High output, radial engine-powered, road-transportable apparatus used in on-site oil and gas operations

Abstract

A transportable process platform is provided for maximizing process operations therefrom without exceeding transport weight requirement. Each platform supports a power unit comprising a driven component coupled to a lightweight radial engine. The radial engine is configurable with one or more supplemental cylinder rows to increase the power output to match the power demand of the driven equipment. The lightweight engine maximizes the power demand of the driven component until the weight of the power unit approaches the maximum payload weight of the platform. Operations requiring greater capacity that that provided by one platform only benefit from a minimum number of platforms, each having maximized power capacity.

The embodiments of the invention for which an exclusive property of privilege is claimed are defined as follows: 
     
         1 . A transportable power platform for oil and gas wellsite usage comprising:
 a transportable platform;   one or more driven components of oil and gas equipment supported by the platform and having a power demand; and   a radial engine supported by the platform, the radial engine having normally air-cooled cylinders, and a power output matched to about the power demand of the one or more driven components and being coupled thereto.   
     
     
         2 . The transportable power platform of  claim 1  comprising:
 wherein the radial engine has one or more supplemental cylinder rows, the total number of rows configured to provide a power output to match the power demand of one or more driven components. 
 
     
     
         3 . The transportable power platform of  claim 1  further wherein:
 the transportable platform has a maximum payload weight; 
 the one or more driven components have an equipment weight and the radial engine has an engine weight including a base engine weight and supplemental cylinder row weight, the coupled, driven components and radial engine forming a power unit having a combined weight; 
 the one or more driven components being selected with a process power demand, 
 the radial engine has a base power output for a single base row, and the number of rows, including the base row, is equal to a process ratio of the process power demand to base power output; and 
 combined weight being less than or equal to the maximum payload weight. 
 
     
     
         4 . The transportable power platform of  claim 1  wherein:
 the transportable trailer has a maximum payload weight; and 
 a combined weight of the auxiliary support equipment, one or more driven components and the radial engine is at about the maximum payload weight. 
 
     
     
         5 . The transportable power platform of  claim 4  wherein:
 the radial engine is a multi-row radial engine having a base row and one or more supplemental cylinder rows, the total number of rows configured to provide a power output to match the power demand of the one or more driven components. 
 
     
     
         6 . The transportable power platform of  claims 1  wherein:
 the auxiliary support equipment further comprises supplementary liquid cooling for the radial engine. 
 
     
     
         7 . The transportable power platform of  claims 1  wherein the transportable platform is a trailer for supporting a skid, the skid supporting the power unit. 
     
     
         8 . The transportable power platform of  claim 1  wherein the transportable platform is a trailer for supporting the power unit. 
     
     
         9 . A system for minimizing a number of transportable power platforms for providing process fluid to an oil and gas wellsite, comprising:
 a plurality of transportable power units, each having a maximum payload weight, supporting a fluid pump having a power demand and a power plant for providing a power output about that of the power demand; wherein   each fluid pump comprises one or more driven fluid pumps;   each power plant comprises a multi-row radial engine having a row multiplier to provide a power output to match the process power demand; and   a combined weight of auxiliary support equipment, one or more driven components and the multi-row engine is at about the maximum payload weight.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9  wherein:
 the process power demand is about 4500 HP; and 
 the multi-row radial engine is a three-row radial engine, each row having a nominal power output of 1500 HP. 
 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 9  wherein:
 the process power demand is about 5,000 HP; and 
 the multi-row radial engine is a three-row radial engine, each row having a nominal power output of 1500 HP for a total power output of about 4,500 HP. 
 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11  wherein the one or more pumps is two pumps, further comprising:
 a mechanical splitter for splitting the power output of the multi-row radial engine between the two pumps. 
 
     
     
         13 . A process for maximizing the delivery of process fluid to an oil and gas wellsite using a minimum number of transportable platforms supporting the fluid pumps thereon, comprising:
 providing a plurality of transportable platforms, each having a maximum payload weight and supporting power unit thereon, each power unit comprising a fluid pump having a power demand and a radial engine having at least one cylinder row for providing a power output about that of the power demand; and   configuring each radial engine by providing a base row of the at least one cylinder row and one or more supplemental rows according to a row multiplier established as a ratio of the power demand and the power output, so that when the row multiplier has a value of two or more, the radial engine has the base row and one or more supplemental rows respectively so as to match the power output to the power demand;   coupling each fluid pump with a radial engine.   maximizing the power demand of the fluid pump and power output of the radial engine until a weight of the power unit is up to about the maximum payload weight.   
     
     
         14 . The process of  claim 13  wherein when the row multiplier exceeds a threshold ratio, further comprising providing two or more power units on the transportable platform, the combined weight of the two or more power units being less than about the maximum payload weight. 
     
     
         15 . The process of  claim 13  further comprising:
 one or more gensets comprising a generator and a radial engine; and 
 wherein the radial engines of the power units and gensets are fueled from the same fuel source.