Clamping system for a progressing cavity pump

Abstract

A clamping system for a progressing cavity pump can include a first clamping element adapted to receive a first end portion of a stator housing of the progressing cavity pump, a second clamping element adapted to receive a second end portion of the stator housing of the progressing cavity pump, a first plurality of fasteners extending between the first clamping element and a first flange of the progressing cavity pump to compressively clamp the first end portion there between, and a second plurality of fasteners extending between the second clamping element and a second flange of the progressing cavity pump to compressively clamp the second end portion there between.

1 . A clamping system for a progressing cavity pump, the clamping system comprising:
 a first clamping element adapted to receive a first end portion of a stator housing of the progressing cavity pump;   a second clamping element adapted to receive a second end portion of the stator housing of the progressing cavity pump;   a first plurality of fasteners extending between the first clamping element and a first clamping flange of the progressing cavity pump to compressively clamp the first end portion there between; and   a second plurality of fasteners extending between the second clamping element and a second clamping flange of the progressing cavity pump to compressively clamp the second end portion there between.   
     
     
         2 . The clamping system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first end portion of the stator housing defines a first face;   the second end portion of the stator housing defines a second face;   the first clamping element defines a first pair of clamping surfaces adapted to engage the first face of the stator housing; and   the second clamping element defines a second pair of clamping surfaces adapted to engage the second face of the stator housing.   
     
     
         3 . The clamping system of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the stator housing defines a longitudinal axis; and   the first clamping element and the second clamping element are rotatable about the longitudinal axis between an unlocked orientation, in which the first pair of clamping surfaces of the first clamping element and the second pair of clamping surfaces of the second clamping element are positioned to allow insertion of the first end portion of the stator housing axially through the first clamping element and the second end portion of the stator housing axially through the second clamping element, and a locked orientation, in which the first pair of clamping surfaces of the first clamping element are positioned to engage the first face of the stator housing and the second pair of clamping surfaces of the second clamping element are positioned to engage the second face of the stator housing.   
     
     
         4 . The clamping system of  claim 3 , wherein:
 the stator housing defines an outer housing surface;   the first end portion of the stator housing includes a first flange extending radially outward from the outer housing surface, wherein the first clamping element is adapted to circumferentially encompass the first flange; and   the second end portion of the stator housing includes a second flange extending radially outward from the outer housing surface, wherein the second clamping element is adapted to circumferentially encompass the second flange.   
     
     
         5 . The clamping system of  claim 4 , wherein:
 the first flange defines a first plurality of surfaces;   the second flange defines a second plurality of surfaces;   the first clamping element defines a first pair of surfaces adapted to engage the first plurality of surfaces of the first flange when the first clamping element is in the locked orientation; and   the second clamping element defines a second pair of surfaces adapted to engage the second plurality of surfaces of the second flange when the second clamping element is in the locked orientation.   
     
     
         6 . The clamping system of  claim 4 , wherein:
 the first flange defines one or more first planar surfaces;   the second flange defines one or more second planar surfaces;   the first clamping element includes one or more first set screws, the one or more first set screws adapted to extend through the first pair of surfaces to engage the one or more first planar surfaces of the first flange to prevent relative rotation between the first end portion of the stator housing and the first clamping element; and   the second clamping element includes one or more second set screws, the one or more second set screws adapted to extend through the second pair of surfaces to engage the one or more second planar surfaces of the second flange to prevent relative rotation between the second end portion of the stator housing and the second clamping element.   
     
     
         7 . The clamping system of  claim 6 , wherein:
 the one or more first planar surfaces and the one or more second planar surfaces each include two planar surfaces that are radially offset from each other by about 180 degrees relative to the longitudinal axis; and   the one or more first set screws and the one or more second set screws each include two set screws that are radially offset from each other within the first clamping element and the second clamping element, respectively, by about 180 degrees relative to the longitudinal axis.   
     
     
         8 . The clamping system of  claim 7 , wherein the stator housing includes a first portion and a second portion, the first portion and the second portion collectively defining the outer housing surface, the first flange, and the second flange. 
     
     
         9 . The clamping system of  claim 8 , wherein the stator housing includes a third flange extending radially outward from the outer housing surface, the third flange located between the first flange and the second flange. 
     
     
         10 . A progressing cavity pump including:
 an intake casing defining a first clamping flange;   a pressure fitting defining a second clamping flange;   a rotor defining a plurality of external lobes;   a stator liner defining a plurality of internal lobes adapted to engage the plurality of external lobes of the rotor to form a plurality of progressing cavities during rotation of the rotor within the stator liner;   a stator housing adapted to receive the stator liner, the stator housing including a first end portion and a second end portion;   a first clamping element adapted to receive the first end portion of the stator housing of the progressing cavity pump;   a second clamping element adapted to receive the second end portion of the stator housing of the progressing cavity pump;   a first plurality of fasteners extending between the first clamping element and the first clamping flange of the intake casing to compressively clamp the first end portion there between; and   a second plurality of fasteners extending between the second clamping element and the second clamping flange of the pressure fitting to compressively clamp the second end portion there between.   
     
     
         11 . The progressing cavity pump of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the first clamping element includes one or more first set screws, the one or more first set screws adapted to engage a first flange of the first end portion of the stator housing to prevent relative rotation between the stator housing and the first clamping element; and   the second clamping element includes one or more second set screws, the one or more second set screws adapted to engage a second flange of the second end portion of the stator housing to prevent relative rotation between the second end portion of the stator housing and the second clamping element.   
     
     
         12 . The progressing cavity pump of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the first plurality of fasteners and the second plurality of fasteners extend parallel to and laterally offset from a longitudinal axis defined by the stator housing; and the one or more first set screws and the one or more second set screws extend orthogonally to the longitudinal axis.   
     
     
         13 . The progressing cavity pump of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the stator housing defines a longitudinal axis; and   the first clamping element and the second clamping element are adapted to be rotatable about the longitudinal axis between an unlocked orientation for enabling insertion of the first end portion of the stator housing axially through the first clamping element and the second end portion of the stator housing axially through the second clamping element, and a locked orientation for preventing removal of the first flange of the stator housing axially through the first clamping element and the second flange of the stator housing axially through the second clamping element.   
     
     
         14 . The progressing cavity pump of  claim 13 , wherein:
 the first clamping element defines:   a first pair of clamping surfaces adapted to engage the first flange when the first clamping element is in the locked orientation to limit axial movement of the first end portion along the longitudinal axis;   a first pair of surfaces adapted to engage the first flange when the first clamping element is in the locked orientation to limit radial movement of the first end portion relative to the longitudinal axis; and   the second clamping element defines:   a second pair of clamping surfaces adapted to engage the second flange when the second clamping element is in the locked orientation to limit axial movement of the second end portion along the longitudinal axis; and   a second pair of surfaces adapted to engage the second flange when the second clamping element is in the locked orientation to limit radial movement of the second end portion relative to the longitudinal axis.   
     
     
         15 . A method of coupling a stator to a progressing cavity pump, the method comprising:
 inserting a first end portion of a stator housing into a first clamping element;   securing the first end portion of the stator housing to the first clamping element;   coupling the first clamping element to a first clamping flange of the progressing cavity pump by compressively clamping the first end portion between the first clamping element and the first clamping flange;   inserting a second end portion of the stator housing into a second clamping element;   securing the second end portion of the stator housing to the second clamping element; and   coupling the second clamping element to a second clamping flange of the progressing cavity pump by compressively clamping the second end portion between the second clamping element and the second clamping flange   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein inserting the first end portion into the first clamping element includes rotating the first clamping element about a longitudinal axis defined by the stator housing into an unlocked orientation; and wherein inserting the second end portion into the second clamping element includes rotating the second clamping element about a longitudinal axis defined by the stator housing into an unlocked orientation. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein securing the first end portion of the stator housing to the first clamping element includes rotating the first clamping element about the longitudinal axis into a locked orientation; and wherein securing the second end portion of the stator housing to the second clamping element includes rotating the second clamping element about the longitudinal axis into a locked orientation. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein rotating the first clamping element from the unlocked orientation to the locked orientation includes rotating the first clamping element about 90 degrees relative to the longitudinal axis; and wherein rotating the second clamping element from the unlocked orientation to the locked orientation includes rotating the second clamping element about 90 degrees relative to the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein securing the first end portion to the first clamping element includes rotating one or more first set screws extending through the first clamping element into contact with a first flange of the first end portion to radially compress the first end portion; and wherein securing the second end portion to the second clamping element includes rotating one or more first set screws extending through the second clamping element into contact with a second flange of the second end portion to radially compress the second end portion. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein coupling the first clamping element to the first clamping flange includes inserting a first plurality of fasteners through the first clamping element and the first clamping flange; and wherein coupling the second clamping element to the second clamping flange includes inserting a second plurality of fasteners through the second clamping element and the second clamping flange.