Mud pump

Abstract

A multicylinder, double acting improved mud pump is disclosed, the preferred embodiment incorporates a hydraulic powered piston in a cylinder which connects with a piston rod which, in turn, drives a second piston in a cylinder adopted to pump fluid mud. The first piston is driven by hydraulic oil delivered under pressure to intake manifolds through an independently driven valving apparatus which times the delivery of the hydraulic fluid for the main power stroke and further times the discharge of the hydraulic fluid for the return secondary power stroke, the system being controlled independently of piston action in timing of multiple pistons in multiple cylinders by the valve system. Additionally an intake valve delivers fluid mud at lower pressure on the intake side of the mud compression piston, and an outlet valve traverses with the piston rod to direct the outlet mud flow. Additionally a mud piston is provided which defines a first compression chamber for receipt of incoming fluid mud and a second compression chamber for discharge of pressurized fluid mud. Additionally the outlet flow valve being contained within the confines of the mud piston and additionally the unidirectional flow valve being operatively controlled by the movement of the mud piston driving rod.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE

The present apparatus is directed to a fluid mud pump and, more particularly, to a mud pump to be utilized to intensify fluid pressure for use in drilling oil wells or in conditioning oil wells such as fracturing with extremely high pressure or abrasive fluids. Various mud pumps and pressure intensification pumps are already known to exist that employ various and sundry means to overcome the difficulties encountered in prolonged pumping of high volume, high pressure, and abrasive materials. The present invention is an apparatus which will provide improvement in mud pumping operations in such areas as reduced mud pressure pulsation, less operating energy required for fluid pressure intensification, slower operating piston speeds and longer piston strokes thus resulting in extended life of all operating parts, wider range of mud flow and pressure controllability, greater simplicity of manufacture, improved adaptability and operation, plus other less apparent improvements. Thus the context of the problem to be dealt with in the present invention is that of a non pulsating output, highly efficient and controllable hydraulic powered fluid output pump.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a multicylinder mud pump system in accordance with the teachings of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a section view taken along the line 2--2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a schematic drawing showing a hydraulic system and power system used to power a typical mud pump of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an end view of the independent driven metering valve that is used to distribute hydraulic fluid to the hydraulic drive cylinders of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a section view taken along the line 5--5 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a section view taken along the lines 6--6 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a section view taken along the lines 7--7 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a schematic drawing showing hydraulic line interconnection between FIG. 6, FIG. 7, and the hydraulic drive cylinder of FIG. 3.

FIG. 9 is a view of the reciprocating mud piston and valve drawn to a larger scale than shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 10 is a view, drawn to a larger scale than shown in FIG. 2 of the mud piston rod seal that is shown in FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Attention is first directed to FIG. 1, of the drawings where the numeral 10 generally identifies the mud pump of the present invention. In this illustrated embodiment a plan view of a mud pump employing three pumping cylinders is shown. Three or more pumping cylinders is the preferred arrangement for this pump. Each pumping cylinder is the same in cross section and is connected to a common mud inlet manifold and to a common mud outlet manifold. Attention is also directed to FIG. 2 which is a section view taken along the lines 2--2 of FIG. 1. This section view is the same for each of the three pumping cylinders that comprise the mud pump of this invention.

To this end, a mud suction manifold 11 is connected by bolts 12 to valve housing 13, manifold 11 connects to valve housing 13 of each pumping section and has an annulus 14 which is common to all valve inlets. Flange 15 is located on each end of manifold 11 to allow connection of annulus 14 to a suitable mud supply source. Valve housing 13 is a circular member with a circular bore 16 therethrough that is formed to receive unidirectional inlet valve assembly 17, valve assembly 17 consists of a valve seat, a spring loaded valve spool, and a compression spring element. Valve housing 13 is sealingly connected to a head flange 18 by bolts 19 and seals 20. Head flange 18 is elongated rounded member with a flat 21 on one side to receive member 13. The flat surface 21 has a rounded bore 22 extending inward therefrom which is concentric to and communicates with annulus 16. Within bore 22 a circular shaped valve retainer plate 23 is positioned and held in place by snap ring 24 to retain unidirectional valve assembly 17 in position. Valve assembly 17 is positioned to allow relatively free fluid flow from annulus 14 to annulus 16 and to block fluid flow from annulus 16 to annulus 14.

Head flange 18 contains a circular recess 31 on one end into which is fitted one end of a spacer tube 32, the second end of spacer tube 32 is likewise fitted into a circular recess 34 of one end of a head cap 33. An access opening 180 is provided through the side of member 32. Head cap 33 also contains a circular recess 35 on its second end into which is fitted a tubular shaped cylinder adaptor member 36. An access opening 181 is provided through the side of member 36. Members 18, 32 33 and 36 are held together by tie rods 37 which are connected by threads to member 18 on one end and pass through member 33 and 36 on the second end. The second end of tie rod 37 is threaded to receive a nut 38 which tighten against member 36 to clamp together and retain members 18, 32, 33, and 36 as a single unit with a concentric bore therethrough.

Head flange 18 contains a circular annulus 26 therethrough which communicates with annulus 22. Within annulus 25 an end cap 26 is slideably fitted and held in place by a circular retainer plate 27 and bolts 28. End cap 26 is an elongated circular member with a raised flange on each end that contains circular seals 29 on one end and circular seals 49 on the other end. Seals 29 and 49 form slideable sealing contact with the walls of annulus 25. The diameter of the flange that holds seals 29 is of a slightly reduced size than the diameter of the flange that holds seals 49, these seals also mate with correspondingly different sized diameters in annulus 24. These different sized sealing surfaces are to facilitate ease of assembly. End cap 26 also contains a recessed bore 30 on its inner face and side part 48 which communicates with annulus 25. The inner face of end cap 26 has a smooth, concentric circular tapered face 39 against which is fitted a correspondingly tapered face on the first end of a tubular shaped piston liner 40. The tapered face of the liner 40 contains a circular groove 41 into which a circumferential seal 50 is fitted to form a static seal between liner 40 and end cap 26. The second end of liner 40 contains a similar tapered face and sealing element 51 which mate with a corresponding tapered face 42 on an end seal member 43. Member 43 slidably and sealingly fits within a circular bore 44 of member 33. Member 43 is an elongated circular member with raised flanges on each end which each contain seals 121 fitted in circumferential grooves to form slidable seals within the bore 44 of member 33. Member 43 seats against a shoulder 45 of member 36 that limits its movement in one direction. Seal member 43, liner 40, and end cap 26 are pulled together by retainer plate 27. Retainer plate 27 being so positioned as to provide a space 46 that allows plate 27 to tighten against end cap 26 as bolts 28 are tightened. Liner 40 has a smooth inner bore 47 that is concentric with both tapered end faces. End cap 26 and its tapered bore 39 is positioned to be concentric with seal cap 43 and its tapered face 42. Thus as plate 27 is moved inward by tighting bolt 28, liner 40 will assume a concentric and sealed position with respect to end cap 26 and seal cap 42. Thus liner 40 can be of a wide range of bore diameters and maintain stable, concentric sealing contact with end cap 26 and seal cap 43. End cap 26 and seal cap 43 are positioned to maintain concentric positions through concentric alignment of annulus 25 and annulus 44.

End cap 43 has concentric bore 52 therethrough and a recessed groove 53 on its diameter which are in communication through part 54. Head cap 33 has a flat surface 55 on one side through which extends a port 56. Port 56 is in communication with groove 53. The flat surface 55 of head cap 33 is fitted to receive an outlet manifold 57 which is sealingly connected to number 33 by bolts 58 and circular seals 59. Manifold 57 connects to each of the three pumping cylinder assemblies and has a contained bore 60 therethrough which sealingly mates with bore 56 of each pumping cylinder to form an outlet annulus 60 that is common to each pumping cylinder. Manifold 57 is also fitted with flange 61 on each end for connection to a suitable outlet supply line.

Liner 40 houses a member 62 which is a combination piston and unidirectional flow valve. Attention is additionally directed to FIG. 9 where an enlarged view of member 62 is shown. Member 62 connects to piston rod 63 by threads 64 and is secured by snap ring 65. Member 62 consists of valve housing 66, piston seal 67, cap ring 68, piston backup ring 69, retainer cap 70, valve seat 72, seal 74, and valve plug 75. Member 66 is an elongated rounded member that is fitted on one end with a pliable sealing element 67. Element 67 is further positioned and held in place by a cap ring 68 and a backup ring 69. Backup ring 69 being secured by a thread at 71. Retainer cap 70 further holds in place a valve seat 72. Valve seat 72 is a circular ring type member with a smooth, hardened and tapered face 73 that houses a seal 74. Face 73 and seal 74 are fitted to receive a valve plug 75 that is slidably fitted into an annular 76 of member 66. Valve plug 75 contains a smooth and hardened face 77 that is tapered to mate with face 73 and seal 74 to form a seal between member 75 and member 72. Member 75 is further fitted with a spring 78 that tends to exert a slight force against member 75 to position member 75 in normally sealed position against face 73, but which may be compressed to allow member 75 to assume a non-sealed position relative to face 73. Member 66 is fitted with slots 79 therethrough which are in communication with annulus 76. Member 70 has a bore 80 therethrough which becomes blocked when valve plug 75 is in a sealed position against face 73 but which is in communication with slots 79 when valve plug is not in a sealed position with face 73. When valve cap 75 is in a sealed position against face 73, then the annulus of liner 40 is separated into two distinct pressure chambers shown as a second pressure chamber 81 on the rod end of member 62 and as a first pressure chamber 82 on the back side of member 62. Unidirectional valve member 62 will open when pressure is applied from the first chamber 82 and allow flow from chamber 82 into chamber 81. Valve member 62 will close and hold pressure when flow attempts to travel from chamber 81 to chamber 82. Seal 67 is slidable within piston liner 40. Piston rod 63 extends forward from member 62, through a piston rod seal member 83 and connects by thread 122 to a cylinder rod 84. Cylinder rod 84 is the piston rod of a hydraulic cylinder assembly 85. Hydraulic cylinder assembly 85 consists of piston rod 84, piston rod seal 86, piston assembly 87, piston retainer cap 88, cylinder barrel 89, end cap 90, head cap 91, tie rod 92, and tie rod bolts 93. Tie rods 92 extend through end cap 90 and head cap 91 and are threadingly connected to an adapter flange 94. Adapter flange 94 is concentrically fitted to cylinder adapter 36 and retained in place by bolt 95. Thus as nuts 93 are tightened, piston cylinder 85 is secured and concentrically positioned with piston rod 63. Piston assembly 87 is fitted to slidably and sealingly form two pressure chamber within cylinder assembly 85; a rear chamber 96 with fluid inlet ports 97, and a front chamber 98 with fluid inlet ports 99. Thus as hydraulic fluid under pressure is directed to either chamber 96 or chamber 98, then piston 87 and piston rod 84 will respond with movement as directed by hydraulic fluid flow and pressure.

Attention is further directed to FIG. 10 which is an enlarged view of seal assembly 83. Assembly 83 is concentrically and sealingly fitted to end seal member 43 by bolts 100 and circumferential seal 101. Assembly 83 consists of a housing 102, end cap 103, slideable seal ring 104, seal end ring 105, seals rings 106, seal head ring 107 and retainer ring 108. Retainer ring 108 is a flat rounded ring that is centrally retained within member 43 by a shoulder 110 and member 102. Ring 108 positions in place a wiper ring 109 and retains member 107 from movement in a one direction. Housing member 102 is a rounded member with a bore therethrough into which is fitted seal head ring 107, seals 106, seal end ring 105, slidable seal ring 104, and end cap 103. End cap 103 is sealibly connected to member 102 by seal 111 and bolts 112, and is fitted to exert slight compression pressure on member 108, 107, 106, 105, and 104 as bolts 112 are tightened. Seal 106 is a rod seal which creates a slidable seal contact with piston rod 63 as compression pressure is exerted against the seal ends. Member 104 is a flat rounded plate with a slideable seal 113 on its outer circumference and a rod seal 114 on its inner circumference. Member 104 also contain a small diameter orface 115 therethrough which forms an annular communication with a recessed circumferentail groove 116 that is formed in the face of member 103. Orifice 115 creates an annular communication between groove 116 and the surfaces surrounding member 105 and 106. Groove 116 further communicates with a small port 117 extending through the wall of member 102. Port 117 being threaded on the outer end at 118 to receive a suitable hydraulic connection for supply of pressurized hydraulic fluid. End cap 103 is a somewhat rounded member with a bore therethrough which is fitted with seals 119 and 120 to slidably seal against piston rod 63.

Thus as pressurized hydraulic fluid is supplied to connection 118 it will flow through port 117 to groove 116 where it will pressurize seal ring 104 thus exerting added pressure against seal 106. Pressurized fluid will further flow through orifice 115 and surround and lubricate seal 106. This process being continual with a minimum of leakage of hydraulic fluid across seal 106 as long as the pressure differential between groove 116 and pressure chamber 81 is held to a minimum. Seal 106 can be supplied with hydraulic fluid containing good lubricating characteristics and this supply of hydraulic fluid can be at a controlled pressure slightly higher than the mud pressure in chamber 81, thus seal 106 will effectively seal against mud leakage from chamber 81 as piston rod 63 reciprocates. Seal 106 will function with less friction and wear thus giving longer life and better sealing characteristics than if it were not lubricated by hydraulic fluid. The loss of hydraulic fluid will be held to a minimum due to the compression that is acting against seal 106.

Thusly as pressurized hydraulic fluid is supplied to Ports 99 and 97 of hydraulic cylinder 85, in such a manner to cause piston 87 to be powerly reciprocated, then piston rod 63 will cause piston assembly 62 to likewise reciprocate. As piston 62 moves toward the rod end or to decrease chamber 81, then valve plug 55 will assume a closed position and pressurized fluid will be forced out of chamber 81 through annulus 60 of outlet manifold 57. Simultaneously chamber 82 will create a vacuum due to the displacement of piston 62 and will pull in fluid from annulus 14 of inlet manifold 11. Incoming fluid will flow across inlet valve assembly 17, through annulus 16, 22, 25, through ports 48, and into chamber 82 to replace fluid that is being discharged from annulus 60. The amount of fluid drawn into chamber 82 will be greater than the amount displaced from chamber 81 by an amount equal to the volume determined by the area decreased due to piston rod 63.

Correspondingly as piston 62 moves away from the piston rod end or in the direction to decrease chamber 82, then the movement of member 62 will be in a direction to compress the entrapped fluid in chamber 82 and thus the fluid will flow through valve member 62 into chamber 81 and out annulus 60. In this direction of piston 62 movement the pressure in both chambers 82 and chambers 81 will be equal to the discharge pressure of annulus 60, and the fluid flow from chamber 81 to annulus 60 will be equal to the volume of fluid displaced due to the area of piston rod 63. Thus it is shown that as piston rod 63 continually reciprocates, fluid will be displaced from pressure chamber 81 to the discharge annulus 60 in both directions of travel of piston rod 63. Also that the pressure in chamber 81 and discharge annulus 60 will be equal in either directions of travel of piston rod 63.

Attention is next directed to FIG. 3 which is a schematic drawing of a typical hydraulic circuit employed to power the hydraulic cylinders 85 of this mud pump. In this circuit only two cylinders 85 are illustrated for clarity of explanation, addition of a third or more cyhlinders 85, will be explained in later descriptions. The main components of this circuit are a main pump 125 that is driven by a prime mover 126, a charge pump 127 that is also driven by member 126, one way check valve 128 and 129, high pressure relief valve 130 independently driven metering valve 132 that is driven by prime mover 133, one way check valve 134, flow control valve 135, flow control valve 136, one way check valve 137, relief valve 138, pneumatic type accumulation 139, hydraulic piston 85, hydraulic reservoir 140, high pressure supply line 141, low pressure hydraulic return line 142, hydraulic flow lines 143, 144, 145, 146, 147, 148 and 149, and low pressure relief valve 131. The hydraulic system shown is a closed loop charged type hydraulic system employing a variable volume one direction main pump. Most of the components in this hydraulic circuit and the usage thereof are well known by anyone versed in the art, so I will give detailed explanation only of unique and new pressurized fluid control means disclosed by this hydraulic circuit.

It will be noted that the hydraulic circuit shown in FIG. 3 is basically the same, except for some unique and new pressure control features, as has been prior disclosed in my patent application Ser. No. 06/133,948, filed 03/25/80.

Attention is further directed to FIG. 4 which is an end view of metering valve 132. FIG. 5 is a section view taken along the line 5--5 of FIG. 4. FIG. 6 is a section view taken along the lines 6--6 of FIG. 5. FIG. 7 is a section view taken along lines 7--7 of FIG. 5. FIG. 8 is a schematic drawing imposed between FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 showing hydraulic line connections between FIG. 6, FIG. 7 and hydraulic cylinders 85. Valve 132 contains a housing 150 with a finely finished central bore 151 therethrough. Housing 150 has an end plate 152 on one end which retains in place a seal 153 for sealing against flows therebetween. End plate 152 also contains a thrust bearing 154 which is fitted into a recessed counterbore for containment, and a fluid return port 155 which passes therethrough and is fitted on its outer end for receipt of hydraulic fluid return line 142. End plate 152 is retained in place by bolts 156. On the other end housing 150 has a second end plate 157 which is retained in position by bolts 158 and which retains in place a seal 159. End plate 157 also contains a central bore therethrough into which is fitted a second thrust bearing 160 and a shaft seal 161. Seal 161 is retained in place by snap ring 162.

Mounted within bore 151 of housing 150 is a rounded rotatable valve spool 163 which is fitted to make rotatable sealing contact with the walls of bore 151. Spool 163 has a drive shaft 164 of reduced diameter extending from one end which extends through the bore of plate 157 and thus through seal 161 to form a drive connection means to rotate spool 163 about a rotational centerline 176 by an external rotary drive means; contained within valve spool 163 is a groove 164 that circles the circumference and continually communicates with an inlet port 165 that is positioned in housing 150 and that is fitted to receive pressure line 141. Leading inward from groove 164 is a rounded annulus 166 which connects to an annulus 167. The centerline of annulus 167 passes through the rotational centerline of spool 163 and is perpendicular to the rotational centerline of spool 163 thus forming two equal annulus outlets from spool 163 which are at 180 degree spacing. The outer ends of annulus 167 is finely finished to form square like and equal recesses 168 into spool 163. Housing 150 contains a first bore 169 therethrough and a second bore 170 therethrough being positioned in line with bore 169 but at a 90 spacing to bore 169, both bore 169 and bore 170 being positioned perpendicular to the rotational centerline of spool 163. Bores 169 and 170 are positioned to alternately mate with annulus 167 of spool 163 as spool 163 rotates thus forming two alternating fluid outlet connections to annulus 167. Bore 169 is fitted on each end for hydraulic line connections to line 149. Bore 170 is fitted on each end for hydraulic line connection to line 148. Thus as spool 163 is rotated and pressureized hydraulic fluid is supplied to inlet port 165 it is equally and alternately distributed to ports 169 and 170. Further it is distributed with no hydraulic pressure originated side loading being applied to spool 163 as the pressure outlets are directly opposed. Further a relatively large quantity of fluid can be distributed from spool 163 since it is being distributed simultaneously at two outlets.

Valve spool 163 further contain a second annulus 171 there through whose centerline passes through the rotational centerline of spool 163 and is perpendicular to the rotational centerline of spool 163. Annulus 171 is positioned at a 90 degree spacing relative to the centerline of annulus 167. The outer ends of annulus 171 are finely finished to form square line end equal recesses 172 into spool 163 and 180 degree spacing. Housing 150 contains a third bore 173 therethrough and a fourth bore 174 therethrough, bore 173 being in the same plane as bore 174 but at a 90 degree spacing from bore 174. Both bore 173 and bore 174 being a plane perpendicular to the rotational centerline of spool 163. Bore 173 is fitted at each end to receive hydraulic line connection from line 149. Bore 174 is fitted at each end to receive hydraulic line connection from line 148. Bores 173 and 174 are positioned to alternately mate with annulus 171 of spool 163 as spool 163 rotates thus forming two alternating fluid inlet connections to annulus 171. Spool 163 further contains a centrally located end port 175 which communicates with annulus 171 and continually cummunicates with fluid return port 155 in end plate 152. Bore 169 and bore 173 are positioned in the same longitudinal plane relative to rotational axis 176. Thus as spool 163 is rotated fluid return port 155 will equally and alternately be in communication with exhaust bores 173 and 174. Recess 168 and recess 172 can be sized to regulate the timing of fluid distribution as required.

Attention is directed to FIG. 8 and FIG. 5 where it is clearly shown that as spool 163 is rotated, pressure inlet port 165 of valve 150 is firstly in communication through line 149 with the pressure chamber on the rod end of a first cylinder 85 while simultaneously fluid return port 155 of valve 150 is first in communication through lines 148 with the pressure chamber on the rod end of a second cylinder 85. Secondly inlet port 165 is in communication through line 148 with the pressure chamber on the rod end of the second cylinder 85, while simultaneously fluid return port 155 of valve 150 is secondly in communication through line 149 with the pressure chamber on the rod end of the first cylinder 85. Thus as the spool 163 of valve 132 is rotated and pressurized fluid is applied to inlet port 165, then the pressure chamber of a one cylinder 85 can be supplied fluid to cause it to expand while the pressure chamber of a second cylinder 85 can exaust the same amount of fluid through return port 155. It will be noted that a third cylinder 85 can be added to operate from valve 132 by addition of a third bore through housing 150 in the plane of FIG. 6 and in the plane of FIG. 7 and thusly positioning the three through bores at a 60 degree spacing relative to the rotational axis. The same is true for a fourth or more cylinder. In the case of a fourth cylinder 85, then four through bores positioned at 45 degrees, etc. However, three of cylinders 85 must be employed, or to be more precise three or more pressure chambers of equal displacement unless outside make-up fluid is employed, to allow uninterupted and continously equal flow into inlet port 165 and from outlet port 155 of valve 132 without fluid flow bypassing said cylinders 85. Thus the mud pump of this invention will normally employ three or more cylinders 85, the circuit of FIG. 3 illustrating two cylinders 85 only for ease of explanation. Also in the circuit of FIG. 3 outlet 169 and 173 are illustrated emerging from one side only of valve 132 for simplicity reason as are also outlets 170 and 174. It is obvious that lines 149 and 148 could be so internally ported within housing 150 as to eliminate excessive outside piping.

To this end, motor 126 powers charge pump 127 to precharge the hydraulic circuit to a pressure as determined by the setting of relief valve 131, preferably in the 200 P.S.I. range. Motor 126 also powers main pump 125 to supply pressurized fluid to line 141. Pressurized fluid travels through line 141 and enters valve 132 at port 165. Valve 132 being controllably rotated by motor 133, this rotation being independent of fluid flow or fluid pressure. Pressurized fluid is first directed to line 149 by valve 132 to pressurize chamber 98 of a first hydraulic cylinder 85 while chamber 98 of a second hydraulic 85 is vented by valve 132 to hydraulic return line 142 through outlet 155. Chambers 96 of cylinders 85 are connected by a common fluid line 146, thus as pressurized fluid enters chamber 98 of first cylinder 85 it will force fluid out of chamber 96 of said first cylinder and into chamber 96 of a second cylinder 85. The fluid entering chamber 96 of said second cylinder 85 will in turn force fluid from chamber 98 of said second cylinder, which fluid will be returned to line 142 through port 155 to be repressurized by pump 125. The amount of fluid returning to line 142 will be the same as is leaving from line 141, less leakage which is made up by charge pump 127. This process is alternately and continually repeated by cylinders 85 thus continually powerly stroking cylinder rods 84 of cylinder 85. The stroke length of cylinder rod 84 being determined by the amount of fluid passed through line 141, or by the rotational speed fo valve 132. The pressure within hydraulic line 146 and thus within chamber 96 of cylinder 85 is controlled by relief valve 138. Thus fluid pressure is applied to chamber 98 of a first cylinder 85 to powerly drive piston rod 84. In a one retracting direction the secondary pressure created in chamber 96 can powerly drive piston rod 84 of a second cylinder in a second extending direction. Thus work can be performed simultaneously by all cylinders 85. When 3 cylinders 85 are employed as is normally done in the mud pump of this invention, then the pressure chamber 98 of two cylinders 85 can simultaneous be receiving pressurized fluid while the chamber 98 of the third cylinder 85 is exhausting fluid. Conversely the pressure chamber 98 of one cylinder 85 can be receiving pressurized fluid while the chamber 98 of the second and third cylinder 85 are simultaneously exhausting fluid.

It will again be pointed out and stressed that valve 132 of this invention is an independently driven valve, which means that its rotation is completely independent from the movement of the piston 87 within cylinder 85. This independently driven control valve 132 as employed in the hydraulic circuit of FIG. 3 to effectively control the movement of free floating pistons 87 is a new, innovative and advantageous concept of hydraulic powered cylinder control. The two major difficulties that have hindered development of high horsepower hydraulic driven reciprocating piston in the past has been the seemingly impossible solution of supplying a large quantity of non-pulsating pressurized flow to the cylinder while controlling the timing of the cylinder stroke. This I have accomplished in a relatively simple and practical manner by adaptation of independent drive control valve 132 combined with several other techniques that will be described in the following disclosures.

Refering to the hydraulic circuit of FIG. 3 it will be pointed out that for the circuit to be operable from practical standpoint then piston 87 of cylinder 85 must be in a position to move when pressurized fluid is admitted to chamber 98 or stated in another manner, since piston 87 is not positively timed in relation to valve 132, then on start-up if piston 87 is positioned at the expanded directional end of its stroke and pressurized hydraulic fluid is directed to said expanded chamber, then damaging pressure pulsation will occur as the pressure will surge to the relief setting of high pressure relief valve 130. To assure that this situation does not normally arise, a variable volume pump 125 is employed as the fluid power source, and the pressurized driving fluid is directed to the rod end of cylinder 85. Note from the circuit of FIG. 3 that on start up or at any time that prime movers 126 and 133 are operating and hydraulic pump 125 is positioned in its neutral or no flow position, the the charge pump 131 will charge the complete system to the pressure as dictated by the low pressure 131 relief valve setting. This puts the same pressure on chambers 96 and 98 of cylinder 85, thus tending to expand chamber 96 due to the area of piston rod 84, thus piston 87 will always tend to position itself into a position to allow chamber 98 to be in a position to expand and thus automatically assume a timed cycle relative to valve 132 as valve 132 rotates, without causing a high pressure surge. A low pressure source will occur which is determined by the relief valve setting of relief valve 138. Further, since pump 125 is a variable volume pump, the flow going to cylinders 85 is gradually increased which correspondingly gradually increases the stroke length of piston 87 and allows piston 87 to automatically assume a timed relationship to valve 132 as piston 87 starts reciprocating. Further when the system is operating and the piston stroke length of cylinder 85 is decreased to zero by changing the output of pump 125 to zero, then the pistons 87 will automatically assume a near centered position relative to cylinder 85 thus providing for piston 87 to be in a position to expand and automatically assume a timed position with valve 132 as flow is again increased from pump 125.

As previously disclosed, the mud pump of this invention is a double acting pump which means that cylinder rod 84 must supply force in each direction of travel. This force requirement depends upon the mud pressure being pumped and thus varies greatly. Therefore, the pressure requirements within pressure chamber 96 and thus line 146 varies considerably. The fluid reservoir created by chambes 96 and lines 146 is a constant volume for a given cylinder stroke length and is in essence a closed reservoir; However, the reservoir of chambers 96 are subjected to sliding seals and to leakage so make up fluid must be continually supplied to this closed reservoir from a source of higher pressure. This is done by allowing a small volume of fluid to continually flow from high pressure line 141 to line 146 through and adjustable metering valve 135.

Since there is no practical way to always supply the correct amount of make up fluid to the closed reservoir of chamber 96 and line 146, and since this reservoir must remain at or above the required volume, then an excessive amount of fluid must be allowed to flow across metering valve 135 and a suitable means provided to allow this excessive fluid to discharge from chamber 96 without causing excessive pressure surges. Note that the excessive fluid passed therethrough chamber 96 is also a means to provide cooling to chamber 96.

Piston 87 of cylinder 85 will automatically force fluid from chamber 96 across relief valve 138 as the piston strokes and chamber 96 will automatically assume the correct volume. However, there will be damaging pressure surges on the complete high pressure circuit unless valve 138 is set to dump fluid at a pressure only slightly above the pressure that is required in chamber 96. The required pressure in chamber 96 being that pressure that is necessary to move piston rod 84 against its load. Its load being varied as previously described. Thus relief valve 138 must be capable of sensing the loading requirement of chamber 96 and adjusting to allow fluid bypass therethrough at a pressure slightly higher that the load requirement, if this system is to function with a minimum of pressure surges. It will be noted that the pressure surge required to remove fluid from chamber 96 can be excessive, if not controlled, due to the larger piston area of piston 87 that it is acting against, and also due to the fact that the surge is sudden because the excess fluid will be discharged very suddenly when a one of pistons 87 has reached the end of its stroke. When above said piston 87 has reached the end of its stroke as described, than the pressure in chambers 96 will suddenly jump from whatever the required pressure to move piston rod 84, to whatever the relief valve 138 is set to relieve.

To overcome the above described conditions and maintain the said pressure surge to an acceptable and workable range, unique circuitry employing a gas operated accumulator 139 is used. Accumulator 139 contains a pressure chamber 177 filled with a compressible gas, a pressure chamber 178 for connection to hydraulic fluid, and moveable piston or diapharam element 179 sealibly separating the two chambers. Chamber 177 is filled with a compressible gas and pressurized to approximately the same pressure as the charge relief valve 131. Chamber 178 is connected through check valve 137 and metering valve 136 to the closed reservoir formed by chamber 96 of cylinder 85. A line 147 connect the vent port of relief valve 138 to hydraulic chamber 178. As anyone versed in the art of hydraulic is aware, the vent port of a relief valve 138 can be utilized to control the pressure at which said relief valve allows flow to pass therethrough. Flow will pass across said relief valve at a pressure equal, or just above due to a spring loaded plunger within said valve, to the pressure at which flow is allowed to pass from the vent port. I will not describe the internal operations or relief valve 138 as this is a well known art. Chamber 178 of accumulator 139 is connected to chamber 96 of cylinder 85 through a one way check valve 137 that allows flow from chamber 178 to chamber 96 but blocks flow in the opposite direction, chamber 178 is also connected to chamber 96 through a variable volume metering valve 136. Thus when pump 125 is supplying pressurized flow to lines 141 then the pressure chamber formed by chamber 96 will continually be maintained at a pressure as required to cause piston rod 84 to move against its load through metered pressurized flow across valve 135. The pressure in chamber 178 of accumulator 139 will also be equal to or slightly above through valve 137 and valve 136, the said required pressure of chamber 96. If chambers 96 contain an excessive amount of fluid then as a one piston 87 of cylinder 85 reaches the end of its stroke in the rod end direction, then the pressure in chamber 96 will start to rise. The rise in pressure will cause fluid to flow from the vent port of relief valve 138 to chamber 178 of accumulator 139 and thus allow relief valve 138 to pass flow therethrough to low pressure line 142 thus allowing the excessive fluid to be dumped from chamber 96 at a pressure just higher than the required pressure in chamber 96. Chamber 178 will assume the pressure of chamber 96 through valve 137 and valve 136, however, chamber 178 will not be subject to a sudden pressure surge due to blockage of flow at valve 137 and a metering of flow at valve 136 and also vent flow from valve 138 is internally metered within valve 138. Thus due to the compressibility of the gas in chamber 177, the fluid pressure in chamber 178 will rise at a slower rate that the pressure in chamber 96, thus allowing valve 138 to dump excess fluid from chamber 96. This process is continually repeated, thus keeping the fluid volume and pressure requirement of chamber 96 as necessary to continually operate cylinder rod 84 in a powerly reciprocating manner.

Thus it is noted that as a quantity of pressurized fluid is supplied to valve 132 by pump 141 and valve 132 distributes this fluid to chamber 98 of cylinder 85, then piston 87 will assume a stroke, that is synchronized with the rotation of valve spool 163. This synchronization will occur pluse free as long as chamber 98 is free to expand and piston rod 84 has equal loading, and the correct pressure in maintained in chambers 96. The pressurized fluid within chamber 96 assures that piston 87 either assumes a somewhat centralized position or a rod end position within cylinder 85 whenever the fluid flow to cylinders 98 is decreased thus decreasing the stroke. Thus piston 87 will always assume a position to allow surge free synchronization with valve 132 and to allow surge free increase and decrease of its stroke length. The requirement for surge free synchronization between piston 87 and valve 132 being that the stroke length of piston 87 be reduced to a given amount prior too cease of stroking of pistons 87 and that on start of stroking of piston 87 the supply of pressurized fluid to chamber 98 be at a given minimum. The given minimum being dependent mainly upon the rotational speed of valve 132. However, a surge free synchronization can always be assured by bringing the pressurized fluid flow supply to valve 132 to a zero value at a reasonable reduction rate to cause piston 87 to cease stroking, while correspondingly increasing the pressurized fluid flow rate to valve 132 at a reasonable increase rate to commence stroking of pistons 87.

Thus it has been shown that independent operated valve 132 can receive, distribute, and return a large or a varying quantity of pressurized fluid without flow interruption or without damaging pressure side loading effect upon said valve; that free floating piston 87 and thus cylinder rods 84 can be reciprocally and alternately powered in both directions of travel by said large or varying quantity of pressurized fluid, that the piston stroke length of piston 87 is controllable as desired and that said piston stroke length can be started, stopped, or operated continuously without excessive pressure surges and with an automatically assumed synchronization between the rotation of valve 132 and the stroke cycle of piston 87.

It has additionally been shown from previous discussion that the loading upon each piston rod 84 will be equal when the above reciprocating piston system is employed to drive the mud pump of this invention. This equal loding of piston rod 84 being obvious from the disclosure that each piston of said mud pump discharges its flow directly into a pressure chamber common to all pistons of said mud pump.

Further unique operating characteristics of this pump are provided by the illustrated circuitry of FIG. 3 combined with the independent operated rotary valve. In the operation of the hydraulic drive system, there can actually be two destinct modes of operation--depending upon the start up relation between valve and cylinder. If the cylinders are all retracted completely, then the actual timing position between valve and piston can be slightly different from what it is if the pistons are positioned near mid range and free to move in each direction. The preferred mode of operation is with the pistons starting from a position not completely retracted. There are numerous means to assure that the pistons are in the preferred position at start up. It would normally occur when the circuitry is arranged as shown in FIG. 3 because valve 131 would normally be set at a low enough pressure so that frictional forces upon the cylinder piston rod would be enough to keep the piston of cylinder 85 in the "stopped" position unless drive pressure were applied to line 141. Another means that could be employed would be to remove check valve 134 and block line 146 at this position, then install a shut off valve on one side of valve 135 with this shut off valve being arranged to open when pump 125 applies pressure to line 141 and to close when pump 125 returns to zero flow, thus the pistons of cylinder 85 would be "locked" into the "stopping" position until the system is again started. It will also be noted that the line 145 leading from high pressure relief valve 130 can be connected to line 142 if desired to prevent a pressure drop in line 142 when fluid is by-passed across valve 130. It is also noted that the line leading from relief valve 138 can be connected to line 142 if desired instead of to reservoir 140 as illustrated to assist in prevention of a pressure drop in line 142.

It is additionally pointed out that the two modes of operation as discussed above actually encompass two different methods of the excess fluid being dumped from the interconnect chamber 96. In one case--the preferred case, the excess fluid is forced from the interconnected cylinder spaces as the valve is relatively closing against flow from a cylinder 98 space; In the second case, when the system is started with the cylinders in the fully retracted position, then the valve can assume a relative position where the excess fluid is dumped prior to the opening of a cylinder 98 space. The degree of change between the relative position of valve and piston is small; however, the degree of operational characteristics is large as the preferred case, the first case, allows a much broader range of cylinder piston speed and stroke length sdjustment without system malfunction.

The pump of this invention has the capability to operate effectively at a large horsepower capacity. Oilfield mud pumps generally need to operate at a horsepower capacity of anywhere from 100 to 2000 horsepower. Thus when operating a hydraulic system of this type it is an absolute requirement from a practical standpoint to have a system that does not experience sudden fluid flow blockage or does not experience a continued bypass of a large quantity of pressurized fluid. For example a 1000 horsepower system would require a fluid flow of approximately 500 gallons per minute at 3000 p.s.i. pressure. This represents a tremendous amount of flowing energy and the machinery required to produce this energy cannot in actual application withstand shocks or heat that is generated from such practices as sudden flow stoppage to allow a valve to shift, or for a piston to move from a dead ended position, or for venting back to tank a large quantity of pressurized fluid to control a piston stroke length. For example, if half the above said flow was vented to tank to cause a piston stroke length to change by one half, then it would require an additional 500 horsepower system to control the cooling of the vented fluid. To this end the pumping system that I have disclosed is an extremely versatile and controllable fluid pumping sustem that is relatively simple and can effectively and in a practical manner be continually operated to transmit a high horsepower capacity.

The foregoing is directed to the preferred embodiment but the scope of the present invention is determined by the claims which follows:

Claims

1. Pump apparatus comprising:

two or more cylinders each having a bore with a piston slidably and sealingly disposed therein;

connection means to each piston for receiving reciprocating driving means;

each said piston positioned to divide each said cylinder into first and second expansion chambers with at least one of said expansion chambers being fitted with an inlet and an outlet unidirectional flow means positioned to enable fluid to be pumped therethrough said flow means as said pistons are reciprocated;

said pistons disposed within replaceable piston housings;

each of said piston housings secured within the confines of an outer housing of said pump apparatus;

each of said piston housings fitted on opposing ends with a conical surface that sealingly mates with matching conical surfaces that are formed on adjourning end members;

each of said end members being positioned to align the centerline of said matching conical surface concentric to the centerline of reciprocation of said piston;

each said piston housing constructed to align said piston bore concentric to the centerline of said conical surfaces on each end thereof; and

means to tighten said end members against said piston housing, with said unidirectional flow means being separate from said end members.

2. Pump apparatus comprising:

two or more cylinders each having a bore with a piston slidably and sealingly disposed therein;

connection means to each piston for receiving reciprocating driving means;

each said piston dividing each said cylinder into first and second expansion chambers with at least one of said expansion chambers being fitted with inlet and outlet unidirectional flow means positioned to enable fluid to be pumped therethrough said flow means as said pistons are reciprocated;

said pistons disposed within replaceable piston housings;

each of said piston housings secured within the confines of an outer housing of said pump apparatus;

each of said piston housings fitted on opposing ends with an inclined surface that sealingly mates with a matching inclined surface that is formed on an adjourning end member;

each said end member being positioned to align the centerline of said matching inclined surface concentric to the centerline of reciprocation of said piston;

said piston housing constructed to align said piston bore concentric to the centerline of said inclined surface on each end thereof; and

means to tighten said end members against said piston housing, with said unidirectional flow means being separate from said end members.

3. The pumping apparatus of claim 2, wherein said piston carries a drive shaft;

said drive shaft extending through a bulkhead with said drive shaft being exposed to the pumped fluid on a first side of said bulkhead and being exposed to a second fluid medium on the other side of said bulkhead;

said drive shaft being fitted with an inner shaft seal and a outer shaft seal for containment of said pumped fluid as said shaft is powerly driven;

said inner seal and said outer seal being separated by a movable piston on said drive shaft with said piston being arranged to move against end members of said inner seal;

a fluid chamber arranged between said moveable piston and said outer seal with said chamber being fitted to receive pressurized lubricating fluid;

said inner seal being a pliable seal member with said pliable seal member having the characteristics to sustain a high pressure seal from one direction and a low pressure seal from the other direction, with the high pressure seal being directed to seal against said pumped fluid;

said moveable piston being sealingly and slidably fitted upon said drive shaft and likewise being slidably and sealingly fitted within said bore of said fluid chamber, the diameter of said bore being larger than the outer diameter of said inner seal;

said moveable piston further having means for metered fluid communication between said fluid chamber and said inner seal;

said outer seal having means to retain said pressurized lubricating fluid within said fluid chamber;

means to supply said pressurized lubrication fluid to said fluid chamber with said lubrication fluid being of higher pressure than said pumped fluid so as to cause said movable piston to press against said inner seal and in turn cause said inner seal to said against leakage of said pumped fluid; and

said inner seal being continually lubricated by said pressurized lubrication fluid.

4. Pump apparatus comprising one or more cylinders, each of said cylinders having a piston slidably and sealingly disposed therein;

connection means connected to each piston for receiving reciprocating drive motion;

each said piston dividing each said cylinder into first and second expansion chambers, said first and second expansion chambers being interconnected therebetween by a first unidirectional flow means for single direction fluid communication therebetween;

a second unidirectional flow means connected to said first expansion chamber to enable a positive displacement pumping action therein;

fluid inlet supply means connected to said positive displacement pumping chamber and fluid outlet supply means connected with said positive displacement pumping chamber for pumping of fluid therethrough when said piston in reciprocably driven;

fluid outlet supply means connected with said second expansion chamber for pumping fluid therethrough when said piston is reciprocated;

each of said pistons being disposed within

(a) a replaceable piston housing with said piston housing being secured within the confines of an outer housing of said pump apparatus,

(b) said piston housing being fitted on opposing ends with conical surfaces that sealingly mate with matching conical surfaces that are formed on adjoining end members,

(c) said conical surfaces on said end members being positioned to align the centerline of said conical surfaces concentric to the centerline of reciprocation of said piston, and

(d) the centerline of the bore of said piston housing being construed to align concentric to said conical surfaces on each end thereof;

first means to tighten said end members against said piston housing; and

second means for removing at least one of said end members to enable removal of said piston housing from said outer housing.

5. The combination of claim 4, wherein said conical surfaces of said end members are sufficient in width to provide sealing contact with said piston housing being of different and varying bore diameters.

6. The combination of claim 5, wherein said piston housing has a grooved recess on each end to accept a seal member to seal the bore of said piston housing when said piston housing is firmly positioned.

7. The combination of claim 5, wherein said first unidirectional flow means comprises an internal unidirectional flow valve contained within the confines of said piston, said internal unidirectional flow valve being positioned to allow fluid flow therethrough from said positive displacement chamber to said expansion chamber;

said second unidirectional flow means comprises a unidirectional flow inlet valve leading into said positive displacement pumping chamber and connection with an inlet fluid supply line; and

said second expansion chamber connected to a fluid discharged line.

8. In a mud pump, a head flange member containing a circular bore therethrough, a removable cartridge positioned within said bore, a replaceable pumping cylinder extending inward from said head flange with the piston bore of said pumping cylinder housing a reciprocally actuated pumping rod, said circular bore containing alignment means to position said removeable cartridge and to further allow end positioning means of said removable cartridge to sealingly align a one end of said pump cylinder;

said pumping cylinder thereby being positioned whereby the piston bore of said pumping cylinder is aligned concentric to the centerline of the said pumping rod,

connection means between said head flange and said removable cartridge to thereby rigidly position said cartridge within said head flange,

sealed fluid flow annular passing therethrough said removable cartridge and connecting with said piston bore;

unidirectional valve inlet means leading into said piston bore and unidirectional valve outlet means leading from said piston bore for pumping of fluid therethrough said removeable cartridge and therethrough said inlet an outlet unidirectional valve mans as said pumping rod is reciprocally driven;

said end positioning means of said removable cartridge consisting of a non-radical surface that mates with a like non-radial surface on the end of said pumping cylinder;

the centerline of the said non-radially surfaces being concentric to the said piston bore of said pumping cylinder;

said alignment means of said circular bore consisting of diametric surfaces that slidably mate with a first and a second diametric surface of said removable cartridge; and

with the said diametric surfaces of said circular bore being concentric to the centerline of said pumping rod.

9. The mud pump combination of claim 8, wherein said first and said second diametric surfaces of said removable cartridge are each fitted with seal means to form a circumferential seal with said circular bore, said fluid flow annulus of said removable cartridge being arranged to exit between said circumferential seals to allow said annulus to sealingly communicate with one or more fluid ports that are formed through the sides of said head flange, thereby providing for passage of fluid through said one or more fluid ports as said pumping rod is reciprocally driven.

10. The mud pump combination of claim 8, wherein said first and second diametric surfaces are of different diameters and with the innermost surface being of the smaller diameter.

11. The mud pump combination of claim 8, wherein said non-radial surface of said removable cartridge consists of a conical surface formed upon the inner end of said cartridge.

12. The mud pump combination of claim 8, wherein said non-radical surface of said removable cartridge consists of a spherical surface formed upon the inner end of said cartridge.