Bearing/gearing section for a PDM rotor/stator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10450800-B2
Application number	US-201214003299-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 8, 2012
Priority date	Mar 8, 2011
Publication date	Oct 22, 2019
Grant date	Oct 22, 2019

Abstract

A moving or progressive cavity motor or pump is disclosed, the motor including a rotor and a stator, the stator having one or more inserts or gearing sections to limit a lateral movement of the rotor relative to the stator. In some embodiments, the motor or pump may include a rotor and a stator, the stator including: a first, helicoidal, section comprising a compliant material having a first compressibility; a second section, helicoidal, non-helicoidal, or combination thereof, having a second compressibility, wherein the second compressibility is less than the first compressibility.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A moving or progressive cavity motor or pump comprising:
a rotor deployed in a stator, the rotor having an outer helicoidal surface; and
the stator comprising:
an outer cylindrical housing;
a helicoidal section deployed in the outer cylindrical housing, the helicoidal section having a solid rubber profile and a helicoidal inner surface, the helicoidal section configured to receive the rotor; and
at least one ring-shaped insert deployed in the outer cylindrical housing, the at least one ring-shaped insert having a corresponding helicoidal inner surface, the at least one ring-shaped insert having a compressibility that is less than a compressibility of the helicoidal section, the at least one ring-shaped insert configured to constrain lateral movement of the rotor with respect to the stator;
wherein the at least one ring-shaped insert has an axial length in a range from about 2 to about 50 millimeters and the stator has an overall axial length in a range from about 1 to about 10 meters.

2. The motor or pump of claim 1 , wherein the at least one ring-shaped insert is sized and shaped to constrain the lateral movement of the rotor relative to the stator to a range of less than 100 microns.

3. The motor or pump of claim 1 , wherein the at least one ring-shaped insert is fabricated from a metal.

4. The motor or pump of claim 1 , wherein the helicoidal inner surface of the helicoidal section and the corresponding helicoidal inner surfaces of the at least one ring-shaped insert form a continuous internal helicoidal profile.

5. The motor or pump of claim 1 , wherein the at least one ring-shaped insert is a single insert deployed at an inlet end or an outlet end of the stator.

6. The motor or pump of claim 1 , wherein the at least one ring-shaped insert comprises first and second inserts deployed at axially opposing ends of the stator.

7. The motor or pump of claim 1 , wherein the at least one ring-shaped insert comprises first, second, and third inserts, the first and second inserts being deployed at axially opposing ends of the stator and the third insert deployed in a middle section of the stator.

8. The motor or pump of claim 1 , wherein the at least one ring-shaped insert comprises a plurality of axial flow channels formed in the corresponding inner helicoidal surfaces thereof.

9. The motor or pump of claim 1 , wherein the at least one ring-shaped insert is deployed proximate to an end of the rotor that is configured for coupling with a transmission or drive shaft.

10. A moving or progressive cavity motor or pump comprising:
a rotor deployed in a stator, the rotor having an outer helicoidal surface; and
the stator comprising:
an outer cylindrical housing;
first and second helicoidal sections deployed in the outer cylindrical housing, the helicoidal sections having a solid rubber profile and a helicoidal inner surface, the helicoidal sections configured to receive the rotor; and
first, second, and third axially spaced, ring-shaped inserts deployed in the outer cylindrical housing, each of the first, second, and third ring-shaped inserts having a corresponding helicoidal inner surface, the first and second ring-shaped inserts deployed axially about the first helicoidal section and the second and third ring-shaped inserts deployed axially about the second helicoidal section, all of the first, second, and third ring-shaped inserts having a compressibility that is less than a compressibility of the helicoidal section and being configured to constrain lateral movement of the rotor with respect to the stator.

11. The motor or pump of claim 10 , wherein each of the ring-shaped inserts is sized and shaped to constrain the lateral movement of the rotor relative to the stator to a range of less than 100 microns.

12. The motor or pump of claim 10 , wherein each of the ring-shaped inserts has an axial length in a range from about 2 to about 50 millimeters and the stator has an overall axial length in a range from about 1 to about 10 meters.

13. The motor or pump of claim 10 , wherein each of the ring-shaped inserts is fabricated from a metal.

14. The motor or pump of claim 10 , wherein each of the helicoidal inner surfaces of the first and second helicoidal sections and the corresponding helicoidal inner surfaces of the first, second, and third ring-shaped inserts form a continuous internal helicoidal profile.

15. The motor or pump of claim 10 , wherein each of the helicoidal inner surfaces of the first, second, and third ring-shaped inserts is reduced with respect to the helicoidal inner surfaces of the first and second helicoidal sections.

16. The motor or pump of claim 10 , wherein each of the ring-shaped inserts comprises a plurality of corresponding axial flow channels formed in the corresponding inner helicoidal surfaces thereof.

17. The motor or pump of claim 10 , wherein the first ring-shaped insert is deployed proximate to an end of the rotor that is configured for coupling with a transmission or drive shaft.

18. A moving or progressive cavity motor or pump comprising:
a rotor deployed in a stator, the rotor having an outer helicoidal surface; and
the stator comprising:
an outer cylindrical housing;
a helicoidal section deployed in the outer cylindrical housing, the helicoidal section having a solid rubber profile and a helicoidal inner surface, the helicoidal section configured to receive the rotor; and
at least one ring-shaped insert deployed in the outer cylindrical housing, the at least one ring-shaped insert having a corresponding helicoidal inner surface, the at least one ring-shaped insert having a compressibility that is less than a compressibility of the helicoidal section, the at least one ring-shaped insert configured to constrain lateral movement of the rotor with respect to the stator;
wherein the helicoidal inner surface of the at least one ring-shaped insert has a reduced helicoidal profile with respect to the helicoidal inner surface of the helicoidal section.

19. The motor or pump of claim 18 , wherein the at least one ring-shaped insert is fabricated from a metal.

20. The motor or pump of claim 18 , wherein the at least one ring-shaped insert is deployed proximate to an end of the rotor that is configured for coupling with a transmission or drive shaft.

Assignees

• Clouzeau Francois
• Pushkarev Maxim
• Underwood Lance D
• Mansour Bassam
• Schlumberger Technology Corp

Inventors

• Clouzeau Francois
• Pushkarev Maxim
• Underwood Lance D
• Mansour Bassam

Classifications

• F04C2/1075

  Construction of the stationary member · CPC title

• E21B4/02 Primary

  Fluid rotary type drives · CPC title

• F04C13/008

  Pumps for submersible use, i.e. down-hole pumping · CPC title

• F01C1/107

  with helical teeth · CPC title

• F03C2/08

  of intermeshing-engagement type, i.e. with engagement of co- operating members similar to that of toothed gearing · CPC title