Hydraulic energy transfer system with fluid mixing reduction

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12352143-B2
Application number	US-202217939547-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 7, 2022
Priority date	Oct 3, 2013
Publication date	Jul 8, 2025
Grant date	Jul 8, 2025

Abstract

A system includes a pressure exchanger configured to exchange pressure between a first fluid and a second fluid. The system further includes a shaft at least partially disposed within the pressure exchanger. The system further includes an electric motor coupled to the shaft. The electric motor is configured to control fluid flow in the pressure exchanger. A controller is configured to receive sensor data from one or more sensors associated with the pressure exchanger and vary proportions of the first fluid and the second fluid entering the pressure exchanger to reduce mixing of the first fluid and the second fluid in the pressure exchanger.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system comprising:
a pressure exchanger forming a first port and a second port, wherein the pressure exchanger is configured to:
receive, via the first port, a first fluid;
exchange pressure between the first fluid and a second fluid; and
provide the first fluid via the second port; and

a shaft at least partially disposed within the pressure exchanger; and
an electric motor coupled to the shaft, wherein the electric motor is configured to control fluid flow in the pressure exchanger, and wherein a controller is configured to receive first sensor data from a first sensor associated with the first fluid and second sensor data from a second sensor associated with the second fluid and control a first valve associated with the first fluid and a second valve associated with the second fluid to vary proportions of the first fluid and the second fluid entering the pressure exchanger to reduce mixing of the first fluid and the second fluid in the pressure exchanger.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the electric motor is configured to move the shaft to control the fluid flow in the pressure exchanger.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein a barrier is to be disposed between the first fluid and the second fluid in the pressure exchanger, wherein the barrier is configured to reduce the mixing of the first fluid and the second fluid in the pressure exchanger while enabling pressure exchange between the first fluid and the second fluid in the pressure exchanger.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the barrier is to axially move within the pressure exchanger, wherein the barrier is driven by:
the first fluid at a higher pressure to transfer pressure to the second fluid that is at a lower pressure; or
the second fluid at the higher pressure to transfer pressure to the first fluid that is at the lower pressure.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the pressure exchanger is a reciprocating pressure exchanger.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the pressure exchanger forms a plurality of channels configured to receive the first fluid and the second fluid.

7. A system comprising:
a pressure exchanger comprising:
a first end cover comprising a first end cover planar face and a second end cover planar face, the first end cover forming a first aperture and a second aperture between the first end cover planar face and the second end cover planar face;
a first manifold forming a first port and a second port; and
a rotor comprising a first rotor planar face, a second rotor planar face, and a sidewall extending from the first rotor planar face to the second rotor planar face, the rotor forming a first channel along an axis from the first rotor planar face to the second rotor planar face, the first end cover planar face being adjacent to the first rotor planar face, wherein the rotor is configured to:
receive, via the first port formed by the first manifold and the first aperture formed by the first end cover, a first fluid into the first channel via the first rotor planar face of the rotor, the first aperture being disposed along the axis;
exchange pressure between the first fluid and a second fluid; and
provide the first fluid via the second aperture formed by the first end cover and the second port formed by the first manifold; and

a plurality of sensors comprising a first sensor associated with the first fluid and a second sensor associated with the second fluid; and
a controller configured to receive first sensor data from the first sensor and second sensor data from the second sensor and to cause, based on the first sensor data and the second sensor data, control of a first valve associated with the first fluid and a second valve associated with the second fluid to vary proportions of the first fluid and the second fluid entering the pressure exchanger to reduce mixing of the first fluid and the second fluid in the pressure exchanger.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the pressure exchanger is a rotary pressure exchanger.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein:
the pressure exchanger further comprises:
a second end cover forming a third aperture and a fourth aperture; and
a second manifold forming a third port and a fourth port; and

the rotor is configured to:
receive, via the third port formed by the second manifold and the third aperture formed by the second end cover, the second fluid into the first channel via the second rotor planar face, the third aperture being disposed along the axis; and
provide the second fluid via the fourth aperture formed by the second end cover and the fourth port formed by the second manifold.

10. The system of claim 7 , wherein:
a barrier is to be disposed between the first fluid and the second fluid in the pressure exchanger; and
the barrier is configured to reduce mixing of the first fluid and the second fluid in the pressure exchanger while enabling pressure exchange between the first fluid and the second fluid in the pressure exchanger.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the barrier is to axially move within the pressure exchanger, wherein the barrier is driven by:
the first fluid at a higher pressure to transfer pressure to the second fluid that is at a lower pressure; or
the second fluid at the higher pressure to transfer pressure to the first fluid that is at the lower pressure.

12. A method comprising:
receiving, from a first sensor, first sensor data associated with first fluid;
receiving, from a second sensor, second sensor data associated with a second fluid, wherein a pressure exchanger comprises a first end cover comprising a first planar face and a second planar face, the first end cover forming a first aperture and a second aperture between the first planar face and the second planar face, the pressure exchanger further comprising a first manifold forming a first port and a second port, wherein the pressure exchanger further comprises a rotor comprising a first rotor planar face, a second rotor planar face, and a sidewall extending from the first rotor planar face to the second rotor planar face, the rotor forming a first channel along an axis from the first rotor planar face to the second rotor planar face, the first end cover planar face being adjacent to the first rotor planar face, wherein the rotor is configured to:
receive, via the first port formed by the first manifold and the first aperture formed by the first end cover, the first fluid;
exchange pressure between the first fluid and the second fluid; and
provide the first fluid via the second aperture formed by the first end cover and the second port formed by the first manifold; and

causing, based on the first sensor data and the second sensor data, a first valve associated with the first fluid and a second valve associated with the second fluid to vary proportions of the first fluid and the second fluid entering the pressure exchanger to be controlled to reduce mixing of the first fluid and the second fluid in the pressure exchanger.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein:
the pressure exchanger further comprises a second end cover forming a third aperture and a fourth aperture; and
the rotor is configured to receive, via the third aperture formed by the second end cover, the second fluid into the first channel via the second rotor planar face.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein:
a barrier is to be disposed between the first fluid and the second fluid in the pressure exchanger; and
the barrier is configured to reduce mixing of the first fluid and the second fluid in the pressure exchanger while enabling pressure exchange between the first fluid and the second fluid in the press

Assignees

• Energy Recovery Inc

Inventors

• Ghasripoor Farshad
• Martin Jeremy Grant
• Krish Prem
• Gobburi Baji

Classifications

• E21B43/267 Primary

  reinforcing fractures by propping · CPC title

• E21B43/2607

  Surface equipment specially adapted for fracturing operations · CPC title

• F04F13/00

  Pressure exchangers · CPC title

• G05D16/18

  derived from an external source · CPC title

• E21B43/16 Primary

  Enhanced recovery methods for obtaining hydrocarbons · CPC title