Direct drive pump assemblies
AssigneeNational Oilwell Varco, L.P.
InventorAdrian Marica
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Disclosed are embodiments of a pumping system with connectable and disconnectable pumping assemblies coupled to suction and discharge manifolds. In an embodiment, the pumping system includes a pulsation dampening assembly including a variable volume chamber fluidly coupled to the discharge manifold. In addition, the pumping system includes a controller coupled to the pumping assemblies. The controller is configured to detect a pressure pulsation based on a measurement from at least one of the pressure sensors, and is configured to adjust the rotational speed of the driver of at least one of the pump assemblies. In addition, the controller is configured to adjust a volume of the variable volume chamber of the pulsation dampening assembly based at least in part on the measurement from the at least one of the pressure sensors.
Claims21
A pumping system for pressurizing a working fluid, the pumping system comprising:
- a suction manifold;
- a discharge manifold;
- a plurality of pump assemblies coupled between the suction manifold and discharge manifold, wherein the plurality of pump assemblies are configured to draw the working fluid from the suction manifold, pressurize the working fluid, and discharge the working fluid to the discharge manifold;
- wherein each of the pump assemblies includes a driver and a pressure sensor configured to measure a pressure within the corresponding one or more pump assemblies;
- a pulsation dampening assembly comprising a variable volume chamber fluidly coupled to the discharge manifold;
- and
- a controller coupled to the one or more pump assemblies and the pulsation dampening assembly;
- wherein the controller is configured to detect a pressure pulsation based on a measurement from at least one of the pressure sensors and is configured to determine whether a duration of the pressure pulsation is above or below a threshold value;
- and
- wherein when the duration is above the threshold value, the controller is configured to adjust the rotational speed of the driver of at least one of the pump assemblies;
- and
- wherein when the duration is below the threshold value, the controller is configured to adjust a volume of the variable volume chamber of the pulsation dampening assembly.
A method of dampening a pressure pulsation in a pumping system, the method comprising:
- pumping a working fluid from a suction manifold to a discharge manifold with a plurality of pump assemblies of the pumping system, wherein each of the pump assemblies comprises a driver;
- sensing a pressure pulsation within the pumping system;
- determining whether a duration of the pressure pulsation is above or below a threshold value;
- adjusting a rotational speed of the driver of one of the pump assemblies if the duration of the pressure pulsation is above the threshold value;
- and
- adjusting a size of a variable volume chamber within a pulsation dampening assembly coupled to the discharge manifold if the duration of the pressure pulsation is below the threshold value.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.