US1600510A - Pumping system - Google Patents

Description

J. OLIPHANT PUMPING SYSTEM Sept. 21

2 sheets-sheet 1 Filed Nov. 3, 1921 Sept. 21 1926.

J. OLIPHANT v PUMPING SYSTEM Filed Nov. 5. l19.21

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Sept. 21, 19246.

UNITED STATES MTENTori-"1ct".`-vl

JOHN OLIPHANT, F

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO SULLIVAN MACHINERY COM'.- PANY, A CORPORATIO l Y I N 0F MASSACHUSETTS.

PUMPING SYSTEM.

Appucauon nien November a, 1921.

My invention relates to pumping systems and more particularly to pumping systems of the displacement type.

An object of my invention isto p ovide an improved pumping system. Anot er object ofjmy invention is to provide an improved pumping system of the displacementtype. A further ob'ect of my invention 1s to provide an improve pumping system of the so-called displacement type especially adapted for use in wells of great depth. Other objects and advantages of my invention will appear in the course of the following specilication and appended claims In the accompanying drawings, Il have shown'for purposes of illustration, one form which my invention may assume in 'pract1ce.

In these drawings,- Fig. 1 is a view in elevation partially broken away of my improved pumping system installed in a Well.

Fig. 2 is a central vertical section through a number of stages thereof.

t Fig. 3 is a transverse section on a plane corresponding to the line 3-3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a section on a plane corresponding to the line 4--4 of Fig. 6 and showing the valve in, intermediate position. A Fiv 5 is an elevation of one form of controlling mechanism which may be employed with my pumping mechanism.

Fig. 6 is a view likewise in elevation of the same mechanism, the view showing the parts as if the entire mechanism were turned bod# ily about a vertical axis through 90 degrees. Fig. 7 is` a plan view of the mechanism shown in elevation in Fig. 5.

Fig. l8 is a vertical section taken on the broken line 8-8 of Fig. 7

Fig. 9 is a detail of the automatic air inlet` valve hereinafter described.

In its illustrative prises a series of displacement chambers arranged one above the other and ormed of aseries' of pipe sections secured between and connecting a number otl intermediate separatin members. chamfbers which are designated respectively 1, 2, 3 and 4, are arranged 5 and the lowest member 1 is completely submerged as indicated` at 6..- As. the general detalls of construction of the several displacement chambers are the same,

form my invention com- The several displacementA in a well casing` I will del serial m. 512,602'.

scribe but one, selecting for my purpose the bottom chamber. This comprises a cylindrical member 7 which is .closed at its lower end by a head member 8 traversed by a ver-y tlcally extending passage 9 which is closed at its top by a ball check valve 10 which may be unseated by inflowing liquid but which prevents the discharge of li uid therefrom.

discharge pipe 11 exten s from an upper head member 12 almostto the bottom of the chamber land is provided upon the head member 12, but in the nextsucceeding cham'- ber 2 with a ball discharge check valve 18 controlling a passage 14 which is a contin.

uation of the discharge pipe 11. This valve serves as the inlet valveof the next higher chamber. A passage 15 permits the entry of a l'gaseous uid from erally similar to therefrom, in fact, only in that the bottom heads of these to the inlet check valve, sponding to the passage '1-5. For the purpose of supplying pressure era-l chambers to eect the discharge of the liquid therefrom I arrange a pair of iuid pressure conductingl pipes 16 and 17, and of these pipes, pipe 16 supplies pressure simul-v taneously through the portsv 15 to, say,the first, third, and as many other odd-numbered chambers as there are, top of the well, while Y pipe 17 supplies pressure ttf .the passages 15 in all the even numbered chambers, counting from the to of the well. a For example, it will be not that the pipe 16 is supplying pressure to chambers 4and 2 which are respectively the first and third chambers 'from' the top of the well, while vpipe 17 will supply pressure to chambers 3 and 1', respectively the second and fourth from the to of the Well. As it will be evident that I the l'I0 fluid which is used to force the liqthe chamber.l It will be under-T stood that the chambers 2, 3 and 4 are genthe chamber 1, diiering chambers contain in addition a passage correfluid to the'sevo not intend to use number of chambers 'depending upon the depth of the well from which material ,is to Abe pumped, it will be understood that'otherl chambers may be arrangedat the 'to' and ,bottom of the well and that additiona connections between the (pipe 16 or 17 and these chambers can be lma e. AS it will be further evdent 'that' in a deep Sell changes' in pressure are transmitted much more slowly and with considerabl less intensity tothe extreme lower ends oiy the pipes 16 and 17, I have provided means, herein indicated.I at 18,19, 20, and 21, consi ting of valves adapted to adjust the rate of air flow to the various assa es 15. The

e a justed tol effect the supply of air through the port 15 intov chamber 1 with a minimum choking action; the next to the bottom member will be adjusted to slightly cut down the freedom of'thetlow through the port 15 of the chamber 2. The member 19 will still further diminish the fiow area of the mouth of the passage 15 of chamber 3 and the member-18 cooperating with chamber 4, which being nearest the compressor,

' hereinafter referred to more fully, receives of any other chamber.

vsuction side of the the greatest intensity of pressure variation, will be `arranged -to close the passage 15 and chamber 4 more completely than in the case It will be noted that these members 18 to 21 will delay both the rate at which the chambers are discharged and the rate at which the air which has operated to discharge the pressure therefrom can flow out during the filling ofthe tanks and so that the various chambers 1, 2, 3, and 4 will all require about the same amount of time to till and to empty. As to the members 18 to 21, it will be evident that if desired branch passages communicating with vthe chambers could be employed with suitable check valves, one of the passages being used for the supply of Huid to the chambers and the other for the exhaust, and thereby it would be possible to obtain a closer adjustment if it were found desirable in view of the fact that adjustments which would be satisfactory factory during discharge, or vice versa. For the purpose of supplying air to the several chambers I have arranged a compressor 22 Whose discharge line 23 leads to a valve casing 24 while the suction side of this'compressor is connected by a line 25 with the 0pposite side of the casing 24. Means for sup-g plying air from outside the system to the compressor is also provided at 82, as later described. The valve casing 24 is provided with a bore 26 within which a valve 27 is rotatable to control the connections of the lines 16 and 17 with the lines 23 and 25. It will be noted that the line '17 communicates with the bore 26 by a port 28 and that the pipe16 communicates with the bore 26 by a port 29. It will be noted that these ports are arranged at opposite sides of the axis of the valve 27. The inlet or supply pipe 23 communicates with the 'casing or chamber 26 by a port 30, herein of a somewhat smaller flow area than the ports 28 and 29, and the pipe 25 by a port 31 communicates likewise with the chamber 26 opposite the port 30. The valve 27 is cut away bottom member 21 will during filling might not be satis-i through the port 62' -at opposite sides as indicated alt-32 and 33 in purpose of controlling the movements of the valve 27 I employ 'a control mechanism which is the invention. of one Hunter and which serves to automatically reverse the position of the valve 27 at suitable intervals. This mechanism which is generally designated 50 comprises a pair of cylinders 51 and 52 of Whichthe cylinder 51 is 'an operating cylinder and the cylinder 52a dashpot cylinder. Within the cylinder lr'is reciprocable a piston 53 to whose upper end is attached'anv L-shaped crosshead 54 and which carries above t-he crosshead a weight 55. Air may be supplied to the cylinder 51 by. way of aport 56 fro-m a pipe 57 controlled by an ordinary threeway valve 58, hereinafter referred to more in detail. fithin the cylinder 52 is -recip-- rocable a dashpot piston 59 connected by a rod 60 with the crosshead 54 whereby the dashpot piston 59 and t-he actuating piston 53 move simultaneously, the rate of movement ofthe actuating erncd by the rate of .possible movement of the dashpot piston 59. To control the movements of the dashpotpiston 59 there is arranged in the Wall of` the cylinder 52 a longitudinally extending David H.

piston 53 being govport 61 which com-- by four ports, one arranged near the upper end of the cylinder and designated 62,' one arranged substantially at the bottonr and designated 63, and a pair near the middle of the cylinder separated by a shortdistance longitudinally of the cylinder, .and respectively-designated 64 and 65. An adjustable throttling screw 66' is arranged in the portion of the passage 61 which lies between the ports 64 and 65. It will be evident that the piston 59 may move rapidly on its upward travel until the port 65 is covered and must then move slowly as the liquid, herein oil, contained in the dashpot must be forced through the port 64 yand aroundA past the throttling screw 66 and through the port 165v until after the port 64 1s passed and uncovered by the bottom of the piston 59 the piston and tllat thereafter may move rapidly, simplyl by passing the oil passage 61 and port 6 4. It will be evident that also on the downward movement of the piston 59 it will move rapidlyadjacent each end of its travel and be retarded at the middle of its travel. The three-Way valve 58 previously referred tov is adapted-to control the communication of a connection 67 leading from the compressor, with the port 56 and in oneposition of said valve opens free communication between the line 67 and the port 56, while in another position it interrupts such communication of the dashpot piston Ul i phere.

As theA construction of such valve 'is well known, no illustration is believed crosshead 54, throughv a necessary, the ordinary T port, three-way valve being entirely satisfactory for this function.` To control the .movements of the valve 58 I have attached thereto an. operating lever 4or arm 68 tending arms, toone of which arms a spring 69`is attached, and the other fof which arms is adapted to engage stops 70 and 71 formed on guides 72 and 73 in which an actuating rod 74 slides. To the -rod 74 the spring 69 is attached at 75. -The rod 74 is provided with adjustable collars or abutments 76 and 77 which are alternately engageable by the hole in which the rod passes. It will be observed that as the rod 74 is raised to its upper position, the

free end of the spring will pass abovethe longitudinal axis of the arm 68 and that accordingly the valve 58'willbe sharply retravel of the crosshead 54. It willversed from-the positionshown in Fig. 6 to a position in which the supply .of fluid to the port 56 will be cut off andthe cylinder 51 vented. It will be noted that a similar mode of operation will occur upon the downward movement. of the rod 74 and that accordingly the valve 58 has its position rapidly changed 4and/that only7 at the ends of the be noted that the valve 27 is provided with an 0perating arm 78 tuating rod 79 having collars 80 and 81 securedthereto and that the crosshead 54 also engages lthese Collars by reason of the fact that the rod 79 passes through an opening in thefcrosshead 54,

, .The mode of operation ofV this mechanism cause the reversing of the -valve 5 8. This will result in will be lreadily apparent. Assume the control valve 58 to be in the position shown. Fluid 'under pressure passing ,from the line 67 through thel valve 24, line 57 and port 56 beneath the piston 53 will force the latter upward, the rate of upward movement being controlled by the possible rate of movement 59. When the piston 53 has moved upward to a sufficient extent the crosshead 54 will engage the collar 81 and reverse the position of the valve 27. The crosshead 54 will likewise engage the collar 77 and at the extreme upper end 0 the desired movement the piston 53 will position of the the downward movement of the piston 53 under the action of grlvity due to its own weight and the weight 55, and the crosshead 54 near the lower end of its movement will shift the valve 27 in the opposite direction and will again shift the three-way valve 58 at the of the vp1ston 1s so controlledby the dashof sufficient air to having oppositely ex vsystem to which is'pivoted an ac-fpot that the valve 27is maintained stationary during practically the entire period of fluid pressure supply to the pipes 23.

For the purpose of permitting the supply the'eompressor to fill onehalf of the tanks with air at a pressure requisite -to discharge the liquid, I have provided an automatic inlet valve 82 which valve, as best shown in Fig. 9, comprises simply an inwardly opening valve proper 83 normally held upon its seat 84 by `a spring 85 but operative to be opened by atmospheric pressure when the pressure in the compressor intake falls substantially below atmospheric and to admit air to the suction line of the compressor: This valve operatesA during the starting of the system and thereafter opens only to admit air lost by leakage or by absorption inthe water, etc. Means may be provided, as shown at 86, forpositively raising the valve 83 from its seat during the starting period of the system.

The mode of operation of my improved mechanism is as follows.: Assume that the control mechanism occupies the sition shown in Figures 1 and 5 (which is t e position which it will always occupy when the is shut down) and that the compressor 22 is started. It will be understood that lthe cylinder 1 will be initially filled with liquid as it is so dis osed as to be substantially submerged .during normal pumping operation. The valve 83 will be opened wide before the compressor is set in operation so as to allow the compressor to have a 'free-suction from the atmosphere and to refact, be so low in the creased and might, in

to render startportion below the valve 19 as ing very difficult. The o eration of the compressor will cause the uid entering the ipe 17 Ato exert a pressure on the surface of the li uid inchamber it upward through pipe 11 and valve 13 into chamber 2. Byt e time the control mechanism reverses the pxosition of .the valve 27, the liquid level in c amber 2, dependingon various conditions, may stand at a few inches above the lower endof its discharge pipe 11 or may fill the tank to a considerable degree. When the valve 27 reverses. as stated, the pressure will be supplied through pipe 16 to tanks 2 and 4 while tanks it being evi- 'y 16 were connected to the' suction' thereon the pressure lin pipe 17 would be much de 1 and will force 1 and 3 will be vented. Tank 1 will prompt: y

ly refill by gravity" and the liquid that was forced into tank 2 will be discharged into tank 3. When the valve.27 next changes position, water will be raised to tank 4, and

so on until the entire system 1s 1n operation,

it being evident that the filling 'of succesiso . age there is an increase of Ithe quantity of liquid which will enter the severalv tanks. When the system is under operation sufliciently to begin discharging, the valve 83 is allowed to close and the'operation'of the system is speeded up dueto the suction on the filling tanks. The valve 83 will thereafter admit air automatically as needed to` keep the system full, but will not open', due to its spring 85,v unless the vacuum in the suction sides of the system is greaterpthan a predetermined desired limit, which will be fixed by experiment for each syst-em so as to secure the requisite Apressure on the discharging tanks. It will be evident that the work of the compressor will be greatly re.

duced as, when the valve 27 reverses, the air under full compressor discharge pressure that` has been forced'into the discharged tanks will flow quickly through the compressor and equalize the pressure in both sidesof the system and enable a considerable economy in power. To prevent loss of air during starting by escape through the final discharge pipe, the latter should be suitably loaded or closed during the starting period.

WVhi/ le I have in this application specilically described one form which my inven- .tion may assume in practice, it will be understoo hat this -form of the same is shown for purposes of illustration and that the in- 'vention may be modified and embodied in various other forms without'de arting from its spirit or the scope of t 1e appended claims.

What I claim as newand by Letters Patent is:

d1. In a pumpingsystem, ai plurality of serially arranged displacement chambers, means connecting the bottom of each'of said desire to secure next prior to it, and means for supplying pressure to alternate ones of said chambers and suction to the remainder during substantiallyn the lentire y respective, periods of discharge and filling, and then reversing said supply and suction,^said latter means being initially automatically controlled hy an intermittent flow of fluid from said system.

2. In a pumping system, a series of superimposed displacement chambers, means for permitting discharge, from each of said chambers to that next above it while preventing back flow, a fluid conducting means lconnected with every other one of .said

chambers, a fluid conducting means connected with the remaining intermediate chambers, and means for alternately connecting said fluid conducting means with a source of pressure fluid and with a'reduccd pressure bemg. primarilytcantrolledby an intermitchambers, affluid nected with the remaining intermediate the connections between each of,

space,','said last mentioned means4 tent flow of fluid from said system operating to supply pressure to the emptying tanks substantially throughout their period of discharge and to maintain a suction upon said filling tanks during an `equal period.

3.- In a pumping' system, imposed `displacement chambers, means for permitting discharge from ,each of said chambers to that next above it while preventing back flow, connected with every other one ofA said conducting means conchambers, said fluid conducting means and each of said chambers being valved, and means for alternately connecting said fluid conducting means with the suction andv discharge sides of a compressor.A

4. In a pumping system, a series of superimposed displacement chambers, means for permitting discharge from each of said chambers to that next above it while prea' series of supera. fiuid conducting meansV venting back flow, a fluid conducting means i connected with every other one of said chambers, a fluid conducting means connected with the remaining intermediate chambers, and means for alternately connecting said fluid conducting means with the suction and discharge sides of a compressor, said means being initially controlled hy an intermittent flow of pressure fluid from said system and operative independently of the conditions in said chambers and operating to supply pressure fluid to the emptying tanks substantially throughout their period of discharge.

5. In a pumping system, a series of superimposed displacementechambe'rs, means for permitting Y discharge from each of said chambers to that next above it while preventing back flow, a fluid conducting means connected with every other one of said cha-mchambers with the lower portion of that i bers, a fluid conducting means connected with the remaining mtermediate chambers, means for permitting an adJustment of the connections between said conducting means connected with every other one of said chambers, a`fluid conducting means connected with.. the remaining intermediate chambers, means for adjusting the connection between each fluid conducting means and each of the chambers to which it is connected, means for alternately connecting said fluid conducting means with' a source of pressure fluid and "with `al reduced pressure space, and

imposed displacement chambers, means for.

permitting discharge from each of said chambers to that next above it While preventing back flow, a fluid conducting means connected with every other one of said chambers, a fluid conducting means connected with the remaining intermediate chambers, means for alternately connecting-said fluid conducting means with a source of pressure l fluid and with a r-educed pressure space, and

means for automatically, permitting the admission of air to the suction side of such compressor from the atmosphere when a predetermined vacuum is reached, said means being manually controllable to effect a constantly open 'connection when desired.

8. A pumping mechanism comprising a displacement chamber adapted to be disposed Withinia Well and having a fluid inlet port, and means disposed adjacent said inletfor varying the supply of fluidthereto.

9. A pumping mechanism comprising' a plurality of alternately operable displacement chambers adapted to be disposed within a Well each having an inlet port forcenducting fluid thereto, and means for vary` ing the flow area 4of each of said inlets. y

10. A pumping mechanism comprising a plurality of alternately operable displace ment chambers adapted to be disposed within a Well each having an inletfor supplying fluid thereto, and means for varying the flow area of each of said inlets to control the rate of discharge from said chambers independently of the pressure of the actuat-` ing fluid. l-

11. A pumping mechanism comprising a plurality of fluid displacement tanks each aving an inlet, a common supply line for said tanks, and means for Varying the flow of fluid from said line toeach of said inlets.

12. A pumping mechanism comprising a displacement' tank adapted tol be disposed Within awell and having an inlet, a supply pipe therefor, andan adjustable screw disposed adjacent said inlet for controlling the flow of fluid to said tank.

13. In a pumping system, a plurality of displacement tanks, andmeans whereby ac-` tuating fluid is delivered to each of the same at different pressures soy as to insure that certain similar operations of said tanks will be substantially uniform.

14. In a pumping system,

a plurality *of displacement tanks,and means whereby actuating fluid is delivered to each of the same 4cooperating displacement pressure fluid supply pipe therefor from` -ing fluid so that at different pressures so as to insure that the` lenvth of time to discharge eachA of said tanIrs will be'substantially the same.

15. In a pumping system, a plurality of displacement tanks, a single source of 'actuating fluid therefor,'means for vdelivering actuating fluid from said source to each of said tanks, and means whereby said fluid is adapted to discharge the tanks substantially uniformly independently of varying pressure of the fluid delivered.

16. In a pumping system, a plurality of displacement tanks differently spaced from a 'source of actuating fluid, a single source of actuating fluid for said tanks, and means whereby actuating fluid from said source is delivered 4to each of said tanks at a pressure different from that at said source determined so as to insure that certain similar operations'of said tanks ,will be substantially uniform. i 1 17. In a pumping system, a yplurality of superimposed displacement tanks adapted to be disposed Within a Well, means for supplying actuating fluid thereto, and means adapted to compensate for the decreasing pressure of the actuating fluid as it descends so as to insure that certain similar operations' of said tanks will be substantially uniform.

18. In a pumping system, a plurality of superimposed displacement' tanks adapted to be disposed Within a Well, pressure fluid conducting means associated -ther1 =,\vit.h,.the pressure 0f fluid therein being different at dif- -ferent points, and means adapted to compensate for the different pressures of said' fluid so as to insure that certainsimilar operations -of4 said tanks Will be substantially uniform. f

19. In a pumping system, a plurality of tanks, a. common which said tanks successively draw actuatsaid pressure fluid delivered to each of said tanks will be different, and means adapted to compensate for these different pressures so as to insure that certain similar ope-rations of saidtanks will be substantially uniform.

20. In a pumping system, a plurality of superimposed displacement tanks. adapted tov be disposed within a Well. means for supplying .actuating fluid thereto for' discharging fluid therefrom, and means wherebyl the discharge from said tanks requires -a substantially uniform length of time. p

In testimony whereof I'aflix my signature.V

JOHN OLIPH'ANT.

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