Fracturing Pump Isolation Manifold for Hot Swapping Under Pressure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current fracking operations require depressurization of the fracturing manifold to remove or replace pumps, which is time-consuming and poses safety risks to personnel due to the high-pressure environment near the manifold, known as the 'red zone'.
Innovation Solution
A system that allows pumps to be connected and disconnected from the fracturing manifold without depressurizing it, using automated connection points with high and low pressure sides, actuable valves, and pressure sensors to ensure safe operation, enabling 'hot swapping' of pumps while maintaining system pressure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If pumps are removed or replaced by depressurizing the fracturing manifold, then personnel safety is improved, but operational time and productivity are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the pump replacement process into separate independent steps: closing isolation valves, depressurizing only the pump being replaced, removing the pump, and installing a new pump. This segmentation allows the fracturing manifold to remain pressurized and operational while individual pumps are serviced, thereby maintaining productivity while ensuring personnel safety.
Solution Approach 2:
Isolation valves are introduced as intermediary components between the fracturing manifold and individual pumps. These valves enable selective isolation of specific pumps from the pressurized manifold, allowing pump replacement without requiring depressurization of the entire system. This intermediary mechanism resolves the contradiction by enabling safe pump removal while maintaining system pressure and operational continuity.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the entire system is depressurized to remove a pump, then complete system safety is improved, but time-consuming pressure cycling occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies different pressure conditions to different parts of the system simultaneously. The fracturing manifold maintains high pressure for continuous operation, while only the specific pump being replaced is depressurized through isolation valves. This local quality approach eliminates the need for complete system pressure cycling, reducing time loss while maintaining safety.
Solution Approach 2:
The pressure management is segmented into system-level pressure (manifold remains pressurized) and component-level pressure (individual pump is depressurized). This segmentation allows selective depressurization of only the necessary component, avoiding the time-consuming cycle of pressurizing and depressurizing the entire system.
3Productivity
If pumps are hot swapped without depressurization, then operational continuity is improved, but connection safety becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
Isolation valves are closed preliminary to pump removal, creating a safe isolation barrier before any disconnection occurs. This preliminary action ensures that even during hot swapping operations, the pump being replaced is isolated from pressurized fluid, making connections safer while maintaining operational continuity of the rest of the system.
Data Source
AI summary
A system that permits fracturing pumps such as, for example, at least first and second fracturing pumps, each carried on a truck, to be connected to, and disconnected from, respective connection points on a fracturing manifold while fracturing fluid in the fracturing manifold is at pressure, in certain instances at or near fracturing pressure, and/or while other(s) of the fracturing pumps are being operated to pump fracturing fluid.