US 12,595,799 B2 · Method of starting and stopping pump apparatuses coupled in series

Abstract

A method of starting a submersible pump used for transferring liquefied gas. The method includes starting a submersible pump (1A) disposed in a suction container (2A) of a pump apparatus (100A) to deliver liquefied gas to a suction container (2B) of a pump apparatus (100B) through a flow-path switching device (5A) in the suction container (2A), passing the liquefied gas through a flow-path switching device (5B) in the suction container (2B) while the liquefied gas bypasses a submersible pump (1B) disposed in the suction container (2B), and then starting the submersible pump (1B).

Claims10

Dependent claims

A method of starting a plurality of pump apparatuses including at least a first pump apparatus and a second pump apparatus coupled in series, comprising:

starting a first submersible pump disposed in a first suction container of the first pump apparatus to deliver liquefied gas through a first flow-path switching device in the first suction container to a second suction container of the second pump apparatus;
passing the liquefied gas through a second flow-path switching device in the second suction container while the liquefied gas bypasses a second submersible pump disposed in the second suction container;
and then
starting the second submersible pump.

1 more element

A method of stopping operations of a plurality of pump apparatuses including at least a first pump apparatus and a second pump apparatus coupled in series, comprising:

while a first submersible pump arranged in a first suction container of the first pump apparatus is delivering liquefied gas through a first flow-path switching device in the first suction container to a second suction container of the second pump apparatus, stopping operation of a second submersible pump arranged in the second suction container;
passing the liquefied gas through a second flow-path switching device in the second suction container while the liquefied gas bypasses the second submersible pump;
and then
stopping operation of the first submersible pump.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

18/867,622Filed 15 May 2023

Priority

JP 2022-08589726 May 2022

Published

US 2025/0341215 A16 Nov 2025

Granted

7 Apr 2026

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification33 codes

F04B 49/035
By means of valves: bypassing
F04D 15/02
Control, e.g. regulation, of pumps, pumping installations or systems: stopping of pumps, or operating valves, on occurrence of unwanted conditions
F04B 15/08
For liquids near their boiling point, e.g. under subnormal pressure: the liquids having low boiling points
F04B 23/04
Pumping installations or systems: combinations of two or more pumps

Method of starting and stopping pump apparatuses coupled in series

Life of this patent

Method of starting and stopping pump apparatuses coupled in series

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims10