Pump Unit Research Articles

Designing and testing a heat pump unit for drying, low-temperature processing, and storing of food products

The use of heat pumps makes it possible to reduce energy consumption in drying processes. This study addresses the problem of efficient use of a heat pump for drying, low-temperature processing, and storage of food products. The object of the study is a heat pump unit capable of operating under the drying mode or under the refrigeration processing and storage mode. Studies have been conducted to design an experimental unit, as well as to improve the energy efficiency of the cooling system. The unit includes a single-stage freon compressor, two air condensers, a water-cooled coil heat exchanger-precondenser, an air evaporator, a thermostatic valve, axial fans, and a unit control system. It has been experimentally established that, depending on the temperature level of condensation of the refrigerant (from +20 °C to +50 °C), the increase in specific cooling capacity with the heat exchanger-precondenser turned off is from 82 kJ/kg to 135 kJ/kg, and with it turned on – from 98 kJ/kg to 143 kJ/kg. In this case, the specific work of compression of refrigerant vapors in the compressor with the heat exchanger-precondenser switched off changes from 36 kJ/kg to 18 kJ/kg. And when it is switched on – from 32 kJ/kg to 10 kJ/kg. That is, the reduction in specific energy consumption is from 4 kJ/kg to 8 kJ/kg, which indicates the advisability of including the precondenser in the installation scheme. In the installation, refrigeration treatment and storage of the product can be carried out in the temperature range from –20 °C to +20 °C and drying – from +10 °C to +40 °C. Under such modes, it is possible to obtain high-quality products with long shelf lives. The results could be used to improve the designs and optimize the operation of heat-transfer drying units and their engineering calculations

Organizing the automated system of dispatch control over pump units at water pumping stations

The design and operation of modern dispatch control systems for pumping units involves comprehensive solution to separate engineering, technical, and scientific problems. The object of research is information processes enabling the operational modes of electrically driven pumping units at water pumping stations. This paper solves the scientific and technical task related to developing topology, hardware, and software tools, control algorithms, dispatch interface, and researching the modes of operation of pumping units in dispatch control systems at water pumping stations. Algorithms for controlling pumping units have been implemented, the advantage of which is the possibility of automated calculation of parameters for technological PID-controllers, taking into account the current electrical parameters of the frequency-controlled electric drive of pumping units and operating conditions. The WEB-oriented dispatch interface of the SCADA-based pumping unit control system was designed and tested, which enables control process in real time. Features of the developed dispatch control system are improved topology, expanded functionality, energy-saving control modes, and the possibility of further modernization based on the principles of standardization and unification of hardware and software tools and design procedures. The developed dispatch control system for pumping units at water pumping stations has been implemented and is successfully operated at an industrial water supply enterprise. The results provided for an increase in technical and economic indicators during the operation of technological equipment due to the efficiency of control and management procedures, energy-saving operational modes of the frequency-controlled electric drive of pumping units.

Probabilistic reliability model of electrical motors in submersible well pumping units used in the uranium mining by in-situ leaching

Relevance. A submersible electric motor is the most vulnerable component of an electric centrifugal pumping unit used in in-situ leaching uranium mining. The accuracy of calculating the need for new electric motors directly affects the profitability of the uranium production. Aim. Development of a probabilistic reliability model for a submersible electric motor that provides the calculation of its failure probability for the upcoming period of time and allows estimating with sufficient accuracy the number of motors required to replace the failed ones. Methods. Statistical methods, survival analysis, statistical hypothesis testing. Results and conclusions. The authors conducted a study of three probabilistic reliability models for electric motors of submersible well pumping units used in in-situ leaching uranium mining. As a result of the study, the maximum likelihood estimates of model parameters were determined for each model; the adequacy of the models under study was checked based on nonparametric goodness-of-fit tests. Despite the fact that the test results did not allow excluding any of the considered models, a model based on a mixture of two Weibull distributions was selected as a probabilistic reliability model demonstrating higher consistency with real data, compared to the other models. At the same time, the analysis of the components of the mixture distribution indicated the presence of a group of electric motors with an uncharacteristically low time-to-failure value compared to the average value calculated for the entire set of equipment under study, and made it possible to estimate the share of such motors, which amounted to 8% of the total population. Possible reasons explaining such heterogeneity of data, according to the authors, are hidden manufacturing defects or more severe operating conditions in which some submersible electric motors operate.

Negative impact of vibration on process pipelines of a compressor station with electrically driven gas pumping units

Relevance. In gas industry, the amount of equipment that has outlived its intended service life is increasing every year. In accordance with the law “On Industrial Safety of Hazardous Production Facilities,” compressor stations are dangerous objects, the reliable operation of which largely determines the condition of main gas pipelines. Technological pipelines of a compressor station are important objects of this system. They are subject to strict requirements due to the action of static and dynamic loads on them. Reliability of compressor stations is based on the results of a study of the condition of the object and the main factors affecting increased wear of equipment. The solution to wear problem is timely monitoring of equipment, in particular level measurement and determining the causes of pipeline vibrations using vibration diagnostics methods, and frequency and modal analysis methods. Aim. To study the causes of increased dynamic loads on the technological piping that arise during the operation of electric and gas pumping units at a compressor station using vibration monitoring methods. Methods. Vibration monitoring methods to analyze the causes of increased vibration values in the process piping of a compressor station with an electric gas pumping unit. Results and conclusions. The authors have measured vibration in a wide frequency band and assessed the technological condition of the main equipment of the compressor station with EGPA-6.3/8200-56/1.44-R based on the regulatory documentation STO Gazprom 2-2.3-324-2009. The main frequencies of the root-mean-square value of the vibration velocity, at which the highest vibration values were observed, were identified, and a modal analysis was performed using ANSYS software. Based on the results of natural studies and modal analysis, it was concluded about the occurrence of resonant high-frequency oscillations, multiple of the rotor rotation frequency.

Research on performance and potential of distributed heating system for peak shaving with multi-energy resource

Climate change and its negative effects are driving the global shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources. To tackle the dependency on traditional energy sources in harsh winter regions and improve heating quality during periods of thermal demand fluctuations, this paper proposes a new distributed heating peak shaving system (DHPS). The system combines municipal heat and clean energy within the secondary network while reducing the return water temperature in the primary network. It comprises solar collectors, electric thermal storage tanks (ETST), and absorption heat pump (AHP) units, integrated into conventional heat exchange stations. The system operates in two modes to manage peak and off-peak loads respectively, with TRNSYS simulation used to evaluate performance across a range of peak-shaving gradients. A multidimensional comprehensive assessment is conducted between the DHPS under optimal peak shaving coefficient (θ) conditions and conventional peak clipping boiler (PCB). Results indicate that DHPS achieves a high primary energy ratio (PER) of 1.251 at θ = 0.5, reducing combustion emissions by nearly 40%. The static payback period (PBP) of the system is 3.5 years. When the electricity price drops to 0.275 CNY, its operational costs are comparable to PCB. DHPS caters to the energy characteristics of cold regions where electricity supply exceeds demand. It enables flexible peak shaving while ensuring the complete utilization of clean energy and effectively utilizing waste heat from power plants.

Stability of a controlled sucker-rod pump unit drive under operating conditions and during voltage dips in the electrical network

Stability of a controlled sucker-rod pump unit drive under operating conditions and during voltage dips in the electrical network

Совершенствование конструкций установок струйных насосов для добычи нефти

The characteristics of jet pump installations are given, which are used mainly for low-yield wells in oil production whose flow rate is less than 10 m3/day. It is noted that jet pump installations have a relatively low efficiency of not exceeding 0.35, and it is almost equal to the efficiency of electric drive pump installations and downhole rod pump installations when extracting oil from wells with low flow rates of up to 20 m3/day. The advantages of jet pump installations over other types of downhole pumping installations in difficult oil production conditions are shown. With flow rates up to 150 m3/day. Costs for oil production using jet pump installations are minimal compared to other installations. A brief analysis of the designs of jet pumps, their main overall dimensions and weight is provided. A brief overview of scientific, technical and patent literature on jet pump installations is given. By changing the design of nozzles, confusers, diffusers, working chambers of jet pumps, as well as improving the jet pump installations as a whole when used in tandem with other types of well installations, their productivity, operating efficiency and reliability can be increased. It is noted that the parameters of jet pumps can be obtained by calculation based on the theory of mixing two flows, the theory of jet propagation in a mass of stationary or moving liquid and the mechanics of bodies of variable mass. The main design parameters of jet pump units are feed, pressure, ejection coefficient, power and efficiency. These parameters can also be determined experimentally. A laboratory jet pump unit has been developed. Experiments have shown that with an increase in the flow rate of the working fluid, the flow rate of the mixture and the working pressure, the ejection coefficient and efficiency decrease. In the future, experiments will be continued with various designs of jet pump elements.

Energy-saving mechanism and dynamic characteristics of blade angle adjustment in low head pumping system

To investigate the energy-saving mechanisms and dynamic characteristics of blade angle adjustment, this study proposes a novel research method via simulations, prototype and model testing. For stable conditions, the internal field, the external and energy characteristics of the pumping system with different blade angle are examined. The dynamic characteristics of the pumping system and the blade force characteristics during the adjustment process are also studied. The research results show that, under a certain net head, an appropriate impeller blade angle improves the flow state in the pump and conduits, decreasing the entropy production and providing suitable inlet circulation to reduce the hydraulic loss of outlet conduit, thereby improving the pumping system efficiency by 5–10 percentage points. During the adjustment process, there is an approximate 20-s delay in dynamic characteristics. Additionally, with the increase of the blade angle, the hydraulic torques for blade axis and pump shaft increase, thus increasing the blade adjustment force and shaft power. The adjusting force is found to be underestimated in the adjustment processes of decreasing the blade angle. Achievements of this paper contribute to high efficiency of pumping system and high reliability of blade adjustment devices and pump units.

An Effective Method for Reproducing the Flow of a Gas-Liquid Mixture Using a Flow Standard

The appearance on the market of measuring equipment of multiphase flowmeters used in the oil and gas industry to measure the amount of extracted hydrocarbons directly at wells without preliminary separation and performing the function of operational accounting raised the question of their metrological support in accordance with the requirements of regulatory documents of the sphere of state regulation in this field of measurements. His decision was to create a reference base, the basis of which was the State primary special standard for units of mass flow of gas-liquid mixtures GET 195-2011 and a verification scheme for measuring multiphase flow rates, regulated by GOST 8.637-2013. When transmitting units of volume and mass flow of a multiphase mixture with the required accuracy, the main problem is the difficulty of reproducing and maintaining stability of several flow parameters at once – mass flow and content of liquid components (water and oil simulator) and volume flow of the gas phase. It should also be borne in mind that test programs for the purpose of approving the type of multiphase flow measuring instruments, as well as verification and calibration methods, provide for changing the modes of reproduction of a gas-liquid mixture, covering the measurement ranges of multiphase flowmeters. Such standards used in practice represent a very complex measuring system consisting of storage tanks for components, supply pumping and compressor units, control equipment, mixers and separators, measuring instruments for the physical parameters of multiphase flow components and an automated control system. Given the high cost of multiphase standards, when creating them, effective methods and methods should be used to reproduce the flow of a multiphase mixture with specified parameters, as well as to make a fairly rapid transition to the next mode provided by the program or methodology, which will reduce the time and production costs for the procedure of transferring units of measurement from the standard to the working measuring instrument. This article describes a method for reproducing the flow rate of a gas-liquid mixture according to the original technological scheme introduced during the development of the 1st category standard. Constructive solutions are presented that increase the efficiency of the liquid component separation apparatus to increase the dosing accuracy, as well as expand the range of reproduction of the flow rate and parameters of the multiphase flow, ensuring the consistency of the composition of the liquid mixture at a given regime. An original rational method of compressing and maintaining the pressure of the gas phase is described, which allows you to quickly switch to the next mode, confirmed by the results of experimental studies of the standard.

Intelligent diagnostic method for beam pumping units based on torque indicator cards

An innovative approach is introduced to the intelligent diagnosis of torque indicator card conditions using electric parameters, effectively addressing the high costs associated with acquiring polished rod indicator cards and the convergence difficulties encountered when converting electrical parameters. The proposed method begins by establishing a library of 15 typical operating conditions, followed by an engineering feature analysis. Key to this approach is the use of the AlexNet model for intelligent recognition training, which successfully enhances model convergence and stability, even with varying sample sizes. This allows for automated recognition and classification of operating conditions through model training. The research outcomes demonstrate that the model achieved a fault diagnosis accuracy of over 95% for beam pumping units. This not only improves the accuracy and efficiency of fault diagnosis in oil well pumping units but also presents a novel and effective approach for intelligent diagnostic applications in oil field extraction, offering substantial practical value.

Measures to increase the reliability and efficiency of water supply and wastewater disposal systems

The reliability of water supply and wastewater disposal systems has a significant impact on the environment: therefore, it is essential to implement new methods and approaches that reduce the risk of emergency situations. Based on the experience in automation, maintenance and modernization of wastewater disposal and water supply systems, the study suggests introducing additional programmable modules into automated control systems that provide control and regulation directly on the actuator. For this purpose, the study involves OWEN Logic programming environment, which manages pumping stations through programmable relays. The paper presents functional diagrams that have been introduced into standard macros to increase the reliability of pumping units. In addition, the paper demonstrates that the implementation of multi-level management facilitates the improvement of existing water supply and wastewater disposal systems, thereby increasing their functional capabilities and ensuring the efficient operation of technological equipment. The conducted analysis shows that the adoption of this method for managing technological processes will enhance the reliability and durability of the equipment, ensuring uninterrupted operation of pumping stations. With a change in the performance of water supply and wastewater disposal systems, the installed devices will allow for modernization with minimal economic costs, and reprogramming the operation of the low-level automation without affecting the performance of other levels.

Single-component artificial urinary sphincter: Outcomes from one centre in Portugal.

Radical prostate cancer treatment is the predominant cause of iatrogenic stress urinary incontinence (SUI) in men, significantly impacting their quality of life (QoL). This prospective single-center study in Portugal aimed to evaluate the outcomes of men with moderate-to-severe SUI treated with a single-component artificial urinary sphincter (AUS). Male patients with iatrogenic moderate-to-severe SUI, determined by a 24-hour pad weight test, were included. The single-component device comprises a cuff linked to a pump unit through a kink-resistant tube. The implantation involved perineal incision for cuff placement and an inguinal incision for pump and tank positioning within the scrotum. Complications, pad usage, perioperative complications (Clavien-Dindo classification), and quality of life assessment using the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Short Form (ICIQ-SF) questionnaire were documented. Between May 2021 and March 2023, 20 consecutive single-component AUS insertions were conducted at a Portuguese urology department. Follow-up concluded in July 2023, with a mean follow-up duration of 15 months (range: 5-27). Four patients experienced complications necessitating device revision or removal (erosion = 2, infection = 1, mechanical failure = 1). Social continence (0/1 pad/day) was achieved in 70% (14/20 patients), while 30% (6/20 patients) experienced incontinence. Perioperatively, one patient was classified as grade 2, while the remaining were grade 0/1 in the Clavien-Dindo classification. The mean ICIQ-SF score reduction was 10.5 points. The single-component AUS shows promising efficacy in managing moderate-to-severe male SUI, offering a good success rate, acceptable complications, improved QoL, and a straightforward surgical procedure.

Study on the impact of turbulent spatiotemporal propagation in the outlet passage on the performance of vertical axial flow pumps.

Abstract Pumping station engineering is crucial for our country’s national economy as a part of water conservancy infrastructure. The vertical axial flow pump commonly used in pumping station construction features a high flow rate and low discharge pressure. Understanding the impact of turbulence on the flow of water entering and leaving the pump unit is crucial for the efficient and reliable operation of a pumping station. This paper examines the internal flow and hydraulic characteristics of the device for vertical axial flow pump at a pumping station through numerical simulation technology and experimental validation. It is inferred that turbulent flow develops in the outlet flow passage while the pump device is currently functioning, impacting the impeller’s outlet bend and guide vane. This leads to the formation of vortices, backflow, and folding flow at the guide vane and outlet bend. As water flows out through the outlet passage, bias and backflow develop, causing erosion on both sides of the outlet pool and impacting the pump unit’s overall head and efficiency.

Analysis of variable speed operating range of centrifugal pump with large flow and wide head variation

Abstract The advantages of variable speed centrifugal pump include its broad operating range, wide operating efficiency zone, high operational stability, and regulative characteristics of input power. When pump station has characteristics such as large flow rate changes, large pump head changes, the conventional fixed speed centrifugal pump cannot meet requirements of safe and stable operation under characteristic pump conditions. In order to ensure the safe and stable operation of the pump station within the operation range, the variable speed operation strategy of centrifugal pumps is adopted to enhance its wide amplitude adjustment capability and efficient operation. This paper uses an 8MW centrifugal pump with wide head range in China to analyze the factors that influence the operating range of pump unit in detail. The results indicate that the variable speed pump unit’s safe and effective operating range is determined by the cavitation margin, hump margin, speed range, and pump maximum input power. The hydraulic design can improve the hump safety margin and cavitation characteristics of the operating zone, and then expand the operating range of the pump unit. Meanwhile, increasing the static suction head, reducing the hump margin, controlling pump head amplitude, and appropriately increasing the maximum input power limit are the best ways to extend centrifugal pump’s operating range and improve its adjustable capability. The results can provide reference for parameter selection and hydraulic design of large variable centrifugal pump in the future.

Fiber-Reinforced Thermoplastic Sucker Rods Provide Artificial Lift Efficiencies

_ This article, written by JPT Technology Editor Chris Carpenter, contains highlights of paper IPTC 23949, “Fiber-Reinforced Thermoplastic Sucker Rods Providing High-Strength, Lightweight, Low-Cost, and Environmentally Responsible Artificial Lift Efficiencies,” by Jeff Saponja, SPE, Oilify, and Corbin Coyes, SPE, and Michael Conner, SPE, Q2 Artificial Lift Services. The paper has not been peer reviewed. Copyright 2024 International Petroleum Technology Conference. _ The complete paper focuses on the development of fiber-reinforced thermoplastic (FRTP) sucker rods, highlighting their potential advantages and challenges, for rod pumping (in general) and for offering an earlier transition from electrical submersible pump (ESP) pumping or gas lifting to reliable deep high-rate rod pumping. A unique feature of an FRTP composite rod is its remarkably high shear failure resistance compared with that of a thermoset composite rod. A high shear-failure resistance means the rods have compressional loading tolerance and that an entire sucker rod string could be comprised of FRTP sucker rods. Introduction Sucker rods made from steel are relatively heavy. Extensive well-specific designs require tapering of rod strings to optimize the overall sucker rod string weight relative to the strength and fatigue requirements and consideration of the dynamic loadings from accelerations and decelerations of the rods and fluids, frictional effects, and structural or power limitations of the pump jack or unit at surface. Steels suffer from corrosion risks. Corrosion, which rapidly can accelerate fatigue failure, often is the root cause of sucker rod failure. Fiber-reinforced composites (i.e., fibers surrounded by or wetted by a resin matrix) have gained considerable popularity because they can be tailored to have outstanding mechanical, thermal, and physical properties, and have superior material mechanical properties to metal. The fatigue behavior of composite materials and structures is complex because composites fail by a series of, or collection of, damage mechanisms, including fiber breakage, matrix cracking, fiber/matrix debonding, delamination, and the effect of shear-induced damage on cracks. Cracking can be slowed somewhat if the reinforced fibers are of high stiffness. Composite materials can offer a lower environmental footprint over their entire life cycle. They can require less energy to manufacture, thereby reducing CO2 emissions. A high strength/weight ratio offers less energy consumption during operational use, further reducing CO2 emissions. Composite materials can be recycled and reused. Composite sucker rods, in the form of thermoset fiberglass sucker rods, have offered a high strength/weight ratio with greater corrosion tolerance, but they are too stretchy from a low glass fiber tensile modulus of elasticity for deep high-rate rod pumping and when a high production-rate decline is likely. This limitation results in a large bottomhole pump-stroke variability as operating conditions change. Such rods have low tolerance to compressional and impact loads, forcing a larger proportion of a sucker string to remain as steel. They are also more costly than steel rods. For sucker rod pumping, an ideal composite rod should tolerate compressional loads and feature high impact resistance and high fatigue endurance with an ability to limit or control crack formation. A composite material that potentially offers these important sucker rod properties is FRTP.

Study on suction effect of water jet propulsion pump based on entropy weight theory

Water jet propulsion pumps start at special stages such as mooring and sailing, the ship is in shallow water, and the underwater keen clearance (UKC) is relatively small, which is easy to induce underwater suction vortex near the inlet position and cause violent vibration of the pumping unit. The powerful suction effect of the water-jet propulsion pump can draw in debris from the bottom of the riverbed, causing damage to the propulsion pump. This research investigated the suction effect of water jet propulsion pump under different UKC conditions. A flow field analysis method based on the entropy weight theory was constructed to reveal the flow characteristics of the flow field where the underwater suction vortex occurs. The research found that the suction effect on the flow field tends to stabilize under the condition of UKC greater than 2.5D0. After UKC reaches 4.2D0, suction effects essentially cease to create large-scale shear stresses near the riverbed. In addition, this research analyzes the vorticity field using vorticity and net circulation to elucidate the vortex strength within the flow field under different UKC conditions. The probability of generation of underwater suction vortices will be greatly reduced when the UKC is greater than 0.83D0.

Experiments on the performance of low temperature air source heat pump based on parallel connection of evaporators

An air source heat pump experimental bench with evaporators connected in parallel at low ambient temperatures is established to investigate the key parameters and operating performance after this retrofit. Experimental tests are conducted on the novel heat pump unit to study the optimal refrigerant charge, heat production capacity and COP at different ambient temperatures, to observe the frost condition in the operation of the unit, and to optimise the control logic. Results show that the optimum refrigerant charge amount after retrofit is 26 kg. Further experiments show that under the condition of −12 °C, heat production capacity of the retrofitted unit is increased by 5.39%, the COP is increased by 4.13%, and the evaporating temperature is increased by 1.50 °C; under the condition of 2 °C, the heat production capacity of the retrofitted unit is increased by 5.72%, the heating COP is increased by 2.51%, and the evaporating temperature is increased by 2.93 °C. At the same operating time, the modified unit has less frost on the evaporator surface. The optimum suction superheat after the modification is 1 °C, and it is at this point that the unit has the highest heating COP, which is 7% higher than at 0 °C suction superheat. The heat production and COP are less affected by the supplement gas superheat. Through the modification of the parallel evaporator, the overall heating performance and frost prevention ability of the unit are greatly improved.

The Optimization Strategy of Pump-Valve Combined Scheduling and Pump Unit Reselection in Heating Systems

The Optimization Strategy of Pump-Valve Combined Scheduling and Pump Unit Reselection in Heating Systems

Numerical study on the optimization of the two-way passage division pier and the energy loss in the pumping device

Abstract The widespread utilization of the Two-way passage pumping device (TPPD) in riverside areas notwithstanding, there exists a notable inadequacy in quantitative research pertaining to its energy and hydraulic characteristics. On the basis of division pier optimization, the entropy production theory (EPT) with computational fluid dynamics is applied to analyse the energy loss characteristic of TPPD. The results show that after the optimization of the two-way passage division pier, the flow pattern in passages is improved, the vortex structure scale in passages is obviously reduced, and the hydraulic performance is improved. The predominant cause of energy loss within TPPD stems from turbulent dissipation due to fluctuations within the impeller, leading to the formation of irregular areas with heightened entropy production (EP) along the blade surface and within the impeller channel. Moreover, the energy loss within passages is predominantly localized near the centre of the pump unit.

CALCULATION TO DETERMINE THE TECHNICAL AND ECONOMIC EFFICIENCY OF PUMPING UNITS FOR LIFTING WATER FROM WATERCOURSES POWERED BY WATER ENERGY FOR WATERING PASTURES AND IRRIGATION OF LAND

The problem of effective water supply using natural energy resources of water in modern conditions is promising and relevant, the solution of which is rationally carried out from watercourses with the necessary standard sizes of a hydraulic ram pumping unit, the design of which has a novelty. At the Kazakh National Agrarian Research University conducted applied research to improve the efficiency of water supply from watercourses in the system of irrigation of lands and irrigation of pastures of peasant and farm farms of the agro-industrial complex of the Republic of Kazakhstan through the development of an improved hydraulic ram pumping unit with an increase in its energy indicators: hydraulic shock pressure, supply, pressure and efficiency. This article presents a calculation to substantiate the economic efficiency of the studies carried out on the use of the necessary standard sizes of an improved hydraulic ram pumping unit (NUV-7-12 and NUV-17-20) for water supply to peasant and farm farms of the Republic of Kazakhstan and irrigation of lands located in areas of adjacent watercourses, compared with basic pumping units (AN - 2K - 9 - M1 and ANS-60 D).