Production • Processing • Handling
Rotary lobe technology is space-saver
D
Erwin Weber explores the latest advances in pumps that are designed for high volumes in a limited space.
emand for crude oil and natural gas is increasing, even in the face of efforts to promote renewable energies. With that demand comes rising prices and interest in opening up new sources,
including unconventional ones. Sources currently being investigated include methane from coal seams and highly viscous oil.
be conveyed were to block the pump chamber, this would not lead (as usually happens) to the gearbox being damaged or the shaft broken, but simply to the belt jumping – or rupturing, in the worst-case scenario. Users only have to undo two screws to replace it. Tis leads to a considerable reduction in downtime and costs in comparison to a complete gearbox overhaul. Likewise, the pump chamber can also be accessed for maintenance or cleaning after the removal of a few screws. Tis design enables a high level of reliability, which is an obvious benefit for pumps that may be deployed in regions where service engineers are difficult to get hold of.
Fig 1. Progressing cavity pumps are increasingly replacing traditional pumpjacks. Netzsch supplies drive heads, PCP pumps and equipment.
Te commercial interest in such sources is tempered by the fact that they are very complicated to extract. To develop efficient production in this area requires conveying systems that are adapted to the media, to the environment and to each other. Against that backdrop Netzsch has developed a range of specialised progressing cavity and rotary lobe pumps for the various fields of application in the upstream, midstream and downstream sectors. A key feature of the Tornado T2 self-priming,
valveless rotary lobe pump is its synchronised gear with belt drive, which – in contrast to standard timing gears – is extremely resilient and very easy to maintain. A belt with teeth on both sides transmits the power from the motor to both rotary lobes and synchronises them at the same time. Te strength of the Tornado T2 in the oil and gas sector is that it is compact and self-priming. It also offers high capacity, reversibility and solid matter compatibility. If a solid body that could not
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Two variants of the solution Tere are two models of the pump: one that has a specially shaped elastomer insert for the inside of the housing, which improves conveyance; and another that is all-metal, designed for more demanding media. Te rotary lobes are manufactured from stainless, Hastelloy or duplex steel, depending on requirements. Te advantage of steel over the elastomer bodies that are commonly used is that the steel lobes are
less affected by the strong dynamic forces during rotation and therefore have a longer service life.
Fig 2. The rotary lobe pump, which can convey maximum volumes in a limited space, offers an alternative to progressing cavity technology. The image shows the version made of rubber-metal.
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