System and method for powering a hydraulic pump

• US 8,997,904 B2
• Filed: 07/05/2012
• Issued: 04/07/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/05/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Global Sourcing LLC (Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Cryer, Robert Douglas, Wnukoski, George J., Kamensky, David, Krishnan, Ramesh, Halli, William, Martorella, Ryan, Shivlani, Tarun, Gaev, Alexey
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan, Hau
• Assistant Examiner(s): EVANS, BRYAN A
• Application Number:
  US13/541,980
• Publication Number:
  US 20140010671A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,006 Days
• Field of Search: 166/280.1, 166/177.5, 166/308.2, 290/1.R, 290/2, 290/52, 180/53.1, 180/53.5, 141/231
• US Class Current: 180/53.5
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/00 Arrangement or mounting of electrical propulsion units B60K7/00 takes precedence; arrangement or mounting of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion B60K6/00; electric transmission arrangements B60K17/12; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles per se B60L; current-collectors for power supply lines of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L5/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/04 of the electric storage means for propulsion exchanging batteries for electric propulsion of vehicles B60L53/80; for auxiliary purposes only B60R16/04; supplying batteries to, or removing batteries from, vehicles B60S5/06
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/485 Motor-assist type
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/003 to auxiliary motors, e.g. for pumps, compressors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/10 using propulsion power supplied by engine-driven generators, e.g. generators driven by combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/15 with additional electric power supply with capacitors charged by engine-driven generators B60L50/40; with batteries charged by engine-driven generators B60L50/61
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/30 including control of auxiliary equipment, e.g. air-conditioning compressors or oil pumps
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/2607 Surface equipment specially adapted for fracturing operations
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 17/03 driven by electric motors
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 17/05 driven by internal-combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 17/06 Mobile combinations
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 47/02 the driving mechanisms being situated at ground level F04B47/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/1815 structurally associated with reciprocating piston engines general aspects of generating sets, e.g. housing, F02B63/04
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/1823 structurally associated with turbines or similar engines
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 27/06 using dc to ac converters or inverters H02P27/05 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 9/04 Control effected upon non-electric prime mover and dependent upon electric output value of the generator
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 9/42 to obtain desired frequency without varying speed of the generator
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles

Abstract

A hydraulic pump powering system includes a mobile vehicle, a first electric current generator device, and one or more electric pump motors. The mobile vehicle has first and second prime movers. The first electric current generator device is disposed onboard the mobile vehicle and is configured to be mechanically coupled with the first prime mover to convert movement created by the first prime mover into first electric current. The one or more electric pump motors are configured to receive the first electric current to power a hydraulic pump. The second prime mover is configured to generate movement that is converted into a propulsive force that propels the mobile vehicle. The one or more electric pump motors are configured to receive the first electric current in order to power the hydraulic pump to pump a fluid into a pumping location located off-board the mobile vehicle.

Claims

1. A hydraulic pump powering system comprising:

a first mobile vehicle having a first gas turbine disposed onboard the first mobile vehicle;

a first electric current generator device onboard the first mobile vehicle and mechanically coupled with the first gas turbine to convert movement created by the first gas turbine into first electric current;

a first control unit configured to receive the first electric current and to modify the first electric current into a first modified current; and

one or more first electric pump motors onboard the first mobile vehicle and configured to receive the first modified current, wherein the first control unit is configured to output the first modified current for powering the one or more first electric pump motors to power at least a first hydraulic pump disposed off-board the first mobile vehicle to pump hydraulic fracturing fluid into a pumping location located off-board the first mobile vehicle.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising

a second mobile vehicle having a second prime mover disposed onboard the second mobile vehicle;

a second electric current generator device onboard the second mobile vehicle and mechanically coupled with the second prime mover to convert movement created by the second prime mover into second electric current;

a second control unit configured to receive the second electric current and to modify the second electric current into a second modified current; and

one or more second electric pump motors onboard the second mobile vehicle and configured to receive the second modified current, wherein the second control unit is configured to output the second modified current for powering the one or more second electric pump motors to power at least a second hydraulic pump disposed off-board the second mobile vehicle as the first modified current is output from the first control unit of the first mobile vehicle to pump the hydraulic fracturing fluid.

3. The system of claim 2, further comprising a manifold fluidly coupling the at least a first hydraulic pump and the at least a second hydraulic pump with each other and with the pumping location.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the second prime mover is a second gas turbine.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the first control unit also is configured to divert at least a portion of the first electric current to one or more traction motors of the first mobile vehicle.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the first control unit also is configured to divert at least a portion of the first electric current to an energy storage device disposed onboard the first mobile vehicle.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the first gas turbine is configured to generate more than 2500 horsepower of power to generate the first electric current using the first electric current generator device.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more first electric pump motors are configured to be powered by the first electric current to generate movement that powers the at least a first hydraulic pump without being mechanically coupled with the first gas turbine by one or more gears and/or transmissions.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more first electric pump motors include one or more traction motors that also are configured to be coupled with one or more wheels or axles of the first mobile vehicle.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more first electric pump motors are configured to power the at least a first hydraulic pump to pump the fracturing fluid into a drill site at the pumping location.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the first control unit is configured to output the first modified current at a power level of at least 700 kilowatts for powering the one or more first electric pump motors.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more first electric pump motors are configured generate mechanical power in excess of 2500 horsepower (HP) for powering the at least a first hydraulic pump to pump hydraulic fracturing fluid into the pumping location located off-board the first mobile vehicle at a rate of at least 2 gallons per minute per revolution of the at least a first hydraulic pump.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the first control unit is configured to output the first modified current at a voltage of at least 400 volts for powering the one or more first electric pump motors.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the first electric current generator device, the first control unit, and the one or more first electric pump motors disposed on the first mobile vehicle are configured to power the at least a first hydraulic pump to pump at least 200 gallons per minute.