Pressure Exchange Piston Sensing for Abrasive Fluid Isolation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Industrial processes involving hydraulic systems with caustic, abrasive, or acidic fluids lead to increased wear on components, necessitating frequent maintenance and replacement, which is costly and disrupts operations.
Innovation Solution
A device with a coil and annularly arranged magnets on a piston within a chamber, along with a pressure exchange system, is used to separate and transfer pressure between clean and dirty fluids, minimizing component wear by isolating high-pressure clean fluid from abrasive dirty fluid.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stress or pressure
If high-pressure pumps are used to increase the pressure of fracking fluid, then the pressure of the fluid is increased, but the proppant in the fracking fluid increases wear and maintenance on the pumps
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the fluid handling into two separate paths: a clean fluid path for pressurization and a dirty fluid path for proppant transport. The pressure exchanger separates these functions, allowing the pump to only handle clean fluid while still achieving the goal of pressurizing the proppant-laden fluid.
Solution Approach 2:
A clean pressurization fluid acts as an intermediary to transfer pressure to the dirty fracking fluid containing proppant. This intermediary fluid absorbs the wear that would otherwise affect the pump, protecting the pump components while still enabling high-pressure operation.
2Ease of operation
If pumps and valves are used to control fluid flow, then fluid flow is controlled, but component wear increases leading to frequent maintenance and replacement
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the proppant-containing dirty fluid from the pump system entirely. By using a pressure exchanger, the dirty fluid never contacts the pump components, eliminating wear on pumps and valves while maintaining full fluid flow control capability through the clean fluid path.
Solution Approach 2:
The clean fluid serves a dual function: it acts as both the working fluid for pressure control and as a protective barrier that prevents contamination and wear. The system uses the clean fluid's properties to protect the equipment from the harmful effects of the dirty fluid.
3Reliability
If worn pumps are rebuilt or replaced, then the wear issue is addressed, but operation downtime increases and productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system preemptively prevents wear by separating the dirty proppant fluid from the pump components before wear can occur. The pressure exchanger is configured to maintain this separation throughout operation, eliminating the need for rebuilds or replacements and maintaining continuous productivity.
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 effectively transfers pressure while protecting moving components, reducing maintenance needs and downtime, and optimizing fluid properties for hydraulic fracturing operations.
Implementation Method 1
The at least one coil may be configured to produce a signal based on a proximity of the one or more magnets
Data Source
AI summary
Devices, systems, and methods for detecting properties of motion of at least one component of fluid exchange devices, such as, for example, a pressure exchange device or system.