Submerged cryogenic pump with a magnetic linear coupling

Abstract

A pumping system is disclosed for use in pressurizing a cryogenic fluid. The pumping system has a motor, an arm reciprocated by the motor, and a reciprocating pump configured to be submerged in a liquid. The pump includes a piston. The pumping system also has a rod mechanically coupled to the piston and a magnetic coupling configured to reciprocate the rod in response to the reciprocation of the arm. The magnetic coupling includes an outer magnetic portion associated with the arm and an inner magnetic portion associated with the rod.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A pumping system, comprising:
 a motor;   an arm reciprocated by the motor;   a reciprocating pump configured to be submerged in a liquid, the reciprocating pump including a piston;   a rod mechanically coupled to the piston; and   a magnetic coupling configured to reciprocate the rod in response to the reciprocation of the arm, the magnetic coupling including an outer magnetic portion associated with the arm and an inner magnetic portion associated with the rod.   
     
     
         2 . The pumping system of  claim 1 , wherein the reciprocating pump is submerged in the liquid, and the motor is disposed completely outside of the liquid. 
     
     
         3 . The pumping system of  claim 1 , further including a separation cover at least partially defining a fluid boundary of the liquid, wherein the outer magnetic portion of the magnetic coupling is disposed on an outside of the separation cover and the inner magnetic portion of the magnetic coupling is disposed on an inside of the separation cover. 
     
     
         4 . The pumping system of  claim 1 , further including a separation cover fluidly separating the liquid from an ambient gas, wherein a portion of the separation cover is disposed between the outer magnetic portion and the inner magnetic portion of the magnetic coupling. 
     
     
         5 . The pumping system of  claim 4 , wherein the separation cover includes a linear guide and the linear guide mechanically engages at least one of the inner magnetic portion and the outer magnetic portion. 
     
     
         6 . The pumping system of  claim 4 , wherein:
 the separation cover includes a linear guide;   the linear guide protrudes into one of the liquid and an ambient gas; and   one of the outer magnetic portion or the inner magnetic portion is at least partially received within the linear guide.   
     
     
         7 . The pumping system of  claim 6 , wherein the linear guide is at least partially received within the other of the outer magnetic portion and the inner magnetic portion. 
     
     
         8 . The pumping system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the outer magnetic portion and the inner magnetic portion is formed as part of the arm or the rod, respectively. 
     
     
         9 . The pumping system of  claim 1 , further including:
 a motion converter interposed between the motor and the arm;   the motor including an electromagnetically rotated shaft; and   the motion converter being configured to reciprocate the arm in response to rotation of the shaft of the motor.   
     
     
         10 . The pumping system of  claim 1 , further including a primer pump, the primer pump including an outlet, and the outlet being fluidly connected to the reciprocating pump. 
     
     
         11 . A pumping system, comprising:
 an electric motor, the electric motor including an output shaft rotated by the electric motor;   a motion converter coupled to the output shaft of the electric motor, the motion converter including an arm reciprocated by the motion converter in response to rotation of the output shaft of the electric motor;   a submergible pump, the submergible pump including a piston connected to a rod; and   a linear magnetic coupling configured to reciprocate the piston of the submergible pump in response to reciprocation of the arm of the motion converter, the linear magnetic coupling including an outer magnetic portion associated with the arm and an inner magnetic portion associated with the rod.   
     
     
         12 . The pumping system of  claim 11 , wherein at least one of the outer magnetic portion and the inner magnetic portion is formed as part of the arm or the rod, respectively. 
     
     
         13 . The pumping system of  claim 11 , further including a separation cover configured to at least partially define a fluid boundary of a liquid within which the submergible pump is submerged. 
     
     
         14 . The pumping system of  claim 13 , wherein the separation cover includes a linear guide and the linear guide mechanically engages at least one of the inner magnetic portion and the outer magnetic portion. 
     
     
         15 . The pumping system of  claim 13 , wherein:
 the separation cover includes a linear guide;   the linear guide protrudes into one of the liquid and an ambient gas; and   one of the outer magnetic portion or the inner magnetic portion is at least partially received within the linear guide.   
     
     
         16 . The pumping system of  claim 15 , wherein the linear guide is at least partially received within the other of the outer magnetic portion and the inner magnetic portion. 
     
     
         17 . The pumping system of  claim 11 , wherein at least one of the inner magnetic portion and the outer magnetic portion includes a material responsive to magnetic fields. 
     
     
         18 . The pumping system of  claim 11 , wherein at least one of the inner magnetic portion and the outer magnetic portion includes a permanent magnet. 
     
     
         19 . The pumping system of  claim 11 , further comprising a primer pump configured to pump liquid into the submergible pump. 
     
     
         20 . A method of pumping a liquid, comprising:
 reciprocating a drive arm located outside of a container of the liquid;   magnetically coupling a piston rod located inside the container to the drive arm, and reciprocating a piston connected to the piston rod and submerged in the liquid in response to reciprocating the drive arm; and   pumping the liquid from the container in response to the reciprocating of the piston in the liquid.