Improved stator assembly for progressive cavity pumping systems

Abstract

A stator for use in a progressive cavity pump is provided, comprising a housing having a suction end and a discharge end, and an elastomeric liner disposed within the housing that defines a passageway for receiving a rotor of the pump. The elastomeric liner comprises a reinforced component that is proximate to the discharge end and that provides a landing surface to resist passage of a rotor head through the passageway.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A stator for use in a progressive cavity pump, the stator comprising:
 a housing having a suction end and a discharge end; and   an elastomeric liner disposed within the housing and defining a passageway for receiving a rotor of the progressive cavity pump,   the passageway comprising a reinforced component proximate to the discharge end of the housing, and   the reinforced component of the passageway defining an opening smaller in dimension than a rotor head of the rotor.   
     
     
         2 . The stator of  claim 1 , wherein the reinforced component defines a shoulder adapted for contact with the rotor head. 
     
     
         3 . The stator of  claim 1 , wherein the reinforced component of the passageway comprises at least one pin. 
     
     
         4 . The stator of  claim 1 , wherein the reinforced component of the passageway is formed integrally with the housing. 
     
     
         5 . The stator of  claim 1 , wherein the reinforced component of the passageway is mounted on the interior of the housing. 
     
     
         6 . The stator of  claim 1 , wherein the reinforced component of the passageway is mounted through the housing. 
     
     
         7 . The stator of  claim 1 , wherein the elastomeric liner is deformable to provide a compression fit between the stator and a rotor to define discrete cavities between the stator and rotor. 
     
     
         8 . The stator of  claim 1 , wherein the elastomeric liner extends from the suction end of the stator and terminates before the discharge end of the stator. 
     
     
         9 . The stator of  claim 1 , wherein the reinforced component is comprised of a material with greater resistance to deformity than the elastomeric liner. 
     
     
         10 . A stator for use in a progressive cavity pump, the stator comprising:
 a housing comprising a wall and at least one reinforcing component extending from an interior face of the wall; and   an elastomeric liner disposed within the housing and extending over the at least one reinforcing component, the elastomeric liner defining a passageway for a rotor of the progressive cavity pump, a portion of the elastomeric liner extending over the at least one reinforcing component defining a shoulder for engaging a rotor head of the rotor.   
     
     
         11 . The stator of  claim 10 , wherein the reinforcing component is proximate to the discharge end of the housing. 
     
     
         12 . The stator of  claim 10 , wherein the at least one reinforcing component comprises at least one pin. 
     
     
         13 . The stator of  claim 10 , wherein the at least one reinforcing component is formed integrally with the housing. 
     
     
         14 . The stator of  claim 10 , wherein the at least one reinforcing component is mounted on the interior of the housing. 
     
     
         15 . The stator of  claim 10 , wherein the at least one reinforcing component is mounted through the housing. 
     
     
         16 . The stator of  claim 10 , wherein the elastomeric liner extends from the suction end of the stator and ends before the discharge end of the stator. 
     
     
         17 . A method of operating a progressive cavity pump, the progressive cavity pump comprising,
 a stator comprising,   a housing having a suction end and a discharge end; and   an elastomeric liner disposed within the housing and defining a passageway for receiving a rotor of the progressive cavity pump   the elastomeric liner comprising at least one reinforced component proximate to the discharge end, the at least one reinforced component providing a landing surface to resist passage of a rotor head of the rotor through the passageway   the method comprising:   installing the stator in a wellbore;   lowering the rotor for the progressive cavity pump on a rod string into the stator until a lower surface of the rotor head of the rotor contacts the shoulder of the stator; and   on detecting the contact, raising the rotor on the rod string to a predefined position.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising rotating the rotor in an eccentric rotation along the interior surface of the stator. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising pumping material through the progressive cavity pump. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein pumping material through the progressive cavity pump further comprises pumping material through an intake end of the progressive cavity pump and through an open cavity defined by the rotor and stator.