Method and apparatus for mounting pumps within a suction vessel

Abstract

A pressure vessel and submerged electric motor pump system may include a pressure vessel and at least two motor-pump assemblies located within the pressure vessel. Each of the at least two motor-pump assemblies may include a submersible electric motor and a submersible pump in operable communication with the submersible electrical motor. The submersible pump may be configured to pump fluid from within the pressure vessel to without the pressure vessel. A method for pumping a fluid from a pressure vessel may include supplying a fluid to a pressure vessel, pumping the fluid with two or more submersible electric motor pumps located within the pressure vessel and discharging a pumped fluid from the pressure vessel.

1 . A pressure vessel and submerged electric motor pump system comprising: 
 a pressure vessel;    at least two motor-pump assemblies located within the pressure vessel, each of the at least two motor-pump assemblies comprising: 
 a submersible electric motor; and  
 a submersible pump in operable communication with the submersible electrical motor, and the submersible pump is configured to pump fluid from within the pressure vessel to without the pressure vessel.  
   
   
   
       2 . The pressure vessel and submerged electric motor pump system of  claim 1 , wherein the pressure vessel comprises a pressure vessel pump housing for each of the motor-pump assemblies.  
   
   
       3 . The pressure vessel and submerged electric motor pump system of  claim 1 , wherein each submersible pump is in operable communication with a discharge line, and the discharge line is operably communicable with discharge piping located externally of the pressure vessel.  
   
   
       4 . The pressure vessel and submerged electric motor pump system of  claim 1 , wherein each submersible pump is in operable communication with a vent line, and the vent line is operably communicable with vent piping located externally of the pressure vessel.  
   
   
       5 . The pressure vessel and submerged electric motor pump system of  claim 1 , wherein each submersible electrical motor is in operable communication with an electrical connection, and the electrical connection is operably communicable with power source.  
   
   
       6 . The pressure vessel and submerged electric motor pump system of  claim 1 , wherein the pressure vessel has a pressure vessel vent line, and the pressure vessel vent line is operably communicable with piping located externally of the pressure vessel.  
   
   
       7 . The pressure vessel and submerged electric motor pump system of  claim 1 , wherein the pressure vessel has a drain line, and the drain line is operably communicable with piping located externally of the pressure vessel.  
   
   
       8 . The pressure vessel and submerged electric motor pump system of  claim 1  configured such that: 
 at least one pump is in operable communication with a discharge line via a first valve;    at least one pump is in operable communication with a suction line via a second valve;    at least one pump is in operable communication with a vent line via a third valve; and    the at least one motor-pump assembly may be removed from the pressure vessel by closing the first, second and third valves.    
   
   
       9 . The pressure vessel and submerged electric motor pump system of  claim 8 , wherein the suction end of the at least one pump is in operable communication with a foot valve, and the foot valve is in operable communication with the pressure vessel.  
   
   
       10 . The pressure vessel and submerged electric motor pump system of  claim 8 , wherein the first valve, second valve and third valve are foot valves.  
   
   
       11 . The pressure vessel and submerged electric motor pump system of  claim 8 , further configured such that the system may operate with at least one motor-pump assembly removed from the pressure vessel.  
   
   
       12 . The pressure vessel and submerged electric motor pump system of  claim 1 , wherein a number of motor-pump assemblies located within the pressure vessel is selected between the range of three to six.  
   
   
       13 . The pressure vessel and submerged electric motor pump system of  claim 1  wherein at least one of the at least two motor-pump assemblies is removably positionable within the pressure vessel.  
   
   
       14 . The pressure vessel and submerged electric motor pump system of  claim 13  wherein the at least one of the at least two motor-pump assemblies includes a valve which is open when the at least one of the at least two motor-pump assemblies is installed in the pressure vessel and which closes when the at least one of the at least two motor-pump assemblies is removed from the pressure vessel.  
   
   
       15 . The pressure vessel and submerged electric motor pump system of  claim 1  wherein the pressure vessel includes a main tank for receiving a portion of each of the at least two motor-pump assemblies and for storing a fluid, and wherein the pressure vessel further includes a support column, extending exteriorly of the main tank, for each of the at least two motor-pump assemblies.  
   
   
       16 . A submerged electric motor pump system comprising: 
 a pressure vessel;    a single suction and phase separation vessel in operable communication with the pressure vessel;    at least two motor-pump assemblies located within the pressure vessel, each of the at least two motor-pump assemblies comprising: 
 a submersible electric motor; and  
 a submersible pump coupled to the submersible electrical motor, and the submersible pump is configured to pump fluid from within the pressure vessel to without the pressure vessel.  
   
   
   
       17 . The submerged electric motor pump system of  claim 16  wherein the pressure vessel is configured to be in operable communication with the single suction and phase separation vessel via a single set of suction, drain and vent lines.  
   
   
       18 . A method for pumping a fluid from a pressure vessel, the method comprising: 
 supplying a fluid to a pressure vessel;    pumping the fluid with two or more submersible electric motor pumps located within the pressure vessel; and    discharging a pumped fluid from the pressure vessel.    
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18  further comprising removing one of the two or more submersible electric motor pumps from the pressure vessel.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19  wherein supplying a fluid to a pressure vessel, pumping the fluid with two or more submersible electric motor pumps located within the pressure vessel, and discharging a pumped fluid from the pressure vessel continues during removing one of the two or more submersible electric motor pumps from the pressure vessel.  
   
   
       21 . A method for pumping a fluid from a pressure vessel, the method comprising: 
 supplying power to two or more submersible electric motors located within the pressure vessel;    rotating a rotor located within each of the two or more submersible electric motors;    rotating two or more pump shafts each of which are within a separate pump and each of which are in operable communication with each of the rotors;    pumping a fluid within the pressure vessel with each of the pumps; and    discharging a pumped fluid from the pressure vessel.