The present invention relates to a progressing cavity pump or motor. More particularly, this invention relates to an improved techniques for mechanically connecting the elastomeric stator with the outer tube or housing of the pump or motor.
Progressing cavity pumps and motors have been used for decades in pumping and hydraulic motor applications. The typical assembly consists of a rigid rotor which resembles a screw having multiple leads. The rotor mates with a stator which has one additional lead cut on the interior of the stator. The differences in the leads form cavities between the rotor and the stator. These cavities continually progress from one end of the stator to the other when the rotor is turned. Operation of the pump is achieved by mechanically turning the rotor, while operation as a motor is achieved by forcing fluid into the end cavity to turn the rotor.
A stator is conventionally an elastomeric or plastic material which is formed by injection molding into the outer sleeve-shaped tube or housing. The elastomeric or plastic material is conventionally bonded with the tube, typically with an adhesive for a polymeric stator, and by welding for a metal stator insert. The bond provides a fluid seal between the stator material and the outer tube or housing.
The use of metal stator inserts is substantially limited in progressing cavity pumps and motors. The use of an adhesive for bonding the plastic or elastomeric material of a stator to the outer housing limits the use of the stator to an operational temperature and chemical environment required by the adhesive. Accordingly, the use of progressing cavity pumps and motors with a plastic or elastomeric stator has heretofore been limited.
The disadvantages of prior art are overcome by the present invention, and an improved progressing cavity pump or motor is hereinafter disclosed.
The progressing cavity pump or motor of the present invention provides a mechanical connection of the stator material and the outer tube or housing, thereby eliminating the need for an adhesive. By eliminating the need for an adhesive, the operational uses of the progressing cavity pump and motor are substantially expanded.
In one embodiment, a progressing pump or motor comprises an outer sleeve-shaped tube, a stator within the outer tube, and a rotor for rotating within the stator. An inner tube is spaced radially between an outer surface of the stator and the inner surface of the stator, with the inner tube including a plurality of apertures each filled with stator material. One or more annular seal glands may be secured to an inner surface of the outer tube and an outer surface of the inner tube to position the outer tube in its desired location when the stator material is installed, and to seal the stator to the outer tube.
In another embodiment, the progressing cavity pump or motor comprises an outer housing, a stator within the outer housing, and a rotor for rotating within the stator. At least one groove is provided in an outer surface of the outer housing, with the groove outer surface diameter being less than the housing outer surface diameter. The plurality of apertures are each in fluid communication with the at least one groove and are each filled with stator material. In one embodiment, the at least one groove comprises a plurality of axially extending grooves. In another embodiment, the at least one groove comprises a plurality of axially spaced circumferential grooves. In still another embodiment, the groove comprises a circumferential groove along a substantial length of the outer housing, with the apertures provided at selected locations along the groove.
In yet another embodiment, a progressing cavity pump or motor comprises an outer housing, a stator molded within the outer housing and a rotor for rotating the stator. A plurality of annular seal glands are each fixed to the housing for sealing between the housing and the stator material. Each annular seal gland may include an axially extending lip, such that the stator material fills the gap between the lip and the housing and seals with the housing. The lip of each annular seal gland may be axially extending toward a center portion of the housing.
A feature of the present invention is that the stator material may be installed in the outer tube or housing by a molding process.
As a further feature of the invention, each of the one or more annular seal glands may be secured to the outer tube and the inner tube by welding.
Each of the annular seal glands preferably includes an axial extending lip, such that the stator material fills the gap between the lip and the outer tube or housing and seals between the annular seal gland and the outer tube or housing. A pair of seal glands may be provided, each positioned adjacent an end of the inner tube or the ends of the one or more grooves, with each axially extending lip extending toward a center portion of the outer tube or housing. One or more intermediate annular seal glands may also be provided between the pair of annular seal glands.
These and further features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, wherein reference is made to the figures in the accompanying drawings.
Referring to
Referring to
In a preferred embodiment of the annular seal gland, the axially extending lip 26 provides an end section 34 which is radially thicker than a central section 33, thereby forming an annular recess radially outward of central section 33 for receiving stator material. Each sealing ring provides for low pressure sealing of the elastomeric stator 20 with the outer sleeve 12. If the molded material shrinks due to curing, temperature change or chemical exposure, then a fluid seal is created with the radially exterior faces 42 and 44. If the molded expands, a fluid seal is formed with the radially interior faces 46, 48, 50 and 52. Sealing at high pressure is accomplished by the interior fluid pressure compressing the molded material against the interior faces. Whether under low pressure or high pressure, a reliable fluid tight seal is formed between the stator and the outer tube 12.
The inner tube 14 provides substantial mechanical support for the material of the stator 20 during use of the pump or motor 10. More particularly, the overall shape of the stator material is desirably maintained by the mechanical connection between the inner tube 14 and the stator material, which flows through the apertures and into the annular space 24 between the inner tube 14 and the outer tube 12. A radially outward portion of the stator material is thus mechanically connected or locked to the inner tube, and the stator material near the ends of the inner tube are effectively sealed to the outer tube 12 by the annular seal glands 18.
In one embodiment, the radial outer surface of the inner tube may be spaced from 3/16 inch to 5/16 inch from the outer surface of the outer tube, thereby providing a substantial space 24 for receiving stator material which flows through the apertures 22 in the inner tube. The through apertures 16, as shown in
In another design, an outer housing of a progressing cavity pump or motor is provided with one or more grooves in an outer surface of the outer housing, with the groove or grooves having an outer surface radius less than the outer housing surface radius.
In
During the injection molding of the stator, a sleeve of the mold (not shown) may be provided over the outer housing for the embodiments as shown in
It should be pointed out that the apertures disclosed herein may each have a circular cross section as shown, but may have other cross sections, including oval, slotted, or rectangular apertures. More particularly, an oval or slotted shape allows orientation of the apertures with the directional forces imparting to the molded material. Apertures also need not have a uniform cross-section along their radial length, and instead may be tapered or otherwise configured to accomplish the purposes set forth therein.
For each of the embodiments shown in
The selected material for the stator will largely depend upon the intended application for the downhole pump and motor. In some embodiments an elastomeric material stator may be suitable. In other embodiments, a high strength plastic or polymeric material stator would be required. Polymeric and elastomeric materials include various types of rubbers and plastics, including reinforced rubber and plastic materials. In still other embodiments, a cast metal stator may be desired to withstand the high operating temperatures. In each of the embodiments, the stator is injected under high pressure into the outer tube or housing, with the outer tube or tubular housing serving as a partial mold for the injected material.
An annular seal gland as shown in
The progressing cavity pump or motor has been discussed in detail above with respect to the features for mechanically bonding the stator material to the outer tube or the housing. Although the apertures in the inner tube or in a portion of the housing wall are convenient for mechanically connecting the stator material to the outer tube or the housing, other techniques may be used to mechanically connect the stator material to the housing, such as ribs or rails on the inside of the housing. A particular feature of the invention, however, is the ability to reliably seal between the outer housing and the stator material utilizing a one or more annular seal glands as disclosed herein. Regardless of the technique used to mechanically connect the stator material to the housing, two or more stator rings may thus be reliably used to seal the stator material to the outer housing. In some applications, a number of annular seal glands may be provided along the length of the housing, and may also serve to mechanically connect the stator material to the outer housing.
The foregoing disclosure and description of the invention is illustrative and explanatory of preferred embodiments. It would be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes in the size, shape of materials, as well as in the details of the illustrated construction or combination of features discussed herein may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, which is defined by the following claims.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
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3280753 | Zimmer | Oct 1966 | A |
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5318416 | Hantschk et al. | Jun 1994 | A |
7131827 | Jager | Nov 2006 | B2 |
Number | Date | Country |
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2541779 | Mar 1977 | DE |
3119568 | Dec 1982 | DE |
3322095 | Dec 1984 | DE |
2081812 | Feb 1982 | GB |
61180512 | Aug 1986 | JP |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20050254964 A1 | Nov 2005 | US |