System for integrating valves and flow manifold into housing of pressure exchanger

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10473124-B2
Application number	US-201715494860-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 24, 2017
Priority date	Apr 25, 2016
Publication date	Nov 12, 2019
Grant date	Nov 12, 2019

Abstract

A system includes an isobaric pressure exchanger (IPX) configured to couple to a manifold. The IPX is also configured to exchange pressure within the IPX between a first fluid at a first pressure and a second fluid at a second pressure. The IPX also includes a housing and at least one manifold connector disposed within the housing that is configured to couple the IPX to the manifold.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system, comprising:
an isobaric pressure exchanger (IPX) configured to couple to a manifold and to exchange pressure within the IPX between a first liquid at a first pressure and a second liquid at a second pressure, wherein the IPX comprises:
a housing comprising an annular portion, a first end structure, and a second end structure, wherein the first and second end structures are coupled to opposite ends of the annular portion;
at least one manifold connector disposed within the first end structure or the second end structure and is configured to couple the IPX to the manifold, wherein the at least one manifold connector comprises a first end, a second end, a central portion between the first end and the second end, and wherein the first end comprises a first threaded portion, the second end comprises a second threaded portion, the first and second threaded portions are disposed outside of the housing, and the central portion is disposed within the housing; and
at least one high pressure shut-off valve disposed within the first end structure or the second end structure, wherein the at least one high pressure shut-off valve extends crosswise relative to a longitudinal axis of the IPX within the first end structure or the second end structure, and wherein the at least one high pressure shut-off valve extends across both a low pressure liquid passage and a high pressure liquid passage within the first end structure or the second end structure.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one manifold connector of the IPX comprises a first manifold connector disposed within the first end structure and a second manifold connector disposed within the second end structure.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the IPX comprises a rotor disposed within the annular portion between the first and second end structures.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one manifold connector extends crosswise relative to the longitudinal axis of the IPX within the first end structure or the second end structure.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one manifold connector is disposed within a high pressure port.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the high pressure port is coupled to the high pressure liquid passage within the IPX that extends along the longitudinal axis of the IPX, and the at least one manifold connector comprises an opening that is aligned within the high pressure liquid passage to enable the at least one manifold connector and the high pressure liquid passage to form an internal tee within the IPX.

7. The system of claim 5 , wherein the at least one manifold connector is configured to move axially within the high pressure port when coupled to the manifold.

8. The system of claim 1 , comprising a first port adapter coupled to the first threaded portion and a second port adapter coupled to the second threaded portion, and both the first and second threaded portions are configured to couple the at least one manifold connector to the manifold to reduce a force applied to the housing.

9. A system, comprising:
an isobaric pressure exchanger (IPX) configured to couple to a manifold and to exchange pressure within the IPX between a first liquid at a first pressure and a second liquid at a second pressure, wherein the IPX comprises:
a housing comprising an annular portion, a first end structure, and a second end structure, wherein the first and second end structures are coupled to opposite ends of the annular portion; and
at least one high pressure shut-off valve disposed within the first end structure or the second end structure, wherein the at least one high pressure shut-off valve extends crosswise relative to a longitudinal axis of the IPX within the first end structure or the second end structure, and wherein the at least one high pressure shut-off valve extends across both a low pressure liquid passage and a high pressure liquid passage within the first end structure or the second end structure.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the at least one high pressure shut-off valve of the IPX comprises a first high pressure shut-off valve disposed within the first end structure and a second high pressure shut-off valve disposed within the second end structure.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the IPX comprises a rotor disposed within the annular structure between the first and second end structures.

12. The system of claim 9 , wherein the high pressure shut-off valve abuts both a first valve seat disposed within the low pressure liquid passage and a second valve seat disposed within the high pressure liquid passage.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the at least one high pressure shut-off valve comprises a first port aligned with the low pressure liquid passage and a second port aligned with the high pressure liquid passage, and wherein when the at least one high pressure shut-off valve is in a first position liquid is blocked from flowing through the first and second ports from the low pressure liquid passage and the high pressure liquid passage, respectively, and when the at least one high pressure shut-off valve is in a second position liquid is allowed to flow through the first and second ports from the low pressure liquid passage and the high pressure liquid passage, respectively.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the at least one high pressure shut-off valve is configured to rotate a quarter turn and comprises two plugs.

15. A system, comprising:
an isobaric pressure exchanger (IPX) configured to couple to a manifold and to exchange pressure within the IPX between a first liquid at a first pressure and a second liquid at a second pressure, wherein the IPX comprises:
a housing comprising an annular portion, a first end structure, and a second end structure, wherein the first and second end structures are coupled to opposite ends of the annular structure;
a first manifold connector disposed within the first end structure;
a second manifold connector disposed within the second end structure, wherein the first and second manifold connectors are configured to couple the IPX to the manifold;
a first high pressure shut-off valve disposed within the first end structure; and
a second high pressure shut-off valve disposed within the second end structure, wherein the first and second high pressure shut-off valves are configured to control a flow of high pressure liquid into and out of the IPX via the first and second manifold connectors, and wherein the first high pressure shut-off valve extends crosswise relative to a longitudinal axis of the IPX within the first end structure, the second high pressure shut-off valve extends crosswise relative to the longitudinal axis of the IPX within the second end structure, the first high pressure shut-off valve extends across both a first low pressure liquid passage and a first high pressure liquid passage within the first end structure, and the second high pressure shut-off valve extends across both a second low pressure liquid passage and a second high pressure liquid passage within the second end structure;
wherein the first manifold connector or the second manifold connector comprises a first end, a second end, a central portion between the first end and the second end, and wherein the first end comprises a first threaded portion, the second end comprises a second threaded portion, the first and second threaded portions are disposed outside of the housing, and the central portion is disposed within the housing.

Assignees

• Energy Recovery Inc

Inventors

• Theodossiou Alexander Patrick

Classifications

• F04F13/00 Primary

  Pressure exchangers · CPC title

• F15B3/00 Primary

  Intensifiers or fluid-pressure converters, e.g. pressure exchangers; Conveying pressure from one fluid system to another, without contact between the fluids {(fluid-driven pumps F04B9/08)} · CPC title

• E21B43/126

  Adaptations of down-hole pump systems powered by drives outside the borehole, e.g. by a rotary or oscillating drive (powered by fluid E21B43/129) · CPC title

• E21B43/2607

  Surface equipment specially adapted for fracturing operations · CPC title