Fluid flow normalizer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016010638-A1
Application number	US-201414772009-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 13, 2014
Priority date	Mar 15, 2013
Publication date	Jan 14, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A pumping system includes an output conduit associated with an output of a positive displacement pump, a first sensor configured to measure a fluid flow characteristic (FFC) within the output conduit, a second sensor configured to measure a phase of the positive displacement pump, a feedforward active controller configured to receive information related to the FFC, receive information related to the phase of the positive displacement pump, and determine an FFC variability value, and a first fluid flow normalizer (FFN) configured to at least one of add fluid to the output of the positive displacement pump and remove fluid from the output of the positive displacement pump in response to a signal from the feedforward active controller.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A pumping system, comprising:
an output conduit associated with an output of a positive displacement pump; a first sensor configured to measure a fluid flow characteristic (FFC) within the output conduit; a second sensor configured to measure a phase of the positive displacement pump; a feedforward active controller configured to receive information related to the FFC, receive information related to the phase of the positive displacement pump, and determine an FFC variability value; and a first fluid flow normalizer (FFN) configured to at least one of add fluid to the output of the positive displacement pump and remove fluid from the output of the positive displacement pump in response to a signal from the feedforward active controller.

2 . The pumping system of claim 1 , wherein the first FFN comprises a piston disposed within a cylinder wherein the movement of the piston within the cylinder at least one of adds fluid to the output of the positive displacement pump and removes fluid from the output of the positive displacement pump.

3 . The pumping system of claim 2 , wherein the opposing volumes of the cylinder adjacent the piston are pressurized to a static pressure of the output of the positive displacement pump.

4 . The pumping system of claim 1 , wherein the first FFN comprises a diaphragm disposed within a reservoir wherein the movement of the diaphragm within the reservoir at least one of adds fluid to the output of the positive displacement pump and removes fluid from the output of the positive displacement pump.

5 . The pumping system of claim 4 , wherein the opposing volumes of the reservoir adjacent the diaphragm are pressurized to a static pressure of the output of the positive displacement pump.

6 . The pumping system of claim 1 , further comprising a second FFN substantially similar to the first FFN.

7 . The pumping system of claim 6 , wherein the first FFN and the second FFN are powered by a shared drive unit.

8 . The pumping system of claim 6 , wherein the first FFN and the second FFN are powered by separate drive units.

9 . A hydrocarbon recovery system, comprising:
a drillstring; and a pumping system, the pumping system comprising:
an output conduit in fluid communication with the drillstring and associated with an output of a positive displacement pump;
a first sensor configured to measure a fluid flow characteristic (FFC) within the output conduit;
a second sensor configured to measure a phase of the positive displacement pump;
a feedforward active controller configured to receive information related to the FFC, receive information related to the phase of the positive displacement pump, and determine an FFC variability value; and
a first fluid flow normalizer (FFN) configured to at least one of add fluid to the output of the positive displacement pump and remove fluid from the output of the positive displacement pump in response to a signal from the feedforward active controller.

10 . The hydrocarbon recovery system of claim 9 , wherein the first FFN comprises a piston disposed within a cylinder wherein the movement of the piston within the cylinder at least one of adds fluid to the output of the positive displacement pump and removes fluid from the output of the positive displacement pump.

11 . The hydrocarbon recovery system of claim 10 , wherein the opposing volumes of the cylinder adjacent the piston are pressurized to a static pressure of the output of the positive displacement pump.

12 . The hydrocarbon recovery system of claim 9 , wherein the first FFN comprises a diaphragm disposed within a reservoir wherein the movement of the diaphragm within the reservoir at least one of adds fluid to the output of the positive displacement pump and removes fluid from the output of the positive displacement pump.

13 . The hydrocarbon recovery system of claim 12 , wherein the opposing volumes of the reservoir adjacent the diaphragm are pressurized to a static pressure of the output of the positive displacement pump.

14 . The hydrocarbon recovery system of claim 9 , further comprising a second FFN substantially similar to the first FFN.

15 . The hydrocarbon recovery system of claim 14 , wherein the first FFN and the second FFN are powered by a shared drive unit.

16 . The hydrocarbon recovery system of claim 14 , wherein the first FFN and the second FFN are powered by separate drive units.

17 . A method of normalizing a fluid flow characteristic (FFC) of a fluid of an output of a positive displacement pump, comprising:
determining an FFC variation of a fluid of an output of a first positive displacement pump; generating an FFC variation cancellation fluid output from a first fluid flow normalizer (FFN); and combining the output of the first positive displacement pump with the FFC variation cancellation fluid output of the FFN.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the FFC variation cancellation fluid output of the FFN is provided by positive displacement of a component of the first FFN.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the component is a piston.

20 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the component is a diaphragm.

21 . The method of claim 18 , wherein a fluid output of a second FFN substantially similar to the first FFN is combined with the fluid output of the first FFN.

Assignees

• Margolis Donald L
• Norris Mark A
• Badre-Alam Askari
• Owens Jonathan
• Lord Corp

Inventors

• Margolis Donald L
• Norris Mark A
• Badre-Alam Askari
• Owens Jonathan

Classifications

• F04B53/16

  Casings; Cylinders; Cylinder liners or heads; Fluid connections · CPC title

• F04B53/14

  Pistons, piston-rods or piston-rod connections · CPC title

• F04B11/00

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

• F04B19/22

  of reciprocating-piston type · CPC title

• F04B49/065

  and making use of computers · CPC title