Reciprocating Pump Skid Structure for Vibration and Bending Loads
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional reciprocating pump power end housings are prone to damage from excessive vibrations, bending moments, and deformation due to their weight and complex assembly requirements, making them difficult to manufacture and assemble effectively.
Innovation Solution
A power end frame assembly with a skid design featuring end plates, middle plates, and gussets that form a C-shaped channel, allowing for easier assembly and increased structural rigidity, along with a method of mounting the pump assembly to a support skid that includes machining pads to accommodate bending and secure the feet of the assembly for alignment and stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If conventional power end housings are used, then the pump can deliver fluid at high pressures, but the housing is susceptible to damage from excessive vibrations, bending moments and deformation due to its weight
Solution Approach 1:
The power end housing is divided into multiple segments including a first power end segment, a second power end segment, and intermediate segments. These segments are connected together to form the complete housing, allowing the structure to maintain strength while reducing overall weight and improving accessibility for assembly and maintenance.
2Reliability
If conventional power end housings are used, then the pump can operate under extreme conditions, but the housing is difficult to manufacture and assemble due to sheer weight and precise alignment requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is segmented into multiple sections that can be manufactured separately and then assembled together. This segmentation reduces the complexity of manufacturing each individual component and simplifies the assembly process by allowing components to be prepared independently before final assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The segmented design provides additional dimensional freedom in the assembly process, allowing components to be positioned and aligned more easily during assembly. The segmentation creates multiple assembly interfaces that can be aligned incrementally rather than requiring precise alignment of a single large component.
3Strength
If conventional power end housings are used, then the pump can maintain structural integrity, but assembly is cumbersome due to difficulty in accessing certain areas such as crankshaft bearings
Solution Approach 1:
The power end housing is divided into segments that can be separated to provide access to internal components such as crankshaft bearings. This segmentation allows maintenance personnel to access previously difficult-to-reach areas without compromising the structural integrity of the complete assembly when properly configured.
Data Source
AI summary
A skid for supporting a reciprocating pump assembly, the reciprocating pump assembly including a power end frame assembly having a pair of end plate segments and a plurality of middle plate segments disposed between the end plate segments. The end plate segments each have at least a pair of feet and the middle plate segments each having at least one foot. The skid includes a base and a plurality of pads extending from the base. At least a portion of the plurality of pads correspond to the end plate segment feet and at least another portion of the plurality of pads correspond to the at least one foot of each middle plate segment.