SPLIT DIFFUSER
A jet pump splitter subassembly is provided having an interior chamber sized to allow a second diffusing cycle while directing the mixed fluid towards at least two exits in the jet pump housing. Preferably each of the exits are spaced uniformly about the periphery of the jet pump.
Latest Liberty Lift Solutions, LLC Patents:
Over the lifetime of a hydrocarbon well the ability to remove the hydrocarbons to the surface diminishes. Therefore, at some point it is necessary to utilize a form of artificial lift to move the hydrocarbons and other fluids from the formation, through the wellbore, and to the surface. One method of lifting the hydrocarbons and other fluids to the surface is to incorporate a jet pump at some point in the fluid column. Jet pumps are particularly well-suited for the corrosive and abrasive conditions in a hydrocarbon well as there are no moving parts in a jet pump.
Jet pumps typically operate by forcing a power fluid through a small opening or nozzle. As the power fluid flows towards into the nozzle its velocity increases thereby causing a drop in pressure as the power fluid exits the nozzle. The nozzle exit is generally known as the venturi. Generally located adjacent to the venturi are side ports which allow the wellbore fluid including the hydrocarbon to mingle with the power fluid as the power fluid exits the nozzle. The drop in pressure of the power fluid at the nozzle exit draws the wellbore fluids into the nozzle area where the power fluid and the wellbore fluid mix. The kinetic energy or momentum of the power fluid due to its now increased velocity is then at least partially transferred to the wellbore fluid increasing the velocity of the wellbore fluid and directing the wellbore fluid into the upper end of a diffuser. As the mixed fluid flows through the diffuser the diffuser opens allowing the velocity of the mixed fluid to decrease causing an increase in the pressure of the fluid. The outflow of the diffuser is then directed into an elbow which in turn directs the mixed fluid to the exterior of the jet pump and then to the surface.
Jet pump efficiency is largely dependent upon feed pressure at the venturi. Therefore, it is desirable to reduce any restrictions within the side ports which are in the intake or suction area of the housing. Generally, the greatest restriction occurs where the intake stream crosses over the discharge stream. Generally, such restriction is reduced by using concentric tubes where the inner tube or discharge has an elbow that directs flow out of one side of the housing. Unfortunately, the inclusion of an elbow increases manufacturing costs and increases the failure rate of the jet pump due to the relative delicacy of the elbow.
SUMMARYit has been found that it is possible to split the discharge stream into at least two fluid paths. The splitter is generally concentric with the discharge tube and is located below the diffuser. It has been found that rather than forcing the entire flow through the elbow and through one point on the exterior of the housing that by splitting the discharge stream into at least two preferably symmetric fluid paths where each discharge stream exits the pump housing at a relatively symmetric location about the central axis of the pump reduces overall turbulence within the discharge stream prior to exiting the housing.
The description that follows includes exemplary apparatus, methods, techniques, or instruction sequences that embody techniques of the inventive subject matter. However, it is understood that the described embodiments may be practiced without these specific details.
However, with the majority of the mixed fluid 34 exiting the jet pump 10 at a single location there is significant turbulence within the mixed fluid and consequent pressure drops within the mixed fluid 34.
In certain instances, the splitter 222 may be a hard material such as tungsten carbide, it may be a hardened material such as tool steel, or it may have a coating any of which may be added to prolong the life of the splitter in the presence of the direct impingement of solids in the mixed fluid.
The portion of the jet pump housing 310 depicted has a first port 380 and a second port 382. In practice the diffuser subassembly 300 is lowered into the interior of the jet pump housing 310 such that port 354 of the jet pump subassembly is adjacent to the port 380 of the jet pump housing 310 while port 358 of the jet pump subassembly 300 is adjacent to the port 382 of the jet pump housing 310. The first splitter wing 362 is adjacent to the interior periphery of the jet pump housing 310 port 380 while the second splitter ring 364 is adjacent to the interior periphery of the jet pump housing 310 port 382. Each of the splitter wings 362 and 364 are sealed to the jet pump housing 310 by O-rings, metal to metal seals, welding, soldering, or any other sealing known to the industry. When an operation wellbore fluid will flow upwards around splitter mandrel 360 and around each of the wings 362 and 364 and will be isolated by the seals from the mixed fluid flowing downward through the interior of splitter mandrel 360 out through ports 354 and 358 and ultimately flowing outwards through port 380 and 382 of the jet pump housing 310.
The interior pathways may be more readily visualized in
The methods and materials described as being used in a particular embodiment may be used in any other embodiment. While the embodiments are described with reference to various implementations and exploitations, it will be understood that these embodiments are illustrative and that the scope of the inventive subject matter is not limited to them. Many variations, modifications, additions and improvements are possible.
Plural instances may be provided for components, operations or structures described herein as a single instance. In general, structures and functionality presented as separate components in the exemplary configurations may be implemented as a combined structure or component. Similarly, structures and functionality presented as a single component may be implemented as separate components. These and other variations, modifications, additions, and improvements may fall within the scope of the inventive subject matter.
Claims
1. A jet pump comprising:
- a housing,
- a power fluid,
- a wellbore fluid,
- a mixing chamber, wherein the power fluid and the wellbore fluid combine into a mixed fluid.
- an expansion chamber,
- a splitter,
- wherein the splitter forms the mixed fluid into at least a first and second stream.
2. The jet pump of claim 1 wherein, the splitter forms the mixed fluid into at least two approximately symmetric streams.
3. The jet pump of claim 1 wherein, the at least first and second streams are directed towards at least two ports in an exterior of the housing.
4. The jet pump of claim 1 wherein, the at least first and second streams are directed towards at least two ports wherein each port has a wing.
5. The jet pump of claim 1 wherein, the splitter is a cone.
6. The jet pump of claim 1 wherein, the splitter is in a splitter chamber,
- wherein the splitter chamber allows further expansion of the mixed fluid.
7. The jet pump of claim 7 wherein, the splitter is optimized to reduce turbulence within the splitter chamber.
8. A method of forming a jet pump splitter assembly comprising:
- placing a splitter within a tubular,
- forming at least a first and second port within the tubular, wherein the at least first and second ports are each located in a wall of the tubular above the splitter,
- providing an adaptor to provide a flow path for a mixed fluid between a venture and the splitter.
9. The method of forming a jet pump splitter assembly of claim 8 wherein, the at least first and second ports are symmetric about the axis of the jet pump.
10. The method of forming a jet pump splitter assembly of claim 8 wherein, the splitter forms the mixed fluid into about symmetric streams.
11. The method of forming a jet pump splitter assembly of claim 8 further comprising a splitter chamber.
12. The method of forming a jet pump splitter assembly of claim 8 wherein, the splitter chamber allows for expansion of the mixed fluid.
13. The method of forming a jet pump splitter assembly of claim 8 wherein, the splitter is optimized to reduce turbulence within the mixed fluid streams.
14. A jet pump comprising:
- a housing,
- a power fluid,
- a wellbore fluid,
- a venturi, wherein the power fluid mixes with the wellbore fluid to form a mixed fluid.
- a first expansion chamber,
- a second expansion chamber,
- at least two ports allowing a mixed fluid to exit the second expansion chamber.
15. The jet pump of claim 14 wherein, a splitter is located within the second expansion chamber.
16. The jet pump of claim 15 wherein, the splitter forms the mixed fluid into at least two approximately symmetric streams.
17. The jet pump of claim 15 wherein, the splitter is a cone.
18. The jet pump of claim 15 wherein, the splitter is optimized to reduce turbulence within the second expansion chamber.
19. The jet pump of claim 16 wherein, the at least two approximately symmetric streams are directed towards the at least two ports in an exterior of the housing.
20. The jet pump of claim 16 wherein, the at least two approximately symmetric streams are directed towards at least two ports wherein each port has a wing.
Type: Application
Filed: Nov 29, 2017
Publication Date: May 30, 2019
Applicant: Liberty Lift Solutions, LLC (Houston, TX)
Inventor: William Coleman (Ferriday, LA)
Application Number: 15/825,475