Centrifugal Pump Stage Geometry for Higher Pressure per Stage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional centrifugal pumps struggle to achieve high work output, leading to increased axial length, manufacturing costs, and potential points of failure due to the number of stages required to reach desired pressure and flow rates.
Innovation Solution
The centrifugal pump stage design includes extended impeller vane trailing edges and shortened diffuser vane leading edges, enhancing kinetic energy transfer and pressure conversion, allowing for fewer stages and reduced axial length while maintaining or increasing pressure output.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stress or pressure
If conventional centrifugal pump stages are used to achieve desired pressure output, then the number of stages must be increased, but this increases axial length, manufacturing costs, and points of failure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the geometric parameters of the impeller and diffuser components. Specifically, the impeller vanes are extended downstream and the diffuser vanes are extended upstream, creating an overlapping configuration that modifies the fluid flow path and energy transfer characteristics. This parameter change allows a single stage to achieve the pressure output that would otherwise require multiple conventional stages, thereby reducing the overall number of stages needed in the pump assembly
2Stress or pressure
If the number of pump stages is increased to achieve higher pressure output, then pressure output is improved, but axial length and manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
By modifying the geometric parameters of the impeller and diffuser vanes to create an overlapping configuration, the patent achieves higher pressure output per stage. This eliminates the need for additional axial length that would be required to accommodate multiple conventional stages, thus resolving the contradiction between pressure output and axial length
3Power
If conventional impeller and diffuser vane configurations are used, then manufacturing is simpler, but work output and pressure conversion efficiency are lower
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extends the impeller vanes downstream and the diffuser vanes upstream to create an overlapping configuration. This geometric modification optimizes the kinetic energy transfer from the impeller to the diffuser, significantly improving work output and pressure conversion efficiency. While the geometry is more complex, the manufacturing process remains relatively straightforward as it involves standard vane extension and overlapping techniques
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 design achieves a 5-15% increase in pressure output per stage, reduces the number of stages needed, decreases axial length, lowers manufacturing costs, and enhances reliability by minimizing points of failure.
Implementation Method 1
enhancing kinetic energy transfer and pressure conversion
Implementation Method 2
enhancing kinetic energy transfer and pressure conversion
Data Source
AI summary
An electric submersible pump (ESP) assembly. The ESP assembly comprises a centrifugal pump assembly comprising a plurality of pump stages, wherein each pump stage comprises a diffuser and an impeller, wherein the impeller comprises a plurality of impeller vanes, wherein each impeller vane comprises an impeller vane trailing edge that attaches to a shroud of the impeller at a location downstream of a location where the impeller vane trailing edge attaches to a hub of the impeller, and wherein the diffuser comprises a plurality of diffuser vanes, wherein each diffuser vane comprises a diffuser vane leading edge that attaches to a shroud of the diffuser at a location downstream of a location where the diffuser vane leading edge attaches to a hub of the diffuser.