Anti-swirl rib system for a pump
AssigneeSchlumberger Technology Corporation
InventorsAbhisek Robert RAO, Jerome ANG SZE JIUNN, David Milton ESLINGER, Tony R. MORRISON
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Abstract
A technique employs a system and methodology for improving sand control in pumps. The technique may be used in centrifugal pumps by providing uniquely constructed rib feature to facilitate sand control and thus reduction of erosion due to sand in the pumped fluid. The improved sand control is useful in centrifugal pumps employed in a variety of oilfield applications, such as in electric submersible pumping systems positioned downhole in a wellbore to pump oil or other fluids. The rib feature may be used in combination with a shield and arranged along diffuser bowl walls or other diffuser walls within sequential pump stages.
Claims20
A system for controlling erosion in a pumping assembly, comprising:
- a pump having an impeller and a diffuser, the diffuser comprising a plurality of ribs positioned in a diffuser bowl of the diffuser, the plurality of ribs being oriented to reduce the tangential velocity of fluid in a cavity between the diffuser and the impeller and thus to reduce erosive effects on regions of the diffuser during rotation of the impeller.
A system, comprising:
- an electric submersible pumping system having a submersible centrifugal pump, a motor to power the submersible centrifugal pump, and a motor protector, the submersible centrifugal pump comprising:
- a plurality of stages disposed within an outer pump housing, each stage having an impeller arranged to direct a flow of fluid into an adjacent diffuser which, in turn, is arranged to direct the flow of fluid to the next sequential impeller until the flow of fluid is discharged from the submersible centrifugal pump, each diffuser comprising:
- a rib feature oriented to extend generally transversely into the flow of fluid from an outer, interior wall of the diffuser, the rib feature being arranged to reduce tangential velocity of fluid proximate the rib feature;
- and
- a lip positioned to shield the rib feature so as to enable increased tangential velocity of fluid between the lip and the next sequential impeller.
A method, comprising:
- providing a pump with a shaft driven impeller rotatably positioned in cooperation with a diffuser;
- positioning a rib feature in the diffuser such that the rib feature extends radially inwardly from an outer wall surface within the diffuser to reduce erosion of the diffuser during operation of the pump;
- and
- using a shield in combination with the rib feature to minimize friction losses otherwise induced by the rib feature.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.