Patent · US Expired

Turbopump for conveying highly viscous substances

US5655895A · kind A · utility

3Cited by
12References
6Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJun 19, 1995
Grant dateAug 12, 1997
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 19, 2015

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC E)Fixed Constructions
  • CPC primaryE21B43/129
  • WIPO fieldCivil engineering
  • WIPO sectorOther fields

Abstract

A turbopump pumps a fluid of high viscosity. The pump has an inlet and an outlet. The pump is disposed on a shaft. A turbine has a separate inlet and a separate outlet from those of the pump. The turbine is disposed on the same shaft as the pump. A vehicle liquid has a viscosity less than that of the fluid and is miscible with the fluid. The vehicle liquid is conducted under pressure to the inlet of the turbine, such that a portion of the partially pressure-relieved vehicle liquid exits from the turbine as solvent liquid and is admixed to the fluid in a chamber disposed before the inlet to the pump. Thus, the viscosity of the mixture is reduced. Such that the mixture of solvent liquid and fluid is suctioned from the inlet of the pump. A plurality of injection channels are disposed in the chamber. The solvent liquid is conducted through the injection channels with both a radial and tangential component with respect to the flow of the fluid in the chamber so as to create an angular momentum in the fluid in the chamber.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.