White Paper: The Next Generation Of Progressive Cavity Multiphase Pumps Use A Novel Design Concept For Superior Performance And Wet Gas Compression

In the last two years, extensive testing and development has led to a new concept that has successfully demonstrated that the operating envelope of the progressive cavity multiphase pump can be expanded to handle not only higher gas volume fractions, but also much larger volumes of gas, and at the same time increased the service life of these multiphase pumps.

This new concept utilizes an equal wall stator. Unlike conventional stators that have an oval shaped cross-sectional cavity with a rubber section of variable thickness, the equal wall stator has a uniform thickness of rubber all around the cavity. This provides unique advantages and results have exceeded expectations. The performance of a progressive cavity multiphase pump with this new equal wall stator has led to the successful application of such a multiphase pump in new areas and more demanding applications than was possible with the conventional design.

This paper describes in detail the novel approach of using an equal wall rubber stator in a progressive cavity multiphase pump. Tests have shown that precise dimensional control of such a stator allows higher pressures per stage, and the thermal gradients along the length of the stator dissipate the heat more efficiently thereby permitting the stator to operate much cooler than a comparable conventional stator. The lowering of the operating temperature of the rubber is shown to have a direct relationship to the longer service life of the pump thus reducing maintenance costs.

Further testing has proven that the equal wall stator allows the progressive cavity multiphase pump to handle significantly higher compression ratios, and enhances its ability to handle much higher volumes of gas thereby making it particularly suitable as a wet gas compressor.