Apparatus and a method for regulation of the energy potential in a fluid column located within a pipeline

• US 8,348,623 B2
• Filed: 06/28/2007
• Issued: 01/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Energreen AS
• Original Assignee: Energreen AS
• Inventors: Vasshus, Jan Kristian, Melhus, Trond
• Primary Examiner(s): Mai, Anh
• Assistant Examiner(s): Snyder, Zachary J
• Application Number:
  US12/307,329
• Publication Number:
  US 20090314353A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,021 Days
• Field of Search: 290/54, 137/14, 417/3, 417/408, 417/409, 417/493, 417/377, 418/104, 418/149
• US Class Current: 417/3
• CPC Class Codes: F03B 13/00 Adaptations of machines or engines for special use; Combinations of machines or engines with driving or driven apparatus if the apparatus aspects are predominant, see the relevant subclasses for such apparatus, e.g. H02K7/18; Power stations or aggregates incorporating only machines or engines of positive-displacement type F03C; hydraulic engineering aspects E02B; combinations with wind energy converters F03D9/008
• CPC Class Codes: F03B 7/00 Water wheels of swinging flap type F03B17/06
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2220/602 with energy recovery turbines
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2240/40 Use of a multiplicity of similar components
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 10/50 Hydropower in dwellings
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/20 Hydro energy
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0396 Involving pressure control

Abstract

The present invention describes an apparatus (1) and a method for use in regulation of the energy potential in a fluid column located within a pipeline (13), the apparatus (1) including two impellers (2), either one including a rotatable shaft (6) which is provided with a plurality of vanes or plate-shaped blades (8), the impellers (2) being disposed in a housing (4) which constitutes a portion of the pipeline (13), the apparatus (1) communicating with a load (19, 21) and/or an energy source, so that the impellers (2) of the apparatus (1) are arranged to influence the movement of the fluid column within the pipeline (13), the apparatus (1) being arranged to receive the fluid column between the shafts (6) of the impellers (2), the centre axis of said shafts (6) being substantially in the same plane as wall portions of the housing (4) upstream and downstream of the vanes, whereby the rate of the fluid column through the apparatus substantially corresponds to the rate of the fluid column immediately upstream and/or downstream of the impellers (2) of the apparatus (1).

Claims

1. An apparatus for use in controlling a differential pressure between a fluid column upstream and downstream of the apparatus, said apparatus comprising at least two impellers, each having a rotatable shaft provided with a plurality of vanes or blades, the impellers being disposed in a housing which constitutes a portion of a pipeline, said shafts communicating with a load, said apparatus is arranged for receiving the fluid column between the shafts of the impellers, whereby the velocity of the fluid column through the apparatus substantially corresponds to the velocity of the fluid column immediately adjacent to the impellers of the apparatus, and the impellers of the apparatus are arranged for providing a rotatable barrier for the fluid column in that at least one of the vanes or blades of each of the impellers is in substantially sealing contact with a first portion of the internal jacket surface of the housing, said barrier being influenced by said load to provide any predetermined differential pressure between the fluid column upstream and downstream of the apparatus,

wherein at least one of the blades of each of the impellers is constantly in substantially sealing contact with an elongated dividing element which is disposed in a portion of the apparatus, said dividing element providing a partition between the impellers and extending past a straight line through said shafts.

2. The apparatus in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a longitudinal axis of the dividing element is substantially parallel to an axis extending between an inlet portion and an outlet portion of the apparatus.

3. The apparatus in accordance with claim 1, further comprising at least a portion of the dividing element is provided with a biconcave shape.

4. The apparatus in accordance with claim 1, the dividing element comprising at least one fluid column control element pivotally disposed at a portion of the dividing element to control of the distribution of the fluid column between the two impellers.

5. The apparatus in accordance with claim 1, said load comprising a generator for producing electrical energy.

6. A method for controlling a differential pressure in a fluid column located within a pipeline, said method comprising:

integrating in the pipeline an apparatus which includes at least two impellers, either one comprising a rotatable shaft provided with a plurality of vanes or blades,

disposing the impellers in a housing which constitutes a portion of the pipeline, said shafts communicating with a load, whereby the velocity of the fluid column through the apparatus substantially corresponds to the velocity of the fluid column immediately adjacent to the impellers of the apparatus, and the impellers of the apparatus are arranged for providing a rotatable barrier for the fluid column in that at least one of the vanes or blades of each of the impellers is in substantially sealing contact with a first portion of the internal jacket surface of the housing, said barrier being influenced by said load to provide any predetermined differential pressure between the fluid column upstream and downstream of the apparatus; and

controlling the rotation of said impellers by the load communicating with the shafts of the impellers to provide any predetermined differential pressure between the pressures of the fluid column upstream and downstream of the apparatus.

7. The method in accordance with claim 6, further comprising producing electrical energy from the load.

8. The method in accordance with claim 6, further comprising including in the apparatus a dividing element for providing a partition between the impellers.

9. The method in accordance with claim 6, further comprising distributing the fluid between the impellers with the dividing element and a fluid column control element.

10. The method in accordance with claim 6, further comprising the steps of:

integrating the apparatus in a pipeline which extends between a petroleum underground formation and a petroleum installation;

conducting a petroleum fluid through the pipeline from the underground formation to the installation; and

controlling the rotation of the impellers for reducing the pressure in the pipeline between the underground formation and the installation.