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US 2018/0291910 A1Published application
Methods and Apparatus for an Automated Fluid Pumping System
AssigneeTigmill Technologies, LLC
InventorsJerry Mack Mills, Travis R. Wood, Richard Dale Lee, Howard Lee Tigelaar
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Abstract
In a described example, an automated fluid pumping system (AFPS) includes a fluid pump coupled to a pump controller, an electronic sensor that detects air, oil, or water coupled to a sensor controller, and the sensor controller coupled to the pump controller. The pump controller is configured to control the operation of the fluid pump based on a detected fluid in the well as determined by the electronic sensor.
Claims20
An automated fluid pumping system (AFPS), comprising:
- a well head disposed at a surface of a well;
- a fluid pump disposed in the well;
- working tubing coupled between the fluid pump and the well head;
- a first electronic fluid sensor disposed in the well, the first electronic fluid sensor being physically coupled to an outer surface of the working tubing above the fluid pump;
- a sensor controller electrically coupled to the first electronic fluid sensor, the sensor controller comprising a first relay, wherein the sensor controller is configured to receive an electronic signal from the first electronic fluid sensor, and to change a state of a first relay from a first state to a second state;
- and
- a pump controller electrically coupled to the sensor controller, wherein the pump controller is configured to control the fluid pump in response to a signal from the sensor controller indicating the change in the state of the first relay.
4 more elements
A method for operating an automated fluid pumping system (AFPS), comprising:
- receiving, by a sensor controller, a first signal from a first electronic fluid sensor, wherein the first signal indicates that the first electronic fluid sensor is submerged in a desired fluid;
- in response to the first signal indicating that the first electronic fluid sensor is submerged in the desired fluid, changing, by the sensor controller, a state of a first relay from a first state to a second state;
- determining, by a pump controller, that the state of the first relay has changed from the first state to the second state;
- in response to determining that that the state of the first relay has changed from the first state to the second state, controlling, by the pump controller, a fluid pump to begin pumping;
- receiving, by the sensor controller, a second signal from the first electronic fluid sensor, wherein the second signal indicates that the first electronic fluid sensor is no longer submerged in the desired fluid;
- in response to the second signal indicating that the first electronic fluid sensor is no longer submerged in the desired fluid, changing, by the sensor controller, the state of a first relay from the second state to a the first state;
- in response to determining that that the state of the first relay has changed from the second state to the first state, controlling, by the pump controller, the fluid pump to stop pumping;
- after a time delay, changing, by the sensor controller, the state of the first relay from the first state to the second state, and controlling, by the pump controller, the fluid pump to being pumping.
5 more elements
A method for operating an automated fluid pumping system (AFPS), comprising:
- receiving, by a sensor controller, a first signal from a first electronic fluid sensor, wherein the first signal indicates the first electronic fluid sensor is submerged in a fluid in a well;
- changing, by the sensor controller, a state of a first relay of the sensor controller in response to receiving the first signal;
- in response to a pump controller determining the state of the first relay has changed, controlling, by the pump controller, a fluid pump in the well to being pumping;
- receiving by the sensor controller, a second signal from the first electronic fluid sensor, wherein the second signal indicates that the first electronic fluid sensor is not submerged in the fluid, and changing the state of the first relay in response to receiving the second signal;
- in response to the pump controller determining the state of the first relay has changed, controlling, by the pump controller, the fluid pump to stop pumping, wherein when the fluid pump stops pumping a fluid level in the well begins to recover;
- receiving, by the sensor controller, a third signal from a second sensor, and changing a state of a second relay of the sensor controller in response to receiving the third signal from the second sensor;
- and
- determining, by the pump controller, that the state of the second relay has changed, and controlling, by the pump controller, the fluid pump to begin pumping.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.