U.S. patent application number 14/188805 was filed with the patent office on 2018-06-14 for high-pressure pump for use in a high-pressure press.
The applicant listed for this patent is Novatek IP, LLC. Invention is credited to Scott Dahlgren, David R. Hall.
Application Number | 20180163720 14/188805 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 53881773 |
Filed Date | 2018-06-14 |
United States Patent
Application |
20180163720 |
Kind Code |
A9 |
Hall; David R. ; et
al. |
June 14, 2018 |
High-Pressure Pump for Use in a High-Pressure Press
Abstract
A high-pressure pump comprising an elongated casing and a hollow
interior formed along a central axis thereof. At least one
partition may be axially fixed within the elongated casing such
that it divides the hollow interior. First and second pressure
differential devices may be disposed on opposite sides of the at
least one partition and each have a rotary shaft extending there
through. A first rotary shaft extending through the first pressure
differential device may be axially fixed by the at least one
partition and rotationally fixed to a second rotary shaft extending
through the second pressure differential device. The high-pressure
pump may be driven by a servomotor and used in a high-pressure
press.
Inventors: |
Hall; David R.; (Provo,
UT) ; Dahlgren; Scott; (Alpine, UT) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Novatek IP, LLC |
Provo |
UT |
US |
|
|
Prior
Publication: |
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Document Identifier |
Publication Date |
|
US 20150240805 A1 |
August 27, 2015 |
|
|
Family ID: |
53881773 |
Appl. No.: |
14/188805 |
Filed: |
February 25, 2014 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
61769602 |
Feb 26, 2013 |
|
|
|
61772757 |
Mar 5, 2013 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B30B 1/003 20130101;
F04C 15/0073 20130101; B30B 11/007 20130101; F04C 11/001 20130101;
F04C 2/18 20130101; F04C 2240/70 20130101; F04C 2/084 20130101;
B30B 11/005 20130101; B01J 3/067 20130101 |
International
Class: |
F04C 2/08 20060101
F04C002/08; F04C 11/00 20060101 F04C011/00; B30B 1/00 20060101
B30B001/00 |
Claims
1. A high-pressure pump, comprising: an elongated casing comprising
a hollow interior formed along a central axis; at least one
partition axially fixed within the elongated casing and dividing
the hollow interior; a first pressure differential device disposed
on one side of the at least one partition and a second pressure
differential device disposed on an opposite side; and a first
rotary shaft extending through the first pressure differential
device, axially fixed by the at least one partition, and
rotationally fixed to a second rotary shaft extending through the
second pressure differential device.
2. The high-pressure pump of claim 1, wherein the first rotary
shaft comprises a male spline end mating with a female spline end
of the second rotary shaft.
3. The high-pressure pump of claim 1, wherein the first rotary
shaft mates with the second rotary shaft through a coupling.
4. The high-pressure pump of claim 1, wherein each of the first and
second pressure differential devices comprises a solitary positive
displacement gear pump.
5. The high-pressure pump of claim 1, wherein each of the first and
second pressure differential devices comprises a plurality of
positive displacement gear pumps.
6. The high-pressure pump of claim 1, wherein the at least one
partition comprises and is axially fixed by an expandable exterior
surface.
7. The high-pressure pump of claim 1, wherein the at least one
partition is axially fixed by a locking element extending through
the elongated casing.
8. The high-pressure pump of claim 1, further comprising at least
one pressure transducer extending through the elongated casing into
the hollow interior.
9. The high-pressure pump of claim 1, wherein the first rotary
shaft comprises at least one appendage protruding therefrom and
axially constrained by the partition.
10. The high-pressure pump of claim 9, further comprising a thrust
bearing disposed between the appendage and the partition.
11. The high-pressure pump of claim 9, wherein the first rotary
shaft drives a first parallel rotary shaft also extending through
the first pressure differential device, and axially fixed by the at
least one partition, and rotationally fixed to a second parallel
rotary shaft extending through the second pressure differential
device.
12. The high-pressure pump of claim 11, wherein the first parallel
rotary shaft comprises at least one appendage protruding therefrom
and axially constrained by the partition, axially offset from the
appendage of the first rotary shaft.
13. The high-pressure pump of claim 1, wherein the first rotary
shaft is connected to and driven by a servomotor.
14. The high-pressure pump of claim 1, further comprising a channel
wherein fluid may travel through the at least one partition.
15. The high-pressure pump of claim 1, wherein the first and second
pressure differential devices are axially fixed within the
elongated casing.
16. A high-pressure press, comprising: a piston enclosing an
expandable cavity; a bi-directional high-pressure pump fluidly
connected to the expandable cavity; a reservoir fluidly connected
to the bi-directional high-pressure pump; and a servomotor
controlling the bi-directional high-pressure pump; wherein the
bi-directional high-pressure pump comprises a first rotary shaft
axially fixed to a casing and rotationally fixed to a second rotary
shaft.
17. The high-pressure press of claim 16, further comprising a
position transducer to identify a position of the piston.
18. The high-pressure press of claim 16, further comprising a
pressure transducer to identify a pressure in the expandable
cavity.
19. The high-pressure press of claim 16, further comprising a
controller that receives input from a piston position transducer or
expandable cavity pressure transducer to control the
servomotor.
20. The high-pressure press of claim 16, further comprising a
plurality of pistons operated simultaneously to compress a single
chamber.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This patent application claims priority to U.S. Provisional
Pat. App. Nos. 61/769,602, filed on Feb. 26, 2013, and 61/772,757,
filed on Mar. 5, 2013, which are incorporated herein by reference
for all that they contain.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates generally to high-pressure
pumps as are common in applications that use a high-pressure,
high-temperature press, such as the manufacture of polycrystalline
diamonds. More particularly, the present invention relates to
high-pressure pumps that comprise a plurality of positive
displacement pumps that are stacked to increase the overall
pressure differential capabilities of the high-pressure pump. For
example, a positive displacement pump may be able to generate only
a limited pressure differential; when a higher pressure
differential is desired, additional positive displacement pumps may
be stacked to increase the overall pressure differential without
exceeding the maximum allowable pressure differential across any
solitary positive displacement pump.
[0003] Rotary gear pumps are well known types of positive
displacement pumps employed to pump fluids from one location to
another. Rotary gear pumps conventionally employ two gears having
meshing teeth disposed within a housing to deliver fluid entering
the housing from an inlet to an outlet. One of the toothed gears
may be a drive gear rotated by a motor or other suitable means
while the other gear may be a driven gear which is driven by the
drive gear. An example of such a rotary gear pump can be found in
U.S. Pat. No. 6,123,533 to McBurnett which discloses a positive
displacement pump including a drive gear meshed with an idler gear.
However, only a limited pressure differential may be able to be
generated across such a rotary gear pump.
[0004] It may be desirable to combine two or more such positive
displacement pumps together, creating a multi-stage operation, to
increase the final discharge pressure. U.S. Pat. No. 6,666,666 to
Gilbert discloses a pump comprising multiple, axially stacked
positive displacement pumps. The stacked pumps are arranged within
an outer retaining barrel in one or more stages. Drive and idler
shafts extend axially through each stacked component. The entire
stack of sections and crossovers between stages can be fit into the
bore of a tubular barrel, compressed sealably together and retained
therein. However, when generating extremely high pressure
differentials in a particular stacked section, the pressure
differential may cause the shafts used to drive the rotors to be
displaced.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] In one aspect of the present invention, an elongated casing
may comprise a hollow interior formed along a central axis. At
least one partition may be axially fixed within the elongated
casing such that it divides the hollow interior. This may be
accomplished by a variety of methods. In one method, the at least
one partition comprises an expandable exterior surface that may
remain retracted during insertion into the hollow interior of the
elongated casing and then expand to fix the at least one partition
to the casing. In other methods, the at least one partition may be
axially fixed to the elongated casing by a locking element
extending through an exterior of the elongated casing.
[0006] First and second pressure differential devices may be
disposed on opposite sides of the at least one partition and each
have a rotary shaft extending there through. A first rotary shaft
extending through the first pressure differential device may be
axially fixed by the at least one partition. This may be
accomplished by a variety of methods. In one method, the first
rotary shaft comprises at least one appendage protruding there from
such that the appendage is axially constrained by the partition. A
thrust bearing may also be disposed between the appendage and the
partition.
[0007] The first rotary shaft may also be rotationally fixed to a
second rotary shaft extending through the second pressure
differential device. This may be accomplished by a variety of
methods. One method may comprise a male spline end on the first
rotary shaft mating with a female spline end on the second rotary
shaft. An alternative method may comprise the first and second
rotary shafts mating through a coupling.
[0008] In some embodiments, the first rotary shaft drives a first
parallel rotary shaft also extending through the first pressure
differential device. The first parallel rotary shaft may also be
axially fixed by the at least one partition. This may be
accomplished by at least one appendage protruding from the first
parallel rotary shaft and axially constrained by the partition. It
may be necessary to offset the appendage of the first parallel
rotary shaft from the appendage of the first rotary shaft. The
first parallel rotary shaft may also be rotationally fixed to a
second parallel rotary shaft extending through the second pressure
differential device.
[0009] In various embodiments, the first and second pressure
differential devices may each comprise either a solitary positive
displacement gear pump or a plurality of positive displacement gear
pumps. Fluid may pass from the first pressure differential device
to the second pressure differential device through a channel in the
at least one partition. The first and second pressure differential
devices may be axially fixed within the elongated casing. At least
one pressure transducer may extend through the elongated casing
into the hollow interior. In some embodiments, the first rotary
shaft may be connected to and driven by a servomotor.
[0010] In another aspect of the present invention, a high-pressure
press may comprise a piston enclosing an expandable cavity. A
bi-directional high-pressure pump may fluidly connect the
expandable cavity to a reservoir. The bi-directional high-pressure
pump may be capable of feeding fluid to the expandable cavity from
the reservoir and also withdrawing fluid from the expandable cavity
back to the reservoir. A servomotor may be used to control the
bi-directional high-pressure pump. The bi-directional high-pressure
pump may comprise a first rotary shaft axially fixed to a casing
and rotationally fixed to a second rotary shaft. This may allow for
a stack of pressure differential devices to build up pressure in
the bi-directional high-pressure pump while preventing axial
displacement of the rotary shafts.
[0011] In various embodiments, the high-pressure press may comprise
a position transducer to identify the position of the piston or a
pressure transducer to identify a pressure in the expandable
cavity. A controller may receive input from the piston position
transducer or expandable cavity pressure transducer to control the
servomotor. In some embodiments, the high-pressure press may
comprise a plurality of pistons operated simultaneously to compress
a single chamber.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] FIG. 1 is a diagram of an embodiment of a high-pressure
press comprising bi-directional high-pressure pumps fluidly
connecting a reservoir to expandable cavities of several
pistons.
[0013] FIG. 2 is a diagram of an embodiment of a high-pressure
press comprising a bi-directional pump controlled by a
servomotor.
[0014] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a positive
displacement gear pump.
[0015] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a pressure
differential device comprising a plurality of positive displacement
gear pumps.
[0016] FIG. 5 is a longitudinal section view of an embodiment of a
high-pressure pump.
[0017] FIG. 6 is a magnified longitudinal section view of an
embodiment of a high-pressure pump.
[0018] FIG. 7a is a perspective view of a first rotary shaft, a
second rotary shaft and a coupling.
[0019] FIG. 7b is a perspective view of an embodiment of a first
rotary shaft comprising a male spline end and a second rotary shaft
comprising a female spline end.
[0020] FIG. 8 is a longitudinal section view of an embodiment of a
high-pressure pump comprising a pressure transducer.
[0021] FIG. 9 is a longitudinal section view of an embodiment of a
high-pressure pump comprising locking elements extending through a
casing.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0022] Referring now to the figures, FIG. 1 is a diagram of an
embodiment of a high-pressure press 100 such as may be used to
manufacture polycrystalline diamonds. In such operations, diamond
grains may be mixed with catalyst, disposed in a canister and
pressed under high pressure which allows for crystalline formation
to sinter the grains together. Several canisters may disposed
within a cube 110 placed between a plurality of pistons 120. Each
of the plurality of pistons 120 may enclose an expandable cavity
130. Bi-directional high-pressure pumps 140 may port fluid back and
forth between a reservoir 150 and each expandable cavity 130 to
accurately extend and retract the plurality of pistons 120, thus
applying pressure to cube 110.
[0023] FIG. 2 is a diagram of another embodiment of a high-pressure
press 200. A servomotor 260 may provide precise control for a
bi-directional high-pressure pump 240 that may port fluid back and
forth between a reservoir 250 and an expandable cavity 230 of a
piston 220. In various embodiments, the servomotor 260 may receive
feedback from either a position transducer 270 (such as a linear
variable differential transformer) identifying a position of the
piston 220 or a pressure transducer 280 identifying a pressure in
the expandable cavity 230.
[0024] In practice, if the pressure transducer 270 measures a
deficiency in pressure in the expandable cavity 230, the servomotor
260 may receive a feedback signal to operate the bi-directional
high-pressure pump 240 to move fluid to pressurize the piston 220.
Alternatively, if the position transducer 270 measures an
undesirable position for the piston 220, the servomotor 260 may
receive a feedback signal to operate the bi-directional
high-pressure pump 240 to move fluid to reposition the piston 220.
Unlike prior art systems that require a perpetually running motor
to maintain fluid pressure, this servomotor 260 may be shut off if
the pressure is to be held constant.
[0025] FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of a positive displacement gear
pump 300. The positive displacement gear pump 300 may comprise a
substantially cylindrical body 310 comprising a fluid inlet 320 and
a fluid outlet 330. The fluid inlet 320 and fluid outlet 330 may be
separated by a gear chamber 340 in which a pair of complementary
gears 350 may be disposed. The pair of complementary gears 350 may
prevent fluid from passing through the gear chamber 340 from the
fluid inlet 320 to the fluid outlet 330. The pair of complementary
gears 350 may comprise a drive gear 355 and a driven gear 356, such
that the driven gear 356 rotates in a direction opposite to the
direction of rotation of the drive gear 355.
[0026] When the drive gear 355 is actuated, a fixed amount of fluid
is transported from the fluid inlet 320 to the fluid outlet 330
according to the rotation of the drive gear 355 and the driven gear
356. The pair of complementary gears 350 may be formed in any
practical manner and from any convenient material known to persons
skilled in the art, e.g. such as those used in conventional
hydraulic gear pumps. Various modifications to provide deviations
from ordinary tooth profiles may be made to obtain a higher
efficiency and reduced pressure pulses and noise.
[0027] When the drive gear 355 is rotated in a reverse direction,
fluid is transferred from the fluid outlet 330 to the fluid inlet
320. Thus the positive displacement gear pump 300 may be
bi-directional.
[0028] FIG. 4 shows an embodiment of a pressure differential device
400 comprising a plurality of stacked positive displacement gear
pumps 403. Each of the plurality of stacked positive displacement
gear pumps 403 may create a pressure differential there across. The
pressure differentials across each of the plurality of stacked
positive displacement gear pumps 403 may add to the total pressure
differential attainable across the pressure differential device
400. The pressure differential device 400 may further comprise a
drive shaft 455 and a driven shaft 456 extending there through,
parallel to a central axis thereof. The drive shaft 455 may rotate
a plurality of drive gears (hidden) within each of the plurality of
stacked positive displacement gear pumps 403 which may each be
rotating driven gears (hidden) that together rotate the driven
shaft 456.
[0029] As the total pressure differential attainable across the
pressure differential device 400 increases, so does the force
required to hold the plurality of stacked positive displacement
gear pumps 403 together and to keep the drive shaft 455 and driven
shaft 456 axially constrained.
[0030] FIG. 5 shows an embodiment of a high-pressure pump 500
comprising a plurality of pressure differential devices 504
disposed within an elongated casing 510. The elongated casing 510
may comprise a substantially hollow interior 515 formed along a
central axis thereof. At least one partition 520 may be axially
fixed within the elongated casing 510 such that it divides the
hollow interior 515. This may be accomplished, in various
embodiments, by threading the at least one partition 520 within the
hollow interior 515 or inserting the at least one partition 520
into the hollow interior 515 and then expanding an exterior surface
thereof First and second pressure differential devices, 525 and 526
respectively, may be disposed on opposite sides of the at least one
partition 520. A first rotary shaft 555 may extend through the
first pressure differential device 525 and be axially fixed by the
at least one partition 520. The first rotary shaft 555 may also be
rotationally fixed with a second rotary shaft 556 extending through
the second pressure differential device 526.
[0031] In some embodiments, the first rotary shaft 555 drives a
first parallel rotary shaft 565 also extending through the first
pressure differential device 525. The first parallel rotary shaft
565 may also be axially fixed by the at least one partition 520 and
rotationally fixed to a second parallel rotary shaft 566 extending
through the second pressure differential device 526.
[0032] This configuration may be desirable because the overall
pressure differential across the high-pressure pump 500 is
sustained by the casing 510. Each rotary shaft only bears the
pressure associated with its corresponding pressure differential
device. This allows extremely high pressure differentials to be
achieved, as the casing 510 may be capable of withstanding higher
pressures than any rotary shaft is able to withstand.
[0033] FIG. 6 shows a magnified view of a partition 620 axially
fixed within an elongated casing 610 of a high-pressure pump 600. A
first rotary shaft 655 may comprise at least one appendage 658
protruding therefrom. The at least one appendage 658 may be axially
confined by the at least one partition 620 aided by a thrust
bearing 659.
[0034] In some embodiments, the first rotary shaft 655 drives a
first parallel rotary shaft 665. The first parallel rotary shaft
665 may also comprise at least one appendage 668 that is axially
confined by the at least one partition 620 aided by a thrust
bearing 669.
[0035] FIGS. 7a and 7b show embodiments of various shaft connection
assemblies that may allow for rotational fixation without axial
fixation. These types of connections may allow for torque to be
transferred without transferring axial thrust. Specifically, FIG.
7a shows first and second rotary shafts, 710a and 720a
respectively, both comprising male spline ends that may mate with a
female spline coupling 730a. FIG. 7b shows a first rotary shaft
710b comprising a male spline end that may mate with a second
rotary shaft 720b comprising a female spline end.
[0036] FIG. 8 shows an embodiment of a high-pressure pump 800
comprising an elongated casing 810. Pressure transducers 890 may be
disposed in holes 892 formed at various locations around the
elongated casing 810 to allow for various pressure readings to be
taken to monitor the pressures generated at different locations
within the high-pressure pump 800. These pressure readings may be
used to control the servomotor controlling the high-pressure
pump.
[0037] FIG. 9 shows an embodiment of a high-pressure pump 900
comprising an elongated casing 910 with locking elements 990
extending there through to axially fix partitions 920 disposed
therein.
[0038] Whereas the present invention has been described in
particular relation to the drawings attached hereto, it should be
understood that other and further modifications apart from those
shown or suggested herein, may be made within the scope and spirit
of the present invention.
* * * * *