US 12,135,044 B2
Multiphase pump
Matthew Bourne, Katy, TX (US)
Assigned to Sulzer Management AG, Winterthur (CH)
Filed by Sulzer Management AG, Winterthur (CH)
Filed on Sep. 3, 2019, as Appl. No. 16/558,953.
Claims priority of application No. 18194754.0 (EP), filed on Sep. 17, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2020/0088201 A1, Mar. 19, 2020
Int. Cl. F04D 3/00 (2006.01); F04D 1/06 (2006.01); F04D 9/00 (2006.01); F04D 13/08 (2006.01); F04D 15/00 (2006.01); F04D 29/18 (2006.01); F04D 29/40 (2006.01); F04D 29/52 (2006.01); F04D 31/00 (2006.01)
CPC F04D 3/005 (2013.01) [F04D 9/005 (2013.01); F04D 13/086 (2013.01); F04D 29/181 (2013.01); F04D 29/40 (2013.01); F04D 29/522 (2013.01); F04D 31/00 (2013.01); F04D 1/06 (2013.01); F04D 15/0005 (2013.01)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A multiphase pump for conveying a multiphase process fluid from a low pressure side to a high pressure side, the multiphase process fluid including liquid components and gas components, the multiphase pump comprising:
a housing having a pump inlet and a pump outlet for the process fluid and configured to be connected to a pipe to deliver the process fluid to another location;
an inlet annulus configured to receive the process fluid from the pump inlet;
a discharge annulus configured to discharge the process fluid into the pump outlet;
a pump rotor configured to rotate about an axial direction and arranged within the housing, the pump rotor having an impeller and being configured to convey the process fluid from the inlet annulus to the discharge annulus with the discharge annulus being a chamber separate from the pump rotor; and
a return line configured to return the process fluid from the high pressure side to the low pressure side, the return line comprising an inlet configured to receive the process fluid, an outlet configured to discharge the process fluid and a control valve configured to open and close the return line, the inlet of the return line arranged directly at the discharge annulus so as to enable the liquid components and gas components of the process fluid to be in a homogenous state when entering the return line and the outlet of the return line arranged directly at the inlet annulus, the return having a length to enable the liquid components and gas components of the process fluid to be mixed at the outlet of the return line, and at least a portion of the inlet annulus surrounding the impeller in a radial direction.