Abrasive handling submersible pump assembly diffuser
An abrasive handling submersible pump assembly diffuser is described. An electric submersible pump assembly stage comprises a rotatable impeller, and a co-axially mounted diffuser comprising a diffuser bowl, the diffuser bowl comprising a plurality of diffuser bowl wedges having a blunted pie-shape, each of the plurality of diffuser bowl wedges protruding axially from a diffuser bowl floor into a cavity between the rotatable impeller and the co-axially mounted diffuser such that each of the plurality of diffuser bowl wedges protrudes into a path of pumped solid-laden fluid, wherein the blunted pie-shaped wedges extend radially between an inner wall and an outer wall of the diffuser bowl and a thickness of the blunted pie-shaped wedges in a circumferential direction increases towards the outer wall.
1. A submersible pump assembly diffuser comprising:
a diffuser bowl comprising a floor; and
a plurality of pie-shaped wedges arranged about the diffuser bowl floor, each of the plurality of pie-shaped wedges protruding axially from the diffuser bowl floor and extending radially between an inner diameter and an outer diameter of the diffuser bowl, wherein a circumferential thickness of each of the plurality of pie-shaped wedges increases from the inner diameter to the outer diameter of the diffuser bowl.
2. The submersible pump assembly diffuser of claim 1 , wherein a side of each of the plurality of pie-shaped wedges facing the inner diameter of the diffuser bowl is blunted.
3. The submersible pump assembly diffuser of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of pie-shaped wedges comprises a sector-shaped roof.
4. The submersible pump assembly diffuser of claim 3 , wherein the roof is an octant.
5. The submersible pump assembly diffuser of claim 3 , wherein the roof is inclined towards the outer diameter of the diffuser bowl as judged from the inner diameter of the diffuser bowl.
6. The submersible pump assembly diffuser of claim 5 , wherein the roof comprises a notch in height.
7. The submersible pump assembly diffuser of claim 3 , wherein at least one pie-shaped wedge of the plurality of pie-shaped wedges comprises a chamfer on a leading edge of the sector-shaped roof, wherein the chamfer decreases in surface area from the inner diameter to the outer diameter of the diffuser bowl.
8. The submersible pump assembly diffuser of claim 3 , wherein the roof is flat between the inner diameter and the outer diameter of the diffuser bowl.
9. The submersible pump assembly diffuser of claim 3 , wherein the roof comprises a funneled incision on a leading edge.
10. The submersible pump assembly diffuser of claim 9 , wherein the roof comprises a chamfer on the leading edge.
11. The submersible pump assembly diffuser of claim 1 , wherein there are four pie-shaped wedges in the plurality of pie-shaped wedges evenly spaced about the diffuser bowl floor.
12. The submersible pump assembly diffuser of claim 1 , wherein the diffuser bowl is one of an upthrust bowl or a downthrust bowl.
13. The submersible pump assembly diffuser of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of pie-shaped wedges comprises a slanted roof.
14. The submersible pump assembly diffuser of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of pie shaped wedges comprises two radial sides separated by about a forty-five degree angle.
15. The submersible pump assembly diffuser of claim 1 , wherein the diffuser bowl is in a stage of an electric submersible pump assembly gas separator.
16. The submersible pump assembly diffuser of claim 1 , wherein the diffuser bowl is in a stage of an electric submersible pump assembly charge pump.
17. The submersible pump assembly diffuser of claim 1 , wherein the diffuser bowl is in a stage of a centrifugal pump of an electric submersible pump assembly.
18. The submersible pump assembly diffuser of claim 1 , wherein the circumferential thickness of each of the plurality of pie-shaped wedges increases linearly from the inner diameter to the outer diameter of the diffuser bowl.
19. A pump assembly stage comprising:
a rotatable impeller; and
a co-axially mounted diffuser comprising:
a diffuser bowl comprising a plurality of diffuser bowl wedges having a pie-shape, each of the plurality of diffuser bowl wedges protruding axially from a diffuser bowl floor into a cavity between the rotatable impeller and the co-axially mounted diffuser such that each of the plurality of diffuser bowl wedges protrudes into a path of pumped fluid, wherein each of the plurality of pie-shaped wedges extends radially between an inner wall and an outer wall of the diffuser bowl and a thickness in a circumferential direction of each of the plurality of the pie-shaped wedges increases towards the outer wall.
20. The pump assembly stage of claim 19 , wherein each of the plurality of diffuser bowl wedges has a blunted side facing the inner wall.
21. The pump assembly stage of claim 19 , wherein a top side of at least one of the plurality of diffuser bowl wedges forms an inclined roof as judged from the inner wall.
22. The pump assembly stage of claim 19 , wherein each of the plurality of diffuser bowl wedges comprises a chamfer on a leading edge.
23. The pump assembly stage of claim 19 , wherein each of the plurality of diffuser bowl wedges comprises a funneled incision on a leading edge.
24. The pump assembly stage of claim 19 , wherein the cavity is on an inlet side of the co-axially mounted diffuser.
25. The pump assembly stage of claim 19 , wherein the cavity is on a discharge side of the co-axially mounted diffuser.