Abstract: A method for controlling an ESP-lifted well in an optimal fashion using the ESP speed and choke opening as actuators subject to operational constraints.

Abstract: An electric submersible pump (ESP) with reduced vibration is provided. In an implementation, an ESP section has radial bearings placed at shaft locations of reduced vibration to reduce wear. The locations of reduced vibration are selected to avoid areas of high vibration and vibrational waves that reinforce each other due to structure resonance and natural excitation frequencies. In an implementation, a radial bearing is positioned at a node of reduced vibration of a standing vibrational wave. In an implementation, a succession of multiple radial bearings are spaced at different intervals from each other to avoid conventional even spacing of the bearings that causes standing waves, resonance waves, and vibrational waves at natural excitation frequencies. In an implementation, a span between adjacent radial bearings is selected to spare other adjacent bearings at different spans the effects of vibrations that may extend over a range of excitation frequencies in the ESP section.

Abstract: An electric submersible pump (ESP) can include a shaft; an electric motor configured to rotatably drive the shaft; a housing; a stack of diffusers disposed in the housing; and impellers operatively coupled to the shaft. Various other apparatuses, systems, methods, etc., are also disclosed.

Abstract: An electric submersible pump (ESP) with reduced vibration is provided. In an implementation, an ESP section has radial bearings placed at shaft locations of reduced vibration to reduce wear. The locations of reduced vibration are selected to avoid areas of high vibration and vibrational waves that reinforce each other due to structure resonance and natural excitation frequencies. In an implementation, a radial bearing is positioned at a node of reduced vibration of a standing vibrational wave. In an implementation, a succession of multiple radial bearings are spaced at different intervals from each other to avoid conventional even spacing of the bearings that causes standing waves, resonance waves, and vibrational waves at natural excitation frequencies. In an implementation, a span between adjacent radial bearings is selected to spare other adjacent bearings at different spans the effects of vibrations that may extend over a range of excitation frequencies in the ESP section.

Abstract: Various embodiments of an unmanned aerial vehicle are disclosed. In some embodiments, the UAV includes a motor assembly rotatable about rotation axis and a propeller hub assembly removably engageable with the motor assembly. The propeller hub assembly includes a retainer configured and dimensioned for engagement with the motor assembly such that rotation of the motor assembly causes corresponding rotation of the propeller hub assembly. The retainer includes a pair of deflectable arms resiliently repositionable between a first position and a second position, for engagement and disengagement with the motor assembly, respectively. The arms are movable inwardly towards the rotation axis from the first position to the second position upon application of an external force and movable outwardly away from the rotation axis from the second position to the first position upon removal of the external force.

Abstract: An electric submersible pump system can include a shaft; at least one impeller operatively coupled to the shaft; and a bearing assembly that rotatably supports the shaft, where at least one component of the electric submersible pump includes a volumetric composite material that includes polycrystalline diamond material and at least one metallic material.

Abstract: The techniques described herein provide, in one embodiment, a rapid-agitation mixer for food products that comprises a product holder configured to hold a sealed product cup containing a food product to be mixed, and a drive shaft along an agitation axis, the drive shaft configured to secure the product holder and product cup in place. The illustrative mixer also comprises a drive motor configured to reciprocate the drive shaft in opposing directions, where the product holder correspondingly reciprocates the product cup to churn the food product within the product cup.

Abstract: A mixed-flow impeller for an electric submersible pump can include a lower end and an upper end; a hub that includes a through bore that defines an axis; blades that extend at least in part radially outward from the hub where each of the blades includes a leading edge and a trailing edge; an upper balance ring that includes a radially inward facing balance chamber surface and a radially outward facing diffuser clearance surface; and an upper guard ring disposed radially outwardly from the upper balance ring where the upper guard ring includes an axially facing diffuser clearance surface that is disposed axially between the trailing edges of the blades and the upper end.

Abstract: A dual-axis mixer for food products includes a product holder that is configured to hold a sealed product cup containing a food product to be mixed. The mixer has a primary axis of rotation about a central axis, and a secondary axis of rotation radially offset from the central axis. In doing so, the secondary axis positioned to rotate around the primary axis. Furthermore, the product holder is located at the secondary axis and is configured to rotate about the secondary axis. Rotation about the primary axis applies centripetal force to the food product, and the secondary axis rotates the product holder to churn the food product within the product cup.

Abstract: A software environment for kinetic artwork choreography, employing video as the controlling data stream, and conveniently allowing fine-grained manipulation of motors, lights, and other diverse artwork elements. Choreography video may derive from a file, camera, network, streaming screen capture, etc. Using the latter functionality, choreographies may be created interactively using standard, user-familiar, video/animation creation tools, thereby providing a rich graphical interface and many WYSIWIG (What You See Is What You Get) elements. Mappings from video frame pixel content to particular outputs such as color, rotation angle, artwork device element identifier, etc., are configured through flexible templates and configuration files.

Abstract: A technique facilitates operation of a pump, such as a submersible pump in an electric submersible pumping system. The pump has a sequential diffuser and impeller which are operationally engaged via a thrust device. In some embodiments, the diffuser and impeller also are operationally engaged via a front seal. A bypass channel is used to route a flow of fluid from a tip region of the impeller to an inlet region of the impeller without passing through the thrust device during operation of the pump.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for performing subsea drilling operations. An example method may include receiving drilling fluid from a drilling fluid source at a first pressure by a pressure exchanger located within a subsea environment and receiving seawater from the subsea environment at a second pressure by the pressure exchanger to increase pressure of the drilling fluid within the pressure exchanger to a third pressure. The second and third pressures are substantially greater than the first pressure. The method may further include discharging the drilling fluid from the pressure exchanger into piping to communicate the drilling fluid to a drill forming a wellbore in a seabed and discharging the seawater from the pressure exchanger into the subsea environment.

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.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to methods and systems for separating particulates from a liquid medium. Certain embodiments provide a method of continuously separating particulates from a liquid medium, the method comprising exposing a liquid medium comprising particulates to electrolysis so as to cause flocculation of the particulates, and continuously separating the flocculated particulates so produced from the liquid medium, thereby continuously separating the particulates from the liquid medium.

Abstract: A technique facilitates formulation of predictions regarding the run life of a pumping system. Based on the predicted run life, and factors affecting that predicted run life, corrective actions may be selected and implemented. The corrective actions may involve adjustment of operational parameters regarding the pumping system so as to prolong the actual run life of the pumping system. The technique utilizes an algorithm which combines various models, e.g. physical models and degradation models, to provide various failure/run life predictions. The various models may utilize a variety of sensor data, such as actual sensor data and virtual sensor data, to both evaluate the state of the pumping system and the predicted nm life of the pumping system.

Abstract: A centrifugal pump stage with increased compressive load capacity is provided. In an implementation, a centrifugal pump stage includes a diffuser with outside wall capable of supporting increased axial forces. A mating surface of the outer wall can support axial forces generated by a stack of subsequent pump stages across the entire thickness of the outer wall. The diffuser can be a two-piece assembly including a load bearing module and a flow diffusing module. The load bearing module may be a cylinder of strong tubular alloy while the flow diffusing module can be separately cast in a manner that improves hydraulic efficiency. Various means for radially positioning the pump stages relieve the load bearing module from the task of aligning additional pump stages. A single rigid tube may also be used as the load bearing module for multiple pump stages. The tube may be made with a thin wall to increase pump volume.

Abstract: An electric submersible pump (ESP) can include a shaft; an electric motor configured to rotatably drive the shaft; a housing; a stack of diffusers disposed in the housing; and impellers operatively coupled to the shaft. Various other apparatuses, systems, methods, etc., are also disclosed.

Abstract: The techniques described herein provide, in one embodiment, a food product mixer that receives a food product to be mixed in a mixer for food products, and determines one or more product characteristics of the food product to be mixed as well as one or more mixing parameters to adjust based on the one or more product characteristics. After determining how to adjust the one or more mixing parameters to adjust, the mixer adjusts the one or more mixing parameters, and mixes the food product with the adjusted mixing parameters, accordingly.

Abstract: The techniques described herein provide, in one embodiment, a dual-axis mixer for food products that comprises a product holder that is configured to hold a sealed product cup containing a food product to be mixed. The mixer also comprises a primary axis of rotation about a central axis, and a secondary axis of rotation radially offset from the central axis, the secondary axis positioned to rotate around the primary axis. According to the illustrative embodiment, the product holder is located at the secondary axis and is configured to rotate about the secondary axis, the primary axis of rotation provides centripetal force to the food product as it rotates around the primary axis, and the secondary axis rotates the product holder to churn the food product within the product cup.

Abstract: The techniques described herein provide, in one embodiment, a rapid-agitation mixer for food products that comprises a product holder configured to hold a sealed product cup containing a food product to be mixed, and a drive shaft along an agitation axis, the drive shaft configured to secure the product holder and product cup in place. The illustrative mixer also comprises a drive motor configured to reciprocate the drive shaft in opposing directions, where the product holder correspondingly reciprocates the product cup to churn the food product within the product cup.