US 12,313,057 B2
Optimizing an efficiency of a positive displacement pump with a constant or near-constant speed power source
Wesley P. Clark, Weatherford, TX (US); Todd Ryan Kabrich, Tomball, TX (US); and Brandon J. Mabe, Houston, TX (US)
Assigned to SPM Oil & Gas Inc., Fort Worth, TX (US)
Filed by SPM Oil & Gas Inc., Fort Worth, TX (US)
Filed on Feb. 11, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/650,780.
Prior Publication US 2023/0258172 A1, Aug. 17, 2023
Int. Cl. F04B 49/20 (2006.01); E21B 43/26 (2006.01); F04B 9/02 (2006.01); F04B 17/03 (2006.01); F04B 17/05 (2006.01)
CPC F04B 49/20 (2013.01) [E21B 43/2607 (2020.05); F04B 9/02 (2013.01); F04B 17/03 (2013.01); F04B 17/05 (2013.01); F04B 2201/1201 (2013.01); F04B 2205/09 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for hydraulic fracturing, comprising:
a positive displacement pump;
a constant speed power source configured to drive the positive displacement pump, wherein the constant speed power source is configured to rotate a power source drive shaft at an approximately constant speed;
a powertrain, configured to deliver power from the constant speed power source to the positive displacement pump, including:
a multi-gear transmission configured to operate using a set of fixed gear ratios and coupled to the constant speed power source via a shaft coupling;
a torque sensor configured to measure a torque associated with the multi-gear transmission; and
a controller configured to:
obtain a flow rate value to be associated with the positive displacement pump;
determine a fixed gear ratio, from the set of fixed gear ratios, that is optimized to cause an input drive shaft of the positive displacement pump to power the positive displacement pump at approximately the flow rate value based on the approximately constant speed of the power source drive shaft and based on the torque associated with the multi-gear transmission satisfying a threshold; and
cause the multi-gear transmission to operate using the determined fixed gear ratio to cause the positive displacement pump to operate at approximately the flow rate value.