CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims priority to US Provisional Application Number 63/303,107, filed on January 26, 2022.

BACKGROUND

[0002] Lubrication systems are typically needed for oil and gas processing systems, such as offshore compression trains. Such systems typically consist of a pump and reservoir for providing lubricants to various equipment needing lubrication. Lubrication oil pumps are typically located on the top of the lubrication reservoir. Multiple oil pumps may be used in such systems, for example, to provide redundancy.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

[0003] To easily identify the discussion of any particular element or act, the most significant digit or digits in a reference number refer to the figure number in which that element is first introduced.

[0004] FIG. 1 is a front view cutaway illustrates an aspect of the subject matter in accordance with one embodiment.

[0005] FIG. 2 is an isometric view illustrating an aspect of the subject matter in accordance with one embodiment.

[0006] FIG. 3 is a partial exploded view illustrating an aspect of the subject matter in accordance with one embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0007] In a multiple pump lubrication system, such as may be used in compression trains, serviceability is critical concern. For example, if one of the pumps fails, an operator may need to shut down the compression train to be able to remove the failed pumps for service. The operator may also need to shut down again to reinstall the pump after it is repaired. In both cases, special personal protection equipment, preparation work, and specific procedures are needed before removing/reinstalling the pump.

[0008] In multiple pump lubrication systems, space between a top surface of the oil that resides in the tank and the top of the reservoir, oil vapors that are released by the oil occupy this region. In some occasions, an active oil mist eliminator may be used to extract this oil vapor which may create a slight sub-atmospheric pressure inside the tank.

[0009] The top surface area of the oil contained in a compression trail may be relatively large, such as several square meters, since the length and width of the tank are usually larger than 4 and 2 m respectively. Consequently, a large quantity of oil vapors are accumulated inside the tank in the space above the top surface of the oil. If the tank is opened, such as may be required for one of the pumps sitting on top of the tank to be removed for maintenance, the accumulated oil vapors would be released to the ambient air. Without proper PPE and special preparations (for example, an N2 purge of the volume at the top of the tank), this could cause a safety and health hazard, such as a potential for fire and for oil mist being inhaled by the maintenance workers. Furthermore, if an active oil mist eliminator is used, the oil tank would lose the vacuum and this would make the system ineffective.

[0010] In view of these concerns, the inventors have innovatively created a system that provides the client with the capability of safely removing a pump with the spare pump system in operation, with some relatively small , low cost, changes to the lube oil reservoir. Advantageously, this system allows an operator to keep a lubrication system running while removing and repairing a pump in the lubrication system.

[0011] In one aspect of the invention depicted in FIGs. 1 and 2, a system 102 includes a reservoir 104 having a top 106 and a bottom 108. In another aspect, the system 102 includes a first pump assembly 110, including a first sump portion 112 extending, for example, downwardly along a gravity vector, through a top opening 114 at least partially into the reservoir 104. In first pump assembly 110 includes a first sump end 116 for submerging below a surface 122 of a first fluid 118 in the reservoir 104. In an embodiment, a first skirt 124 extends around the first sump portion 112 downwardly from the top 106 to define a skirt volume 126 within the reservoir 104. The first skirt 124 may includes a skirt lower portion 128 for submerging below the surface 122 of the first fluid 118 in the reservoir 104. In an aspect of the invention, the skirt lower portion 128 is spaced away from the bottom 108 of the reservoir 104 to permit a flow of the first fluid 118 to the first sump end 116. The first skirt 124 may include a skirt upper portion 130 forming a seal 132 with the top 106 to limit a flow of a second fluid 120, such as a gas, disposed above the first fluid 118 from entering the skirt volume 126. The skirt upper portion 130 may include a lip 136 sized larger than the top opening 114. In an aspect, the skirt lower portion 128 may be spaced away from the bottom 108 of the reservoir 104 so that it is disposed above a suction loss level 146 of the system 102. The surface 122 of the first fluid 118 may include a minimum operating first fluid level 144 of the system 102. With the first skirt 124 installed in the reservoir 104, when the end-user removes the first pump assembly 110, only a small area of the first fluid 118 is exposed, and any negative pressure that is maintained in the reservoir 104, such as by an active oil mist eliminator, is maintained because the first skirt 124 penetrates into the first fluid 118. Advantageously, the first skirt 124 can be offered as a removable component which may facilitate any potential cleaning of the reservoir 104 during major maintenance operations, and also allows the solution to be easily retrofitted into existing systems 102. Alternatively, the first skirt 124 can be welded into the top 106 of the reservoir 104, for a more permanent solution.

[0012] In other aspects, the first skirt 124 may include an extension 134 extending away from, for example, downwardly along a gravity vector, from the skirt lower portion 128 towards the bottom 108. In an embodiment, the extension 134 is spaced away from the bottom 108. For example, the extensions 134 would serve as feet to hold the first skirt 124 away from the bottom 108 to prevent blocking the flow of the first fluid 118 should the first skirt 124 shift downwardly in the reservoir 104 to avoid starving the first pump assembly 110. In one aspect, the extensions 134 would not rest on the bottom 108 , for example, to avoid challenges related to height tolerancing and the need to be able to seal 132 the pump top cover 148 at the top of the reservoir 104.

[0013] In other aspects of the invention, valves or vents may be provided, for example, to provide pressure equalization and/or venting of fluids, such as oil vapors. The system 102 may include a pressure equalizing vent 152 disposed in the first skirt 124 above the surface 122 of the first fluid 118 to allow fluidic communication between the second fluid 120 and skirt volume 126. The vent 152 may be configured to equalize pressure of the second fluid 120, such as air, inside the first skirt 124 to the pressure of the second fluid 120 residing in the rest of the reservoir 104, so that a fluid level in the first skirt 124 is the same as the fluid level in the rest of the reservoir 104.

[0014] In another aspect, if the system 102 uses an active oil mist eliminator, the system 102 may comprise a valve 154 disposed in the pump top cover 148 to provide selective fluidic communication between the skirt volume 126 and an external atmosphere for selectively controlling a first fluid 118 pressure in the skirt volume 126. For example, in a system 102 equipped with an active oil mist eliminator, a pressure balance between the skirt volume 126 and an external atmosphere may be accomplished by a stub out pipe and valve 154 on the pump top cover 148 , thereby ensuring that a sub-atmospheric pressure is not lost through the vent 152 in the first skirt 124 when the first pump assembly 110 is removed.

[0015] Since the invention drastically reduces the area of the first fluid 118 which would be exposed to the ambient when the first pump assembly 110 is removed, the invention would also provide HSE related benefits in addition to allowing the first pump assembly 110 to be removed without affecting any potential negative pressure and without causing the exposure of the maintenance team to hazardous vapors.

[0016] In yet another aspect, the system 102 may also include a second pump assembly 138 having a second sump portion 150 extending downwardly, for example, along a gravity vector, through the top 106 at least partially into the reservoir 104 away from the first skirt 124. The second sump portion 150 may have a second sump end 140 for submerging below the surface 122 of the first fluid 118 in the reservoir 104. The system 102 may also include a second skirt 142 extending around the second sump portion downwardly from the top 106.

[0017] In an aspect of the invention shown in FIG. 3, the system 102 may also include a skirt top cover 302 disposable over the top opening 114 when the first pump assembly 110 is removed. Upon first pump assembly 110 removal, the skirt top cover 302 can affixed in place over the top opening 114 opening to protect the first fluid 118 from potential contamination until the first pump assembly 110 has been repaired.

[0018] Other technical features may be readily apparent to one skilled in the art from the figures, descriptions, and claims.

LISTING OF DRAWING ELEMENTS

102 system

104 reservoir

106 top

108 bottom

110 first pump assembly first sump portion top opening first sump end first fluid second fluid surface first skirt skirt volume skirt lower portion skirt upper portion seal extension lip second pump assembly second sump end second skirt minimum operating first fluid level suction loss level pump top cover second sump portion vent 154 valve

302 skirt top cover