Sunday, September 4, 2016

Twin Screw Pumps As A Type Of Multiphase Pumping Technologies

By Laura Smith


A technology that is used in transferring fluids like slurries, liquids, or gases is called a pump. This has three major groups namely the direct lift, the displacement, and the gravity pumps. The one that moves fluid by trapping the fixed amount of fluid and displacing it in the discharge pipe is called the positive displacement.

Gravity pumps are also called as hydraulic rams. These are used by taking water from the underground to higher areas in lower elevations. Multiphase pumping technologies have types and features which includes helicoaxial, twin screw pumps, progressive cavity, electric submersible, and buffer tanks. The advantages of multiphase production are simpler and smaller installation, lesser equipment cost, and increase in production rates.

Helicoaxial is also referred to as centrifugal. This will work by converting the rotational kinetic energy into a hydrodynamic energy to transfer fluids. The electric motor releases a rotational energy, and the fluid that enters will be accelerated outwards by the impeller which is located near the rotating axis.

A twin screw is made up of two screws that pushes the fluid movement which is being pumped. Pumping conditions like having a high volume of gas or fluctuated inlet conditions are commonly used. Four mechanical seals are needed to seal these two shafts.

Progressive cavity is a type of positive displacement. It is used by progress of the sequence of small, fixed shape, and discrete cavities, as the rotor is being turned. This can also act as a motor or a mud motor when the solution is pushed through its interior. One application for this is well drilling.

An electric submersible has a motor which is sealed hermetically and that is close coupled to a pump. Its construction is been submerged to the pumped fluid. One advantage of submersibles is that it can prevent cavities, a common problem between the difference of fluid surface and pump. Submersibles pump the liquids to the surface, while the jets pull the liquids, so it is more efficient to use submersibles.

A buffer tank Cobourg ON is installed in the upstream of the suction nozzle in case of slug flows. This breaks the energy of liquid slugs, smoothens fluctuations in incoming flows, and act as sand traps. Pumps are mostly rated in its horsepower, outlet pressure of its head, inlet suction of its head, and flow rate. The head is simplified as the number of meters or feet that the pump raises or lowers the column of water of atmospheric pressure.

Materials that can be used in a pump includes stainless steel, cast iron, and some more. The material will depend on the application of the pump. For pharma application in water industries, stainless steel is commonly used because high temperature of stainless steel can give better result.

By the name multiphase, variations of this when it comes to conditions and services are being applied. These conditions include process changing of liquid composition, temperature variations, low and high pressure operations, and erosive or abrasive media exposure. So the challenge is to select appropriate support system and mechanical seal arrangement to know how effective it is.




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