System for pump protection with a hydraulic turbocharger

A system, comprising:

• a hydraulic turbocharger configured to exchange pressures between a first fluid and a second fluid, wherein the first fluid is at a higher pressure than the second fluid;
• a high pressure pump configured to increase a pressure of the second fluid, wherein the high pressure pump comprises an outlet for the second fluid that is not fluidly coupled to the hydraulic turbocharger;
• and
• a controller programmed to control one or more valves of the system to selectively route the second fluid to the hydraulic turbocharger or to the high pressure pump based on an operating condition of the system;
• a letdown valve;
• wherein the controller is programmed to control the one or more valves of the system to selectively route the first fluid to the hydraulic turbocharger or to the letdown valve based on the operating condition of the system;
• wherein the controller is programmed to control the one or more valves to route the first fluid to the hydraulic turbocharger when the operating condition is a stable operating condition and to route the first fluid to the letdown valve when the operating condition is a start-up condition or a shut-down condition.