Dual pump configuration for fluid transfer and metering

Abstract

An apparatus includes a primer pump having a pneumatic power inlet, a fluid inlet coupled to receive a fluid from a fluid source and a fluid outlet to output the fluid in response to a pressure at the fluid outlet being less than a pressure at the pneumatic power inlet. The apparatus includes a liquid additive pump having a fluid inlet coupled to the fluid outlet of the primer pump to receive the fluid, wherein the primer pump is to apply a positive pressure at the fluid inlet of the liquid additive pump.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus comprising:
 a primer pump having a pneumatic power inlet, a fluid inlet coupled to receive a fluid from a fluid source and a fluid outlet to output the fluid in response to a pressure at the fluid outlet being less than a pressure at the pneumatic power inlet; and   a liquid additive pump having a fluid inlet coupled to the fluid outlet of the primer pump to receive the fluid, wherein the primer pump is to apply a positive pressure at the fluid inlet of the liquid additive pump.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the primer pump is a pneumatically powered, dual diaphragm pump. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the pneumatically powered, dual diaphragm pump includes a cycle counter that is to increment a counter value after at least one of each pump cycle and each half pump cycle, and wherein the pneumatically powered, dual diaphragm pump is to output a pump cycle volume of the fluid through the fluid outlet for at least one of each pump cycle and each half pump cycle. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein a computer device is communicatively coupled to the apparatus, wherein the computer device comprises,
 a processor; and   a machine-readable medium having program code executable by the processor to cause the computer device to determine a volume output from the fluid outlet of the pneumatically powered, dual diaphragm pump during a defined time period based on the counter value and the pump cycle volume of the fluid in at least each pump cycle and each half pump cycle.   
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 a flowmeter that is coupled to receive the fluid being output from the fluid outlet of the primer pump, wherein the flowmeter is to measure a volume output from the fluid outlet of the primer pump during the defined time period.   
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the program code comprises program code executable by the processor to cause the computer device to validate operation of at least one of the liquid additive pump and the flowmeter, in response to a difference between the volume output from the fluid outlet of the pneumatically powered, dual diaphragm pump and the volume output measured by the flowmeter during the defined time period being within a volume differential threshold. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 3 ,
 wherein the pneumatically powered, dual diaphragm pump includes a pulse generator to generate a pulse after each pump cycle, and wherein the pneumatically powered, dual diaphragm pump is to output a pump cycle volume of the fluid through the fluid outlet for each pump cycle,   wherein a computer device is communicatively coupled to the apparatus, wherein the computer device comprises,
 a processor; and 
 a machine-readable medium having program code executable by the processor to cause the computer device to determine a volume output front the fluid outlet of the pneumatically powered, dual diaphragm pump based on a number of pulses generated and the pump cycle volume of the fluid in each pump cycle, 
   wherein the apparatus further comprises a flowmeter that is coupled to receive the fluid being output from the fluid outlet of the primer pump, wherein the flowmeter is to measure a volume output from the fluid outlet of the primer pump; and   wherein the program code comprises program code executable by the processor to cause the computer device to validate operation of at least one of the liquid additive pump and the flowmeter, in response to a difference between the volume output from the fluid outlet of the pneumatically powered, dual diaphragm pump and the volume output measured by the flowmeter being within a volume differential threshold.   
     
     
         8 . A system comprising:
 a grammatically powered pump having a pneumatic power inlet, a fluid inlet coupled to receive a chemical fluid from a chemical fluid source and a fluid outlet to output the chemical fluid in response to a pressure at the fluid outlet being less than a pressure at the pneumatic power inlet; and   a blender comprising,
 a liquid additive pump having a fluid inlet coupled to the fluid outlet of the pneumatically powered pump to receive the chemical fluid, wherein the pneumatically powered pump is to apply a positive pressure at the fluid inlet of the liquid additive pump; 
 a plurality of inlets, wherein one of the plurality of inlets is coupled to a fluid outlet of the liquid additive pump to receive the chemical fluid; and 
 an outlet to output a hydraulic fracturing fluid via a conduit for a downhole hydraulic fracturing operation. 
   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the pneumatically powered pump is a pneumatically powered, dual diaphragm pump. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the pneumatically powered, dual diaphragm pump includes a cycle counter that is to increment a counter value after at least one of each pump cycle and each half pump cycle, and wherein the pneumatically powered, dual diaphragm pump is to output a pump cycle volume of the chemical fluid through the outlet for at least one of each pump cycle and each half pump cycle. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , further comprising a computer device that is communicatively coupled to the pneumatically powered, dual diaphragm pump, wherein the computer device comprises,
 a processor; and   a machine-readable medium having program code executable by the processor to cause the computer device to determine a volume output from the fluid outlet of the pneumatically powered, dual diaphragm pump during a defined time period based on the counter value and the pump cycle volume of the chemical fluid in at least one of each pump cycle and each half pump cycle.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , further comprising a flowmeter that is coupled to receive the fluid being output from the fluid outlet of the pneumatically powered, dual diaphragm pump, wherein the flowmeter is to measure a volume output from the fluid outlet of the pneumatically powered, dual diaphragm pump during the defined time period. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the machine-readable medium comprises program code executable by the processor to cause the computer device to validate operation of at least one of the liquid additive pump and the flowmeter, in response to a difference between the volume output from the fluid outlet of the pneumatically powered, dual diaphragm pump and the volume output measured by the flowmeter during the defined time period being within a volume differential threshold. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 9 ,
 wherein the pneumatically powered, dual diaphragm pump includes a pulse generator to generate a pulse after each pump cycle, and wherein the pneumatically powered, dual diaphragm pump is to output a pump cycle volume of the fluid through the fluid outlet for each pump cycle,   wherein the system further comprises a computer device that comprises,
 a processor; 
 a machine-readable medium having program code executable by the processor to cause the system to determine a volume output from the fluid outlet of the pneumatically powered, dual diaphragm pump based on a number of pulses generated and the pump cycle volume of the fluid in each pump cycle; and 
 a flowmeter that is coupled to measure a volume output from the fluid outlet of the pneumatically powered, dual diaphragm pump, 
 wherein the program code comprises program code executable by the processor to cause the system to validate operation of at least one of the liquid additive pump and the flowmeter, in response to a difference between the volume output from the fluid outlet of the pneumatically powered, dual diaphragm pump and the volume output measured by the flowmeter being within a volume differential threshold. 
   
     
     
         15 . A method comprising:
 connecting a fluid inlet of a dual diaphragm pump to a chemical fluid source with a first fluid conduit;   connecting a fluid outlet of the dual diaphragm pump to a fluid inlet of a liquid additive pump with a second fluid conduit;   connecting a fluid outlet of the liquid additive pump to a fluid inlet of a blender; and   connecting an outlet of the blender to a tubular string in a wellbore with a third fluid conduit.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 initiating a hydraulic fracturing operation of the wellbore using a hydraulic fracturing fluid that is output from the blender and that is based, at least in part; on a chemical fluid from the chemical fluid source received via a fluid outlet of the liquid additive pump, wherein initiating the hydraulic fracturing operation comprises,
 pneumatic powering of the dual diaphragm pump through a pneumatic power inlet of the dual diaphragm pump, wherein in response to pneumatic powering of the dual diaphragm pump and in response to a pressure at the outlet of the dual diaphragm pump being less than a pressure at the pneumatic power inlet, the chemical fluid flows from the fluid outlet of the dual diaphragm to the fluid inlet of the liquid additive pump to prime the liquid additive pump; 
 powering the liquid additive pump, wherein in response to powering the liquid additive pump, the chemical fluid is output from the liquid additive pump and into a fluid inlet of the blender; and 
 powering the blender to output the hydraulic fracturing fluid from the outlet of the blender. 
   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the dual diaphragm primp includes a cycle counter, wherein the method comprises,
 communicatively coupling the cycle counter to a computer device;   connecting a flowmeter to receive fluid output from the fluid outlet of the dual diaphragm pump; and   communicatively coupling the flowmeter to the computer device.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 retrieving, by the computer device, a counter value of the cycle counter during a defined time period and a pump cycle volume of the chemical fluid in each pump cycle of the dual diaphragm pump; and   determining, by the computer device, a first volume output from the fluid outlet of the dual diaphragm pump during the defined time period based on the counter value and the pump cycle volume of the chemical fluid in each pump cycle of the dual diaphragm pump.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 measuring, by the flowmeter, a second volume output from the fluid outlet of the dual diaphragm pump during the defined time period;   retrieving, by the computer device, the second volume output; and   validating, by the computer device, operation of at least one of the liquid additive pump and the flowmeter, in response to a difference between the first volume output and the second volume output being within a volume differential threshold.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the dual diaphragm pump includes a pulse generator to generate a pulse after each pump cycle, wherein the method comprises,
 communicatively coupling the pulse generator to a computer device;   connecting a flowmeter to receive fluid output from the fluid outlet of the dual diaphragm pump;   communicatively coupling the flowmeter to the computer device; and   receiving, by the computer device, a number of pulses from the pulse generator and a pump cycle volume of the chemical fluid in each pump cycle of the dual diaphragm pump;   determining, by the computer device, a first volume output from the fluid outlet of the dual diaphragm pump based on the number of pulses and the pump cycle volume of the chemical fluid in each pump cycle of the dual diaphragm pump;   measuring, by the flowmeter, a second volume output from the fluid outlet of the dual diaphragm pump;   receiving, by the computer device, the second volume output; and   validating, by the computer device, operation of the liquid additive pump, in response to a difference between the first volume output and the second volume output being within a volume differential threshold.