The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jan. 14, 2003
Filed:
Aug. 06, 2001
Robert A. Judge, Houston, TX (US);
Charles P. Peterman, Houston, TX (US);
Hydril Company, Houston, TX (US);
Abstract
The invention is a subsea pump that includes pumping elements, each pumping element including a pressure vessel with a first and a second chamber therein and a separating member disposed between the first and second chambers. The first and second chambers are hydraulically connected to receive and discharge a hydraulic fluid and a drilling fluid, respectively. The separating member moves within the pressure vessel in response to a pressure differential between the first and second chambers. A hydraulic power supply is arranged to pump the hydraulic fluid to the first chamber of each of the pumping elements. A valve assembly is hydraulically coupled to the first chambers of the plurality of pumping elements and to the hydraulic power supply. Volume measurement devices are arranged to measure volumes of each of the first chambers and the second chambers. A valve controller is connected to the valve assembly and to the volume measurement devices, and the valve controller is arranged to control a rate and timing of a flow of the hydraulic fluid into the first chambers and a rate and timing of a flow of the hydraulic fluid out of the first chambers in response to the volume measurements. The valve controller is configured to maintain at least one of a substantially constant pump inlet pressure, a substantially constant pump discharge pressure, and a substantially constant total volume of the first chambers.