US1567827A - Deep-well pump - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 29, 1925- J. A. ZUBLIN DEEP WELL PUMP Filed Oct. 12, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Dec. 29, 1925.

NlTED STATES JOHN A. ZUBLIN, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

DEEP-WELL PUMP.

Application filed October 12, 1922. 4Serial No. 594,194.

To all inkom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN A ZUBLIN, a citizen of the Republic of Switzerland, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles, and State of California, have invented a new and useful Deep-VVell Pump, of which the following is a specification.

A'lthis invention relates to well pumps especially adapted for luse in oil wells, and is particularly directed to a pumping apparatus in which individual pump units operating at spaced intervals throughout the depth of the well, dividethe fluid column into sections or stages with a corresponding division of the total pumping effort.

The standard type of oil well pump now in universal use includes a relatively long pump plunger located in an accurately machined pump barrel near the bottom of the well where it issubjected to the entire hydrostatic pressure of the oil column. For an eliicient operation against this great pressure it'necessarily follows that the pump plunger must have a very tight sliding lit in the pump or working barrel, this being usually attained by providing a plunger closely machined to fit the pump barrel, or a plunger provided with a' series of cup packings, of suitable material.

lt is well recognized that a great amount of power is absorbed in overcoming the fric-` tion of such a tight fitting pump plunger and further it is well known that such y standard pump plungers frequently become froze in the working barrel (usually by reason of the presence of sand in the oil) with the result that the sucker rod becomes bent or broken in the eifort to force the stuck plunger downward.

It is an established fact that various sandV troubles render the standard well pump very ineicient for extendeduse, and that such pumps must frequently be pulled out for repair or replacement; the wearing out son, and each subjected only to `the hydrostatic pressureof that portion of the oil column between it and the next higher pump unit. I

Another object is tol provide a pumping apparatus of the above character in which each pump unit is formed entirely of metal and has a sliding packed it in a standard pump tublng with the pressure of the metal packing element against the tubing walls variable with the pressure of the fluid packed against.

Another object is to provide a pump unit having a short Contact with the tubing walls relative to the stroke of the pumpl whereby sand is prevented from remaining at said contacting area.

A further object is to provide a pump having no fluid passages which are not subjected to direct flushing action of the pumped fluid. n

Another object is to provide alpump unit having an expansible metallic packing at all times'maintaining a full area of contact with the tubing walls.

Another object is to provide a plurality of hollow pump plungers and a continuous sucker rod free from said plungers and cooperating therewith in a pumping operation.

An object of major importance is to provide a pump structure producing a direct flushing action of the Huid against the tubing wall upon opposite sides' of the pump packin A Anot er object is to provide a pump structure of exceptionally strong and durable construction and 4of few parts, contributing to economical production and to long effective life.

Various other objects and advantages will be more fully apparent from the following description of the accompanying drawings which form apart of this disclosure, and which illustrate a preferred form of embodiment of theinvention.

lOf the drawings:

Figure 1 is a vertical section of a portion of a well showingtwo of the pump units.. Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical section of one of the pump units in closed position.

Figure 3 is a similar view showing the pump unit in open position.

Figure 4: is an enlarged plan section on line 4 4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5`is an enlarged plan section on line 5-5 of Figure 2.

Figure 6 is an enlarged plan section on line 6-6 of Figure 2.

Figure 7 is an enlarged plan section on line 7-7 of Figure 2.

In Figure 1 ot' the drawings I have illustrated a portion of an oil well, in which 1 designates the well casing and 2 designates the usual pump or well tubing having near its lower end a standing valve 3, thetubing consisting of a series of sections joined together by couplings 4.

'lhc piunping apparatus to which the present invention relates is contained within the standard well tubing and consists ot a plurality ot pump units incorporated in the sucker rod line at spaced intervals throughout y`the depth of the well in a man ner by which the liquid column is divided into relatively short stages so that each pump unit will bc subjected to only a portion of the entire pumping load.

ln an apparatus of this character 1t-1s highly desirable to provide pump units which may be installed and operated 1n the so called standard sizes of well tubing, but as well tubing of different ,makes and weights vary considerably as to internal diameter it is necessary to provide pump units having to a certain degree an ability to expand or contract. This is further desirable for the reason that the ends of the tubing sections are sometimes burred or the walls of the tubing dented or otherwise .distorted to an extent which would render it impossible to insert a noncollapsible pump into the` tubing.

In overcoming sand troubles, later explained, ll have found that it 1s desirable that the V packing surface of each pump unit should be relatively short compared to the stroke and that a compresslble packing such as rubber, leather and the like will soon be cut out by sand.

For these reasons ll have devised a collapsible piston packing constructed entirely of relatively hard metal and having a tubing contacting portion slit into sections in such a manner as to permit it to expand or collapse without separating the sections or widening the slits, whereby each section slides on the adjacent sections and maintain a full circular packing contact with th tubing walls. i

'lhe pistons are full floating as regards vthe sucker rod so they are free to center in the tubing independently of the rod. By such contacts the pistons are not subjected to side thrusts of the rod, the protection against side thrusts being augmented by the provision of guides on the rod adjacent each piston, which guides centralize the rod in the vvtubing independently of the pistons and prevent the rod from buckling, or being se,-

meneer riously deflected by reason of crooked tubmg.

The several valve'elements and .valve seats and the lluid passages are arranged so as to be subjected to direct flushing action of the fluid for the purpose of preventing sand or other foreign substances interfering with a proper operation of the parts.

The pumping units are incorporated in the sucker rod linel at suitable intervals and are each connected with standard sucker rod sections 5 as illustrated in Figure 1.

As the several units are all of duplicate construction and operate in like manner, a detailed description ot one thereof will herein sullice.

Referring particularly to Figures 2 and 3, a special interior sucker rod section 6 screw-threads into a guide member 7 having its upper portionfformed to provide a circular cone valve 8 which cooperates with the valve seat 9 formed on the lower edge of the tubular piston 10. The lower end of the guide member 7 is screw threaded for con'- nection with the adjacent standard sucker rod section 5, and its periphery has a plurality of longitudinal grooves 11 forming fluid passages. At the upper ends of the grooves 11 the guide member 7 is circularly grooved or reduced in diameter at 1.2 to form, with the tubing walls, an expansion chamber which serves to combine the discharge of said passages into an annular fluid column having a uniform flushing action against the wall of the tubing so as to wash said wall free of sand.

Secured upon the upper portion of the rod 6 is an upper guide member 13 which is of hollow circular form and is provided with upxwardly and outwardly angledV ports 14 W ich lead into an expansion chamber 15 formed by the walls of the tubing and by a groove or reduced portion of the member 13 and serving to combine the discharge of said parts into an annular fluid column iu the same manner and .for the Sallie purpose as does the chamber l2 ot" the lower guide member.

The upper end-of the rod 6 screw-threads into the up er adjacent standard sucker rod section 5, t e section 6 and guide members 7 and 13, forming a continuous sucker rod extending through the tubular piston.

The iston surrounds therod 6 and forms therewith an annular longitudinal fluid passage 16 communicatingwith the -well tubing on opposite sides of the piston, and the valve element 8 and guide member 13 serve as opposed abutments relatively spaced to permit an initial independent movement of the sucker rod at thebeginning of each stroke so that during the initial u ward movement of the rod the valve 8 will en. gage the `valve seat 9 of the piston to close the piston fluid passage 16 and will then lll liti

translate the piston upwards in a pumping stroke upon a continuedlupward movement of the rod, a reverse movement of the rod first causing the valve to open and the guide member 13 to engage the upper end of the piston whereupon a continued downward movement of the rod will effect a return translation of the piston.

The guide members are of a diameter permitting .their insertion into tubing which are undersize to the greatest degree usually met with in standard well equipment so that while primarily designed to operate in, say a three inch tubing, they may also be operable in tubing considerably smaller.

The lower portion of the piston up to a point 2O is also of such reduced diameter, and gradually increases to full diameter at its upper portion to form a tubing contacting packing surface extending from a point 2l to a point 22. This provides a packing surface which is relatively short compared to the full stroke of the piston.

The wall of the piston is longitudinally slit, as at 23, downwardly from its upper edge and at circularly spaced intervals, with each alternate slit oppositely angled transversely and extended considerably below the point 20 to form flexible blades or non-overlapping packing sections 24. The opposed edges of the several blades 24 contact throughout the length of the packing surface and the bore of the piston is enlarged to form opposed shoulders 2 5 and 26. Y

-A flat sheet of thin metal is rolled to form a split tube 27 and is compressed and sprung into place in the piston between the two shoulders 25 and 26 with its free edges overlapping each other (see Figures 4f andf5).

' In practice the piston is first sawed 1ongitudinally to form the sections 24, the upper portions of the sections then compressed to close the saw slots throughout the length of the packing surface, and said packing surface subsequently turned to size while the sections 24 are thus compressed. The lower portions of the slits 23 will remain open (see Figure 5) and will be sealed by the split tube 27.

A. piston of this character, said packing being regarded as an invention distinct from that herein claimed, may be ma'de of relatively hard metal, such for instance as case-hardened steel, and still be so yielding as to be easily compressed manually for insertlon into the well tubing. The several blades or sections in the region of the packing surface will remain in cooperative engagement during flexation and will thereby maintain a fluid tight packing, the blades being maintained in yielding contact with the tubing walls by the pressure of the fluid in the piston vpassage acting to expand the split tube.

Therefore it will be evident that the piston packing is expanded against the tubing walls with a pressure variable kwith the pressure of the fluid packed against, and as each piston is required to elevate only a relatively short stage of fluid it will be obvious that the packing pressure of each pump unit is relatively small, and further as the packing pressure of each unit is automatically determined by the height of the column of fluid it is required to elevate, it is pointed out that the combined packing pressure of the several units will be considerably less than that of a standard single piston woll pump in a well of the same depth.

Referring to the relatively short packing surfaces of the piston and to its action upon the sand content of the pumped fluid it is pointed out that sand will work in between two relatively sliding surfaces and where such surfaces are long relative to the stroke, the sand particles will usually remain between the surfaces and cause excessive wear. With one surface relatively short, as is the packing surface of the piston, any sand particles working in on one side will quickly be driven through and exposed on the opposite side to the flushing action of the fluid, this action being aided by the flexible collapsible nature of the piston packing which tends to yield andride over any sand particles between the two surfaces. Explaining in greater detail, the flushing action of the fluid against the tubing walls on opposite sides of the pump packing, it may be statedthat suchsand as is contained in the fluid has a tendency to settle during the upstioke of the pump because during such upstroke the fluid is bodily lifted with A the pump without any perceptible agitation.

It is well known that with the standard types of oil pum s the sand has a tendency to collect upon t e tubing wall where it is in a position to cause serious wear of the piston packing, and' that -even upon the down stroke of a standard type of oil pump piston, the oil flowing directly up through the hollow piston has no direct flushing or washing action against` the tubing walls. It follows that the working barrel wall of the well known standard type of oil well pump is generally more or less fouled with sand or other abrasive substances in instances where such substances are present in the oil.

In the present structure'the surfaces 30 of each of the guide members 7 and 13l are angled upwardly and outwardly to direct the annular column of fluid against the tubing walls, and the head portions 31 thereof are of a diameter such as will cause said annular column of fluid to flow with an increased velocity past said portions 3l and in contact with the tubing walls, as indicated inFigure 3 by the arrows.

This provides an effective washing action of the fluid against the tubing walls both above and below the piston packing, whereby upon each down' stroke of the pump the fluid is agitated to a degree whereby its sand content remains in suspension for such a period of time that it will not have a chanceto settle by gravity before the succeeding down stroke is commenced.

By this arrangement the entire surface of the tubing engaged by the pump packing throughout -its stroke is maintained practically free of sand or other substances tending to wear the packing.

It will be noted that the peripheral edges of the several parts of each pump unit are beveled so as to be easily inserted into the well tubing and to slide past any rough or uneven portions of tlie inner surface thereof.

The apparatus herein disclosed is of exceedingly strong and durable construction and has a long effective lit'e even under excessive wear, it being particularly evident that the piston packing will retain its maxinium etliciency until the several blades or sections thereof become worn through and that upon each return stroke ot the pmnp, the tubing is subjected to a direct flushing action of the fluid over the entire area contacted by the pump packing.

lVhile the form of apparatus herein disclosed is well adapted to fulfill the objects primarily stated it is to be understood that I do not wish to limit the invention to the one form of embodiment illustrated and described, for it is susceptible of embodiment in various other forms all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

I claim:

l. A pumping unit for wells, including an interior section of pump rod independently guided for axial reciprocation in a well tubing, and a tubular piston free of and surrounding the rod to form an annular tluid passage, the piston being' full tloating with respect 'to the rod to permit it. to iudependenllv center in the tubing' having the upper portion expansible under pressure of the liquid carried thereby, the rod and piston cooperating to control the fluid passage and translate the piston.

2. A pumping unit for wells, including a pump rod adapted to reciprocate in a well tubing' and having relativelyy spaced guide members engaging the tubing walls to maintain the rod in approximate axial alignment in the tubing, and a tubular piston surrounding the rod between the guide members, the guide members each having a plurality of circularly spaced tluid passages and an annular groove at the upper ends of said passages forming with the tubing walls an expansion chamber combining the discharge of the several passages into an aunular tluid column.

3. A pumping unit for wells, including a pump rod adapted to reciprocate in a well tubing and having a valve element and a guide member below said element engaging the tubing Walls to maintain the rod in approximate axial alignment in the tubing, and a tubular piston surrounding the rod above the valve element and having a valve seat for cooperation with said valve element, the guide member having a plurality of circularly spaced fluid passages and an annular groove at the upper ends of said passages forming with the tubing walls an expansion chamber combining the discharge of the several passages into an annular tluid column adapted to have a flushing action over the entire area of the valve element.

al. In a device for pumping liquid from a well, the combination with a well tubing, ot' a pump rod and piston adapted to reciprocate in the tubing, and means comprising heads carried by said rods above and below the piston each directing the fluid against the tubing' walls to scour the tubing walls free of abrasive substances.

5. In a device for pumping liquid from a well, the combination with a well tubing, of a pump rod and piston adapt-ed to reciprocate in the tubing, and means comprising heads carried by said rods above and below the piston each forming with the tubing a restricted annular'passage and directing the liquid against the tubing walls and through said passage at an increased velocity to scour the tubing walls free of abrasive substances.

6. A pumping unit for wells, including a pump rod adapted to reciprocate in a well tubing, and a tubular piston surrounding an interior section of the rod and forming therewith a longitudinal fluid passage, the rod cooperating with the piston and having an initial movement controlling said fluid passage and a subsequent move-ment for translating the piston, said piston being formed of non-compressil)le material in sectional form adapting' it lo bc collapsed or expanded without separating the sections.

7. A pumping unit for wells, including a pump rod adapted to reciprocate in a well tubing, and a tubular piston surrounding an interior section of the rod and forming therewith a longitudinal fluid passage, the rod cooperating with the piston and having an initial movement controlling said fluid passage and a subsequent movement for translating the piston, said piston being slit inwardly from one edge to form co-engaging blades adapted to expand or collapse without separation of their contacting edges whereby a completely circular seal is formed with the interior of the tubing.

8. A pumping unit for wells, including a pump rod adapted to reciprocate in a well tubing, and a tubular piston surrounding lll) an interior section)v of the rod andvforming therewith a longitudinal 'luid passage, the rod cooperating with the piston andf having an initial movement controlling said fluid passage and a subsequent movement` for translating the piston,'said piston being slit VVVinterior of the tubing.

inwardly from one edge with eachV slit transversely langled to form4 co-engagingblades adapted to expand or collapse without separation` of their contacting. edges whereby a completely circular seal is'formed with the 9. In equipment for lifting liquids, the combina'tion of:` a lift tubing comprisedof sections secured together -in continuous arrangement; a `series of piston members spaced apart `in said lift tubing, said piston said piston members arranged to members being of a character to conform Y .to the diameter of the tubing section in which it-isl located when the pist-on members are lowered intosaid lift tubing; meansfor reciprocating said pistons in unison; and a plurality o fv valvev meansl associated with produce an upward movement of liquid.

10. In equipment lfor lifting liquids, the combination of: a lift .tubing comprised of sections secured together incontinuous arrangement; a series of expansible piston members spaced apartin said lift tubing, the expansibility of said piston members thereby equipping them to conform to the diameter of thetubing section in.- which said.y

series is located when the piston members are lowered into said lift tubing; means for reciprocating said pistons in unison; and a ii plurality of valve neans associated with said piston members arranged to produce an upward rmovement of liquid. A

11. In equipment for lifting liquids, the combination of: a lift tubing comprised of sections`secured together incontinuous arrangement; al rod structure extending in said lift tubing; a series of tubular piston members spaced along said rod structure,

said piston members being characterized by expansibility whereby-each piston member may conform to the i'nternal diameter of the section in which it'locates when said rod A structure is lowered into said lift t'ubing; and a plurality of valve means associated with said piston members arranged to pro-4 duce an upward movement of liquid.

-'12. In equipment for lifting liquids, the

combination-of: a'lift tubing comprised of sections secured together 1n contlnuous arrangement; a rod structure extending in said lift tubing; a series of metallic tubular piston members spaced along said rod structure, said piston members being character- ,izedby expansibility whereby each piston member may conform to the internal diameter` of the section inwhich it locates when per end so as to form a working seal with said tubing; and valve means at the lower end of said tubular vmember arranged to prevent passage of liquid through said tubular member during the upward movement of said rod and said tubular member.

14;. A pumping'uiiit for wells, comprisingt/a rodv adapted to reciprocate in a well tubing; a tubular member associated with said rod, said rod being adapted to be moved' independently of said tubular member, said. tubular memberbeingexpansible at its upper end so as to form a working seal with said tubing, and having its upper end open to the liquid being lifted ,so that the weight of said liquid will be expansively exerted;

and valve means atl the lower end of said tubular member arranged to prevent passage of liquid through said tubular member during the upward movement of said rod and said tubular member.

Signed at Los Angeles, California, this 6th day of October, 1922.

'JoHN A. ZUBLIN.

Images