Motorized pressure exchanger with a low-pressure centerbore

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022412377-A1
Application number	US-202217900663-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 31, 2022
Priority date	Mar 2, 2021
Publication date	Dec 29, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

A pressure exchanger includes a rotor, a seal plate, and a seal structure. The rotor is configured to exchange pressure between a first fluid and a second fluid. The seal plate has a first substantially planar seal plate surface and a second substantially planar seal plate surface disposed opposite the first substantially planar seal plate surface. A piston structure extends from the first substantially planar seal plate surface to form a substantially planar piston surface that has a surface area and is substantially parallel to the first substantially planar seal plate surface. The seal plate and the piston structure form a hydraulic chamber routed from a first opening formed by the substantially planar piston surface to a second opening formed by the second substantially planar seal plate surface. The seal structure is configured to couple the second substantially planar seal plate surface to a corresponding surface of the pressure exchanger.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A pressure exchanger comprising:
a rotor configured to exchange pressure between a first fluid and a second fluid; and a first seal plate having a first substantially planar seal plate surface and a second substantially planar seal plate surface disposed opposite the first substantially planar seal plate surface, wherein a piston structure extends from the first substantially planar seal plate surface to form a substantially planar piston surface that has a first surface area and is substantially parallel to the first substantially planar seal plate surface, wherein the first seal plate and the piston structure form a first hydraulic chamber routed from a first opening formed by the substantially planar piston surface to a second opening formed by the second substantially planar seal plate surface, and wherein the first hydraulic chamber is configured to direct flow of the first fluid at a first pressure between the substantially planar piston surface and the second substantially planar seal plate surface; and a first seal structure configured to couple the second substantially planar seal plate surface to a corresponding surface of the pressure exchanger, wherein the first seal structure forms a first boundary of a first region of the second substantially planar seal plate surface, wherein the first region of the second substantially planar seal plate surface has a second surface area, wherein the second opening is formed within the first region, and wherein the second surface area is larger than the first surface area.

2 . The pressure exchanger of claim 1 , wherein the first region of the second substantially planar seal plate surface and the substantially planar piston surface are configured to cause the first fluid to generate a first force on the substantially planar piston surface and a second force on the second substantially planar seal plate surface, and wherein the first force is greater than the second force.

3 . The pressure exchanger of claim 1 further comprising a first end cover, wherein:
the corresponding surface is a substantially planar end cover surface that is coupled to the second substantially planar seal plate surface via the first seal structure;
the first end cover forms a first set of apertures configured to direct flow of the first fluid between the first hydraulic chamber and the rotor; and
the rotor forms a plurality of rotating longitudinal channels configured to: receive the first fluid via a first distal end of the rotor from the first end cover; receive the second fluid from via a second distal end of the rotor; and exchange the pressure between the first fluid and the second fluid.

4 . The pressure exchanger of claim 3 , wherein the first seal plate forms a second hydraulic chamber configured to direct flow of the first fluid at a second pressure between the first substantially planar seal plate surface and the second substantially planar seal plate surface, the pressure exchanger further comprising:
a second seal structure disposed between the first seal plate and the first end cover, wherein the second seal structure forms a second boundary of a second region of the second substantially planar seal plate surface, wherein the second region of the second substantially planar seal plate surface has a third surface area, and wherein a third opening of the second hydraulic chamber is formed within the second region of the second substantially planar seal plate surface.

5 . The pressure exchanger of claim 4 , wherein the second region of the second substantially planar seal plate surface is disposed within the first region of the second substantially planar seal plate surface.

6 . The pressure exchanger of claim 4 , wherein the second surface area is larger than a combined surface area comprising the first surface area and the third surface area.

7 . The pressure exchanger of claim 4 , wherein the second pressure is greater than the first pressure.

8 . The pressure exchanger of claim 3 , further comprising a second end cover and a sleeve, wherein the pressure exchanger is configured to receive a third fluid at a second pressure greater than the first pressure, the third fluid forming a fluid bearing between the rotor and the sleeve, between the rotor and the first end cover, and between the rotor and the second end cover.

9 . The pressure exchanger of claim 3 , further comprising:
a housing structure that forms an interior volume, wherein the first seal plate, the first end cover, and the rotor are disposed within the interior volume, and wherein the piston structure is configured to move within a recess formed by a respective surface to allow movement of a combination of the first seal plate, the first end cover, and the rotor relative to the housing structure.

10 . The pressure exchanger of claim 3 , further comprising:
a shaft coupled to the rotor and routed through a centerbore formed by the first seal plate, and the first end cover, wherein the centerbore passes through the first region of the second substantially planar seal plate surface.

11 . The pressure exchanger of claim 2 , further comprising:
a second seal plate having a third substantially planar seal plate surface and a fourth substantially planar seal plate surface disposed opposite the third substantially planar seal plate surface, wherein the third substantially planar seal plate surface is coupled to a respective surface via a second sealing structure forming a third boundary of a third region of the third substantially planar seal plate surface, wherein the third region of the third substantially planar seal plate surface has a third surface area, wherein the second seal plate forms a second hydraulic chamber configured to direct flow of the second fluid at a second pressure between the third substantially planar seal plate surface and the fourth substantially planar seal plate surface; and a second end cover having a substantially planar end cover surface coupled to the fourth substantially planar seal plate surface via a third seal structure, wherein the third seal structure forms a fourth boundary of a fourth region of the fourth substantially planar seal plate surface, wherein the fourth region of the fourth substantially planar seal plate surface has a fourth surface area that is larger than the third surface area, wherein a third opening of the second hydraulic chamber is formed within the third region of the third substantially planar seal plate surface, and wherein the second end cover forms a second set of apertures configured to direct flow of the second fluid between the second hydraulic chamber and the rotor via the second set of apertures.

12 . A pressure exchanger configured to exchange pressure between a first fluid and a second fluid, wherein the pressure exchanger comprises:
a first seal plate having a first substantially planar seal plate surface and a second substantially planar seal plate surface disposed opposite the first substantially planar seal plate surface, wherein a piston structure extends from the first substantially planar seal plate surface to form a substantially planar piston surface that has a first surface area and is substantially parallel to the first substantially planar seal plate surface, wherein the first seal plate and the piston structure form a first hydraulic chamber routed from a first opening formed by the substantially planar piston surface to a second opening formed by the second substantially planar seal plate surface, and wherein the first hydraulic chamber is configured to direct flow of the first fluid at a first pressure between the substantially planar piston surface and the se

Assignees

• Energy Recovery Inc

Inventors

• Theodossiou Alexander Patrick

Classifications

• F04F13/00 Primary

  Pressure exchangers · CPC title

• E21B43/267

  reinforcing fractures by propping · CPC title

• E21B43/2607

  Surface equipment specially adapted for fracturing operations · CPC title