Patent ID: 6322333
Filing Date: 2001-11-27
Classification: F04C,F04D

Abstract:
A device for enhancing fluid flow in a well, which includes:a housing;a first inlet in said housing to receive a propellant;wherein said propellant is a gas;a third chamber within said housing communicating with said first inlet;a first one way check valve disposed in said housing in a manner to permit communication from said first inlet to said first chamber;means for biasing said first one way check valve closed until reaching a first predetermined pressure of said propellant;a second chamber in said housing generally axially aligned with said first chamber;a shaft bored surface interconnecting said first and said second chamber;a shaft rotatably disposed within the shaft bored surface and extending from first chamber to said second chamber;means for sealing about said shaft to prevent communication between said first chamber and said second chamber;a rotor rotatably mounted within said first chamber and connected to said shaft in a manner to prevent rotational slippage with respect to said shaft;a first exit channel within said housing connected to said first chamber;an outlet in said housing communicating with said first exit channel;a second one way check valve disposed in said housing in a manner to permit communication from said first exit channel to said outlet;a second inlet in said housing communicating with said second chamber to permit receipt of fluid/gas stream fluids from the well therein;a second exit channel within said housing interconnecting said second chamber with said outlet;a pump impeller rotor rotatably mounted within said second chamber and connected to said shaft in a manner to prevent rotational slippage with respect to said shaft and in a manner to aid fluid flow from said second inlet to said second exit channel;a third one way check valve disposed in said housing in a manner to permit communication from said second exit channel through to said outlet;means for biasing said first one way check valve closed until reaching a first predetermined pressure of said fluid from said well;a fluid/gas separator operably connected to said outlet in a manner to receive the fluid/gas stream and generally separate the fluid from the gas;means positioned downstream of said outlet in a path of the fluid/gas stream for generating compressed gas, wherein said generating means generates the compressed gas using energy from the fluid/gas.