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Electrical submersible pump with reciprocating linear motor

  • US 9,145,885 B2
  • Filed: 04/18/2011
  • Issued: 09/29/2015
  • Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2011
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A linear pump apparatus for pumping wellbore fluids, the linear pump apparatus comprising:

  • coiled production tubing operable to extend axially into a wellbore;

    a first pump body suspended from the coiled production tubing, wherein an outer diameter the first pump body is substantially equal to an outer diameter of the coiled production tubing;

    a first chamber located within the first pump body, the chamber including a first port extending through a wall of the coiled production tubing and operable to place the first chamber in fluid communication with a wellbore and a second port in fluid communication with the coiled production tubing extending toward a surface of the earth;

    a first piston located within the first chamber, wherein the first port and the second port are located on a downstream side of the first piston, relative to a flow of wellbore fluids through the wellbore; and

    a first actuator located at an upstream side of the first piston, relative to a flow of wellbore fluids through the wellbore comprising an expandable material exhibiting at least one of piezoelectric, electrostriction, magnetostrictive, and piezomagnetism properties such that the expandable material is operable to change from a first shape to a second shape in response to an electromagnetic stimulus applied thereto, the change from the first shape to the second shape causing the piston to move axially from a first piston position to a second piston position, pushing the wellbore fluids in a downstream direction towards the surface of the earth;

    a second pump body suspended from the coiled production tubing and axially spaced from the first pump body, wherein an outer diameter the second pump body is substantially equal to the outer diameter of the coiled production tubing;

    a second chamber located within the second pump body, the second chamber including a third port extending through the wall of the coiled production tubing and operable to place the second chamber in fluid communication with the wellbore and a fourth port and in fluid communication with the coiled production tubing extending toward the surface of the earth;

    a second piston located within the second chamber, wherein the third port and the fourth port are located on a downstream side of the second piston, relative to a flow of wellbore fluids through the wellbore; and

    a second actuator located at an upstream side of the second piston, relative to a flow of wellbore fluids through the wellbore comprising an expandable material exhibiting at least one of piezoelectric, electrostriction, magnetostrictive, and piezomagnetism properties such that the expandable material is operable to change from a first shape to a second shape in response to an electromagnetic stimulus applied thereto, the change from the first shape to the second shape causing the second piston to move axially from a first piston position to a second piston position, pushing the wellbore fluids in a downstream direction towards the surface of the earth.

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