Reciprocating pump systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12044253-B2
Application number	US-201816760822-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 30, 2018
Priority date	Nov 1, 2017
Publication date	Jul 23, 2024
Grant date	Jul 23, 2024

Abstract

A reciprocating pump system includes a reciprocating pump including a fluid end configured to receive a suction fluid flow and discharge a discharge fluid flow, and a suction booster assembly coupled to the fluid end, the suction booster assembly including a venturi including a venturi passage, and a jet configured to jet a fluid received from the discharge of the fluid end into the venturi passage, wherein the suction booster assembly is configured such that the jet of the suction booster assembly jetting the fluid into the venturi passage increases the pressure of the suction fluid flow.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A reciprocating pump system, comprising:
a reciprocating pump including a fluid end configured to receive a suction fluid flow and discharge a discharge fluid flow; and
a suction booster assembly coupled to the fluid end, the suction booster assembly comprising:
a venturi including a venturi passage;
a jet configured to jet a fluid received from the discharge of the fluid end into the venturi passage;
a backflow line configured to divert the fluid received from the discharge fluid flow to the jet of the suction booster assembly, wherein the backflow line includes a filter coupled to the backflow line and configured to filter debris from the fluid provided to the jet;
a bypass line including a first end coupled to the backflow line at a first location that is upstream of a first valve of the backflow line, and a second end coupled to the backflow line at a second location that is between the filter and a second valve of the backflow line; and
a drain line including a first end coupled to the backflow line at a third location that is between the first valve of the backflow line and the filter;
wherein the bypass line is configured to backflush the filter in response to closing the first valve and the second valve of the backflow line;
wherein the suction booster assembly is configured such that the jet of the suction booster assembly jetting the fluid received from the discharge of the fluid end into the venturi passage increases a pressure of the suction fluid flow.

2. The reciprocating pump system of claim 1 , wherein the suction booster assembly comprises an inlet adapter coupled to the venturi, wherein the inlet adapter comprises a central passage and an angled passage spaced from the central passage that receives the jet.

3. The reciprocating pump system of claim 2 , wherein the jet of the suction booster assembly includes a nozzle extending along a jet axis.

4. The reciprocating pump system of claim 2 , wherein the suction booster assembly comprises:
a plurality of jets configured to jet the fluid received from the discharge of the fluid end into the venturi passage; and
wherein the inlet adapter comprises a plurality of angled passages circumferentially spaced about the central passage of the inlet adapter.

5. The reciprocating pump system of claim 4 , wherein the inlet adapter of the suction booster assembly has an outer surface comprising an annular channel that is in fluid communication with the plurality of angled passages.

6. The reciprocating pump system of claim 1 , further comprising a pulsation dampener coupled to the fluid end of the reciprocating pump and the suction booster assembly, wherein the pulsation dampener is configured to dampen pulsations in pressure or flowrate of the suction fluid flow received by the fluid end.

7. The reciprocating pump system of claim 1 , wherein the jet comprises a cylindrical body within which a cylindrical passage is located, and wherein the cylindrical body has a central axis coaxial with a jet axis of the jet.

8. The reciprocating pump system of claim 7 , wherein the cylindrical passage extends entirely across an inner diameter of the cylindrical body.

9. The reciprocating pump system of claim 1 , wherein
the venturi passage of the suction booster assembly is defined by an inner surface of the venturi, wherein the inner surface comprises a converging section, a throat, and a diverging section; and
the diverging section tapers in inner diameter by a taper angle that is less than an inclined angle of a jet axis of the jet, wherein the taper angle and the inclined angle are relative to a central axis of the venturi passage.

10. The reciprocating pump system of claim 9 , wherein the inclined angle of the jet axis is equal to 10°.

11. A jet pump for increasing a suction pressure of a reciprocating pump, comprising:
a venturi including a venturi passage having a central axis;
an inlet adapter coupled to the venturi and comprising a central passage and an angled passage that receives a jet;
a backflow line configured to divert a portion of a discharge fluid flow discharged from the reciprocating pump to the jet, wherein the backflow line includes a filter coupled to the backflow line and configured to filter debris from the portion of the discharge fluid flow provided to the jet
a bypass line including a first end coupled to the backflow line at a first location that is upstream of a first valve of the backflow line, and a second end coupled to the backflow line at a second location that is between the filter and a second valve of the backflow line; and
a drain line including a first end couples to the backflow line at a third location that is between the first valve of the backflow line and the filter;
wherein the bypass line is configured to backflush the filter in response to closing the first valve and the second valve of the backflow line;
wherein the jet includes a nozzle extending along a jet axis disposed at an inclined angle relative to the central axis of the venturi passage, and wherein the jet defines the jet axis and a cylindrical passage extending through the jet, the jet axis extending centrally through the cylindrical passage;
wherein the venturi passage is defined by an inner surface of the venturi, wherein the inner surface comprises a converging section, a throat, and a diverging section and wherein the jet axis crosses the central axis of the venturi passage from a side view of the venturi passage within the diverging section of the inner surface of the venturi passage.

12. The jet pump of claim 11 , wherein the angled passage is radially spaced from the central passage of the inlet adapter.

13. The jet pump of claim 11 , further comprising:
a plurality of jets, each of the plurality of the jets includes a nozzle extending along a corresponding jet axis disposed at the inclined angle relative to the central axis of the venturi passage;
wherein the inlet adapter comprises a plurality of angled passages circumferentially spaced about the central passage of the inlet adapter.

14. The jet pump of claim 13 , wherein the inlet adapter has an outer surface comprising an annular channel that is in fluid communication with the plurality of angled passages.

15. The jet pump of claim 11 , wherein the jet axis intersects the central axis of the venturi passage at a location in the venturi passage that, in the side view of the venturi passage, is within the diverging section of the inner surface of the venturi passage.

16. The jet pump of claim 11 , wherein the inlet adapter comprises a radial port in fluid communication with the angled passage, and wherein the inlet adapter is configured to receive the portion of the discharge fluid flow discharged from the reciprocating pump.

17. The jet pump of claim 11 , wherein the jet comprises a cylindrical body within which the cylindrical passage is located, and wherein the cylindrical body has a central axis coaxial with the jet axis.

18. The jet pump of claim 17 , wherein the cylindrical passage extends entirely across an inner diameter of the cylindrical body.

19. A method for increasing a suction pressure of a reciprocating pump, comprising:
(a) diverting a portion of a discharge fluid flow from a discharge line coupled to the reciprocating pump through a backflow line that includes a filter configured to filter debris from the portion of the discharge fluid flow;
(b) flowing the diverted portion of the discharge fluid flow through a cylindrical passage defined by a jet, wherein a jet axis de

Assignees

• Nat Oilwell Varco Lp

Inventors

• Wu Samuel S

Classifications

• F04B47/00

  Pumps or pumping installations specially adapted for raising fluids from great depths, e.g. well pumps (by using positive or negative pressurised fluid medium acting directly on the liquid to be pumped F04F1/00) · CPC title

• F04B15/02

  the fluids being viscous or non-homogeneous · CPC title

• F04B2205/12

  Pressure pulsations before the pump · CPC title

• F04B11/00

  Equalisation of pulses, e.g. by use of air vessels; Counteracting cavitation · CPC title

• F04B2205/01

  Pressure before the pump inlet · CPC title