damping material is used instead of multiple flywheels and complex control systems, maintaining effective torsional vibration reduction while significantly simplifying the overall system
Solution Approach 2:
The damping element automatically absorbs and dissipates torsional vibrations through the inherent properties of the damping material. The system requires no external power source, sensors, or active control mechanisms - the dampener self-regulates based on the vibrational energy present in the driveline
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 solution effectively reduces or eliminates high frequency/low amplitude and low frequency/high amplitude torsional vibrations, extending the life of driving equipment by minimizing torque spikes and resonance, as demonstrated by the reduction in synthesis and torque spikes with the use of a torsional vibration dampener and single mass flywheel.
Implementation Method 1
a single mass flywheel and/or torsional vibration dampener in the drive-train system to reduce or eliminate upstream shock loading
Implementation Method 2
torsional vibration dampener connected to the flywheel or input shaft to dampen harmonic effects
Data Source
AI summary
A pump system may include a pump, a driveshaft, driving equipment, and a vibration dampening assembly configured to reduce pump-imposed high frequency/low amplitude and low frequency/high amplitude torsional vibrations. The pump may have an input shaft connected to the driveshaft. The driving equipment may include an output shaft having an output flange connected to the driveshaft. The driving equipment may be configured to rotate the driveshaft to rotate the input shaft of the pump therewith. The vibration dampening assembly may include one or more flywheels operably connected to the input shaft and configured to rotate therewith.