Liquid-Cooled Fracturing Fluid Blender Motor Heat Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing oilfield pump assemblies face challenges with heat management due to inefficiencies, leading to large, heavy, and noisy air-cooled radiators that are cumbersome and less effective in offshore applications, where space and weight are critical, and are limited by extreme temperatures and altitudes.
Innovation Solution
A system utilizing a liquid-cooled heat exchanger integrated with the pump assembly, where the process fluid itself acts as the primary heat sink, circulating through heat exchangers to cool the equipment and transfer heat away from motors and pumps, thereby reducing the need for bulky air-cooled radiators.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If air-cooled radiators are used to remove heat from pump assemblies, then heat dissipation is achieved, but the equipment becomes large, heavy, and noisy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the cooling function with the existing process fluid circulation system by integrating heat exchangers into the pump assembly. The process fluid that already circulates through the wellbore is used as the cooling medium, merging the thermal management function with the primary fluid delivery system, thereby eliminating the need for separate air-cooled radiators and reducing equipment weight.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces liquid coolant as an intermediary substance to transfer heat from the motor and pump assembly to the process fluid. The coolant circulates through heat exchangers, absorbing heat from the equipment and transferring it to the process fluid, which then carries the thermal energy away through the wellbore, effectively mediating the heat transfer process without requiring bulky air cooling equipment.
2Temperature
If air-cooled radiators are used to remove heat from pump assemblies, then heat dissipation is achieved, but the equipment footprint increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling function is merged with the existing process fluid circulation infrastructure. Heat exchangers are integrated directly into the pump assembly, allowing the process fluid to serve dual purposes: delivering fracturing fluid to the wellbore and removing heat from the equipment. This integration eliminates the need for separate air-cooled radiator units, significantly reducing the equipment footprint.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a liquid-based cooling system using process fluid circulation instead of air-based cooling. By utilizing the hydraulic system already present in the fracturing operation, the patent replaces bulky air-cooled radiators with compact liquid-to-liquid heat exchangers that can be integrated into the existing hydraulic infrastructure, thereby reducing the required equipment area.
3Temperature
If air-cooled radiators are used to remove heat from pump assemblies, then heat dissipation is achieved, but additional moving parts are introduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the cooling function from the mechanical moving parts system and transfers it to the fluid circulation system. By removing the need for air-cooled radiators with their associated fans, belts, and moving components, and replacing them with stationary heat exchangers that utilize the existing process fluid flow, the patent eliminates additional moving parts while maintaining effective heat dissipation.
Solution Approach 2:
The process fluid circulation system serves itself by simultaneously performing its primary function of delivering fracturing fluid to the wellbore and its secondary function of removing heat from the pump assembly. The existing fluid flow through the wellbore creates natural convection currents that facilitate heat transfer, and the system utilizes its own operational fluid to provide cooling, eliminating the need for separate cooling mechanisms with moving parts.
4Temperature
If air-cooled radiators are used to remove heat from pump assemblies, then heat dissipation is achieved, but efficacy is limited by extreme temperatures and altitudes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the cooling medium from air to liquid process fluid, fundamentally altering the thermal transfer parameters. Liquid cooling provides superior heat transfer coefficients compared to air cooling, enabling effective heat dissipation in extreme temperature conditions and high-altitude environments where air density and cooling efficiency are reduced. This parameter change makes the system adaptable to a broader range of environmental conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses the process fluid as an intermediary that is already present in the system and designed to withstand the operational temperature and pressure conditions of the wellbore environment. This intermediary fluid can effectively absorb and transport heat under extreme conditions where air cooling would be ineffective, thereby enhancing the system's environmental adaptability and versatility across different operating conditions.
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
This solution enables more efficient and compact heat management, improving portability and performance in challenging environments by using the process fluid to cool the equipment, reducing the size and weight of cooling systems and enhancing operational efficiency in harsh conditions.
Implementation Method 1
The motor is cooled by a circulating fluid and the circulating fluid transfers heat from the motor to circulating fluid
Implementation Method 2
The rotating apparatus is configured to receive process fluid from the process fluid source and mix the process fluid received from the process fluid source with one or more additives to produce a wellbore fluid
Data Source
AI summary
A system for producing a wellbore fluid including a process fluid source, a rotating apparatus, and a motor directly coupled to the rotating apparatus. The motor is configured to receive a coolant and transfer heat from the motor to the coolant. The rotating apparatus is configured to receive process fluid from the process fluid source and mix the process fluid received from the process fluid source with one or more additives to produce a wellbore fluid. The coolant transfers heat to the process fluid, the wellbore fluid or both.