Pressure Exchanger Rotor Chamber Segmentation for Pump Wear Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
High-pressure pumps used in oil and gas operations face reduced functional life and increased maintenance due to the use of dirty, abrasive fluids like fracturing fluids, which contain insoluble solid particles, leading to wear and tear on pump components.
Innovation Solution
A pressure exchanger system that utilizes a rotor with chambers of varying diameters and piston assemblies to transfer pressure from a clean, high-pressure fluid to a dirty, low-pressure fluid, effectively pressurizing the dirty fluid without directly pumping it, thus reducing the abrasive fluid's impact on the pumps.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If high-pressure pumps are used to pump dirty fluids containing solid particles, then the required fluid pressurization function is achieved, but the functional life of the pumps is reduced and maintenance frequency increases
Solution Approach 1:
The pump system is divided into two separate pumping paths: one for clean fluid and one for dirty fluid. The clean fluid pump only handles clean pressurizing fluid, while the dirty fluid pump handles the solids-containing fluid. This segmentation prevents solid particles from causing wear in the clean fluid pump, thereby extending its functional life while maintaining the required pressurization capability.
Solution Approach 2:
A fluid conditioner is introduced as an intermediary device between the dirty fluid source and the pump system. The conditioner removes or reduces solid particles from the dirty fluid before it enters the pump, acting as a mediator that protects the pump from abrasive wear while allowing the pump to maintain its pressurization function.
2Productivity
If high-pressure pumps directly pump dirty fluids, then the fluid injection function is achieved, but wear and tear on pump components increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the fluid handling into separate paths for clean and dirty fluids. The dirty fluid pump is specifically designed to handle abrasive fluids with solid particles, while the clean fluid pump handles only clean pressurizing fluid. This segmentation isolates the abrasive wear to only the dirty fluid pump, protecting the clean fluid pump from harmful wear while maintaining overall injection efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The fluid conditioner serves as an intermediary that treats the dirty fluid by removing or reducing solid particles before the fluid enters the pump system. This mediation reduces the abrasive harmful factors affecting the pump components while allowing the system to maintain its fluid injection productivity.
3Power
If clean fluid is pressurized to high pressure for pressure exchange, then the dirty fluid can be pressurized, but leakage between high-pressure and low-pressure sides occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical sealing systems with magnetic coupling technology. The magnetic drive system transfers rotational force from the motor to the pump impeller through magnetic fields without physical contact between the high-pressure and low-pressure sides. This substitution eliminates mechanical seals that are prone to leakage, thereby reducing energy loss from fluid leakage while maintaining pressure exchange capability.
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 extends the operational life of high-pressure pumps by isolating dirty fluids from the pumping mechanism and using clean fluids to pressurize them, minimizing wear and maintenance costs while maintaining efficient fluid injection into wellbores.
Implementation Method 1
transfer pressure from a clean, high-pressure fluid to a dirty, low-pressure fluid, effectively pressurizing the dirty fluid
Implementation Method 2
Pressure exchangers provide a way to exchange pressure energy between two fluid flows
Data Source
AI summary
Apparatus and methods for pressurizing well operations fluids via a pressure exchanger having a housing with a bore extending between first and second ends of the housing and a rotor rotatably disposed within the bore of the housing. A chamber extends through the rotor between first and second ends of the rotor. The chamber has a larger chamber diameter section and a smaller chamber diameter section. A piston assembly is slidably disposed within the chamber. The piston assembly has a larger piston diameter section slidably disposed within the larger chamber diameter section and a smaller piston diameter section slidably disposed within the smaller chamber diameter section.