Rotary isobaric pressure exchanger system with lubrication system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9835018-B2
Application number	US-201414586545-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 30, 2014
Priority date	Dec 31, 2013
Publication date	Dec 5, 2017
Grant date	Dec 5, 2017

Abstract

A system including a frac system with a rotary isobaric pressure exchanger configured to exchange pressures between a first fluid and a second fluid, and a lubrication system configured to lubricate the rotary isobaric pressure exchanger.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system, comprising:
a frac system, comprising:
a rotary isobaric pressure exchanger configured to exchange pressures between a first fluid and a second fluid; and
a lubrication system configured to lubricate the rotary isobaric pressure exchanger, wherein the lubrication system comprises a pump configured to pump a third fluid into the rotary isobaric pressure exchanger to lubricate the rotary isobaric pressure exchanger.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first fluid is a substantially particulate free fluid and the second fluid is a particulate laden fluid.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first fluid and the third fluid are the same.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the lubrication system comprises a filter.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the rotary isobaric pressure exchanger comprises a rotor, a sleeve surrounding the rotor, a first end cap, and a second end cap.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the lubrication system is configured to pump the third fluid into a gap between the sleeve and the rotor.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the lubrication system comprises a fluid treatment system configured to convert the first or second fluid into the third fluid.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the frac system comprises a controller that controls the flow of the third fluid of the lubrication system into the rotary isobaric pressure exchanger.

9. The system of claim 6 , wherein the controller communicates with a first sensor configured to detect whether the rotor is rotating with a speed within a threshold range.

10. A method, comprising:
monitoring rotation of a rotor in a rotary isobaric pressure exchanger, wherein the rotary isobaric pressure exchanger exchanges pressure between a first fluid and a second fluid; and
detecting a condition when the rotor is rotating with a speed outside of a threshold range; and
lubricating the rotary isobaric pressure exchanger with a lubrication fluid in response to the condition by pumping a third fluid through the rotary isobaric pressure exchanger.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein monitoring rotation of the rotor comprises monitoring an acoustic sensor, an optical sensor, or a pressure sensor with a controller.

12. The method of claim 10 , comprising controlling a pump to pump the third fluid through the rotary isobaric pressure exchanger in response to the condition.

13. The method of claim 10 , comprising controlling a fluid treatment system to treat the third fluid prior to lubricating the rotary isobaric pressure exchanger.

14. The method of claim 10 , comprising controlling a pump to pump the third fluid through the rotary isobaric pressure exchanger while operating a frac system coupled to the rotary isobaric pressure exchanger.

15. A system, comprising:
a frac system, comprising:
a rotary isobaric pressure exchanger configured to exchange pressures between a first fluid and a second fluid;
a lubrication system configured to lubricate the rotary isobaric pressure exchanger; and
a controller that controls the flow of a third fluid of the lubrication system into the rotary isobaric pressure exchanger.

Assignees

• Energy Recovery Inc

Inventors

• Krish Prem
• Ghasripoor Farshad
• Martin Jeremy Grant

Classifications

• E21B43/26 Primary

  by forming crevices or fractures · CPC title

• F04F13/00

  Pressure exchangers · CPC title

• E21B43/2607 Primary

  Surface equipment specially adapted for fracturing operations · CPC title