HYDRAULIC FRACTURING PUMP APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR DRIVING SAME

Abstract

A hydraulic fracturing pump apparatus includes: at least one gas turbine forming a prime mover and including at least one of a single-shaft gas turbine and a multi-shaft gas turbine; at least one fracturing pump which is in a drive connection with the at least one gas turbine to be driven by way of the at least one gas turbine and which is configured for pumping a pressure medium into a rock layer; and a hydrodynamic torque converter in the drive connection, the hydrodynamic torque converter including an input shaft, an output shaft, and a hydrodynamic converter, the input shaft being switchable via the hydrodynamic converter into a hydrodynamic drive connection with the output shaft.

Claims

1. A hydraulic fracturing pump apparatus, comprising: at least one gas turbine forming a prime mover and including at least one of a single-shaft gas turbine and a multi-shaft gas turbine; at least one fracturing pump which is in a drive connection with the at least one gas turbine to be driven by way of the at least one gas turbine and which is configured for pumping a pressure medium into a rock layer; and a hydrodynamic torque converter in the drive connection, the hydrodynamic torque converter including an input shaft, an output shaft, and a hydrodynamic converter, the input shaft being switchable via the hydrodynamic converter into a hydrodynamic drive connection with the output shaft.

2. The hydraulic fracturing pump apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the hydrodynamic torque converter moreover includes a switchable lock-up clutch, and the input shaft is switchable via the lock-up clutch into a purely mechanical drive connection with the output shaft.

3. The hydraulic fracturing pump apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the at least one fracturing pump has a delivery pressure of one of 130 bar to 1200 bar and 500 bar to at least 1200 bar.

4. The hydraulic fracturing pump apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the at least one fracturing pump has a flow rate of one of 2 to 300 m.sup.3 per hour and between 50 and at least 300 m.sup.3 per hour.

5. The hydraulic fracturing pump apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the hydrodynamic converter includes a single bladed pump wheel, a single bladed turbine wheel, at least one bladed guide wheel, and a working chamber, the single bladed pump wheel, the single bladed turbine wheel, and the at least one bladed guide wheel being arranged in a common working medium circuit in the working chamber.

6. The hydraulic fracturing pump apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the at least one bladed guide wheel includes a first guide wheel and a second guide wheel in the working chamber, the first guide wheel including a plurality of fixed guide blades, the second guide wheel including a plurality of guide blades adjustable in the common working medium circuit.

7. The hydraulic fracturing pump apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising a toothed input stage with a helical toothing, a toothed output stage with a helical gearing, a first intermediate shaft, and a second intermediate shaft, the input shaft being in a drive connection via the toothed input stage with the first intermediate shaft which carries the single bladed pump wheel, the output shaft being in a drive connection via the toothed output stage with the second intermediate shaft which carries the single bladed turbine wheel, and the first intermediate shaft being configured for being coupled mechanically to the second intermediate shaft by way of the switchable lock-up clutch.

8. The hydraulic fracturing pump apparatus according to claim 7, wherein, viewed in a direction of a drive power flow from the input shaft to the output shaft, the toothed input stage as well as the toothed output stage represent a speed reduction.

9. The hydraulic fracturing pump apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the hydraulic fracturing pump apparatus is configured for being moved by way of a chassis formed as a truck trailer.

10. The hydraulic fracturing pump apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one fracturing pump includes a plurality of the fracturing pump driven parallel to one another, each of which are in a driving connection with one of a respective one of a plurality of the gas turbine and a common one of the at least one gas turbine, wherein in each one of the driving connection per the fracturing pump a corresponding one of the hydrodynamic torque converter is provided resulting in a plurality of the hydrodynamic torque converter, the plurality of the hydrodynamic torque converter being driven parallel to one another by a respective one of the at least one gas turbine.

11. The hydraulic fracturing pump apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one gas turbine is designed as the single-shaft gas turbine, having a constant nominal operating speed.

12. The hydraulic fracturing pump apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one gas turbine is designed as a two-shaft gas turbine, having a variable nominal operating speed.

13. A method for controlling a fracturing pump apparatus, the method comprising the steps of: providing that the fracturing pump apparatus is a hydraulic fracturing pump apparatus including: at least one gas turbine forming a prime mover and including at least one of a single-shaft gas turbine and a multi-shaft gas turbine; at least one fracturing pump which is in a drive connection with the at least one gas turbine to be driven by way of the at least one gas turbine and which is configured for pumping a pressure medium into a rock layer; and at least one hydrodynamic torque converter in the drive connection, the at least one hydrodynamic torque converter including an input shaft, an output shaft, and a hydrodynamic converter, the input shaft being switchable via the hydrodynamic converter into a hydrodynamic drive connection with the output shaft, the at least one fracturing pump including a plurality of the fracturing pump driven parallel to one another, each of which are in a driving connection with one of a respective one of a plurality of the gas turbine and a common one of the at least one gas turbine, wherein in each one of the driving connection per the fracturing pump a corresponding one of the hydrodynamic torque converter is provided resulting in a plurality of the hydrodynamic torque converter, the plurality of the hydrodynamic torque converter being driven parallel to one another by a respective one of the at least one gas turbine; and driving the plurality of the fracturing pump in parallel to one another with different specified total power outputs of all the plurality of the fracturing pump, such that always only a maximum of a single one of the at least one hydrodynamic torque converter is operated with an open lock-up clutch and all other ones of the plurality of the fracturing pump are driven respectively via a respective one of the at least one hydrodynamic torque converter with respectively a closed lock-up clutch.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the at least one gas turbine is operated at a constant nominal operating speed.

15. A method for controlling a fracturing pump apparatus, the method comprising the steps of: providing that the fracturing pump apparatus is a hydraulic fracturing pump apparatus including: at least one gas turbine forming a prime mover and including at least one of a single-shaft gas turbine and a multi-shaft gas turbine; at least one fracturing pump which is in a drive connection with the at least one gas turbine to be driven by way of the at least one gas turbine and which is configured for pumping a pressure medium into a rock layer; and at least one hydrodynamic torque converter in the drive connection, the at least one hydrodynamic torque converter including an input shaft, an output shaft, and a hydrodynamic converter, the input shaft being switchable via the hydrodynamic converter into a hydrodynamic drive connection with the output shaft, the at least one fracturing pump including a plurality of the fracturing pump driven parallel to one another, each of which are in a driving connection with one of a respective one of a plurality of the gas turbine and a common one of the at least one gas turbine, wherein in each one of the driving connection per the fracturing pump a corresponding one of the hydrodynamic torque converter is provided resulting in a plurality of the hydrodynamic torque converter, the plurality of the hydrodynamic torque converter being driven parallel to one another by a respective one of the at least one gas turbine; driving respectively, for different specified total power outputs, all driven ones of the plurality of the fracturing pump via a respective one of the at least one hydrodynamic torque converter with a respectively closed lock-up clutch; and adjusting a speed of the at least one gas turbine and thereby setting an actual total power output of the plurality of the fracturing pump.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the at least one gas turbine is operated at a variable nominal operating speed.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] The above-mentioned and other features and advantages of this invention, and the manner of attaining them, will become more apparent and the invention will be better understood by reference to the following description of embodiments of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0031] FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of design example of a hydraulic fracturing pump apparatus;

[0032] FIG. 2 is an additional design example of a hydraulic fracturing pump apparatus with several fracture pumps.

[0033] Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views. The exemplifications set out herein illustrate embodiments of the invention, and such exemplifications are not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention in any manner.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0034] FIG. 1 illustrates a hydraulic fracturing pump apparatus, including a gas turbine 1 which drives a fracturing pump 2 via a hydrodynamic torque converter 3. Hydrodynamic torque converter 3 includes an input shaft 4 which is in a drive connection with a drive shaft of gas turbine 1, and an output shaft 5 which is in a drive connection with an input shaft of fracturing pump 2.

[0035] Hydrodynamic torque converter 3 includes two power branches, namely a first hydrodynamic power branch and a purely mechanical power branch arranged in parallel thereto in the power flow. The hydrodynamic power branch includes a hydrodynamic converter 6 and the mechanical power branch includes a lock-up clutch 7.

[0036] Hydrodynamic converter 6 has a pump wheel 9, which in the shown embodiment is supported by a first intermediate shaft 14, and a turbine wheel 10, which is supported by a second intermediate shaft 15. Pump wheel 9 and turbine wheel 10 are arranged in a common working chamber 13 together with a first guide wheel 11 and a second guide wheel 12. By driving pump wheel 9, a working medium circuit is established in working chamber 13, which hydrodynamically drives turbine wheel 10. The two guide wheels 11, 12 serve to adjust the change, i.e. the torque difference between the torque applied to pump wheel 9 and the torque applied to turbine wheel 10.

[0037] First guide wheel 11 is equipped with non-adjustable, that is fixed, guide blades, whereas second guide wheel 12 is equipped with guide blades adjustable in regard to a flow of the working medium in the working medium circuit.

[0038] The flow through pump wheel 9 and turbine wheel 10 occurs in particular centrifugally. The flow through pump wheel 9 can optionally also occur in diagonal-centrifugal direction.

[0039] First intermediate shaft 14 can be mechanically coupled to second intermediate shaft 15 by way of lock-up clutch 7, so that a purely mechanical drive connection can be established between input shaft 4, which is in mechanical drive connection with first intermediate shaft 14 via an input stage 16, and output shaft 5, which is in mechanical drive connection with second intermediate shaft 15 via an output stage 17.

[0040] According to one design example of the present invention, hydrodynamic torque converter 3 can transmit drive power exclusively via the hydrodynamic power branch or the mechanical power branch, and the parallel power transmission is excluded. According to an alternative embodiment, simultaneous power transmission via the hydrodynamic power branch and the mechanical power branch is possible, in particular the division of the power transmission can be variably adjusted.

[0041] FIG. 2 shows an example of a hydraulic fracturing pump apparatus with four fracturing pumps 2, which together pump a pressure medium into a borehole 8 to a predetermined rock layer. The number four is exemplary and, of course, a different number of fracturing pumps 2 may be provided. A total flow rate and a total pressure are specified for all fracturing pumps 2 combined, as indicated by the dashed line. For this purpose, fracturing pumps 2 are each driven via a hydrodynamic torque converter 3 of the type shown previously by way of one or more common gas turbines 1 or, in this case, each with its own gas turbine 1 in order to achieve the desired total volume flow and delivery pressure. Of course, hydrodynamic torque converters 3 could also be designed differently from the details shown previously.

[0042] Different fracturing pumps 2 are optionally driven in such a way that as many hydrodynamic torque converters 3 as possible operate with closed lock-up clutch 7. In particular, only one torque converter 3 operates with an open lock-up clutch 7. According to one embodiment, all torque converters operate with a closed lock-up clutch 7 and the speed of fracturing pumps 2 is set via the drive speed of gas turbine 1 or more specifically, respective gas turbine 1.

COMPONENT IDENTIFICATION LISTING

[0043] 1 Gas turbine [0044] 2 Fracturing pump [0045] 3 Hydrodynamic torque converter [0046] 4 Input shaft [0047] 5 Output shaft [0048] 6 Hydrodynamic converter [0049] 7 Lock-up clutch [0050] 8 Bore hole [0051] 9 Pump wheel [0052] 10 Turbine wheel [0053] 11 Guide wheel [0054] 12 Guide wheel [0055] 13 Working chamber [0056] 14 First intermediate shaft [0057] 15 Second intermediate shaft [0058] 16 Input stage [0059] 17 Output stage

[0060] While this invention has been described with respect to at least one embodiment, the present invention can be further modified within the spirit and scope of this disclosure. This application is therefore intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention using its general principles. Further, this application is intended to cover such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art to which this invention pertains and which fall within the limits of the appended claims.