U.S. patent application number 10/833921 was filed with the patent office on 2004-11-04 for direct drive reciprocating pump.
Invention is credited to Kugelev, Vladimir, Matzner, Mark D..
Application Number | 20040219040 10/833921 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 33313588 |
Filed Date | 2004-11-04 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040219040 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Kugelev, Vladimir ; et
al. |
November 4, 2004 |
Direct drive reciprocating pump
Abstract
The invention includes an apparatus for pumping a fluid through
a reciprocating pump. Several motors are responsible for operating
the pump assembly. Each of the motors has a drive shaft. The motor
drive shafts are connected to a series of drive gears. The drive
gears are operably connected to a single driven gear for rotating
the driven gear. The single driven gear connects with the pump
assembly and drives the reciprocating pump in order to force fluid
through the reciprocating pump.
Inventors: |
Kugelev, Vladimir;
(Arlington, TX) ; Matzner, Mark D.; (Burleson,
TX) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Attention: James E. Bradley
BRACEWELL & PATTERSON, L.L.P.
P.O. Box 61389
Houston
TX
77208-1389
US
|
Family ID: |
33313588 |
Appl. No.: |
10/833921 |
Filed: |
April 28, 2004 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60466715 |
Apr 30, 2003 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
417/415 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F04B 17/03 20130101;
F04B 9/02 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
417/415 |
International
Class: |
F04B 001/12 |
Claims
That which is claimed is:
1. An apparatus for pumping a fluid, comprising: a reciprocating
pump; a plurality of motors each having a motor shaft; a plurality
of drive gears, each of the drive gears being connected to one of
the motor shafts; and a driven gear connecting to the pump for
driving the pump, each of the drive gears being operably connected
to the driven gear for rotating the driven gear.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the driven gear has an angular
velocity less than the angular velocity of the drive gears.
3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein U-joints are positioned at
each end of the motor shafts.
4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the pump has a forward end and
a rearward end, and wherein one of the motors is closer to the
forward end and other of the motors are closer to the rearward
end.
5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the motor shafts are parallel
to each other and perpendicular to a longitudinal centerline of the
pump.
6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the motors are located on one
side of a longitudinal centerline of the pump, and the gears are
located on the opposite side of the longitudinal centerline.
7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the pump has a housing, and
wherein the gears are located exterior to the housing.
8. A reciprocating pump assembly, comprising: a pump having a
crankshaft, a connecting rod, and a piston; a pair of electrical
motors mounted side by side, each motor having a drive shaft
extending perpendicular to the connecting rod; a gear box having a
pair of inputs, each input of the gearbox being connected to one of
the drive shafts, the gear box having a single output operatively
connected to the crankshaft.
9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein U-joints are positioned at
each end of the drive shafts.
10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the pump has a forward end
and a rearward end, and wherein one motor is closer to the forward
end and the other motor is closer to the rearward end.
11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the drive shafts are parallel
to each other and perpendicular to a longitudinal centerline of the
pump.
12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the motors are located on one
side of a longitudinal centerline of the pump, and the gear box is
located on the opposite side of the longitudinal centerline.
13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the pump has a housing, and
wherein the gear box is located exterior to the housing.
14. An apparatus for pumping a fluid, comprising: a reciprocating
pump; a plurality of motors each having a motor shaft, the motor
shafts being parallel to each other and perpendicular to a
longitudinal centerline of the pump. a plurality of drive gears,
each of the drive gears being connected to one of the motor shafts;
and a driven gear connecting to the pump for driving the pump, each
of the drive gears being operably connected to the driven gear for
rotating the driven gear, wherein the motors are located on one
side of the longitudinal centerline of the pump, and the gears are
located on the opposite side of the longitudinal centerline.
Description
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit under Section 119(e) of
U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/466,715, filed Apr. 30,
2003, titled "Direct Drive Reciprocating Pump."
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates generally to reciprocating
pumps, and more specifically to the drive assembly of an oilfield
mud or service pump.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Various kinds of pumps have been used in oilfield
operations. Two examples of pumps are a well service pump and a mud
pump. Well service pumps are used for pumping cement or chemicals
into the well and are typically mounted on a skid or a truck. Well
service pumps typically operate in short time intervals, and are
repeated later after servicing. Mud pumps circulate drilling mud
down the borehole during drilling. Mud pumps typically operate in a
continuous manner without interruption. Mud pumps also typically
have a longer stroke, for which reason mud pumps tend to have a
larger size and weight.
[0004] One prior version of a mud pump has two electric motors, a
belt, or a chain, or a single drive shaft and gear, with each
electric motor having a separate drive train. In this manner, prior
mud pumps were typically fairly large in size. In other prior mud
pumps, a gear unit is positioned inside the pump unit rather than
on the outside of the pump unit. Because the gear unit was
positioned inside the pump unit, such prior versions of mud pumps
were not compact in size and were also of considerable weight.
Mobile service pumps normally have only a single motor, which is
located on one side of the pump. It has long been a desire to
reduce the size and weight of oilfield service pumps and oilfield
mud pumps, without sacrificing capacity. This is particularly
desirable for mobile pumps mounted on trucks or skids.
SUMMARY
[0005] The invention includes an apparatus for pumping a fluid
through a reciprocating pump. Several motors are responsible for
operating the pump assembly. Each of the motors has a drive shaft.
The motor drive shafts are connected to a series of drive gears.
The drive gears are operably connected to a single driven gear for
rotating the driven gear. The single driven gear connects with the
pump assembly and drives the reciprocating pump in order to force
fluid through the reciprocating pump.
[0006] In one embodiment of many possible embodiments, the motors
are located on one side of a longitudinal center line of the pump,
and the gears are located on the opposite side of the longitudinal
centerline. The motor shafts extending from the motors are parallel
to each other and are perpendicular to the longitudinal centerline
of the pump.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the reciprocating pump
assembly constructed in accordance with the present invention.
[0008] FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the reciprocating pump
assembly shown in FIG. 1.
[0009] FIG. 3 is a top plan elevational view of the reciprocating
pump assembly shown in FIG. 1.
[0010] FIG. 4 is a schematic view of the gear assembly for the
reciprocating pump assembly shown in FIG. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0011] Referring to FIG. 1, a reciprocating pump assembly 11
includes a pump housing 13, which encloses a crankshaft (not shown)
and a crosshead (not shown) of reciprocating pump assembly 11. Pump
housing 13 extends substantially horizontal to the ground or a
support surface, and away from the crankshaft (not shown) toward a
piston rod housing 15 that encloses a piston rod that is attached
to the crosshead. A cylinder 17 is connected to the end of piston
rod housing 15 extending away from pump housing 13. A piston (not
shown) reciprocates to pump fluids through cylinder 17. In the
preferred embodiment, the crankshaft (not shown) drives three
pistons (not shown) for pumping fluid through three cylinders 17.
While depicted as a triplex with three cylinders 17, as will be
readily apparent to those skilled in the art, pump assembly 11 can
alternatively also have different numbers of cylinders, such as
five cylinders. In the preferred embodiment, a common intake
manifold 19 supplies fluid to be pumped by pump assembly 11. A
common exhaust manifold 21 receives the fluid being discharged by
pump assembly 11. A skid having a plurality of rails 23, which are
connected to reciprocating pump assembly 11 through supports 25,
support reciprocating pump assembly 11.
[0012] In the preferred embodiment, a plurality of motors 27, 29
drive reciprocating pump assembly 11. Motors 27, 29 preferably
include a forward motor 27 located substantially above pump housing
13 and offset toward cylinder 17, and a rearward motor 29
substantially located above pump housing 13 and offset rearward
farther from cylinder 17 than motor 27. As best shown in FIG. 1,
motors 27, 29 preferably straddle the portion of piston pump
housing 13 that houses the crankshaft (not shown), and are mounted
to the top of housing 13. As shown in the top view of FIG. 3,
motors 27, 29 are both located on one side of a longitudinal center
line 30 passing through pump assembly 11.
[0013] Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, a single gear assembly 31 is
connected to motors 27, 29 for communicating rotational movement
from motors 27, 29 to the crankshaft (not shown). Gear assembly 31
is located on the opposite side of centerline 30 from motors 27,
29. A forward motor drive shaft 33 extends from a forward motor 27
toward gear assembly 31, and a rearward motor drive shaft 35
extends from rearward motor 29 toward gear assembly 31. Shafts 33,
35 are parallel to each other and perpendicular to centerline 30. A
forward gear shaft 37 extends toward forward motor drive shaft 33,
and a rearward gear shaft 39 extends toward rearward motor drive
shaft 35. A flexible coupling 41 connects forward motor drive shaft
33 to forward gear shaft 37. Likewise, another flexible coupling 41
connects rearward motor drive shaft 35 with rearward gear shaft 39.
Gear assembly 31 receives rotational movement from motors 27, 29
and translates the rotational movement to a single gear shaft 51
(FIG. 4), which drives the crankshaft (not shown) of reciprocating
pump assembly 11. In the preferred embodiment, drive shafts 33, 35
connect to gear assembly 31 at an elevation above pump housing 13,
and gear assembly 31 translates rotational movement to the
crankshaft (not shown) at an elevation substantially the same as
pump housing 13.
[0014] Referring to FIG. 4, an inside portion of gear assembly 31
is shown schematically in more detail. In the preferred embodiment,
an forward pinion 43 is located on the end of forward gear shaft 37
extending away from coupling 41 (FIG. 3). A rearward pinion 45 is
located on the end of rearward gear shaft 39 extending away from
the other flexible coupling 41 (FIG. 3). In the preferred
embodiment, forward pinion 43 and rearward pinion 45 are at
substantially the same elevation and positioned a pre-selected
distance apart. In the preferred embodiment, an intermediate gear
47, which is offset and located substantially below forward pinion
43, engages forward pinion 43 so that intermediate gear 47 rotates
as forward motor 27 rotates forward gear shaft 37 forward pinion
43. In the preferred embodiment, another intermediate gear 47 is
also located substantially below and offset from rearward pinion 45
so that rearward motor 29 rotates rearward pinion 45 and
intermediate gear 47. In the preferred embodiment, intermediate
gears 47 are located a pre-selected distance apart from each other
and are closer together than forward and rearward pinions 43, 45.
In the preferred embodiment, intermediate gears 47 are larger in
diameter than pinions 43, 45 so that the rotational velocity of
intermediate gears 47 is smaller than the rotational velocity of
pinions 43, 45.
[0015] A main gear 49, located substantially between and below
intermediate gears 47, is engaged by each of intermediate gears 47
so that intermediate gears 47 translate rotational movement to main
gear 49 when pinions 43, 45 rotate. In the preferred embodiment,
intermediate gear 47 and forward pinion 43 are offset so that the
center points of forward pinion 43, intermediate gear 47, and main
gear 49 are substantially linear. Rearward pinion 45 and
intermediate gear 47 are also offset so that the center points of
rearward pinion 45, intermediate gear 47, and main gear 49 align
substantially linearly. In the preferred embodiment, the
arrangement of pinions 43, 45, intermediate gears 47, and main gear
49 is substantially V-shaped. A gear shaft 51 extends from main
gear 49 and connects to the crankshaft (not shown) extending
through pump housing 13 for driving pump assembly 11. In the
preferred embodiment, main gear 49 is substantially larger than
each intermediate gear 47, thereby also reducing the rotational
velocity of gear shaft 51 relative to pinions 43, 45.
[0016] In operation, motors 27, 29 receive an electrical current.
Motors 27, 29 rotate motor drive shafts 33, 35 extending
substantially parallel to each other from motors 27, 29. Flexible
couplings 41 connect motor drive shafts 33, 35 to gear shafts 37,
39 extending toward gear assembly 31. Motor drive shafts 33, 35
translate rotational movement from motors 27, 29 to gear shafts 37,
39. Gear shafts 37 and 39 rotate pinions 43, 45, which in turn
engage each of their respective intermediate gears 47. As is
evident from FIG. 4, the rotational velocity of each intermediate
gear 47 is less than the rotational velocity of either pinions 43
or 45. Each intermediate gear 47 engages main gear 49 to translate
rotational movement to gear shaft 51. Gear assembly 31, through
pinions 43, 45, intermediate gear 47, and main gear 49, translates
rotational movement from motors 27, 29, while reducing the
rotational speed of gear shaft 51 extending out of gear assembly
31.
[0017] The invention offers important advantages associated with
the positioning of the gear unit on the outside of the pump unit
rather than inside the pump unit itself. In this respect, the
invention provides the pump with a more compact size and lighter
weight. It provides easier mobility and transport for use in mobile
oil rigs, resulting from the smaller size and lighter weight. The
invention would provide for more convenient service to the pump,
and thus less spare parts resulting from operation breakdowns. In
summary, the invention provides a more efficient and reliable pump
assembly that enhances overall performance.
[0018] It should be apparent to those skilled in the art that it is
not so limited, but is susceptible to various changes without
departing from the scope of the invention. For example, the
different arrangement of gears inside of gear assembly 31 could be
utilized to perform substantially the same functions of translating
rotational movement to the crankshaft (not shown) of reciprocating
pump assembly 11 with additional intermediate gears, or a different
arrangement of pinions 43, 45 so that they are not substantially
V-shaped while still providing enough space for the placement of
more than one motor.
[0019] Although the present invention has been described in detail,
it should be understood that various changes, substitutions, and
alterations can be made hereupon without departing from the
principle and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the
present invention should be determined by the following claims and
their appropriate legal equivalents.
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