Patent Application
20190353185
The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for pumping fluids, and more particularly to a flow nozzle for use with a pneumatically driven pump, which is able to separate and discharge water collecting within the flow nozzle.
This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art.
Piston-less, pneumatically driven fluid pumps are popular for many applications such as removal of contaminated water, or other fluids, from well bores. In many such applications, particularly where the fluids being pumped may be a mixture of water and hydrocarbons, it is undesirable to use an electric motor driven pump. Pneumatic pumps use pressurized air from an external pressurized air source which is directed through an airflow nozzle into an interior area of a pump housing. The pressurized air is used to expel fluid collected within the interior area of the pump housing up through a one-way fluid discharge valve. After the discharge operation is complete, the pressurized airflow is interrupted. The flow nozzle may also function as a vent to atmosphere to allow the interior of the pump to be vented to atmosphere, and thus enable to pump to again begin filling with fluid. This venting to atmosphere, however, can create issues because moisture laden air may pass up through the flow nozzle, which typically includes metallic parts. The moisture laden air may also come into contact with other sensitive components associated with a controller being used to control the on/off application of the pressurized air to the flow nozzle. The moisture laden air may also be laden with contaminants that can cling to interior surfaces of the flow nozzle and eventually interfere with proper operation of the flow nozzle, and/or damage other components associated with the controller which are sensitive to moisture and/or contaminants.
Accordingly, the challenge exists to provide a flow nozzle that enables moisture collecting within the flow nozzle to be removed without the need to disassemble the flow nozzle, and which substantially reduces or entirely eliminates water particles from being ejected out through the exhaust components associated with the pump.
This section provides a general summary of the disclosure, and is not a comprehensive disclosure of its full scope or all of its features.
In one aspect the present disclosure relates to a fluid separating flow nozzle. The flow nozzle may include a diffuser housing configured to be secured to a source of compressed fluid. A diffuser element may be secured within a portion of the diffuser housing. The diffuser element may include at least one flow path opening forming a flow path through the flow nozzle, a nose portion, and a moisture capturing area adjacent the nose portion for capturing moisture particles when a first airflow is directed through the flow nozzle in a first direction. A flow turning element may also be included which has a plurality of flow turning structures. The flow turning element may be in communication with the flow path opening and may operate to impart a turning motion to the first airflow and also to a second airflow flowing in a direction opposite to the first airflow. This helps to displace and eject moisture particles from the nose portion and from the moisture capturing area while the second airflow is occurring.
In another aspect the present disclosure relates to a fluid separating flow nozzle having a diffuser housing, a diffuser element and a flow turning element. The diffuser housing may be secured to a source of compressed fluid. The diffuser element may be secured within a portion of the diffuser housing. The diffuser element may include a recess, a plurality of circumferentially arranged flow path openings forming a flow path through the flow nozzle and arranged to communicate with the recess, a nose portion and a moisture capturing area adjacent the nose portion. The moisture capturing area captures moisture particles when a first airflow is directed through the flow nozzle in a first direction. The flow turning element may be configured to turn an airflow entering or exiting the flow turning element, and may be in communication with the flow path opening. The flow turning element operates to impart a turning motion to an airflow flowing through the flow nozzle to help displace and eject moisture particles from the nose portion and the moisture capturing area when a second airflow in a second direction opposite to said first direction is directed through the flow nozzle.
In still another aspect the present disclosure relates to a fluid separating flow nozzle. The flow nozzle may include a diffuser housing configured to be secured to a source of compressed fluid. The flow nozzle may also include a diffuser element threadably secured within a portion of the diffuser housing, with the diffuser element including a recess, a plurality of circumferential flow path openings forming a flow path through the flow nozzle and being in communication with the recess, a nose portion, and a moisture capturing area adjacent the nose portion. The moisture capturing area captures moisture particles when a first airflow is directed through the flow nozzle in a first direction. A flow turning element may also be included in the flow nozzle, and may be threadably coupled to the diffuser housing, and receives the nose portion of the diffuser therein. The flow turning element may a plurality of flow turning structures forming grooves, the flow turning element being in communication with the flow path opening and operating to impart a turning motion to the first airflow and also to a second airflow flowing in a direction opposite to the first airflow. This helps to displace and eject moisture particles from the nose portion and from the moisture capturing area while the second airflow is occurring.
Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the description provided herein. The description and specific examples in this summary are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.
The drawings described herein are for illustrative purposes only of selected embodiments and not all possible implementations, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. In the drawings:
Corresponding reference numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.
Example embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Referring to
An electronic controller 24 may be used to control the application of compressed air from a compressed air source 26 to the pump 14. The compressed air may be applied to the flow nozzle 12 and directed through a section of suitable tubing (e.g., plastic or rubber) 28 into the interior area of the pump housing 22. Alternatively, it is possible that the flow nozzle 12 may be coupled directly to a head assembly 28 of the pump 14 so that no intermediate length of tubing is needed. In either event, the electronic controller 24 may control a valve 30 (e.g., a solenoid valve) so that the valve is closed while the compressed air source 26 is applying compressed air to the pump 14, and may open the valve to vent the interior of the pump housing 22 to atmosphere after a fluid ejection cycle is complete. In one example the valve 30 may be a Humphrey 250A solenoid valve available from the Humphrey Products Company of Kalamazoo, Mich. Optionally, a “quick exhaust” valve (not shown) may be incorporated between the flow nozzle 12 and the exhaust valve 30. The quick exhaust valve allows pressurized air to be directed into the pump 14 while allowing exhaust air to be expelled out to the ambient environment, which can potentially help reduce any possible contaminant build up in the valve 30 or and/or its vent port that vents to the atmosphere.
It will be appreciated that the foregoing has been intended as just one example of an overall system that the flow nozzle 12 may be used with. The flow nozzle 12 is expected to find utility in virtually any type of system where moisture-laden air needs to flow through a flow valve, and for the moisture to be captured and periodically ejected from interior surfaces of the flow nozzle.
The diffuser system 34 includes a diffuser housing 46, a diffuser element 48, and a flow turning element 50. The diffuser housing 46 may be, for example, a metallic component, a component, or it may be constructed from any other suitable material. The diffuser housing 46 may have a threaded bore 52 (
The diffuser element 48, as shown in
With further reference to
With brief reference to
With further reference to
Referring to
During a venting operation, as indicated in
The moisture capturing area 65 provides the benefit of forming an annular, cup-like recess that may capture moisture in the air being vented. It is well known that water has a cohesive property. The water droplets will impact one or a plurality of surfaces defining the air flow path. When the water droplets impact a wall, the cohesive property will encourage other droplets to agglomerate on the previously deposited droplets, which forms even larger droplets on the surface. Having this understanding, then, the collection of droplets due to impact will collect on the surface of frustoconical portion 64. The swirling air flow created by the turning grooves 72 on the face portion 70 of the flow turning element 50 helps to gather the water particles and then will direct the radial air flow to impact the wall inside the diffuser housing 46. Once on the wall inside the diffuser housing 46, the air flow will propel the droplets into a large cavity where velocity slows, leaving the droplets on the wall while the air flow changes direction and leaves the droplets stranded in a non-flowing area.
The flow nozzle 12 provides the added benefit of having no moving parts, and being extremely quick and easy to assemble and disassemble with only a few common hand tools. Most importantly, however, the flow nozzle 12 captures moisture in the air being vented from the pump 14 and prevents the buildup of contaminants within the flow valve 12, as well as issues that may arise with the moisture laden air reaching sensitive components of the electronic controller 24, the valve 30, or other components used in the system 12.
The flow nozzle 12 can be easily installed or retrofitted into existing fluid pumping systems used at wellbores with little or no modifications required to the existing systems. The flow valve 12 forms an extremely cost effective means for removing moisture and helping to protect against fouling or degradation of the flow nozzle 12, as well as fouling or damage to other components of the system 12. Still further, eliminating the need to periodically disassemble the flow nozzle 12 can be expected to contribute to a cost savings in the overall operation of the well. The nozzle also helps to eliminate odors produced when water droplets are in the exhausted air flow stream. These water droplets, once outside the well, evaporate. This then creates an airborne smell. The water droplets can also cause ground staining and in some cases may even cause defoliate vegetation near the well. This staining and defoliation may provide the misleading appearance of a different undesirable condition, for example leaking gas, which does not exist.
The foregoing description of the embodiments has been provided for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure. Individual elements or features of a particular embodiment are generally not limited to that particular embodiment, but, where applicable, are interchangeable and can be used in a selected embodiment, even if not specifically shown or described. The same may also be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the disclosure, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the disclosure.
Example embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough, and will fully convey the scope to those who are skilled in the art. Numerous specific details are set forth such as examples of specific components, devices, and methods, to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the present disclosure. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that specific details need not be employed, that example embodiments may be embodied in many different forms and that neither should be construed to limit the scope of the disclosure. In some example embodiments, well-known processes, well-known device structures, and well-known technologies are not described in detail.
The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular example embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,”and “the” may be intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. The terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “including,” and “having,” are inclusive and therefore specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. The method steps, processes, and operations described herein are not to be construed as necessarily requiring their performance in the particular order discussed or illustrated, unless specifically identified as an order of performance. It is also to be understood that additional or alternative steps may be employed.
When an element or layer is referred to as being “on,” “engaged to,” “connected to,” or “coupled to” another element or layer, it may be directly on, engaged, connected or coupled to the other element or layer, or intervening elements or layers may be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directly on,” “directly engaged to,” “directly connected to,” or “directly coupled to” another element or layer, there may be no intervening elements or layers present. Other words used to describe the relationship between elements should be interpreted in a like fashion (e.g., “between” versus “directly between,” “adjacent” versus “directly adjacent,” etc.). As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.
Although the terms first, second, third, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections, these elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections should not be limited by these terms. These terms may be only used to distinguish one element, component, region, layer or section from another region, layer or section. Terms such as “first,” “second,” and other numerical terms when used herein do not imply a sequence or order unless clearly indicated by the context. Thus, a first element, component, region, layer or section discussed below could be termed a second element, component, region, layer or section without departing from the teachings of the example embodiments.
Spatially relative terms, such as “inner,” “outer,” “beneath,” “below,” “lower,” “above,” “upper,” and the like, may be used herein for ease of description to describe one element or feature's relationship to another element(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in the figures. Spatially relative terms may be intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. For example, if the device in the figures is turned over, elements described as “below” or “beneath” other elements or features would then be oriented “above” the other elements or features. Thus, the example term “below” can encompass both an orientation of above and below. The device may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and the spatially relative descriptors used herein interpreted accordingly.
